Day 13 assignment:
Today, tell a story through a series of vignettes (short, episodic scenes or anecdotes) that together read as variations on the same theme.
The following accounts are true. The names have been changed to protect the privacy of the respective families.
I don’t know exactly when, where, or how; all I know for sure is that it was a Labor Day Weekend when Bob’s father died.
John was 29 years old, and horribly out of shape. He was probably carrying close to 300 lbs on his six foot frame. He was a heavy smoker too. Because he needed the work, he took a job reading meters in subdivisions. That meant he had a to walk…a lot. It was Georgia and it was August.
I wonder if those people ever got over seeing John’s body laid out on their lawn. They called 911 and the EMTs resuscitated John and took him to a local hospital. John’s family was notified. The next day John was transferred to another hospital where a brain scan revealed no brain activity. The decision was made to unplug the life support.
It was a Labor Day weekend when John died.
Pete was a volunteer fire fighter and married to John’s younger sister. Two years after John died, Pete was 29 years old. He was driving home, when he was hit head on by a vehicle crossing the center line. The accident just happened to occur in front of the fire station where Pete volunteered. The EMT’s worked desperately to resuscitate their friend, and Pete was transferred to a local hospital. Official notification of the family was not necessary because Pete’s father, Bob, had been following Pete in his own vehicle when the accident happened.
The next day Pete was transferred to a different hospital, and a brain scan revealed no brain activity. The decision was made to unplug the life support.
It was a Labor Day weekend when Bob’s son died.
Old Folks at Homestead 
This is such a highly saddening piece. Very deep impact it has.
LOve and light ❤
Anand 🙂
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Thanks
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Welcome 🙂
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This is a nice vignette but sad.
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Thanks. Yeah, it was sad.
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So much sadness expressed in your vignettes…Thank you for sharing…
https://minick1943.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/writing-101-day-14-recreate-10-minutes-or-less/
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Thanks!
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WOW,
This is the best example I read (and I have read MANY) about vignettes. Sadly, it is also the saddest.
It is really an awesome piece. For two reasons…. because of how the stories end and that they both happen Labor Day Weekend.
I felt as If I was part of the scene.
Brillant.
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Thanks!
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May I share this? If not I understand.
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Absolutely!
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I now have a way of fulfilling this assignment as well. You just cleared up the fog in my head preventing me from understanding how to write a vignette.
I still hate the word but it fits better for a writing piece than it does for a mantle piece.
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I wouldn’t use the word in decorating either, but I remembered hearing a film being described that way (don’t remember the film), and kind of started getting an idea about how to write it.
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I just couldn’t grasp the idea. Even with all the examples. My mind was fighting it for some reason.
It was your stories that turned on the light in my brain. I saw how I could write one.
Or 2 or more.
You may have answered in already but may I reblog that post?
I usually ask about the ones that are more personal that others.
I don’t know how close you were to any of them.
Or even if you were.
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“John” was my stepbrother and “Pete” was my brother-in-law. They have been gone 21 and 19 years, respectively.
Since “Bob”s dad died on a Labor day weekend as well, I counted that as the 3rd incident.
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It was the 3rd incident.
It was a wonderful recap.
I am so sorry for their loss and what your family had to go through.
Gentle hugs
I still can’t believe, how ,after reading it, I understood how I could write my post.
I had read and looked up posts all day and part of the next and still couldn’t wrap my brain around it.
The whe I had my light bulb moment, I saw a way so clearly.
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I’m glad it helped you! When those light bulb moments happen for Ed and I, we always call them a “God thing” because we know it couldn’t come from any other source! 🙂
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I like the “God Thing”.
I have called them
“Messages From Bobby” My son in heaven.
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I’m so sorry to hear about your son!
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It’s been hard even after 9 years. Really hard.
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I’m sure it is. How old was he?
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25, ALmost 26. SO I at least got to see him grown up.
He was engaged and they were planning on moving to Florida soon after I did. Bobby was going to get a job at the same park we are at. They needed a mechanic- park ranger.
We were all looking forward to it.
I consider myself very fortunate.
I was a single mom, never married till Danny.
Never dated after I got pregnant either.
I had an awesome family.
Bobby and I were extremely close. We really enjoyed spending time together. Road trips and vacations. His girlfriend and I were close. They dated for a long time.
We share more in those years that he lived that most parents ever do .
The first thing Bob said as he walked in the house was I love you Mom. The last thing as he left. Phone calls were like that also. We never ended a phone call without I love yous.
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Sounds like he was a great guy…You did a good job!
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I can honestly say He really was.
One thing I was good at..Born for was to be a mom. Of course I wanted the husband the 4 kids 2boys and 2 girls.
LOL
I do miss being a grandma. I long for that.
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Thank you . I saw the Absolutely
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