About Betty and the Neighbor

We are all disconnected from out neighbors

About Betty. And the neighbor.

 

 

‘In regards to the woman with the sword in her belly’… I began to write.

 

‘She walked slowly, of course. And she did not actually have a sword in her belly. The sword was sadness; sadness of her son’s death. Enough sadness that it becomes a physical entity that cut through her organs and diaphragm, forcing her to walk differently and with no obvious intention.’

 

 I get frustrated though and I begin another project.

 

‘Boats isolate you effectively. A boat will take me away from humanity, civilization and everything that lingers in society’s domain. For some good quality solitude, a boat will do the most adequate job.

I look at my father’s collection of about seventeen boats and ships ranging in size and capacity. A housing vessel will be necessary, something with a kitchen and bathroom quarters.’

 

I usually write with music but it does not always help. Annoyed, I turned the music off with bitterness. Although, I know it’s not the music’s fault. I suck. I just suck. "Thank God no one reads this", I say.Thank God. Drink in hand I adjust my posture. And I delete a few unimportant things that I have worked on for the past several hours. Although, those hours were not meaningless and I would not want to imply so.

 

‘The woman with the sword in her belly walked slowly from her house to ours. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming her. Then I wondered why she was coming over. Frozen, Betty and I both stood in front of the patio door watching her as she moved slowly, her hand holding her gut.

Before she fully arrived, Betty opened the door. And the woman, Molly Montasanti, tried to smile, we all did. Betty invited her in, I remained quiet and moved slowly out of the door way.’

 

My strength as a writer falters. Unevenly, my talent is pushed out in spurts, sometimes forced out. And sometimes it is not talent. And most of the time I cannot tell. And I am the only one who needs to tell.

 

'Even large bodies of water reminded me of you. Even imagining myself alone on a boat in the middle of a water desert, reminded me of you. Even thinking about throwing half my pizza away, reminds me of you.'

 

‘Is this really what you want? I should have asked that. I should have. And now I won’t get that satisfaction. Molly’s voice had a chilling, dry anger about it. Betty looked so concerned, her arm around Molly as if they were the oldest of friends. I stood paralyzed in thought, practically in between them.’

 

           ‘Even other sad people, they remind me of you.’

 

Reviews

[C. Rose]

"I turn the music off with quick strife" Is this a typo?
"Thank god know one reads this" Typo know
Be consistent with either " " or ' ' around the italic sections

"I suck. I just suck." I strongly relate to this line and it constantly gets in the way of my own writing. Great job conveying a feeling that most of the users on this site have probably also experienced.

Expand on "And I am the only one who needs to tell." I think I get your drift, but spell it out.

[ErithVert]

Thank you C. Rose for pointing those typos out to me. It was an older piece that I had reexamined the other day and I guess I missed some things. Anyways, you always give such helpful reviews, much appreciated.