7 Stories: Too Close (suggested theme)

Some ideas to get you started on your story (theme “Too Close”):

Many years ago as a mother of two I was having coffee w/ my friend who happened to be a psychologist. After I shared what was new w/ me and my family etc. she began giving me the news of her life...in what sounded like a whole litany of complaints with the underlying refrain of "oh poor me..." I listened compassionately and only later when I thought about our conversation I wondered "wait a minute...was she showing me how I sounded????" and I had to think maybe so. Yikes! I do NOT want to present myself quite like that! It felt waaaay "too close" for me, but I appreciated it. I've tried to avoid sounding too self absorbed and self pitying ever since ...(probably not always successful)....

Being close to people is a good thing, right? It depends on the circumstances. After a disaster a family was invited to stay with relatives. A nice idea which can turn into ... chaos, family drama, alienation?
How about the woman who gives up her home and friends to move across the country to be near her kids? All are thrilled with the situation but end up finding out it’s way too close for everyone involved.

Or the cute apartment we get that ends up being on a new bus route with noisy buses going by every 10 minutes. Way too close!!

Then there’s the close call with the traffic accident that is narrowly avoided or the injury that is just centimeters from a major artery or the child who is almost hit when running out into the street after a ball.
These are just a few examples that illustrate the theme for September, but we’re sure there are many more and look forward to your stories

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Rules & Guidelines for storytelling:

• Stories must be true.
  Stories must take 7 minutes or less to tell.
  Stories must be TOLD, not READ.

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