This of course just happened as I was getting ready to turn my cue card notes (an idea I got from Lisa Gardner's site) from paper to wordprocessor.
I was just on a roll with that conversation exercise I had been working on which is actually part of the story I'm working on as well and when I went to open up my Word I got the error.
It takes about 25 minutes for the system to reinstall the software and fix everything up but I'll start with the barebones conversation. I also took out all the 'he said/she said' crap and replaced it to make it sound not so grammar school. In total today I've got 2000 words and 10 cue cards, plus a few short dialogues to work on. Not too bad for one day (although it was way more than my one hour - and I'd do more but I need to shower and get ready for my physio as it is in 45 minutes).
'It's your job.'
'It isn't a job. It's my life, what I live every day. I can't see my life without it.'
'Why do you like it?'
'Why do you like what you do? Because I was born for it. You do like what you do, I can tell.'
'It's a career for not a job, not just something to do to pass the time. Every day I get to live the fantasy of an average man.'
'Is that why you refer to it as playing?'
'What do you mean?'
'You and Red. You told him to, let me see if I get this right, "saddle up and let's go play".'
'Yeah, it is like that. You know when you were little and played cowboys and Indians? Or you pretended to Wonder Woman, since I really don't see you much as a gunslinger.'
'And I bet you were always the cowboy, in a white hat saving the damsel in distress.'
'Nope, you got me all wrong. I was always the Indian.'
'The Indian?'
'Saving my village and winning the beautiful Indian Princess.'
'Figures.'
'It's your job.' He said it so matter-of-fact that it cut and cut deep. Who was he to judge?
'It isn't just a job.' She spat the words back at him.Didn't he know how important her work was, how hard she worked to keep her community safe. 'It's my life, what I live every day. I can't see my life without it.'
Passion. Billy liked that in her. Maybe now was his chance to discover where that passion came from.
'Why do you like it?' It wasn't a question it was a demand.
'Why do I like it? Because I was born for it. You like what you do, I can tell. You were born for your job too. Some of us are you know. There's nothing else that would suit either of us.' Easier to turn it around on him and find out more. Elizabeth knew enough about him to know he'd follow up, maybe spill something that would give her some insight into that nasty secret he kept locked up in that gorgous head of his.
'It's a career not a job, not just something to do to pass the time. Every day I get to live the fantasy of an average man.' He smirked at the look that came over Elizabeth's face. He liked the way her brow furrowed when she was thinking something through, how she steered the conversation away from her again. She had a habit of doing that, but he'd found out what he needed. It would just take some time.
'Is that why you refer to it as playing?' She toyed with the cap, replaced it on the end of the pen then tapped it lightly against the desk. Yes, he had referred to it as playing.
'What do you mean?' Billy cocked his head sideways and looked at Elizabeth over the monitor. She put the pen down and tapped on the keys. The light from the screen made her hair glow. She was biting her lip as she concentrated on finding the information online . He fought the urge to tangle his hands in her hair and kiss her. Oh she looked good enough to eat.
Glancing up from the screen Elizabeth mistook the lusty look as a reminicing. She remembered what he'dd said to his partner earlier. 'You and Red. You told him to, let me see if I get this right, "saddle up and let's go play".' She grinned knowing she'd mimicked him pretty well.
'Yeah, it is like that.' Oh her smile could melt the coldest heart. He sobered quickly knowing it could be his next but not knowing if he was ready. 'You know when you were little and played cowboys and Indians? Or you pretended to Wonder Woman, since I really don't see you much as a gunslinger.'
She snorted a bit under her breath. He had a sense of humour. What would he say if he knew she liked to be Annie Oakley and pretend to shoot pop cans in her back yard.
'And I bet you were always the cowboy, in a white hat saving the damsel in distress.' She pictured that and he looked delicious. Elizabeth directed her attention back to the computer to keep from drooling at the thought of him riding bareback in the wild west.
'Nope, you got me all wrong. I was always the Indian.' She seemed surprised at that and it pleased him.
'The Indian?' Now that was interesting. The image changed to billy in leather chaps riding bareback.
'Saving my village and winning the beautiful Indian Princess.' With a smile that could melt the coldest heart, he winked knowing he'd surprise her again.
'Hmmph. Figures.' The image shattered as she pressed the keys to print the document she'd been searching for. Playtime was over.
