Monday, April 24, 2017

A Personal Mystery



One day last week a van with a logo pulled up across the street and parked. A man climbed out and looked busy, and yet it didn’t seem like he was really doing anything. He was there for a couple of hours and finally took off.

The next day a pickup truck with a different logo pulled up across the street and parked, and again, a man climbed out and fiddled around, not looking like he was really accomplishing much. He left after a few hours.

On the third day a larger truck (again with a different logo) pulled up and parked across the street. Surprise, surprise, a man climbed out and looked busy without seeming to do a darned thing.

Okay, they had my attention. My office is in the front of the house and my windows are placed so that I can see everything that goes on across the street. This went on for the rest of the week, with trucks or vans always parking in the same spot and leaving after some time had passed.

I joked to my daughter that I felt like Big Brother was watching. She laughed and said, “Oh, you’ve got to do a blog about that.”

I suppose these trucks could inspire a book, or my story might make you think I’m nuts. I’d rather think in terms of having an overactive imagination.

Of course, I’m positive that each of these trucks was here for a legitimate purpose. I’m not really nuts. I’ve just read too many mystery and suspense novels, and watched too many television shows. Yeah, that’s probably it.

Come to think of it, there was one driver who got out and stood between the two houses across the street. All he did was look up, from one roof to the other, before he… Well, he didn’t do anything else except stand around – for quite a while. Hmmm. I might have thought he was going to give them a roofing estimate, but he never wrote anything down.

Almost everything we observe can be a basis for a book. Life has a way of handing us interesting situations. What we do with those is what makes us writers. It’s what entertains readers.

In my mind, observation and research are two of the most important parts of writing, and sometimes they’re one in the same.

The trucks reminded me of another story. Many years ago I lived in an apartment complex. I came home late at night and there was a man in the alley between the buildings. When he saw my headlights he started banging on some meters. Being the suspicious sort, and having had prowler problems in the area, I called the police. They came out and checked, and later told me he was a meter reader. I couldn’t imagine reading meters at ten o’clock at night. I called the electric company the next day. Uh, they didn’t have anyone out reading meters in our area the night before, or any other night. Repairs were sometimes done at night, but not meter reading. Fodder for a story?

I’d be willing to bet that you, both writers and readers, have observed some unusual things. Can you imagine these incidents in a book? Sure. Why not?

Until next time, have a good week and keep your eyes open. Don’t miss any of the good stuff. You might need it for a story the next time you think, “I’m out of ideas. Now what?”

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14 comments:

  1. I think we mystery writers have what other people might call "overactive imaginations" because we see story ideas everywhere. Anything out of the ordinary catches our attention and may (or may not) end up in a book.

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    1. You're right, Pat. Thank goodness we've got those overactive imaginations. It makes life more fun. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  2. My Human Zoo Trilogy is based on real people and events in my life. I see nuttiness everywhere I go and live! But did you find out why those trucks and vans parked there and why nothing happened? As the saying goes, "inquiring minds want to know". Great, great blog this week, Marja!

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    1. Real events can equal a great story, Pat. No, I never found out why they were here. Maybe word got around that this was a good street on which to take an extended break without the boss knowing. : ) Thank you so much for commenting!

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  3. Great blog, Marja. I would have been suspicious too and I think the experience is great fodder for another mystery novel.

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    1. Thank you, Jean! Maybe someone else will use the idea, or maybe I'll use it in a later book. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  4. Thanks for the advice, Marja. If I saw those trucks parked across the street from my house, I'd be suspicious, too. Maybe they were casing the neighborhood homes to see how easy it would be to break in, or if anyone might be watching what they were doing. Or maybe there was a sexy woman who liked to parade around in front of one of the windows in the altogether, and the first driver told his friends. Or maybe, I have too much imagination, LOL!

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    1. LOL All plausible ideas, Evelyn. They haven't come back, so I suppose I'll never know. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  5. Marja, if there had been trucks across the street from my house my dog would have let everyone within ten miles know about it. For that reason and many others, I love seeing dogs as characters in mysteries--usually as the pet of the protagonist. I seem to recall a certain dog named Bubba whom I love...

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    1. Bubba would have walked over and smiled at them, Amy, and he would have gotten rid of them in a hurry. LOL Thank you so much for commenting!

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  6. I don't know how many times I've heard "you have some imagination!" I keep a log of my imaginings. Good post, Marja

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    1. A log is a good idea, Maggie, and I'll bet some of those ideas are from observations rather than imaginings. :) Thank you so much for commenting!

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  7. Both stories would be good as short stories or part of a book. Sounds like the police allowed a crook to get away by letting that so-called meter reader go. The cars and trucks that kept parking and doing nil to nothing, could have all been connected in some sort of conspiracy. I read so many mysteries, I also think in terms of daily events being possible (or probable) mysteries.

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    1. Ah, another woman with a suspicious mind. Yes, the meter reader never did ring true, Linda. Anything can inspire a story. Good thing for writers. Thank you so much for commenting!

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