2016 – Day 20

A character-writing exercise from the Writing Excuses podcast, episode 10.5

Take three different characters and walk them through a scene. Convey their emotional states, their jobs, and their hobbies without directly stating any of those. The scene in question: walking through a marketplace, and they need to do a dead-drop.

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Character 1:

Despite the cold, Lila wore a short, a-line dress to the winter market. She also attached a wide-brimmed Sunday hat to her hair, which she had spent an hour straightening. That morning she had woken up feeling Audrey Hepburn-ish and decided to follow that instinct. Now she tried imitating Audrey's mysterious smile from the Breakfast at Tiffany's poster, but she kept breaking into a broad grin as she squeezed the plainly wrapped package in her hand and thought about her mission.

Once inside the market, Lila made her way down the narrow aisles toward the local cheesemaker booths. As she passed the artisan section, her eyes caught a collection of sea-green beads in various sizes on a nearby table. Those would look breathtaking in a teardrop bracelet, she thought and immediately veered toward the booth. She handled the beads, feeling their weight and considered what strength string she'd need. Deciding they were worth a splurge, she reached for her purse, only to remember that she had left it in the car. Shane had instructed her to keep an ID handy at all times, so she had put it in her purse on her way out the door. But when she arrived, she decided that the handbag was more Victoria Beckham than Audrey Hepburn, and so she couldn't bring it inside.

"I'll come back for these," she told the woman at the booth and hurried toward the cheeses. Roasting coffee aromas enveloped her as she entered the gourmet food aisles. She would have never thought it possible, but she had stopped enjoying the smell of coffee after spending years being surrounded by it. It probably wasn't the fault of the coffee so much as the angry, needy, and demanding people who ordered it, but now the two were inextricably linked in her senses. Of course, that was the place where she had met Shane and been given this important job, so perhaps it wasn't all bad.

Lila noticed the Gunther Farm sign to her left. Beneath the sign stood a table covered with cheeses. Below that sat a purple scraps bucket. Lila ran through the checklist in her mind, then approached the table.

"Nice Gruyère," she said to the bearded man wearing a Gunther Farm apron. "How big are your curds?"

He looked at her and smiled, then handed her a slice.

"They are tiny," he said. "To make the smoothest slices. Please try."

Lila smiled and nodded, then reached down and dropped the package in the scraps bucket. She then took the slice of cheese and took a tiny bite, chewing with great effect.

"Mmmmm," she said. "So tasty. Thank you."

Flashing her mysterious smile, Lila turned and made her way back down the aisles. Shane will be so proud, she thought. As she passed through the artisan section, the woman with the beads waved to her.

"I've had some other interest!" she called over the crowd. "Still want the beads?"

"Yes!" Lila said, knowing she had earned a treat. "I'll be right back with my purse!"

She hurried toward the entrance and pushed open the doors. The first thing she noticed was an aching sensation as the bitter cold wind that slapped against her shoulders and across her legs. The second thing she noticed were three police cars and two unmarked cars, all with their lights aglow and pointing toward her car.