It is entitled, “Imagination Run Amok,” and was the club’s choice for best story of the month of June.

Imagination Run Amok

By Bob Mason

Amok – Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary – Adverb – Definition 2:

“in a murderously frenzied state”

The instruction from the judge came innocuously enough, by email. The directive? To purposely put my imagination in a murderously frenzied state.

“There’s no assigned topic,” he said.
Riiight.
“Let your imagination run amok,” he said.
Mhmm . . .
Needless to say, I startled at the instruction as well as its source!

What were we to murder, my imagination and I? Honestly, there is no one I want to murder, not even hypothetically. I love people; I love animals; I love plants. I love every living thing! Then it dawned on me. Clearly a judge would not even hint that a heretofore law abiding citizen should do such a thing . . . not to the living.

But, I realized, this is a leader in a writer’s group. I knew immediately what he was getting at, cleverly not spelling it out, so to speak. It’s not a living being that he wants me to murder. It’s the language!

And so, here I am, sharpening my wits, flexing my creativity, and taking aim. Let’s do this!

English language, your mine! Y-O-U-R, your MINE! And you’re Grammar, to. That’s Y-O-U-‘-R-E, and ‘to’ with one ‘o’. Hasta la vista, baby!

©2023 Bob Mason

Last month I sent an email to the members of the Siskiyou Writers’ Club reminding them to write a story for the June meeting.  I said, “This month there is no assigned topic, theme, or word.  Let your imagination run amok.”  Well, you have to be careful what you say. 

Bob Kaster

The Siskiyou Writers’ Club is a local group of folks with a passion for creative writing of all genres.  The club generally meets the last Thursday of the month in various locations throughout Siskiyou County.  Our next meeting will be Thursday, July 27, 2023, 5:00 PM at the Mount Shasta Golf Resort.  For more information, contact Mike Grifantini, 530-710-4882, email [email protected]
or Bob Kaster, 530-598-5204, email [email protected]

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