Sunday, January 24, 2010

160 - sweet & sour paper airplanes

on a Chinese takeout menu,
under a brown stain
she writes in
angry letters
an apology.
folding
it neatly
she flies it
out the window to the world.

i forgot you

What can you say in 160 characters, spaces included. Go see Monkey Man.

88 comments:

Kim A. said...

Sweetly done! It makes me want to know more about who she forgot. Maybe a follow up tomorrow????

Have a great Sunday!

namaste

Tabor said...

This is wonderful. I can see a whole movie or novel in these few words!

CatLadyLarew said...

I love the imagery in this one!

mama-face said...

Is she apologetic or angry? Interesting.

Ms Hen said...

I forgot you??

MMM .. Cliff hanger..

I want Part TWO.

Betty Ann aka Ms Hen

Maggie May said...

Does she realise the litter she is causing? LOL!

Nuts in May

5thsister said...

Angry letters...she chooses to forget! Love it!

Daniel said...

Interesting and intriguing. An angry apology ...

AmyLK said...

sweet....... can you let us know what she forgot?

Oh and Now I want chinese for lunch! lol

Ms Hen said...

Brian.. I did one..

This was fun.... !!!

The little things are life are silly and fun and simple.

And I learned how to use the TOOL thingy to know how many characters i did ..(including spaces..lol) !!

Jasmine said...

I forgot you... So many possibilities. You have a great talent for painting pictures with words :)

buffalodick said...

Still mad?

otin said...

Sounds like one of those things that has a personal meaning to the author. All that I can offer is speculation.

Monkey Man said...

More people should learn this skill. Forgeting and forgiving. Great 160 Brian.

William Manson © 2010 said...

not a lot friend however the 160 words you wrote were clever, good post...

Pseudonymous High School Teacher said...

I'm making sweet and sour spare ribs today...

who'd she forget?

Maha said...

Loved it!
I absolutely love theses scenes you draw with words.

the walking man said...

Got to get rid of it somehow and when the right one picks it up they will know they have been forgotten.

Tom said...

short and sweet...you've got the knack

TechnoBabe said...

Quite clever!!!

jingle said...

masterfully done,
yes, you are gifted on it,

liza said...

Flawless work! It feels like closure yet, i'm left wanting to know about how she's moving on. Love it!

Vodka Logic said...

yes very good imagery. And a chinese placemat always has brown stains on it.

Pat said...

Great imagery. "I forgot you" - she's hoping to put her memories of that person on that little plane and fly them right out the window 'cause obviously she DIDN'T forget that person!

Madame DeFarge said...

But does she want the apology to be read or not?

Iddy Albatross said...

Lovely post. It's brilliant, what you can do with just 160 characters!!

Cheers...

mean_owen said...

You've done it again, Brian. Nice work!

Goofball said...

it doesn't sound like an apology

Chief said...

I think we all could use a bit of that!

Im goinna try it!

Stacy (the Random Cool Chick) said...

Ooooh! Intriguing! Please tell me there's going to be a follow up! ;)

Ms Hen said...

This was bothering me... lol......but Pat explained it.

I forgot you.

On the plane..

Like in al-Anon.. Let Go and Let God.

What a visual way of just letting things go..

Like I had to let the d.h. thing to in my life..

mmmm

cool.

Sande said...

Forgotten. Ouch

subby said...

Apparently you can say a lot! Heh...Haiku is hard enough but when you get down to just the characters...

secret agent woman said...

How is "I forgot you" an apology?

Ronda Laveen said...

I hate when I forget to pick up my order. Especially when it's Chinese. Mmm...noodles.

Tracie said...

If I got a ticket for a cigarette butt, she'll get one for a paper airplane for sure.

Protege said...

Is "I forgot you" the apology? Or a statement.;)
I could never write anything with so few words, but you can every time.;)
Hope your weekend was great,
xo
Zuzana

Bernie said...

Please write Part 2....just have to know how this turned out...Hugs

Drahdrah said...

Yes, absolutely would love more details, although my imagination has filled them in ... I love your writing Brian !

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Ah, the power to forgive and forget. What you can do with 160 characters is amazing. Your blog is better than anything on TV and in the theatre.
Happy Sunday, Brian!

Peter Stone said...

Brilliant, right down to details such as the brown stain and the punchline.

Brian Miller said...

lol. seems i am letting the minds wander today...sorry been offline all day. a follow up...hmm...maybe...

Yaya said...

That's unique.

The Retired One said...

There is no greater insult than to be forgotten....
other than not to have been noticed in the first place....

Mama Zen said...

I like it!

tori said...

forgiving but only better...it has a twist on vengance on it!

Dianne said...

Ah but sent out to the world, to forget, I hope no meaningful goodbye is missed in this way.
Dianne

Marla said...

Just like Chinese food .... not an hour later and I want more. Keep writing....

Enchanted Oak said...

This has the best title of any 160 I have seen. She's terribly sweet and sour, too.

Corrie Howe said...

I'm with others...160 makes it a beautiful image, but doesn't answer all the questions.

justsomethoughts... said...

160 characters
160 pages
it's all the same to you

wow

Kat_RN said...

The title is one of the best parts. How many different ways are there to fold paper airplanes?
Kat

Kat_RN said...

The title is one of the best parts. How many different ways are there to fold paper airplanes?
Kat

Prayer Girl said...

Thank you Brian for this little 160 treasure.

Thank you also for all your kind comments on my blog.

PG

MV said...

Wow - I have not commented in too long.

Um - I want Chinese food now. Thanks.

Mighty M said...

Nice!

tattytiara said...

One of my favouritest titles ever right there.

Joanna Jenkins said...

That's a gooooood one.

I had Chinese for dinner tonight. I shoulda saved the menu.

Maggie said...

One of these days I will try to write or maybe more like try to invent something like this. I can't promise it will make sense or be well written but I will try. lol

Your writings inspire me. :D

Very nice Brian.

C.M. Jackson said...

that's some fortune, cookie. great post-c

She Writes said...

Brilliant!

Who Is Tim Burton? said...

Hi! Brian,
6 or 61 words..."Sweet & Sour Paper Airplanes" is...well- written.
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D

Who Is Tim Burton? said...

Wow! You had 61 comments too...until I added No# 62 and 63...What a coincidence?!?
Just kidding!
DeeDee ;-D

slommler said...

I love she forgot him and that she sent this statement out into the world! It made me sad though, that she was still angry!
Hugs
SueAnn

Kay said...

so much meaning, in so little words.....you never fail at captivating

Shadow said...

no paper kisses today? but this is just as good it is, brian!

Mr. Stupid said...

Now, that's a waste of paper and a cute airplane... lol

Jill said...

I am thinking the process was a cleansing of sorts!

Brian Miller said...

i have been admiring scherearts 55 serials on fridays. how she is telling a story through little notes left for the different characters. stay tuned next sunday for a continuation on this...

Gaston Studio said...

One way to rid yourself of an undesirable!

Valerie said...

'I forgot you' ... I bet she did nothing of the sort. A follow-up would be good, Brian.... smiles.

Hilary said...

Of course there MUST be a follow up. You know how it is with Chinese takeout. We're hungry for more just a little bit later

Everyday Goddess said...

I have forgotten quite a bit, which is definitely a good thing.

you make this look so easy.
xo
Elise

sheila said...

oooo, now I really liked that! I forgot you. Could mean so many things. To so many people. At so many times.

Little Ms Blogger said...

I like that I can actually visualize someone doing this.

Aha! It's The Obnoxious SAHM said...

you have such an awesome talent in words. wow

Yaya said...

You're not wok-ing up my cat, are you?

Gingeyginge said...

Thank you for your comment...have a good week...Love your blog.

Titanium said...

Succinct. Clean. Like a Ginsu slicing through all of the reasons why she DIDN'T need to apologize for being herself.

Love it.

mo.stoneskin said...

An alternative, of course, would be to write it on a Japanese menu and then make it into an angry Origami swan.

blueviolet said...

It makes me wonder if she's angry...

Jessie said...

whoaa -- sweet and sour airplanes, a perfect title for a fullfilling work of art -- as so much of your writing is.

tera said...

Wow. Very cool.

I also like the poem you wrote for Smartmouth Broad! :)

tera said...

ps. I also want part 2. Or part 1. And then part 3. :)

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Do you think she knew my lonely, frozen, dark chocolate truffle?

PS the Pratsie said...

nice :)

Candie Bracci said...

Short and intense!You're the master of 160!

Liza said...

these words made my eyes well with tears.
Powerful
well done!!!
I agree with Tabor, I can also see a movie scene/novel from this piece.
thank you for sharing.