Susan, that's gorgeous, especially those last two sentences.

One fix: "She carries a letters" Plural? Singular?

Good catch, Deb. It changed from a letter to letters mid-thought, so that slipped in.

Oh, so love the Tim O'Brien tribute. I teach that book, and it never fails to make me cry.

There's an excerpt of it in a writing book on my shelves. I've always loved it, and it's in the "show, don't tell" section, so it seemed appropriate.

I'll have to do one for Jack, too. It'll be both easier and harder, since a straight listing of all the gear he's schlepping around Spain would consume over 100 words by itself.

My little drabble is feeling unloved. t /whiny pouty needy writer

It's funny isn't it? The one I slave over, people are "Eh." But something I toss up out of boredom or delirum and people just don't get enough Your secret agent tries to be prepared for everything, Connie. I have no idea what to write.

(blinking)

(going back to look)

connie, yours came up last before a flurry of posts, and I didn't even see it.

I like that. Having met the young woman in question, it sketches her out quite nicely, thanks.

Happy whiny needy pouting writer, now.

She leaned against the sink, scrabbling in her purse for the pill bottle at the bottom. She poured the contents into her hand and picked through the multicolored pile, choosing a red-and-white capsule and two white pills, one oblong and one round, and washing them down by tipping back the bottle of Maalox. She rearranged the purse's contents to try to get the bottles back in, shifting the Kleenex package, Swiss Army knife, glasses case, Jennifer Crusie novel, cell phone, pens, bottle opener and notebook, plus the folded-up printout with the information for the EMTs and the emergency contact numbers.

Back from the dinner/homework/bedtime rituals...

Wow, these are all great. Another fabulous topic, Ms. Moderator. And now for a mini-meara:

Connie, I love the detail in yours. As Deb said, especially since I met her (briefly).

Deb, the Ringan/Penny one is dead-on in terms of character, but the Erica Road piece is absolutely heartbreaking.

Call me dumb...who's Tim O'Brien? Whoever he may be, that's a wonderful little piece, Susan. The last line is perfect. ETA: Ah! Him. I should read that.

Erin, that's fantastic -- love the exploded eyeshadow. And, as Bev pointed out, the inhaler and cigs in "detente" rocks.

Ginger, yours is great, too -- the juxtaposition of the very, very practical (Swiss Army knife, meds, Kleenex, EMT info -- with the Crusie novel, for fun and escape.