In the past week, I’ve been on the road more often than not, commuting seven plus hours a day to make it to a Reserve temporary duty gig while still being able to come home to my sister’s house at night (she was watching my daughter.) Suffice it to say, I’ve been through more than my fair share of fast food drive-through windows. Did you ever realize how scratchy they are? The amount of opportunity for miscommunication? (Me: I want a Dr. Pepper. Guy: Scratch…scratch…want to drink? Me: Dr. Pepper! Guy: Scratch…. scratch…Dr. Pepper? Me: That’s right – Dr. Pepper. Guy: WE ARE OUT OF DR. PEPPER. … Me: … Um, a Sprite? Oops.) I’ve become quite a fan of the chains that show you your order on a screen before you drive around. Which brings me to this exercise.
Exercise 5: Two of your characters are having a conversation through some form of modern technology. (This could be modern as in the fast food window, modern as in “new for the 19th century” modern, or future-world modern.) How does the technology impede their communication? How does it assist? Do hijinks ensue? Or does the miscommunication have fatal results?
Don’t forget to post a link to your exercise in the comments, and invite others to share and post!
My latest (by my count this is #6) is at http://noel-hc.blogspot.ca/2015/03/blowout.html
This was an interesting challenge, I stared at a blinking cursor last night, and no words came. Gave up, went to bed and a story began to gel. This reminds me of Infamous Scribbler’s article a few weeks ago about getting facts right. I worked in this environment, the story is a combination of a number of experiences offshore on drilling rigs.