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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Bricolage: Andy, George, and the Piece Of Gravel

Bricolage is a French term that essentially means to "use what you have available to create a solution."  In writing terms it means to create something from things that happen to be around.  Today's creative writing entry is an exercise in creativity and to include something very boring: a piece of gravel.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how the characters in this piece developed.  I hope that you enjoy reading it!

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Andy and George were two kids in search of something.  It was summertime and they were BORED.  They had already swiped peaches off of their neighbor's tree.  They had raced each other through the neighborhood three times.  Andy won the first two and George finally won the last race.  They had even tested who was braver by seeing who would get closest to Mr. Haney's rottweiler--a dog that was safely chained up and behind a fence Mr. Haney's backyard.

George was tossing a piece of gravel when Andy had his bright idea.  Who could get it through the tiny hole in George's window, without breaking the window further?  George thought that it was a fine idea and the boys promptly put it into action.  George's window faced the backyard, so they could also keep an eye out for his Mom in case she came out while doing house work.  The hole was in the bottom left corner of the window and about an inch wide.  The piece of gravel was maybe a half-inch wide; so it would take pretty good aim to get it through the window.  George threw first since it was his house.  He missed by a long shot, the piece of gravel bounced off the of wall next to the window and into the grass.  Andy ran and picked up.  He made a show of taking careful aim and pitched the gravel.  It pinged off of the glass and Andy whooped in victory.  George grumbled at him and tried again; it pinged off the glass as well and very close to the tiny hole.  They each took another turn, each one missing again.  George tried one last time--but this time, his mother was at the window, right when the gravel hit it!  Holy Moly!  The look on her face!  George knew he was in for it and there was nowhere to hide.  Andy was frozen in place.  George's mother came tearing out of the house, yelling at both of them.  His mind was spinning as her words sunk in: No dinner! Grounded for a week!  And just wait until his father came home from work!  Oh, jeez, thought George, this is the worst thing that has ever happened to me.  He slumped back into the house and while his mother marched Andy into the kitchen so that she could call his mother.

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