Saturday, April 4, 2009

WAG, part 6

“WAG #6: Overheard” Another people-watching exercise this week! This time, let’s listen! Choose a stranger and do your best to overhear what they say, and then write it down. It can be on the phone, to someone else, or even them talking to themselves. What does their voice, word choice, or tone tell you about them? Feel free to write their exact words OR write it as you would for fictional dialogue. By now you guys know the rules aren’t what’s important, but the experience!

Can you place this?

Squawk- "Angie?"
Click -"Yes?"
Squawk-"Where are you?"
Click-"In the back, heading toward the breakroom."
Squawk- "Are you close to the coolers?"
A big long sigh. Click-"What do you need?"
Squawk-"Customer wants to know if we have Horizon Organic milk."
Click-"I'll check."
Squawk. "Thanks."
Click-"Gallon or half?"
Long Pause.
Click-"Gallon or half?"
Squawk-"What do we have?"
Click-"Looks like both."
Squawk-"Price?"
Click-"$3.49 on the gallon. $2.79 on the half."
Squawk- "Thanks."
Click-"You're welcome." The sound of footsteps heading away. The rush of a swinging door. Angie is now on break.

To read the other great-and trust me there are some really great- WAG posts out there- go to Nixy Valentine's blog and click on the links. If you would like to join us with our WAG fun, rules are also posted on Nixy's blog.

Cheers!

8 comments:

Jessica Nelson said...

Oooh, my mom likes that kind of milk. Good exercise. Hope I remember to do it!

Nancy J. Parra said...

Thanks, Jessica. I was at Target when I overheard the squawk box. My first thought was how annoying those employee walkie/talkies are. Then I thought- hey-that fits this exercise. *smile*

Anonymous said...

I like this... I could just feel how tired poor Angie was.

Did she feel you stalking her? LOL

Adam Heine said...

I like this. It reflects real speech really well, which is good for writing (cuz fictional dialog isn't always the same thing as real dialog).

Mickey said...

Yeah, those walkie talkies! I never did understand why people have to turn them up so loud. But it is funny when they broadcast something that they didn't want anyone to hear. One time at a school the VP had sent out for lunch. This was a no no, because the owner of the school was angry about all the complaints he got about the school provided lunches and had made a big deal about how the staff should be modeling eating the crap so the students would shut up about it. So anyway, the VP had his walkie talkie on too loud and everyone within 50 feet heard someone tell him that lunch had arrived. We loved that.

Unknown said...

I have been the clicker and squawker, neither were good jobs.

But this was an interesting piece, good job! :-)

J. M. Strother said...

"Then I thought- hey-that fits this exercise."

Now that's grabbing opportunity when it arrives. Good job of it too.

I have always said I never want a job where I have to carry a pager or any similar device. So far luck has remained with me. It would be very annoying indeed.
~jon

Lulu said...

It didn't take long to figure it out. As soon as I did, I could just hear that specific squawk. Really a great pick up. I found myself overhearing several conversations differently this week. Enjoyed it a lot. Thanks!