My First 5-Minute Freewrite: Day 787: Monday - Prompt: only what we could carry

in #freewrite5 years ago

My first five-minute freewrite

on my first day of posting at Steemit was written in ONLY five minutes in response to this prompt from @mariannewest:

Day 787: 5 Minute Freewrite: Monday - Prompt: only what we could carry

Last summer I moved to New York with only what I could carry in my car. My small SUV. I brought an upright bass and other instruments and two suitcases full of clothes and my laptop. I was only going to stay for a few months originally even though I knew I wanted to spend more time there but I also knew it was notoriously a struggle to get by. I arrived in Washington Heights and somebody who was straddling two spots on the street in front of my place saw I was moving in and was nice enough to move two cars to make room for mine. My new roommate gave me a hand moving in and I offered her some of the gin I brought which was all I had and to my amazement she said she loved gin. We sat and talked and we decided we should go out that night and she’d take me to her favorite place in Harlem (67 Orange St). We took the 1 train then cut across a closed park to walk the rest of the way. We stayed out dancing till 4 am. I was amazed by all the outdoor fruit stands and other things about Manhattan in the summer.

Time's Up

#PositiveExpectations ##expectgoodthings #creativewriting #writing #freewriting #newyork #harlem #moving #citylife #survival #freewritehouse #5minutefreewrite


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Very good entrance. Well done, @mvkean!

And it's a great first freewrite! I love this story of your first night, quite an auspicious beginning. NY definitely can sink it's claws into one, especially the performing arts scene and especially still the music scene. Welcome!
I'm Stacey, a steem friend of your mother's. I live a bit north of NYC, love Harlem (lucky you).
A warm welcome from @freewritehouse to you!

Thank you Stacey, and looking forward to seeing you sometime at Maureen's Jazz Cellar

Is that you on the train? It's a great photo.

It's him, and it's a selfie, he says - I don't see how that's possible.
He's in Chicago now, awaiting word on whether he gets to sublet - and here I thought it was a sure thing. Oh my. The things he doesn't tell me, so as to keep me from worrying. Or asking "But did you consider this," what about that....
Thank you on his behalf @owasco, @zeleiracordero, @wandrnrose7, @mariannewest, @scribblingrama, @kaerpediem, @deeanndmathews, and whoever comments next - I hope he checks in again soon!

He's moving to Chicago in JANUARY?! That IS something to worry about! lol.
He'll be fine. I am amazed at how orderly transitions like these go, as long as the person (child) has some good sense in them, and it seems your son does.

No, no, he moved to Chicago YESTERDAY and he'll be in Bedford-Stuyvesant come January. Every month, a new sublet. Sometimes he'd get lucky and get to stay for three whole months in one place. For a year and a half now this has been the nomad life of @mvkean.
Good thing he was born a Buddha.
Meanwhile, his mom is less of a basketcase by virtue of having learned from him....

Oh that is a tough life living sublet to sublet. If I hear of anything in Brooklyn (where I have some rental connections) I'll let you know. Does he want a steady apartment if he can find one?

Thank you for the offer - so far, he's been finding places with musicians he has met before or knows well. The one in Harlem is a Grammy winner. I think he LIKES moving every month...unless he gets a permanent day-job.

Why am I so tired today... HE is the one who packed it all up, drove five hours, and doesn't know what lies ahead in the next day, week, or month - but then again, for any of us, "knowing" what's on the calendar is just an illusion. Yesterday, news items on Midwest storms reported an SUV skidding on icy I-80 noth of Lincoln, NE, and three passengers, ages 10, 15, and 19, are now dead. In a instant - without warning - dead! Probably siblings, too! In all, nine fatalities in just one storm. This is why I don't drive much anymore. Not just to keep myself alive, but to keep others safe from me. I have skidded on icy roads before. There but for the grace of God go I. "Only what we could carry" - in our hearts, our minds, on our backs - that was quite a prompt Monday!

That's quite a story and very positive. Welcome to to freewrite community! I hope things are going well and we look forward to seeing more freewrites from you! What a nice welcome you received there.

Yes, what a nice welcome - yours included. :) I compose music more than writing, but for New Year 2020 I'll try to compose more song lyrics. Thanks everyone at @freewrite for being so welcoming.

So glad you joined Steemit and and the freewriters group! That was a great story. I loved that your musical instruments were a priority in your packing. I would have a problem getting my piano into an SUV. Ha ha!

A piano. That's asking a lot. :)
Two suitcases of clothes - the rest is mostly music gear.
Thanks for the warm welcome here.

Welcome to the world of FreeWrites
I think you are going to love it if my experience is anything to go by :D

Sounds like an adventure
And here's to many more of that first day there ;D

Thanks for the welcome. I'm moving back to New York on New Year's Day, and I hope to find more time for Steemit. You're a great group at Freewritehouse.

Very nice -- and welcome to freewriting!

I'm here to deliver the Tuesday prompt so please write us another!

https://steempeak.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-788-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-fern

Also, don't forget to read the latest posts from our new page
FREEWRITE HOUSE!

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Click the graphic to join in the fun!

Thank you. When I move back to New York I hope to catch up with all these posts and comments.