Backstory: Bob's wife Sally went into labor while they were waiting in line to see a movie.
The next event, which we want you to show (not tell) is:
TELLING: On the way to the hospital, Bob runs a red light and gets stopped by the police.
Your mission is to write a short paragraph as to how that event plays out, through creative, descriptive dialogue and narration.
And Now- Below are the first 7 interpretations written by Ginny, Kat, Jerry F, Paul, Linna , Nancy and Carol. But who wrote which one? Take a guess and add it to the comment section below.
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1) Bob shot through the intersection . “You went through a red light”, Sally said to him anxiously. A police car was on their tail. He looked over at her and said, “I don't care, I have to get you to the hospital before you have the baby right here.” The police car's siren was on and lights flashing. “There is a police car chasing us Bob.” Her husband gave her look of disbelief as if she didn't know how much distress he was under. “Don't worry Sally, he will find out we are heading toward the hospital eventually and then arrive at the maternity wing, he can arrest me.”
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2) "Don't tell me," said the cop." Your wife is giving birth, right now, at St. Lewis and Clark's."
Uncanny, Bob thought. How could the cop have known? It will be like in the movies, he thought. The cop will burn a path through the traffic and deliver me to Sally. The cop will have a smile on his face. Sally has a smile on her face. Everybody's happy. Maybe the mayor will show up.
By the way, it's a boy. A girl? No, a boy. His name , Adam. How about a pair, twins. It'll play better.
"You were doing 70 in a 45 mph zone, sir," said the cop." Speeding. You also have a busted tail light."
From somewhere he took out his pad and proceeded to write the ticket. "Tell me again, what's the rush?"
* * *
3) "Sally! Buckle your seat belt!"
"Don't yell at me, Bob! I can't! It won't fit!" Sally struggles to not get the seat wet.
"Oh, yeah...sorry...Well, at least hold onto the arm rest! Here we go!" Bob jams the car into gear and peals out of the parking lot. He doesn't see the patrol car parked across the street.
"Bob! Slow down! There's a cop behind us!"
"You want to drive, Sal?" his voice trembles but then reality kicks in. He's got 3 points on his license already.
"Bob, I'm okay - just please slow down", she says, just before the red light starts flashing behind them and the siren's wail fills the night air.
"Better get used to that sound, hon," he says. "We'll be hearing a lot more wailing pretty soon."
She manages a smile as Bob pulls over and rolls down the window.
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4) Bob’s mind was racing filled with one ‘what if’ after another. What if we don’t make it in time? What if she really isn’t in labor? What if it is a girl? Bob did not notice the red and blue lights flashing in his rear view mirror until he heard the siren. Sally moaned a bit and painfully told him that he had run a red light two blocks ago.
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5) "The contractions are coming so fast!" Sally whimpered from the front seat of the minivan. She gripped Bob's hand and dug her nails into his skin just as another contraction had her doubled over in pain.
"Sally, honey, it's ok..." he started to say, until he heard sirens behind them. His gaze flicked to the rear view mirror and he saw a police car riding their tail, the red and blue lights flashing.
"This cannot be happening!" Sally groaned. "Only you would get us pulled over while I'm about to have a baby!"
Bob gritted his teeth at the veiled insult and eased the car to the side of the road. He rolled down the window, his license and insurance card in hand, as the officer approached.
"You ran the light back there, Sir. That's a violation of the Vehicle and Traffic law." As the officer lifted his head Bob got a glimpse of his face and swore a blue streak. The Officer was Sally's ex-husband, and the father of Sally's baby.
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6) “Bob! That was a red light you just went through,” Sally gasped between contractions. “You stupid bastard … I wanna make it to the hospital intact. Be careful.” Ignoring his wife, Bob’s foot weighed even heavier against the gas pedal … caution be damned. “I hear a siren,” Sally said. “Is that for us? I can see the red and blue lights in the mirrors. You dumb ass. Ohhhh, pull over,” Sally groaned. The light from the cop’s flashlight played across Bob and Sally noting her swollen belly. “Evening folks …,” the cop began. “Aaargh, please Lord Jesus, I want this baby out, and I want it out NOW,” Sally shrieked.“ “Step on it mister, you just follow me. I’ll plow the path and you sow the seeds,” the cop instructed.
* * *
7) Sally wretched and groaned, "Bob, hurry up, I can't stand the pain anymore!"
"All right, all right, I'm going as fast as I can in all this traffic!" Bob yelled.
"Do you have to hit every pothole? If I knew I'd feel this awful, this baby wouldn't have happened," said Sally now in tears.
"Oh, so, this is all my fault," snapped Bob.
"Damn right it is ...I hate you," shrieked Sally.
"Oh, God, no ...the cops. Hon, I have to pull over," said Bob.
"Don't you dare pull over, I am having this baby right NOW," wailed Sally, panting and writhing in the back seat.
A small mewing sound, followed by a lusty wail filled the car.
"Bob, Bob ...he's here!" said Sally between gasps.
The officer approached their car, and looked in the back window at Sally.
" I think I may be a little too late to help you folks. I see why you were in such a hurry. I'll be happy to give you a police escort to Mass. General."
Bob's hands were shaking as he put the car in gear.
"This is the first kid and last, Sally, I can't take it!"
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This one just in; the writer took it a lot farther than the assignment asked for.
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This one just in; the writer took it a lot farther than the assignment asked for.
“Okay”, yes, Officer I have my identification right here, in my left hand pocket.
Jerry reaches for his wallet and hands it over to the overarching statue of a state trooper.
He just ran a red light, and is thinking of a come back line for the next time he runs a red light. A bit late with his delivery, he just quietly hands over the license and registration to Officer Smith.
Officer Smith: “So, do you know why I pulled you over?”
Jerry: “I believe I ran a red light.”
Officer Smith: “Yeah, no one else has run this one, yet.”
Jerry: “So, do I get a ticket?”
Officer Smith: “Nope, I just wanted to see the guy behind the wheel that would have the balls to run a red light in front of a State Trooper’s Barracks.”
Jerry: “Oh, you see, my wife is expecting and I am on my way to see my first born.”
Officer Smith: “I thought that much.”
Jerry: “She’s in a lot of distress, this is our first.”
Officer Smith: “Tell me about it, I have five kids.”
Jerry: “Really, how do you do it?”
Officer Smith: “We take turns with night shifts, diaper changing and the croup.”
Jerry: “Well, I should be getting on my way.”
Officer Smith: “This ticket is on me, good luck to you, buddy.”
Officer Smith hands Jerry his license, and tips his cap.
Jerry drives off with his headlights still out, since the last time the garage told him the light sockets had a wire short. He drove effortlessly in the dark with no apprehension. He just wanted to see his little girl. In a few moments, Jerry would see the light.
A Greyhound bus number 590 was heading south on I 80 toward Iowa City, in the path of Jerry’s Oldsmobile. Jerry was humming a tune when suddenly, a double take to his left, he saw incoming high beams and a bus heading towards his driver side. He had no time to swerve, and he hit the bus head on.
“This one’s a doosey”, said the head nurse at Iowa City General. “He hit the bus head-on,” said the chief surgeon, he continued, “I can’t believe he made it through this much of trauma to the brain. It will be a long haul for this guy, I hope he has the patience.”
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