(Linda on the couch, watching TV, and hysterically crying. Ex stands at the doorway.)
Ex: What are you watching?
Linda: Of Mice and Men.
Ex: What part is playing?
Linda: The opening credits.
Ex: Opening credits? Why are you crying?
Linda: I read the book. I know what is going to happen. (Ex leaves)
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Click HERE for the origin of Conversation Thursday
Email me at auriacortes AT gmail DOT com to have your own conversation featured on this blog
Oh pick me! Pick me! I know. It’s Linda. Why? Cuz she forgot her big sister’s birthday. Your present is on its way, Bobbi.
Happy belated birthday.
Even though it’s not Conversation Thursday, I’m posting the following exchange I had with my little sister and my brother’s answering machine.
(Linda calling Tata – her little sister)
Linda: Did you remember Bobbi’s birthday?
Tata: Yes, I had her over for lunch.
Linda: Why didn’t you remind me?
Tata: I didn’t know I had to.
Linda: Well you did.
Tata: Too bad.
Linda: Damn, I can’t believe I forgot. Now you look better than me.
Tata: That’s my plan.
Linda: You suck.
(Linda calling Manolo – her little brother)
Answering machine: Please leave a message after the tone.
Linda: Do you know that Bobbi’s birthday was yesterday?
Answering machine: <silence>
Linda: Well, I hope you called her. Cuz the rest of us remembered.
Ex: If I told you, would you believe me? Linda: No, I guess I wouldn’t. Ex: Well, that’s why. Linda: Yeah.
<a few hours later>
Ex: You are you know. Linda: I’m what? Ex: Beautiful. Linda: Oh, you’re just saying that.
<Linda walks out of the room and then quickly returns>
Linda: I mean thank you.
<Ex smiles>
Linda: So why am I beautiful? Ex: Because you are. Linda: Yeah, but why. Ex: For many reasons.
<both are getting agitated>
Linda: Give me one. Just one. Ex: Your hair. Linda: My hair? I just finished working out. My hair is greasy. Give me another. Ex: Your smile.
Linda: My smile? That ones obvious. Give me another one.
Ex leaves the room…
Click HERE for previous Conversation Thursday posts
Click HERE to learn the origin of Conversation Thursday
Do you have a conversation to share? Email your conversations to auriacortes AT gmail DOT com and I’ll post it on this blog.
Below is a conversation Linda had with her father. English is his second language so sometimes there is a communication gap.
Linda: Papi, I got a literary agent!
Papi: That’s nice, baby hun.
Linda: You don’t know what that is, right?
Papi: No.
Linda: A literary agent is the middleman between a publishing house and me.
Papi: Oh, that’s nice. (still not getting it)
Linda: Okay, I’ll explain it again. An agent is someone who will represent my book ideas to publishing houses and negotiate a contract.
Papi: That sounds interesting. (still not getting it)
Linda: Papi, you know Tom Cruise, right?
Papi: Yes! I watch his movies.
Linda: Okay, Tom Cruise is really important. He doesn’t have time to talk to people who want him in their movies. The agent is the one who talks to the producer and then to Tom. Understand?
Papi: Oh my goodness! You’re going to be in a movie with Tom Cruise.
Linda: What? No. No.
I’m not a novelist. I’m a dialoguist. I write dialogue first and then add the fixings. I spend time listening to real life conversations, paying attention to the pacing and word usage of those around me.
This exercise allows me to write believable dialogue. In the past, I have posted conversations I’ve had with friends. I will continue to share those experiences and will also begin to share random conversations I overhear.
It’s my hope that you will also learn the structure of dialogue along with me. And of course, get a few laughs. Here’s a conversation I overheard recently:
Teen #1: Peter is a homosexual.
Teen #2 unphased: He finally came out?
Teen #1: No, but everyone knows so he’s out whether he realizes it or not.
Teen #2: That is soooooooooooo true.
Teen #1: There is nothing wrong with being a homosexual. My brother is metrosexual.
Teen #2: Metrosexual? What’s that?
Teen #1 after thinking for a few seconds: A metrosexual is a guy who likes to wear purple.
Teen #2: Oh, one of those.
If you have conversations you’d like to share, please email me at auriacortes(at)gmail.com. I’ll post a random conversation every Thursday.
