We continue our celebration of the release of Flipped for Murder with our own Edith Maxwell writing as Maddie Day. Write an opening line for a story inspired this photo snapped (appropriately) at the Story Inn in Indiana – the country store which inspired her series.
Liz: He didn’t belong in this neck of the woods, with his fancy tie and New York facial hair. I had to put his head up as a warning to any other fancy boys who thought they could come in here and beat me at checkers.
Jessie: When things were slow at the store Frank passed the time by playing checkers with his ventriloquist dummy, Leftie.
Julie: It was the best date I’d had in years. That explains a few things, doesn’t it?
Sherry: All I can say, is the guy had me over a barrel.
Barb: “Who’s that?” I asked, cocking my head toward the dummy by the checkerboard.
“Dunno,” Gus answered, “but he’s beating the pants off me.”
Edith: (These are hilarious!) “Ah, shoot, Jim Bob,” Wanda said. “You done wiped me off the board again. Now I guess you’re really ahead.”
Readers, what about you? Give us your best opening lines.
Whaddya mean, Chet-Wally? These ain’t chessmen.
;^)
“Ma told me I should never gamble with you, Bubba. This here game’s already cost me an arm and a leg.”
Ha!
Laughing…
Dang, he’d done it again…. Only this time he’d lost more than his shirt.
Love it!
It had taken Slim a long time to figure out how to move the checkers with his nose, but he finally had it licked.
I like it!
I got nothin’–laughing too hard at everybody else’s lines!
It was a beautiful, sunny day. But inside the old country store, I was seated once again in front of the checker board, wondering why I bother when I have no one to play against. And what happened to all the black pieces? Man, my nose sure itches.
Fun!
I’d crisscrossed the country making a living hustling at checkers. But as I walked into the latest country store, I began to wonder if I’d met my match.
(This one was a struggle. I kept hearing Robin Williams as the Genie from Aladdin in my head. “I can’t believe I’m losing to a run!”)
I LOVED him as the genie, Mark. My sons were young and we watched it together several times (I think we bought the video). So much in there for adults that went right over the kids’ heads. ;^)
LOL at “making a living hustling at checkers.”
Yes, that too!