Here’s a new prompt. I love these things. Beats the seemingly endless cycle of revision, anyway.
Mrs. Maurice was obviously losing her temper.
“Young man, I’ll have you know that there would not even be a Prinn County Museum were it not for the generosity of Mr. Maurice.”
Jared looked past her in the hope that someone, anyone, would come and help him. No such luck. He was cornered.
“Ma’am, I would really like to accept these, and I can. I will. Absolutely. But I can’t guarantee—”
She thumped her umbrella against the desk. “This is an important collection! All fifty states! The people of Prinn County deserve to see these! All fifty states!”
The tip of the umbrella floated an inch from his eyes. Her mouth was tight. Jared noticed the lipstick bleeding into the creases around her lips. He scooted his chair back slightly.
“Mrs. Maurice, I will be glad to take them. I’ll tell the director how important this is to you—”
“To the citizens of Prinn County! I want Mr. Maurice’s hard work to benefit them. I have nothing to do with it, personally.”
He stood and walked around the desk. He picked up the heavy cardboard carton of license plates, hating community service worse than ever.
I can just see her standing in front of him with an umbrella and a pompus attitude. LOL! I enjoyed reading this. Hopefully, the license plates make a great showing.
Jared escaped her presence and took the heavy box back into the bowels of the musty back room. With a thud, he dropped the box unceremoniously onto the floor next to the stuffed buffalo head that was missing its horn on the left side. Jared was well on his way back to his appointed station when, roused by the sudden impact, the thing at the bottom of the box moved.
Enjoyed! Loved the umbrella conversation!
I can imagine him as the type of teenager who rolled his eyes at everything the woman said. That written, she did seem rather pompous.
Very entertaining and well written!