Perspective

Inspired by Monika's and Heather's dialogues with things in the natural realm...

Perspective

"Hey! Hey! Watch it with that disinfectant!"

I paused my cleaning and squinted at the tabletop.

"Yeah, you. I'm talking to you. That stuff burns."

"Excuse me? Who's talking to me?"

"Me, Earl."

"Earl, I don't see you."

"Of course not. I'm invisible to the naked eye."

"Um, okay. What are you Earl?"

"Bacterium--bacillus cereus to be exact."

"A talking germ?"

"Well, not really. It's all in your mind."

"I see."

"Yeah. I'm supposed to teach your something about writing."

"Oh really. What exactly am I supposed to learn about writing from a germ?"

"Watch that tone, sweetie, or I'll smack you with a case of gastroenteritis!"

"Alright, alright, don't get you shorts in a wad. What did you need to teach me?"

"Perspective. It's all about perspective---the view we present to the reader when when we write."

"Okay....."

"For instance, have you ever envisioned what it might be like for, let's say, Picornaviridae Rhinovirus, to enter a nostril?"

"Can't say that I have, but I would imagine it would be rather like being in a dark forest."

"Exactly, a dark forest of nose hairs....."

"So I should put myself in the character's shoes when I write fiction."

"You got it."

"Thanks."

"Uh, you're not still going to squirt me with disinfectant, are you?"

"Well.....sorry....." I aimed my squirt bottle. "Guess you gotta see it from my point-of-view."

L. Gloyd (c) June 30, 2006.