Furry Shoe Story (A Writing Exercise)

This snippet of a short story was created using a writing technique I like to employ (usually at work) whenever I'm bored, or just can't come up with anything to write about, but I really want to write. I'll ask whoever is around me to name a person, a place, a thing, an action, a description, and a time. I then have five minutes to create a story idea from the words they have supplied.

In the following example, the words were "teacher", "school", "shoe", "jump", "furry", and "8:15am".

What follows, then, is an example of how a handful of seemingly unrelated words can be used to stimulate the creative process, and help one to extend beyond one's writing comfort zone.

I can always tell when I'm going to have a lousy day. I wake up in the morning, and I can't find my furry shoe. Not that I actually wear my furry shoe, I don't, but like a good friend, it has always been there--reminding me that all will be well. It has been this way since I was four years old...

I am completely lost without my furry shoe. You may think I'm nuts, but I really am! Hey, everyone has their quirks, and this is mine. Ok, one of mine. I also name my shoes. That right, I name my shoes! I'm such a freak! My furry one is named Jump-Jump. Jump-Jump the Furry Shoe! It sounds so regal to me.

Ok, so here's the thing, its 8:15 am, and I'm late for school, again! Mom's all yelling, "Come on! We're going to be late! Which really annoys me, since we're already late! "I'm on my way!" I growl back. And Mom's all like, "Get in the friggin' car, now! You're gonna make me late for work!" Parents. What a waste! So all the way to school, I'm like a sad, wet puppy, because I know the day is going to suck.

Anyway, its period two and I'm in my biology class. Melvin, Melvin Mackey, my biology teacher, (who names their kid Melvin, anyway?) is giving some boring lecture on the bones of the inner ear. Meanwhile, I'm goofing off doodling, just doodling, mind you, and he totally blows a friggin' gasket! "Miss Campbell, he says, "I realize my class is just a major interruption in your otherwise illustrious life, but do try to humor me with at least the pretense that you are paying attention. Can you show me that modicum of respect, Your Exalted Highness?" Your Exalted Highness? What a pig! So I raise my head up to smart off at him, and my entire face is covered with black magic marker! I had been holding the black one in my hand, while I was coloring with the red, blue, and gray ones, and I got distracted, and I got it all over me. The whole class starts laughing, and I end up crying and running out of the class. Life. Why do I even bother?