OCEANBOUND PUBLISHING
CREATIVE WRITING
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT I CALL "TINKERING", USING WORDS INSTEAD OF MUSIC OR VISUAL IMAGES. ALL ARE TOOLS FOR CREATING PLACES FOR OUR MINDS TO GO, TO ALTERNATE WORLDS WHERE OUR IMAGINATIONS ARE OUR TEACHERS.
CREATIVE WRITING IS VIRTUALLY THE SAME PROCESS AS SONGWRITING, ONLY USING LETTERS INSTEAD OF MUSICAL NOTES. EVERY PIECE OF CREATIVE WRITING CONTAINS A RHYTHMIC FEEL, OR "TEMPO" AND, LIKE A SONG, SHOULD FLOW NATURALLY FROM IT'S BEGINNING TO IT'S END, THE PACE SLOWING OR HASTENING, CHANGING DIRECTION, SOMETIMES PREDICTABLY, AND SOMETIMES UNPREDICTABLY, DRAWING THE READER ALONG THE PATH THAT THE WRITER PROVIDES. A PATH LEADING TO A PLACE OR A TIME THAT CAN BE SEEN IN THE READER'S MIND. OUR IMAGINATION SEES THE PICTURES THAT THE WORDS CREATE FOR US IN OUR MINDS JUST AS CLEAR LY AND AS VIVIDLY AS A PHOTOGRAPH IS SEEN WITH OUR EYES. EVERYTHING WE SEE AROUND US HAS A STORY FOR US, IF WE WILL ONLY LOOK FOR IT. EVEN ORDINARY CHAIRS HAVE A STORY TO TELL.
This short piece of prose began as an email I sent, on 4/29/o7, to a member of my family, concerning a set of used wooden dining chairs that were given to me by one of my family member's neighbors, an elderly English couple. It speculates on the possible history of the group of chairs, and what their long journey together may have been like. Listen closely.
"THE SILENT CHAIRS"
The chairs, having had a chance to look them over, are really quite nice and in very good shape. Their cane backs and bottoms are in excellent shape but for one dining chair, which has a plywood bottom in place of the cane. It must have suffered some terrible mishap, but what it was remains a mystery. The cushions, comfortable and wearing a colorful floral motif, draw one’s eye. The wood is in good shape, as is the finish, with the exception of some slight wear in places. A well cared-for group.
I plan to hang on to them until I decide where they might fit in around here. I could probably sell them and make a few bucks or pass them on to someone else who could use them, either one an option, but they look to be fairy comfortable here in my living room. The four dining chairs are neatly stacked together, sharing their dark-toned closeness. Whether it is warmth or security they seek is hard to judge. Maybe it is a little of both. They no doubt feel a sense of safety and familiarity together, a likely result from the long association they have shared since first being joined together as a group long years ago in a faraway place.
According to the labels still retained on the underside of some of them, they were made in Italy. One should draw that conclusion fairly easily, I think. A casual glance would take note of the slender, elegant shape of their design. Closer inspection reveals that they are well made and sturdily constructed, appearing deceptively fragile but capable of supporting a diner, even some of the more rotund individuals, very comfortably. Not overdone and pretentious like the silly French seem to favor, or heavy and cumbersome with little style as one would see in a German design. No, they are sleek and cosmopolitan, yet practical in the same manner as an Armani suit. In a word, Italian.
The two armchairs are a little apart from the others, keeping each other company. A bit aloof, as two patient dogs watching over a small flock of sheep might appear. These two are different from the others. They are identical in design to the dining chairs except for the arms, which curve gracefully down and spiral back around like the horns of a ram. They are not only separated by design but also by purpose. These two were intended to reside at the head and foot of the table, the traditional places of honor. The one at the head is for the host and the other for a family member or perhaps an honored guest. Their graceful arms were made to provide support for the occupant who might be relaxing after a hearty meal, gathering their thoughts in preparation for addressing the group around the table. A speech of great political meaning and consequence, given to a select group of people by a powerful, important head of state? A roundtable discussion of arts, literature or science among colleagues moderated by a well-respected leader of their association? Or perhaps a quiet talk among a close family of the days’ events and likely their hopes and dreams for the future, begun by a loving father softly speaking of the pride and happiness he feels for his loved ones gathered around him?
Only those present and the group of chairs providing comfort to them know for certain. And all of the secrets are safe with the silent chairs.
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This next piece is something that I wrote and submitted to The Galveston Daily News as a "Guest Column". It was published in that newspaper on 8-13-05. It is self-explanatory, a bit tongue-in-cheek and contains my recipe for making genuine Texas-style chicken-fried steak and cream gravy. It is simple, fool-proof and absolutely delicious. Mashed potatoes are also mandatory. Skip the beer. Trust me. I suggest iced tea or a tall, cold glass of milk. Consider it my gift to those of you who have taken the time to get this far into my website. Enjoy.
"How you should do chicken-fried steak"
Regarding the article about chicken-fried steak (The
Daily News, Aug. 3) by Tommy C. Simmons: A few things should be clarified.
Being a natural-born Texan, my suggestion as to the number of pickups to look for outside
a restaurant would be 10 to 12 trucks, along with other cars, welding trucks and, of
course, police cars. Only then have you found a genuine chicken-fried steak place.
If you see only four or five trucks, that denotes an inferior product, probably not
frozen, but decidedly not the best.
Go by and look for the crowd. Truck drivers, roofers, people with big bellies and
hung-over musicians are what to look for.
As far as the recipe from "Southern Living" goes, it’s too complicated.
Here’s what you do. Get a piece of tenderized cube steak or some round steak, then
beat the heck out of it with one of those hammers with the spikes on them, until it cries
uncle.
Stop before it falls apart.
You don’t need the egg or the cracker crumbs. This will make the crust too thick. You
want a thin, light crust. We true Texans call it "breading."
Don’t use the Worcestershire sauce or the hot sauce. Take two bowls and put milk in
one, flour in the other. Dip your meat in the flour, then milk and again in the flour.
Place on a plate with a paper towel and apply your salt and pepper on just the topside.
Preheat your skillet, using enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet until it
just starts to smoke a bit.
Place the seasoned side down, then sprinkle the upper side with salt and pepper. Turn in
two minutes and season the topside.
Turn once more in two minutes and season again.
Take the steak up when it is golden-brown on both sides and drain on a paper towel.
One more thing. The most critical test of a properly cooked chicken-fried steak is that
you must be able to cut it with a fork. If you can’t, it’s over-cooked or the
crust is too thick.
For the gravy, pour out all but two to three tablespoons of the drippings. Premix your
flour (about a tablespoon) and warm water in a separate bowl to a free-flowing
consistency. Mix your flour-water combination with the drippings over low heat and stir
constantly.
Add water or milk as needed to achieve the desired quantity and consistency. Don’t
stop stirring when making the gravy. Season to taste. Remove from heat as soon as the
gravy is done. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
I know I’m giving away the farm with this little piece, especially to you non-Texans
in the readership, but chicken-fried steak is indeed the national food of Texas, and
everybody should know how to fix it.
There is no secret, just simple ingredients, simple preparation and simply good eating.
Just don’t overdo it. Remember, you have to be able to cut it with a fork.
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© 2007 M. Stricklin / Oceanbound Publishing / All Rights Reserved.
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