andrew61

Confessions of a Slacker
2016-10-30 00:00:00 (UTC)

I think I might have an opening…

Patrick has a degree in Creative Writing and, in addition to working at the library, he teaches writing and composition at a couple local community colleges. Or so I heard him tell someone today.

Now I have an idea.

I fancy myself an aspiring writer… even though I’ve not yet put much time into making it happen.

But over the past couple days, I’ve been collecting and printing out a few samples of what I consider some of my better writing. They’re actually excerpts, selected entries if you will, of this very diary. I’ve been culling through pages and pages of my pointless drivel (much of which was written in “stream of consciousness” form, meandering aimlessly all over the place), looking for some of my best stuff.

I’m thinking of approaching him and asking if he’d take a few minutes, whenever he has a little time, read my work, and afterward give me just a very general critique.

I overheard a woman ask him to do something along those lines for her today — I didn’t hear exactly what she said — and he replied that he “didn’t do that” on the side, he’s already quite busy as it is.

But again, although I was momentarily discouraged, I didn’t hear her specific request.

So I would emphasize to him that I’m just offering him small writing samples that will only take him a few minutes to read. And that I’m not expecting any all-out tutoring, just a brief critique, just letting me know if he considers my writing very good, or just mediocre, or totally hopeless. I just want someone with expertise to tell me whether or not I’m on the right track.

I’ll tell him I can make it worth his while. Maybe take him out for a nice dinner? After all, everyone has to take some time to eat.

I really have been wanting to build a friendship with him, but was at a loss as to how to proceed, and maybe this is the opening I’ve been looking for.

Last night I found a 50-second YouTube video of him, from back in his college days, reciting a poem he had written. I bookmarked it on my phone, so now I can see and listen to him in my own home, or wherever else I might wander… regardless of how anything else turns out.

A few days earlier, I had also found a photo of him online, which I printed out… but I’ve decided I don’t like it all that much. It doesn’t really do him justice, in my opinion.




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