Marry Me

A Six Sentence Story

My writing group recently sponsored a contest. We were to come up with a complete story in six sentences. Submissions were submitted anonymously and voted on by the group. The stakes were high. David, the facilitator of the group offered to buy a cup of coffee (or tea) for each of the top three entries.

I love a good writing challenge and this one was fun and interesting. Each sentence had to carry weight, you needed to get the reader’s attention, and carry through with a story arc ending in a conclusion. All in six sentences. And what to write about? For me, the answer was written in the sky on a recent vacation to Orange Beach Alabama.

So here it is: Marry Me , a six sentence story by Debra VanDeventer.

Marry Me

From the shade of my beach tent, I see the plane that normally flies a “Bubba’s All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp” banner is now towing one that says “Will You Marry Me Lexi?” 

Unlike the bronzed-buffed-beach guys on display in front of me, my husband wears knee-length swim trunks, a floppy hat and a long-sleeved shirt as he plays in the waves with our granddaughter. He’s not a beach guy, but he drug a wagon loaded with too much stuff across the hot sand and wrestled to set up the tent so I could relax in the shade. In the cooler, he’s packed my favorite lunch–a diet Coke and a ham-and-cheese sandwich–a recipe he’s perfected over our decades of marriage.

The plane makes another loop and I think how wondrous it is to find love written in the sky or in a perfectly made ham sandwich.

I hope Lexi says yes.

The Results?

Whoo hoo! Second Place out of 13 entries. Thanks David. Make mine a grande, two pump chai with almond milk.

Dedication:

This story is dedicated to my husband on the occasion of our 49th wedding anniversary we will celebrate this week. I’m so glad I said yes.