Three Word Wednesday #14

Each week, I will post three (or more) random words. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write something using all of those words. It can be a few lines, a story, a poem, anything. This is a writing exercise. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The idea is to let your mind wander and write what it will. I’ll also attempt to write something using the same three words.

Be sure to leave a comment if you participate.

This week’s words are:
Page
Inquire
Twirl

“Hello?”
“Hi. I’m calling to inquire about the pool table you had for sale in the paper. I was thinking of getting one for my hus-“
“Sorry, it’s already sold.”
“Oh… well thanks anyway.”
“No problem.”

James hung up the phone. Then unplugged it. He looked around at the apartment that had been his home for the last year. Now it was only barren walls and cardboard boxes, yet it seemed smaller than it ever had before. He placed the cordless into the last open box, as Kevin came thru the front door, holding a lamp like it was the Olympic torch.

“This lamp. Staying or going?”

“That goes.”

“What’s wrong?” Kevin asked.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Come on, bro. What is it?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” James answered, shaking his head and looking at the floor.

“Look, man. I’m the only friend you have to talk to who won’t consider you gay afterward.”

His statement drew a smile and a shove. “Shut the-“

“Seriously,” Kevin interrupted.

James began to close and tape up the last open box. “I dunno, Kev. It’s just… I was married, dude. And now, I’m not. You know? I mean, it’s not supposed to be like this. We didn’t even last five years.”

Kevin, the shorter and pudgier of the two, breathed in deeply and let out a long sigh, “God, man. I don’t know what to say.”

“I mean, met in college. Married after graduation. We did everything by the book. And… you knew her. She was perfect.”

“She was sweet… and hot. Remember that night she did that dance on the-“

“Thanks, man,” James stopped him. “You’re really a huge help.”

“Come on, J. You gotta go out, dude. It’s been a whole freakin’ year.”

“A year and twelve days.”

Kev sighed again. “Look, I’m meeting Tim and Vanessa at The Breeze tonight. She’s supposed to be bringing some girls…”

“I don’t wanna meet anyone,” James raised his voice in a futile attempt to end the conversation, or at least change it. It was his usual reply, given partly out of guilt, partly out of fear. But mostly it was easier than saying or doing anything else.

Kevin continued, “OK, you don’t like that approach. How about this? Life, my young friend, is like a book. When one chapter closes, you turn the page and begin another.”

“Oh, that’s brilliant, oh great one. Especially considering you’ve never opened a book. What’s that from? Doctor Phil?”

“No. Fortune cookie. Loosely translated. Anyway, Vanessa really wants you to come out tonight. Farrah’s supposed to be there. You know… No Panties Farrah…” Kevin lifted his eyebrows and waited for a reply. His remark drew a laugh.

“Don’t do the dance,” James closed his eyes and turned away as he said it, but it was too late. Kevin was dancing and chanting.

“No pan-ties Faaaar-rah. No pan-ties Faaaar-rah…”

The Idiot Dance, James thought, as he named it on the spot.

“Come on, bro. What can it hurt? Give it a twirl.”

“Twirl? It’s whirl, jackass.”

“What?” Kevin squinted.

“The phrase is, give it a whirl.”

“Well, excuse me, Mister Business Management major. How’s that degree working out for you down at the mall, by the way?”

James sighed and put his hands over his face. “I’m divorced. I work at the mall. And I’m moving back home with my parents. What the hell happened to my life?”

“You should’ve done like me, man, and never left home in the first place.”

“Gee, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Come on! New chapter, bro,” Kevin grabbed his friend’s shoulders and shook. Then patted him on the back. “Focus! Confucius say, turn the page.”

James rolled his eyes. His cell rang. Thank God for small blessings.

“Who is it?” Kevin asked nosily.

“It’s your Momma. Now can you go outside and give us some privacy?”

Kevin didn’t move, except to lean over and try to sneak a peek at who was calling. James warded him off with his right arm while holding the phone in his left hand. He answered.

“Hello?”

“James?”

“Yeah?”

“Hi, this is Farrah… Vanessa’s roomate. Remember me?”

“Oh, uh, Farrah. Um, yeah, of course. Hey!”

Kevin got a giddy smile on his face and began to dance around again.

“These clocks keep unwinding and completely ignore everything that we hate or adore. Once the page of a calendar is turned it’s no more. So tell me then, what was it for?”