“What?”

Your character (or picture yourself if that helps) is sitting at the bar. They/you are enjoying a drink or a bite to eat. Someone slips into the seat next to them, turns towards them, a stranger that they/you cannot discern from any other stranger from the crowd in the building or from off the street. The stranger is in no way threatening or appears out of the ordinary; they could be a friendly face you probably have never noticed before, completely mild-mannered with an easy-going smile.

Then they speak, their expression casual and their smooth manner unruffled.

But your character/you freeze, facial muscles stilling to keep from letting their/your mouth drop. Their/your brain blanks into a puzzled slate. Did they really just say that to them/you? Why did they think this was a normal thing to say?

Is your character/are you shocked? Stunned?

Now answer the question: What did this stranger say? Why was it so peculiar? And how will your character/you respond?

An example I will share is what was said to me not too long ago when John and I sat at our favorite watering hole, enjoying mimosas and some conversation. A woman I had never met before, though apparently they frequent the place as much as anyone because everyone else at our table knew her and offered to buy her a drink when she humbly said she had no money, and even John has her for a social media friend. Seated next to me, this woman, clearly a bit tipsy already and rambling about how she needed to break up with her current boyfriend, turned to me and said the following statements:

“I always fall in love with a new guy when I’m ovulating. Always.”

“I can’t believe I was yelled at when I was drunk for jumping on this girl’s kitchen counters and playing with her dogs. Like, I was crying because she yelled at me for jumping on her ‘newly bought marble counters’ and ‘riling [her] dogs up!'”

“Every time I get drunk, I always end up making out with other girls.”

Yeah, that all came out in a matter of two minutes of her continuously talking, which I wasn’t bothered by, but I could feel my smile strain as I fought to keep it in place. I definitely ramble myself after a few drinks, but usually I ramble to John or drunk dial a friend who will ramble with me. Still, it makes for good stories! Give this writing prompt a try and comment what you come up with!

Keep writing, my friends! Like, follow, share!