Maddie, fresh from graduating the University of Georgia, Cum Lauda, in 3 years time, told me to "lighten up" when I write.
"Fine," I tell her. "You go ahead and send me the next 3 subjects and I will write about them."
Unless Maddie is ordering something off the menu and can't make a decision so she sends Sarah and I a text asking our thoughts, I'm unaccustomed to "writing on demand," but she's so smart and all, so I had to "man up" and challenge someone far smarter than I ever was.
So before Mad tells me what to write about, I'm beating her to the punch.
She's driving her fiancée Henry through Atlanta so she's busy being accosted by people pretending to be homeless violently panhandling as I write.
"Da, are boys stronger than girls?"
"No," I snap at Che, who's playing with Aiden, the boy 2 doors down,"who told you that?"
"The boys at school," she coos, sucking on a blue Paw Patrol ice cream.
"Boys are idiots Che," I sigh, hugging her tightly.
The doorbell rings.
Dropping me like an atomic bomb, she opens the door and leaves to play with the boy.
So, let's see, oh yeah, back to writing "Lite" for Maddie!
I don't know.
Writing.
It's hard to know what ends up being written once I get started.
I get into a place.
It's a big part of who I am.
I love words.
"In the beginning was the word," crazy ass Apostle John, the self-proclaimed greatest of them all, starts his story, exiled by the Church, Government and every friend he ever had
But I love stories more!
And I think Jesus did too.
He didn't write 'em but he told a slew so, I love Jesus too!
Fiction's the best stories because you write the truth with made up names, places and events.
Everything's deadly "real" except the details.
But the love of my life is a " facts only" kind-a-girl where I'm a "never-let-the-truth-stand-in-the-way-of-a-go0d-story"guy.
I learned everything I know about fiction at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, but I digress.
Anyway, here's my story and I'm sticking to it. And it's pure fact because I know what my wife likes and how she likes it.
I have a Chemo shot next week and I'm already wondering what to wear.
The End.
Micheal Elliott
