Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Flat and Round characters

KellyC · 02-18-2008, 06:08 PM

You're literally 10 minutes too late Martian, but thanks any way. I don't think she did that bad a job.

Quote:

Scene 1: Flat

The Mariners are playing the Indians tonight. It’s the ninth inning and the Indians have two outs. The crowd is cheering loud, as they should be. The Mariners are winning—but barely. They’re only up by two. One more out and the game is won.

Bill is on the way home from work while listening to the radio broadcast of the game in his car. He is a nervous wreck. It’s 5:27 pm on a warm June afternoon. I-5 is jammed from Exit 160 to Exit 175. There is nothing unusual about this picture. It happens every day. Except for Bill. The Mariners are about to win the series with just one more out. He listens intently to the sports announcer describing the players’ movement, the reaction of the crowd, and repeated reminders of how important it is for the Mariners to win this game. Shut up! He says in his head to the announcer. I know this already!

It’s so hard to pay attention to the road and to the most important game of the Mariners’ history at the same time. No, the most important game of Bill’s life. And he’s missing it. But he’s trying to make up for it with the radio. A poor substitute but it’ll have to do. Gas, brake. Gas, brake. BRAKE! Watch the road, you jerk! He honks. Idiots don’t know how to yield.

The crowd is booing. What happened? Bill misses the call. “…and he is safe!” the radio announces. Dammit! If only he was at the game. He mumbles to himself for a moment when he hears another call, “it’s going…going…gone! Home run for the Indians!” More boos ensue in the background noise.
Bill tries his best to picture the game in his head. BRAKE! What happened? Did I hit someone? Did someone hit me? If only he was at the game…

=======================
Scene 2: Rounded

Bill is in his office working when the Mariners game is on. Actually, he’s only half working. The other half is with the game. He listens to the radio broadcasting of the game on low volume as to not disturb his employees out side. But every now and then, an excited “yes” and a painful “ughhh” bursts from the room and leaks out into the suite. It catches the attention of his employees but they’re used to it by now. His secretary smiles at his enthusiasm for the Mariners and hopes they’d win. If not for Bill’s sake then for her co-workers. He doesn’t like it when the Mariners lose, and he shows it.

His office is a miniature museum, a shrine dedicated to the Mariners. Posters of Mariners are plastered all over the left wall. On the right wall is the group photo of the entire team. Various autographed baseballs of Mariners are scattered on top of his three-story bookcase. He’s collecting. There isn’t much to his collection. Only six so far. He never asks Mariners to sign the baseballs at the games. Rather, he always has one handy in case he bumps into any of them in public. That’s how he “collects.” This way, he believes, the encounter would be more meaningful. He would then go home to tell his family who he bumped into that day and what they talked about over dinner.

His most prized possession however, isn’t a Mariners artifact. It’s an old and dirty baseball from his son’s state championship game over ten years ago. He was awarded the game ball for striking out the most batters. He then gave to Bill and said, “Thanks for your support, dad.” The ball reminds him of the time when he and his family played baseball together. He dedicated every Sunday afternoon for a family baseball game. No work, no business, no interruption. Just some quality family time. But that is all gone now. His children have grown up and moved away. Only his wife and memories are left.