Monday, May 13, 2013

Fall Story Picture Prompt


Glad to join the Tuesday Tales gang! This week's writing prompt is the picture below.

Leslie Gaines drove her green mini cooper, singing along to Sheryl Crow’s song “A Change Will Do You Good.” She slowed down and turned off the Interstate, entering Ulster County, New York, her hometown.

When she was a teenager all she could think about was leaving the Bed and Breakfast and the town behind. She had big plans, other people to see and more interesting things to do. Whenever she watched the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” she always connected with George’s character, she longed to shake the dirt of this town off her shoes, run away and see the world. She did. She was a travel photographer.

All she needed was her Nikon, laptop and suitcase, and she was gone. Off on an assignment for one of the several magazines she freelanced for until being picked up as a lead photographer for National Getaways Magazine.

Leslie was returning home for two reasons, to close-up her mothers B&B after her death a few months earlier, and to do a fall photo spread her editor had begged her to do. She hoped the latter would help her deal with the first task, which she wasn’t looking forward to in the least.

She reached for the volume knob and lowered it when she turned left off of Front Street onto Main Street. Unlike George’s Bedford Falls, Unionville looked cheery and bright with updated awnings and landscaping mixed with familiar storefronts.

Still early morning, and the street was empty. She pulled over to the sidewalk, put the car in park, and reached over and took out her camera. She took a few shots of the street, and zoomed in on the coffee shop. The door opened, and a few people walked out.
“Oh my god.” She almost dropped her camera when she spotted him.