White Elephant, Going Dark, and Other Writing Exercises

(Think about a white elephant.)
4 middle aged ladies
4 wrapped gifts
Christmas.
A flimsy card table.
Wine. Laughter.
Cookies and empty wrappers.
Pink cellophane.
Torn paper.
An unwrapped box.
A necklace.
Crack, wrinkle.
An ugly porcelain figurine.
A scowl.
Laughter.


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(Think about anything except for a white elephant.)
Cherry orchard. Rotting fruit. On the ground. Wet grass, mushy soil underfoot. Frog pond. Burnt grass. Bzzt. Bzzt. Is that my phone? Who would be calling? Doctor's office? Everyone who knows me would know not to call at this hour. Maybe not mine. Elephant. No. White grass.

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(A sound journey from a mirror to the night sky.)
Bathroom light. Mirror. Examine face. My face is a map of the night sky. Look, Mars is in retrograde. Did I send that email to mom? To window. Turn stick. Open blinds. Wipe palm on glass. Condensation. Ben must have showered. Where is Ben? Turn, walk out. Tug cord. Light out. Weird British laws about bathrooms. Down stairs. Wobbly handrail. Noise. Garbage cans. Open door. Latch sticky. Look. Neighbor in car. Joyful shouting.

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Actual Sounds Imagined Sounds

Breathing, light movement of duvet
1 hour early vibration alert on phone
creak of bed, creak of floorboards
cupboard, wardrobe, dresser drawers
Pop
kettle
instant coffee granules in a porcelain mug
door latch
rattling inside?
rain on leaves
rain on me
kids
sploosh
"Ladywell, this is Ladywell."
computer voice's ironic giggle
rustling newsprint
screeching rails
PA crackling to life
PA crackling to life
murmur
dingzzt dingzzt dingzzt
door suction
tromp tromp tromp
only feet
"Hanukkah oh Hanukkah, let's light the menorah, let's have a party we'll all dance the hora."
Bip
"I love you too, I'll see you tonight."
lipsquelch
Bip
tromp tromp tromp
"'Jubilee line, the next train for- Stanmore -will arrive in -2 - minutes."
"Move right down inside the carriage, laydies and gennelmen"
whoosh