Musings & Thoughts for Tuesday, June 25, 2024, or: One More Scene is Done…..

Late Morning, Tuesday, June 25, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire

On Writing & Storytelling: Mission Accomplished – Scene Two is Done

I can happily say that I made good progress on writing yesterday and wrapped up the second scene of Chapter 18 – where we see Jim Garraty in his work setting. The scene wasn’t too bad to fix up, since the first draft had a good foundation. It just needed some more specifics and a little more conversation to bring the characters – Jim’s boss and the history department secretary – to life and make them realistic.  

Here’s a brief excerpt from Chapter 18, Scene Two:

A Much-Needed Respite

Outside of Fayerweather Hall, 3:45 PM

The afternoon has unfolded with a peculiar blend of clarity and chill. At 3:45 PM, the skies above New York City are a tapestry of grays, the sun an obscured orb behind a veil of clouds. The air is brisk, the kind that nips at exposed skin and promises the end of winter’s reign.

I long for a break from the stifling walls of my classroom and office, where the air is heavy with the scent of ancient books and the burden of history. The walls of Fayerweather Hall have seen me chase the past with no rest, but even they seem to nudge me to a pause.

Stepping outside, I draw in a lungful of the crisp March air, letting it clear the fog of academia from my mind. The campus is alive with the muted sounds of life, the distant laughter of students, and the rustling whispers of budding trees. I toy with the idea of calling Maddie, her laughter still echoing in my heart from our recent weekend together. She’s back in the city now, her piano’s song woven into the fabric of the New York Philharmonic.

But I resist the urge, knowing she is ensconced in her passion, just as I am in mine. I miss her, yes, but there’s a respect that runs deep for the dedication she has to her craft—a mirror to my own.

I’m drifting back towards the hall, my thoughts snagged on Maddie and the haunted tunes of history, when I run into the familiar shapes of Prof. Henry Townsend, the department chair and the man who signs my checks, and Mrs. Garcia, his right hand. They grip their Styrofoam cups like weapons against the cold, their chatter a warm spot in the frosty air. Prof. Townsend is pushing sixty, a sharp dresser in a navy-blue suit that fits his skinny frame. His gray hair makes him look wise, like the old Columbia University history department lion. Mrs. Garcia is a small woman with a round face and a bright grin, always wrapped in colorful sweaters and scarves.

Action This Day

The sun is shining and the temperature is mild, so I’m hoping for a productive writing session this afternoon. I don’t think I’ll get to Scene Three today, though. I’ll probably just go over the two scenes I’ve already written for this chapter and polish them up a bit.

But who knows, maybe I’ll come back from my lunch break with a brilliant idea for a new scene. It doesn’t happen often, especially with Reunion: Coda, but sometimes I’ll sit down at my desk thinking that all I can do is tweak the existing manuscript and then end up creating a whole new scene. Or at least beginning one.

Anyway, that’s it for today. I’m burning daylight, so, sayonara, folks.