LJ Idol Week 2: Three Little Words
Having a roommate is always difficult; more so when the roommates work opposite shifts.
Marla was a night auditor at a hotel in a tourist trap town thirty minutes away. Casey was a communications student at the university with an internship at the local morning news show. Their paths crossed on average about once a week on one of Marla's days off. The biggest difficulty with their arrangement was communicating with each other regarding chores, emergencies, and general messages. Fortunately, Marla had a hobby that was ready-made to resolve that problem.
The front of the refrigerator was covered with three or four sets of fridge magnet poetry. Marla had collected them for years as part of a long-ago diet plan. Instead of opening the fridge to find something to eat, she would compose poems. Five years and thirty pounds later, Marla could compose books of poetry with the words blanketing her fridge door. When Casey moved in (on one of Marla's days off so they could meet face-to-face), Marla showed her the fridge and cleared off a space on the freezer compartment to use as a message board. Casey was thrilled. She had never used the "good" magnet poetry before, only the cheap one-sheet propaganda University Student Services handed out to promote healthy eating and safe sex campaigns on campus.
Every day a new composition graced the message space. At first they were straightforward, but soon Marla decided to test her young roommate. When Casey came home one rainy night, the freezer held this message:
misty morning dog bark
window wet flower dry
Casey stared at it for a moment. Then the lightbulb went off. "I forgot to let the dog back in this morning! And Marla wants me to water her mums and shut the back windows so the rain won't come in." She quickly composed her reply:
apologize dog back inside
flower wet window dry
milk unpleasant dumpster received
will buy more dairy
After that, they communicated more through poetry than sentences. The words they rarely used ended up on the side of the fridge. Casey noticed after about six months that "a," "an," and "the" had been in place on the side so long that dust had accumulated on the edges. Out of curiosity, she asked Marla
a an the
never use
why
The reply was simple:
forsooth unnecessary words
in poetic communication
The articles went back to their place on the side of the fridge and "poetic communication" continued as before. Six months later, Marla was waiting for Casey when she returned home.
"I can finally work days again!" Marla exclaimed. "I got a new job as an accountant in Kentucky! I start in a month. My best friend lives in Kentucky and she said I can live with her."
"That's great!" Casey replied. "The station just offered me a full-time job starting at the end of the semester! With that plus the money my dad's giving me for graduation I can afford a place of my own."
"I guess that means we'll both be moving at the same time then," Marla said. "I have to say, this was the best roommate situation I've ever had. I'll miss you." She hugged Casey. "Man, when it rains it pours."
"Fortunately it's raining good news," Casey said, hugging her back.
A month later the apartment was empty. The refrigerator stood naked in the kitchen for the first time in years. The only remnant of Marla and Casey were on the side of the fridge pushed almost to the back edge:
a an the
Marla was a night auditor at a hotel in a tourist trap town thirty minutes away. Casey was a communications student at the university with an internship at the local morning news show. Their paths crossed on average about once a week on one of Marla's days off. The biggest difficulty with their arrangement was communicating with each other regarding chores, emergencies, and general messages. Fortunately, Marla had a hobby that was ready-made to resolve that problem.
The front of the refrigerator was covered with three or four sets of fridge magnet poetry. Marla had collected them for years as part of a long-ago diet plan. Instead of opening the fridge to find something to eat, she would compose poems. Five years and thirty pounds later, Marla could compose books of poetry with the words blanketing her fridge door. When Casey moved in (on one of Marla's days off so they could meet face-to-face), Marla showed her the fridge and cleared off a space on the freezer compartment to use as a message board. Casey was thrilled. She had never used the "good" magnet poetry before, only the cheap one-sheet propaganda University Student Services handed out to promote healthy eating and safe sex campaigns on campus.
Every day a new composition graced the message space. At first they were straightforward, but soon Marla decided to test her young roommate. When Casey came home one rainy night, the freezer held this message:
misty morning dog bark
window wet flower dry
Casey stared at it for a moment. Then the lightbulb went off. "I forgot to let the dog back in this morning! And Marla wants me to water her mums and shut the back windows so the rain won't come in." She quickly composed her reply:
apologize dog back inside
flower wet window dry
milk unpleasant dumpster received
will buy more dairy
After that, they communicated more through poetry than sentences. The words they rarely used ended up on the side of the fridge. Casey noticed after about six months that "a," "an," and "the" had been in place on the side so long that dust had accumulated on the edges. Out of curiosity, she asked Marla
a an the
never use
why
The reply was simple:
forsooth unnecessary words
in poetic communication
The articles went back to their place on the side of the fridge and "poetic communication" continued as before. Six months later, Marla was waiting for Casey when she returned home.
"I can finally work days again!" Marla exclaimed. "I got a new job as an accountant in Kentucky! I start in a month. My best friend lives in Kentucky and she said I can live with her."
"That's great!" Casey replied. "The station just offered me a full-time job starting at the end of the semester! With that plus the money my dad's giving me for graduation I can afford a place of my own."
"I guess that means we'll both be moving at the same time then," Marla said. "I have to say, this was the best roommate situation I've ever had. I'll miss you." She hugged Casey. "Man, when it rains it pours."
"Fortunately it's raining good news," Casey said, hugging her back.
A month later the apartment was empty. The refrigerator stood naked in the kitchen for the first time in years. The only remnant of Marla and Casey were on the side of the fridge pushed almost to the back edge:
a an the