Stuck in Traffic? Creativity Calls

Over the holidays when my son came home, we drove to Santa Cruz.  While driving on Highway 17, winding through the mountains, the cars ahead of us slowed to a stop.   The sun shone through the trees splattering us with warmth and we rolled down the windows. 

 No sense in grumbling.  We could choose to be unhappy or use our time to have fun. 

 “What’s that on the side of the road?” I asked my husband who was in the driver’s seat.  

“A fishing pole,” he said.  Then he drove closer.  “No wait.  Ha!  Believe it or not – it’s a whip!” 

“Strange,” said my son. 

 We were transported to the past and wondered what it was like in stagecoach days on these mountain paths, with drivers using that whip.  Transportation must have crawled along about at the pace as we were now. 

 “There’s a Frisbee,” I said.  If we took much longer, everyone could turn off their car motors and play a quick game. 

We made up funny stories about how these items came to be on the side of the road.  Soon, we drove by a slightly smashed car being loaded onto a tow truck. 

Now it’s your turn! 

 Writing Prompt:

 Objects we discovered on the side of the road:  

juggling pin, printer cartridge, Frisbee, high heel shoe, straw hat, pink sponge

knee pad, whip

1. Write one mystery story using all of these objects as clues or even characters.
2. Write a story about one of these objects.  How did it come to be at the side of the road?  Who is missing it?  Who needs it and why?
3. Write a story from one of these objects’ point of view.  Create a complete character for this object.  What are its loves, fears, dislikes, enemies, friends?