That Night Friday

As explained on the first That Night Friday post (in which I drew from my That Nite website's archives for a story), I thought it would be a brilliant idea to have readers share their stories of "Remember that night I/we/you..." on the blog here, now that I'm no longer anonymously hosting the website. I mean, after all, who doesn't love a good story?

Friends/readers have responded!

As always, if you'd like to submit your own That Night story, send them to samantha(dot)sessoms(at)gmail(dot)com

Don't forget to come up with a sign-off, leave your state and/or city, and which category your story falls under. You can include names if you'd like (and it's helpful to the reader, as too many pronouns gets confusing!), but last names will not be published for the privacy of those involved.

The categories are: best, worst, crazy, embarrassing, and bittersweet.

Today's That Night Friday story:

Remember that night you broke off our engagement? You went out to dinner with your friends and came back saying that getting married isn't the best idea. Of course, I asked what had changed and all you could say was that your friends reminded you that you never really wanted to get married ever and that the behavior was so unlike you, you just weren't built that way. I was upset and angry that you could base such an important decision about us on the opinions of your friends and so I questioned your love. You got so angry that you literally ran out of the room. I chased after you but you were very fast so I wandered around campus, looking for you. About an hour goes by and you finally answer you phone, telling me you are in the chapel. I find you, sitting alone. We start to talk and you tell me you love me. I ask if we are breaking up and you say, 'Oh no, baby, of course not.' Then, you ask me what my least favorite food is. I am confused and do not understand so you ask again. I say corn. The words that followed out of your lovely mouth were, 'If I ever really break up with you, I'll serve you corn, that way you'll know it's real.'

And now, I am alone every night, never having received my corn...

Red Flag

Charlottesville, VA
(worst)

What kind of Friday will you have, friends?! 

A Most Wonderful Gift

A very, very dear friend of mine sent me a gift in celebration of this new blog a couple weeks ago. It was the best gift I've ever received in regards to my writing journey. It took me awhile to gather the words to tell this story, as I still don't feel enough can be said about a gift this small in size, but gargantuan in thoughtfullness, motivation, and unconditional support.

So there I was the following day after starting the blog, busy as always, running around helping a friend move, keeping Little Man and Baby Girl occupied, and trying to think of my next blog post when I come home late in the evening to find a box at the front door. Imagine my surprise when I see it's from Amazon. I had not ordered anything. Was not expecting any ARCs at the moment and was quite honestly scared that if I opened the package I'd be financially responsible for the mysterious content. And what was it? Who was it from? Dear Friend had sent my package as a gift with no return address, and with no sender name on the front. Oh, Amazon, how you torture us sometimes.

I walked in, told Little Man and Baby Girl to go straighten up their rooms (yes, it was one of those days for them, see my first post to clarify), I stood in the foyer for about five minutes considering my choices. I listened closely for clock/bomb noises, gave it a little shake, then finally ripped in - I shall never turn down an adventure!

And it was!:

I almost cried when I finally saw it was from Dear Friend! He had just asked me if I'd read this story. I was clueless of the title, not even realizing it was the lovely Dr. Seuss - a childhood favorite (Dear Friend loves Sci-Fi so I had assumed Oh The Place You'll Go was some obscure otherworldly book he had found - silly me! And to my credit, after he'd asked if I'd read the story he never brought up the author, or why he wanted to know. Please forgive me for not knowing it was Dr. Seuss. Please.).
Not only had Dear Friend over-nighted me this most lovely of New Blog/Journey gifts, he sent me the Pop-Up version. I had perma-grin the entire time I read! The images were so lovely in 3D, as if I was walking through the story along with, You.
Dear Friend had hit all my anxious, overwhelming, joyful emotions about starting down this Writerly Road right on the nose. I could have never asked, or imagined, a better befitting gift.
I'd also like to add, that I've never been happier to have over-looked a classic book as a child. It usually pulls at my writer-soul to hear someone say, "You've never read __(insert classic book that makes you look like a non-reader/writer if you've never placed your eyes on said literature)__." Though this time I was thoroughly relieved that I was able to savor this particular story for the first time when its meaning would hit the most cords in me. When its words would be so powerful, they would give me the strength to continue on this journey and even see a beam of hope and good times ahead.
Oh The Places You'll Go is truly an inspiration and I could never fully express the depth of gratitude I hold for Dear Friend.

Sometimes books come into our lives when we most need them, and sometimes they come through the best friends anyone could ask for. I hope this weekend leads some readers to unread stories that inspire them as I've been inspired.

That Night Friday

As explained on the first That Night Friday post (in which I drew from my That Nite website's archives for a story), I thought it would be a brilliant idea to have readers share their stories of "Remember that night I/we/you..." on the blog here, now that I'm no longer anonymously hosting the website. I mean, after all, who doesn't love a good story?

Friends/readers have responded!

As always, if you'd like to submit your own That Night story, send them to samantha(dot)sessoms(at)gmail(dot)com

Don't forget to come up with a sign-off, leave your state and/or city, and which category your story falls under. You can include names if you'd like (and it's helpful to the reader, as too many pronouns gets confusing!), but last names will not be published for the privacy of those involved.

The categories are: best, worst, crazy, embarrassing, and bittersweet.

Today's That Night Friday story:

I pulled my parent’s Buick into the ill used boat launch of a sleepy tributary of the Red River, returning to a party that had moved on in my absence. The embers of its fire still glowed, but the ceremony was over. The set had been burned, a ritual giving valedictory to friendships that shouldn’t have been. It would be awhile yet before our disparate natures drove us apart. On that night around that fire, the foxes and hounds danced together in primordial celebration.

If I could will myself back to that evening, I would step out of the car and breath deep the warm air while cherishing the roar of the thousands of frogs mating nearby. I would creep to the fire, and steal some ash.

No.

If I could will myself back to that night, I would do much more. I would stay at the party and protest. I would argue that tonight should not be an end. I would stand near or on the ashes hoping the fire’s glow would cast its magic into my speech. I would attempt to stop the rotation of the earth.

The earth did rotate. One by one, my friends realized their true nature and departed. I, however, did not. Some other magic must have been disbursed while I was absent. If I could will myself back to that night, I think I would take most of that magic. The world is very lonely if you never change. 

I backed out of the boat launch and drove home. My spirit was alive with hope, love, and potential. The world loomed, but like the soul survivor of a horror film, it would be awhile before I realized it.

Valedictorian

North Dakota

(bittersweet)