Character Witness (For Bard Zimmerman)

This is the time of year that I dread most often, the time when I have to say goodbye to friends that have helped me with my inner struggles over the several past months. These are part pf those moments one tends to hide beneath the surface, their inner most thoughts & feelings to the rest of the world. Being a writer and poet, otherwise, I can do that at times.

Sometimes I can disguise these struggles as metaphors or produce characters that could actually be me or someone who represents a former likeness or image of me. Sometimes these kinds of characteristics are easy to spot. Other times they are not, unless of course someone is actually looking hard enough to spot the most obvious clues.

My writing is based upon mostly on observations I have made throughout the course of my life, some so mundane, yet commonly ordinary and others, more complex, complicated and striking, that for me to describe an experience might take several sessions, perhaps months or even years to examine, let alone release the incident to an unsuspecting world.

In character sketches of one kind or another, I try to pull the most simplest of observations I have made of a particular person and make it their biggest fault or downfall, even if the experience has been classified as common everyday ordinary action such as a loud & dainty sneeze.

The very idea of exposing one’s most inane detail and making it a focal point of a character is far more untypical, than say pointing out a character’s strengths, achievements, awards, successes, weaknesses, struggles, failures & shortcomings. These I have learned throughout the course of my writings has unnerved people, mostly expecting something completely different and are then caught totally off guard.

Reactions are interesting. Some are vengeful and choose to attack me personally for exposing an observed moment and perhaps, unconscious traits, while still others are left dazed & confused and are not sure how to respond to my notations.

My ability to put two & two together right away and even two & two and nine & nine even quicker, should let those who believe they are faster and wittier than myself in the ability to describe are sadly mistaken.

Details are what makes or breaks a character. Simple details so small or miniscule is what I “live” for, what keeps me in stitches and for that matter, keeps those who believe they know it all and are perfectionists to the hilt, haven’t met their match with a masterful, prolific writer & observer whose overall job is directly calculated to keep them precisely in step or suspense. Obviously, it’s working. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.

If descriptions were tailor-made to a person’s likes & dislikes, what would be the purpose in that? It would get to the point of being too predictable & what fun is that? Variety is the spit of life. Be in it; don’t wish you could be in it.

Sigh.

My only concern, however, is I just wish I could describe myself a bit better to others, when it counts the most.