Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

The alarm clock sang a shrill song at precisely 6 a.m.  Sheila sat up immediately and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and began her daily five minutes of stretch.  Once each muscle was fully awake, she slipped her feet into the pink slippers lined up neatly beside her bed and marched to the kitchen.  Yawning, she began to pull vegetables from the crisper for her breakfast juice.  Mark came up behind her while the juicer was on full roar and planted a kiss on the back of her neck, scaring her enough to make her squeal.

“Gracious me,” she laughed, swatting at him, “You scared me near to death.”

“Sorry, babe,” he replied as he pulled a box of Fruit Loops from the cupboard.  He held his hand up in mock defense,  “I know, I know, it’s poison.  You drink your veggies and just settle down and let me eat my toxic breakfast.”

Sheila frowned, fussing with her hair absently but decided not to bother arguing with him this morning about his diet.  It seemed to be a losing battle anyway.  After gulping her juice down (and she had to admit, at least to herself,  it was terrible, maybe no broccoli tomorrow?) she headed to the basement and set the treadmill for thirty minutes exactly.  Half way through her workout Mark appeared before her, making her jump and cry out for the second time in less than an hour.

“You’re jumpy,” he grinned.

“Must you keep sneaking up on me?” she panted.

Mark held up a bag and raised his thick eyebrows.  “Yours?”

“No, it isn’t mine.  Nina was here yesterday and forgot it.”

“Nina?”

“Yes, Nina.”

“Sheila, you have to stop running our credit cards up.  I can’t keep up with the bills as it is.”

“I told you, it isn’t mine?”

Mark rummaged through the neon pink plastic bag, pulling out a dress.  He peered at the tag,  “Size 5.  Nina wears a size 5?  Did she go on a diet?  The last time I saw her, I’d have guessed her at about, oh, I don’t know, at least in the plus plus sizes. “

Sheila hit the controls sending her feet flying to keep up with the treadmill and looked steadfastly out the window.  She saw a white cat prowling around in her flower garden and shuttered.  If there was one thing she could not stand it was animals in her yard.  Or anywhere near her for that matter.  Why, the last time she had been to Nina’s she had found dog hair plastered all over her new skirt from those two yappy little things that Nina professed to adore.  She had been so disgusted that she had actually thrown the skirt away the minute she could get home and out of it.  

The treadmill beeped and began to slow down, letting her know that her workout was nearly finished, and a good thing too because she was about to have a heart attack.  She looked up and screamed.  Mark was still standing there with the offending bag in his hand.  He had several pair of panties in his hand now as well.  Sugar!  She had thought that he would give up the ghost by now.  Maybe she should have went ahead and nagged him about his breakfast choice, kept him too busy to go around nosing in her closet.  

“What?” she gasped,  “What do you want me to say?  They are Nina’s.  Maybe they're for someone else, someone a size 5.”

“So, it’s just a coincidence that everything is your size and that you were gone all afternoon yesterday?”

“Yes,” she nodded stubbornly, “Coincidence.  If you’re so bored, Mark, why not go out into the flower garden and shoo that awful straggly stray cat out of my flowers.  I saw it digging a hole.  And eating the pansies that I just planted two days ago.”

Mark laughed, “Eating the pansies?  That’s not a stray cat, Sheila.  That’s old Mrs. Smith’s cat and you know it.  He’s harmless.”

“Old Mrs. Smith’s cat is gray.”

“No, it’s white.  And it’s not hurting your pansies a bit or digging big holes.  It’s not a dog.”

“Surely that isn't Mrs. Smith's cat,” Sheila retorted, even though she knew it was.  Anything to make him forget about that gosh-darned bag of clothes, “It could have rabies you know.  I read in the paper yesterday that rabies are rampant this year.  A real problem.”

“Funny, I read the paper and didn't see that.  Speaking of paper, did you remember to take your library books back?  They have been overdue for a week.”

Sugar!  They were still in the car.  She had meant to go to the library but had been side-tracked by a big sign in front of the mall that read “Side-walk Sale, Today Only!” 

“Of course I did, and Darling, they weren't a week late.  Just a tiny few days.  No big deal.”

Re: Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

Oh, wow Ayla, that's what I'd call a promising start!

I'm fascinated by this character. A chaotic, lying through her teeth shopping addict, religiously dieting and working out? And a husband/partner who obviously is kind of helpless and unaware of what kind of problem is piling up in is own house?

Intriguing situation, very interesting psychology, both of them. The addict and the co-addict partner? Can't wait to see the sugar hitting the fan!  :) 

There seems to be a lot of stuff going wrong here. I'd love to climb deeper into what is driving these characters, what is really happening here on a deeper level. Very interesting situation to develop more, if you are inclined to continue.

Anyway, a great start. I very strongly get a sense how it takes two to create a disaster like the one that is bound to happen here sooner or later… very well done.

Sending love!
Gabriele

Re: Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

I read every last word and am ready for more!

Exciting…
-yvette

Re: Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

I loved reading this Ayla. The -I- character 'for me' was so much fun to read. She had me smiling at her cheekiness. I loved that she was so startled by other people (Mark) intruding on her 'my time'. I loved finding out about her lies, it almost seemed endearing and playful.

Sugar!  She had thought that he would give up the ghost by now.  Maybe
she should have went ahead and nagged him about his breakfast choice,
kept him too busy to go around nosing in her closet. 

Then I think about the dramas that must unfold around her when the playfulness wears off.

I would love to read more!

The relationships Sheila has with Mark and Nina intrigue me.  I felt like I was watching a sitcom. The action of the characters all seemed to fill in what the rooms looked like and what they were wearing. It felt light and funny and very enjoyable to read.

xx azyh

Re: Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

oh what a delight to read. Just lovely. I think I've fallen in love with the hapless Mark. He seems (to me anyway) to be dealing with Sheila in at least a very sweet way, if ineffective!

The dialogue and unfolding of the scene worked so well. I loved the way Sheila goes on a meandering thought journey when she's on the treadmill, completely forgetting about Mark.. until… very funny.

And yes, I wonder what is going to happen. Will they figure it out and all will be well? Will Sheila come to some kind of understanding of what she is doing? So many possibilities. I'd be delighted to read more..

Love,
Sandra

Re: Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

Thank you all!  How lovely to finally manage a little write and get a response.  I have no idea where this couple came from.  They are both quite different from who I assumed they were going to be when I started the assignment.  I was just telling Leigh-Anne the other day that I was almost afraid to write because I have been so pissed off at the world for the last month that I figured everything would be dark, gloomy, and depressing.  Instead I came up with Silly Sheila!  Go figure!  I may just go back and see if anything else comes up. 

Thank you again for taking the time to read and comment.  I really don't deserve it with my prolonged absence here but I appreciate it tremendously.

xo Ayla

Re: Climbing Inside assignment - Not Me

well, pretty much everything that I wanted to comment on has been said already - what a rich character this Sheila is.. I want to know more about her, about what else she is hiding or avoiding… more about her relationship with Mark. Just great stuff… looking forward to more (I hope there is!)

xo
la