Why does the house get dirty so fast? Is it the dogs? The grandkids? Or do the dirt fairies just enjoy watching the painful look on my face as I stare down at the floors knowing I have to get the steam mop out again?
There’s the bathroom floors with little dust bunnies flying around—dog hair, human hair, leaves, prom shoes and dog paws. The kitchen/family room has coffee spills. Why? My husband tends to
walk around with his coffee cup in his hand not realizing some of it is splashing out. Or like today
when my son was here with his kids, 4, 2 and 1. The 4-year-old tugged on son’s arm. He turned to
see what she wanted, and baby Sterling swung his hand and sent the cup filled with coffee onto my,
uh, yep, newly mopped floor. My dogs enjoy grabbing a mouthful of food, take it to another part of
the room, eat and return to do the same thing over and over.
When the grandkids arrive toys appear out of everywhere. Blocks, books, bouncy balls, crayons,
coloring books, cars, and other gadgets remain strewn around making it hard to walk around the
mess. Let’s not forget the poor coffee table that turns into a racetrack for the cars and buses.
The grandkids go home and we let out a sigh. Love ‘em, glad they have a home to go to—and
destroy.
Imagine a dirty house filled with messy diapers up and down the steps, food lying around the floor
and dirty dishes shoved underneath the furniture. (No, this isn’t my house, but one of a relative
many years ago). So the wife shows signs of unhappiness and perhaps some mental illness.
The husband turns to drink. He hates his wife, but when he asks for a divorce she runs out the door and rips at her clothes and screams for all to hear. He takes her back inside. How will he handle this? Will he stay? Will he find a way to get rid of her? Poison? Auto accident? Strangle her and hide the body? Or kill himself with drinking or drugs?
Could you make a realistic story from people like this? Or would people think the idea is too
farfetched?
So how realistic can we make our characters and their habits?
It's the little things that drive people nuts. Your husband's leg bouncing up and down constantly, the toothpaste cap off the tube, crumbs in hubby's favorite chair, and veggies cooked until gray.
ReplyDeleteIncompatibility is usually solved by divorce, but then what if...the will provides incentive for murder...what if one spouse thinks the other is intentionally driving them crazy...what if bumping off the wife will enable another woman access to millions...what if one spouse become obsessive compulsively clean and the War of the Roses ensues...what if...
Yes, Dee. I think murder results.
Traits that seem cute during courting can become increasingly annoying over time. When is a house "clean?" my definition of clean or yours. Sometimes the partner who cares less ends up the "winner: who watches the other person clean. Murder can follow.
ReplyDeleteI think the cleaning issue is secondary. Dr. Phil or Dear Abby might advise help for the wife. Murder could result, especially if one or other partner has sat on anger for years and is ready to burst with frustration.
ReplyDeleteMurdering my spouse was on my mind many times. Instead, I started to write. Before long, I didn't notice the dust bunnies or the myriad of his other of annoying habits (mind you, I have none of those :-)), and I just kept writing. Also, we used to work together. We no longer do, so the murder fantasies have diminished. Many books later, I'm a much happier person.
ReplyDelete