Ludicrous

Hooray!  My first current piece!  I was stuck, and I mean really stuck, to get started writing anything.  It had been so long since I'd attempted to write any fiction that I didn't even know how to start.  All my writing in the last few years has either been academic for my masters or personal reflection for my other blog.  What I finally decided to do was use an exercise that I've often used with my own students to get them writing.  It's what I call a quick write.  I randomly choose five words from the dictionary and give my students five minutes to write something that makes sense using those five words.  Whenever I do this in my class, I always write with the students and share what I've written first before asking them to share.  I always enjoy doing this and it's a sure fire way to get my writing juices flowing.  Not sure if it's the five minute limit, or the random list of words that gets me going, but it works every time.  So, here is my "quick write" using five random words from the thesaurus as a basis.  I had the majority of it written in about 20 minutes, but spent time going back over and crafting it to my liking.  The title of this piece is actually one of the words that I chose from the thesaurus and it's how the file saved on my computer, so while not entirely fitting to the story, I liked it.

he somber mood in the boardroom suddenly changed.  What I had thought was a possibly ludicrous idea was now being scrutinized with seriousness by the others in the room. 

“And how, exactly, do you propose carrying this plan out considering we are looking at an extremely tight timeline?”  The board chair stared me down over the top of his reading glasses with condescension, pen tapping a quiet cadence next to the budget papers that lay strewn about in front of him.

I squirmed in my seat, chagrined.  How was I supposed to know how to carry this plan out?  After all, I was only invited to attend the board meeting by one of the members to possibly give insight into the budget dilemma from a teacher’s perspective.  I didn’t really know anything about million dollar budgets or how to fix them; I just had ideas in my head that seemed to make sense.

“Well, I suppose that would be for the board to work out?” It came out more as a question than a statement and I was disturbed by the squeak in my voice giving away my unease.  I had been told many times before that I came off as confident.  I was certain now was not one of those times.  Agonizing under the unwavering stares of the other board members for further elaboration to my statement, I quickly gathered my scattered thoughts. 

I leveled my gaze at the chairman.  “Preliminary reports from the state don’t mention a timeline.  If I understand correctly it is this board that has set an arbitrary timeline.  What I propose is that the board review my idea in further detail through a prospectus I can provide by tomorrow afternoon.  After that, the formation of a special committee to outline a plan and a timeline can be considered.”

The chairman raised his bushy grey eyebrows in surprise and momentarily ceased the tapping cadence of his pen.  He looked around the table.  “Well, then.  Do we have a motion for a prospectus to be submitted?”

A mumbled motion and second were heard while appreciative glances flicked my way.  Inwardly I smiled and patted my self-confidence on the back, congratulating it for returning at precisely the right moment.  My self-congratulation was interrupted by the gruff voice of the chairman. 

“Please have your prospectus to me by tomorrow afternoon at 3:00.  This board will work with all expedience to review your ideas and consider the formation of a committee as quickly as possible as we feel strongly that time is of the essence in this matter.”  These words were followed by an emphatic pause, obviously directed at me.  Taking this as my cue to leave, I rose quickly and made for the door, my self-confidence flagging.  As my hand reached for the door, the gruff voice of the chairman interrupted my exit.

“Ms. Waters, if this board decides to pursue your idea, I hope that you will consider being on the committee.” 

I turned to find the bushy eyebrows of the chairman raised at me once again, but this time the eyes above his reading glasses regarded me with…approval? 

“Of course,” I replied and turned to leave, a small smile on my lips.  Untrimmed eyebrows and gruffness aside, I could tell we would get along just fine.