Hal

Sometimes you just have to let the inspiration take you where it does. Hal was mine yesterday,  he cracked open a part of writing in me that had a "No access sign," lagging since Mrs Thompson's English class in 10th grade. It all started as a joke. This week will go down for me as one of the longest,  life changing times in my life. It has been Mr Toads Wild Ride, I've just had to hold on and be willing. The holding on part was easier than the latter. My friend from high school days and I were texting yesterday, while I was writing. He was going into a lunch meeting, and I was teasing him on how boring that would be. Since he is the top dog and very focused, I knew he had to  pay attention, so of course I wanted to mess with him a little bit. I knew he kept looking at his texts, so I would say ridiculous over the top things, starting with "Hal," one of the gents I made up in the meeting. ( I had no idea who was in the meeting, or how many people) I just went off on it, the story of young Hal, his Grand Mammy, Gentleman Jim, and suddenly two hours later, still pounding the keys feverishly, completely lost in what was happening.  Hal is now in the confessional because of his love for Peggy Lennon, from the Lennon Sisters. The taunting I started with my friend in the meeting, (what I have been known to do Ray in meetings on an occasion or two) I try to think of the most ridiculous- telling him Hal is thinking about  Gentleman Jim, who on occasion  helped Grand Mammy move furniture int he middle of the night. Oh no, wait- his mind wandered, that was just a memory, Oh- he is back in the meeting again. Then he tells my friend he thinks about how nice he'd look in a Safari Suit in the meeting.
I won't make this a long story- It's just that something broke free, the whole time we didn't speak, I just saw that he kept receiving my messages. I laughed so hard writing this crazy stuff,  I would talk to myself,  answer myself,and keep on writing. Somehow this pushed me- to keep writing, dig deeper- write on the spot fiction, ridiculous fiction. In the end the  boy goes to confession, because of his obsession over Peggy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters. The priest becomes fascinated about this, asks questions in details that Hal can't possibly understand. Hal just wants to hear what he needs to do to be forgiven, the Priest wants more details. How would he know what she was wearing other than her dress?  Hal starts getting uncomfortable, wants to be back on the couch watching Larry Welk with Poppo, eating peanut butter and bologna  sandwiches.  Then it dawns on him, Efrem Zimbalist Jr would have known what to do in, and he wished The FBI was on. New stories are unfolding.   Thanks  friend from high school days :)