The People in my Office

I know they’re waiting for me in there.

Even when I forget, as soon as I walk into my office, there they are, the whole cast and crew, hanging around until I return to my desk each day.

There’s pretty Cora, pensively sitting at her desk, undoubtedly thinking of the next hat she’ll create, and next to her is her adorable daughter Emily, golden ringlets descending from the perky hat she wears, made of course, by her mother.

On either side of Cora are the men in her life. To her left is Sterling, the colorful, but entertaining man with the European flair. To Cora’s right is Daniel, serious and reserved, with eyes that penetrate to her soul.

Next to Daniel is his mother and his sister. Cora hopes to impress these women with her unique, yet fashionable hat designs while they’re in town for the tourist season.

There’s also Katie, Cora’s cousin, wife of the lighthouse keeper, holding the youngest of her four daughters. Katie is always the voice of sound wisdom for Cora, who can’t decide if she desires wealth or relationship.

So all these people are in my office waiting for me. Why, you ask? They’re not my relatives, although they sometimes feel like family. No, you see, they’re waiting for me to finish telling their story. Which man will Cora choose, if she chooses either? How long will the tourists stay in town? And will Cora learn to care about more important things like human welfare rather than financial wealth from Daniel, or will she prefer the attention of Sterling, who cares about nothing but fun? And what of her daughter? What is she teaching her? That fashion is more important than people or that the way one looks is more important than the character within?

I’m sure these people know the answers to these questions. After all, it’s their story. I just have to get to know them better and they’ll reveal the information to me. They’re very patient with me and watch while I meander down other paths on my computer. I know they won’t go away until I cooperate and finish the story. And I will. I feel their expectation and realize my commitment to them, so I won’t let them down. But until then, they’ll still hang around in my office, ready to greet me every day.

**By the way, I have to blame Julie Garmon for having them there in the first place. I borrowed her idea for a way to envision my characters, and now they’re literally in my face.