Saturday w/ @Improv - Freewrite (100th Day!!)
In honor of the 100th day for the #Freewrite group, the usual weekend prompt is a co-writing challenge!
I'm thrilled to say that I was chosen by my friend, @improv, to be his writing partner and the story below is just one of the two that we decided to create. Please visit @improv 's page to read the first of two stories that we decided to write here. If you ever get the opportunity to do this exercise with him, don't pass it up! He's incredibly fun to write with and even more enjoyable to talk with. Thank you @improv for such great time!
Jacob stretched as he walked outside. It was Saturday morning and it was time to mow the lawn. Walking down his steps, he saw the bright blue pants first. Shiny in the morning sun, the pants led up to a garish yellow shirt and bright fluffy red hair!
The neighborhood clown was lounging on Jacob’s lawn! Now, Jacob was no slouch himself when it came to clowning. He’d attended the Commedia dell'Arte school in Humboldt, California, and he knew his way around the tropes, but this clown, this birthday clown, was something else! This was Bonzo The Great and Giggly, as he liked to refer to himself.
Now, not a bad fellow, Bonzo had a penchant for overindulging on birthday cake and getting a little too friendly with the mommies. Each time someone had him perform for them, they ended up with a lawn clown for days.
Jacob sat down next to Bonzo. He nudged him gently. (Crisscross applesauce is, I should mention, how Jacob sat down. It’s the preferred method for clowns to sit, and Jacob is in-the-know). “Bonzo…”
Bonzo made no movements but the gentle nudging was receiving a low grunting noise. Leaning down, close to Bonzo’s ear, Jacob shouted: “Happy Birthday!”.
That sent the lawn clown up and rolling forward to attention. Rising up with his arms outstretched, Bonzo bowed to the street and then turned to bow to Jacob.
“I want you to give me the whole story, starting from whose mother led you to this sad state of affairs and ending with this sad state of affairs”, said Jacob.
“Bonzo never sad!” Insisted Bonzo in Tarzan talk.
“Pamela! I know you have an ongoing thing with her, on account of her running the shelter. Still though, why are you here instead of on their lawn?”
“Bonzo had to take a walk to practice!” The birthday clown stated, happy and proud!
“Practice what? You’ve not been doing any new shtick in the past 15 years.”
“Listen, Jacob, you need to know. I’ve decided to become the greatest clown since Ringling went out of business. I’m practicing… THE TIGHTROPE WITH NO ROPE.”
“..." Jacob stared for a moment, unable to believe what he was hearing. Then, the laughter started. Easy little giggles spreading up and then bubbling out. From there, Jacob had to lie down and roll, gasping for breath, while the spasms of hilarity kept him from talking.
“I’m serious, Jacob. I can do it. I know people think I’m nothing but a cakeaholic playboy, but I have ambition and drive.”
“Bonzo… Paul… You’re not good enough. That schtick hasn’t been done in 50 years, and “
Oh man, that’s the end!
(This made me so sad since I was having a great time clowning around with @improv!)
Thank you @omra-sky for my adorable squirrel separator!
Other Stories
I'm impressed by the originality of your mind associations and also by the harmony between the parts written by you with those written by @improv ..amazing, I don't know what else to say.
Grazie for the compliments F3nix! It was great to have a writing partner so fast on his feet! Improv truly lives up to his name!
Improv is top IMO .. but your imagination is so vivid too. I envy you guys 🤭😉 the force is strong in you young Luke Skywalker!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!! you had way too much fun loll :D LOVE IT!
❤ We earned a Wooot!!! Writing with Improv is a riot and you have to partner with him if you get a chance Snook! Thanks for the love!
We had exactly as much fun as we could!
Wow! I loved Bonzo! This flowed amazingly well for two writers.
I'm still giggling at the dialogue,
The two of you leave me speechless!
You're so sweet!
Just being honest <3!
Honesty and sweetness often go hand in hand.
Oh you two.. great work venturing into conversations. It could easily have gotten away from you two, but you kept the story flowing. The one @improv uploaded only seem to be a warm up now and here you two are firing on all cylinders. I don't prefer clowns, but I like what you've done to them here. Nice job!
It's true. The one I posted was our first.
Yeah, I got that from the progression. The first time is always special, I've heard. Once that seal is broken, everything else feels passe.
Oh, you.
This was great guys! It's always fun to see where other folks take these prompts :)
I love the clever dialogue especially:
Hahahaha! So great, if I'd thought of clown he'd have definitely been murdering people lol. Happy to see a not-murderous one around ;)
Thank you! Reading the various interpretations of the prompts is my very close second favorite part of the freewrites. It used to be my first but, I'm now addicted to the comments! Improv writes great dialogue and he is SO fast on his feet that I was worried that I wouldn't keep up.
As for murderous? Who knows what terrible misdeeds this clown has done while fulfilling his cake addiction? 🍰
Oh see now it’s demanding a prequel!
1000 years earlier:
Bonzo: the Immortal Clown.
Haaahahaha!
😂 How could I not after this?
Feel free to tell the tale!
How kind, thank you! Sure you don't want to join in?
You want to co-write it? I could be down. We can try the 5 and 5 method this time. You write for 5, then post it, send me the link, and I'll continue.
Oh you!
The story is the proof, I am sure you had fun making this freewrite as I had fun reading it. Love it! This left me smiling too:
Over too soon! I really wanted to watch him try the ropeless tightrope. Well done.
The time always flies by! I'm not even sure what a ropeless tightrope is so I'm miffed that we couldn't get to that part!! Thank you so much!
The ropeless tightrope is clearly the most trying and dangerous act that any clown has ever attempted.
I have been practicing ropeless tightrope walking!! It is really hard!!
I clearly need to find a video on this! (Our zoo is also full of circus performers!)
I think you need to find one - and if you can't, make one! Maybe you and byn together...... :)
What a pleasant feeling when I read something so entertaining! Great job!
Thank you so much!
Aww. Too bad that timer got you.
That cake-aholic clown needs to give those moms a rest.
Damn timer! LOL. Thanks for reading! I wonder what sort of recovery program a cakeaholic would need...
more chocolate
Ha!!!!!