It was mid-morning and Con already felt heavy. Two cups of espresso, half a chocolate muffin and three calls from the Minister weighed heavily upon him. He felt worn through, like flat carpet. There was still this afternoon's deadline to meet. Still interdepartmental people to call and placate. Political lobbyists to soothe. Con rubbed his temples with ink-stained fingers. He needed a cigarette.

He could still taste the sharpness of tobacco on his tongue, even though his last smoke had been four months ago. Sometimes he breathed slowly in and out and imagined that each puff of air contained that forbidden acrid delight only true smokers could appreciate. Ex-smokers. He hadn't considered himself a real smoker until he had given up smoking the first time. It wasn't until then that he appreciated how delightful, how necessary, each lungful of tar had truly been.

Con felt himself star gazing off into space and turned back to his computer screen. He only had one or two sentences to belt out before this latest policy brief was completed. Just in time for the Minister to deliver it at this afternoon's press conference. Grabbing the mouse Con went to shift the pointer back to the start of his last sentence. His hand slid across the mouse mat, but nothing on the screen moved. He tried again. Nothing.

Con picked up the mouse and threw it at the wall. A computer freeze was not what he needed at this moment. Not what he needed.

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EXERCISE: Write a paragraph about your character's greatest enemy.

Argy,

I truly like your ability to write about anything and everything. Your Creative Writing class is displaying that very well. I may be joining you in the putting up Creative Writing pieces this semester (or may not if they suck :-p)...since I'm taking that course. But I really liked how it seems like there could be two greatest enemies in the piece...the computer freeze or the withdrawal from his smoking days. Good job, Argy.

~Gabber



"Don't think I can't feel that there's something wrong
You've been the sweetest part of my life for so long
I look in your eyes – there's a distant light
And you and I know there'll be a storm tonight

But baby, this is serious
Are you thinkin' 'bout you or us?

Don't say what you're about to say
Look back before you leave my life
Be sure before you close that door
Before you roll those dies
Baby, think twice..."