Thursday, August 19, 2010

Fascinating Trivia


Did you know 'honeywagon' is a movie industry term for the mobile toilet? Basically, a porta-potty on wheels? Apparently, they are called that because the liquid inside is honey-colored. Lovely.

Thank you, Janet Reid, for inspiring me to search for the term through your writing contest. And thank you, Wikipedia, for giving me all the gory details. Since the winner of Janet's contest will receive two books, one of which is 101 Things I learned in Film School, I'm going to trust Wikipedia on that definition. The shoe seems to fit.

By the way, the contest ends Friday 11:59 EST. One hundred words or less using these little gems:

honeywagon (there it is!)
flaws
stake
pivotal
fairbank

I couldn't bring myself to write about movie star's toilets. Sorry. I wrote about sibling angst instead:

The pivotal moment hit as Brent pulled the honeycomb-laden cart.

“I’d be happier in Fairbank,” he announced.

“Iowa?” Penny said.

“Alaska.”

“That’s Fairbanks, dumbass.” She grabbed his arm. “You’d stake Mom’s life on that?”

Brent scowled. “Mom’s heart is her problem.”

“Devoted son.”

He jerked free of his sister and the honey wagon. “This bee crap is for the birds. You know it.”

“The birds and the bees? Yep. Crap.”

“This isn’t about-”

“Brent, that girl has flaws. She’ll break your heart in Alaska.”

Instead of shoving her, Brent walked. If Penny liked drowning in honey, that was her problem.


It was much prettier at 126 words, but limits are limits, so sparse wins over well-painted but half-finished scene. The drama! The pain! Beekeeping! Dying mothers! Potential anguish in Alaska! And no porta-potties. Not that I can't do crap-in-a-box, I just didn't feel like it today.

1 comment:

  1. Actually, this is a very touching scene that says a lot.

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