"Cliché?" I asked? ....Where did you learn that word?
" In school. A senior said it to another senior. I liked how it sounded so I went to find the meaning. It means a phrase or a word overused, thus lacking originality or something like that." I smiled at the smarts of my son, it always warms my heart as a writer when his curiosity makes him to go to the books, although it does happen sporadically.
"Ok well I know it may sound cliché but I'll still say it.." I held back a laugh as Roland rolled his eyes, for a 6 year old he has picked up a lot of sass lately. He is still respectful I guess, so it's all right. "Here's my story for your nightly dreams my dear child!!" He giggled as I knew he would, no matter the amount of sass, he is still my little Rollie.
"Once upon a time in a faraway land. A land where objects moved and talked with us humans like they were people." "Why don't dey talk anymore?" He interrupted again. I looked at my wrist watch, 9:30. I need to be done by 10 and he keeps on interrupting. He looked at me with curious eyes and I decided to answer his random question with a question. "Why do you think they don't talk anymore?" He thought for a moment; "Maybe they are shy?" I smiled and told him that if he keeps on interrupting I wouldn't tell him his story.
He kept quiet and snuggled into the blanket. I took a look at the book I wanted to read him, "The disobedient spoon" a nice story but it won't capture his adventurist mind so I decided that he needs a more enthralling fantasy adventure story. Looking through his collection of story books, I didn't see anything that caught my eyes. Roland, always hyper rolled of his bed and landed awkwardly on the floor, surely a stunt gone wrong as he tried to jump off the bed and see what I was doing. He looked a bit dazed and I saw him holding his right hand as though he hurt it.
I rushed to him before he realized the pain on his hand and starts bawling. He was shaken and started prodding his hand and wincing, I had to get his attention. So I started talking. "Once upon a time, there was a wheel." He looked perplexed, heck I was too. How to build a story about a wheel.
"A wheel?" he asked still clutching his hand. " Yes. A wheel, a big, old, wooden, carriage wheel." His left hand was still holding the right but no tears yet, he was looking at me weirdly, at this time I couldn't blame it on sass because I knew if I was in his shoes I would be looking at myself weirdly too. "This was a special wheel though." I said leaving the floor and climbing into the bed, hoping that he would follow me. "What's so special about this wheel?" I smiled and answered " He could talk and roll really fast. When rolling he always chants; 'Roll roll roll gotta roll carry my load.' He smiled and settled on the bed.
I looked around his bedroom and saw his action figures, finally a story formed in my mind. " Although the tire could talk and roll very fast he wasn't very happy." "Why?" He asked. "The tire wasn't happy because his other friends didn't roll, his best friend, the ski, could slide down snowy slopes and was always cool about it. His other friend, the board, could ride through the waves and made a splash wherever he went. His last friend, the blade, soared through the skies and always looked fly.". "He was jealous!!", Roland exclaimed forgetting the bruise on his arm and interrupting me again. I let it slide though because of the sparkle in his eye.
"Yes, he was jealous. He was so jealous he decided not to roll anymore, so he stopped. The carriages who he was rolling under asked him why he stopped and he replied saying he doesn't want to be a wheel anymore."
"The carriage was confused". 'Why?.... Why don't you want to be a wheel anymore?' "Carriage asked". "The wheel sighed and began explaining" 'Being a wheel is too much work, I have to carry heavy loads to and fro, plus this road is so bumpy and tiring. See my other friends, their work isn't half as hard as mine and they have more fun doing it.'
"The carriage listened intently to his friend. He then said" ' I know of a way for you to do other Jobs.' 'You do?', "wheel asked". 'Of course I do' "carriage replied." 'but it's gonna cost you.'
"Of course it would cost him, cliché!!!" Ronald screamed, then he stifled a yawn. "Do you want to sleep?" I asked already knowing he would deny it. "No, I don't want to sleep!" he proclaimed with false bravado, I could clearly see the sleep tugging at his eyelids. I looked at the clock; 9:45, I need to be done by 10 so I could go and write, or at least try to write. I've been having a lack of ideas for my latest book.
I looked at Ronald, smiled and continued the story while he snuggled comfortably into the bed. "Where did I stop?" I asked him. "You stopped at the carriage telling the wheel he needs a price." So he was concentrating, I smiled then continued;
'Please Carriage my friend, I'll pay anything to leave this life of boredom and stress' "said the Wheel."
"The carriage nodded or at least bent his whole body downwards a bit in the likes of a nod." Ronald giggled at that long explanation. 'Its not me you'll pay to. Your payment is for the magic.' "Carriage informed his friend." 'Magic?' "Wheel asked skeptically." 'Magic has always been said to be a bad force.' Wheel voiced his concern to Carriage.
'There are no good nor bad forces, Wheel. Just good or bad people. Plus this magic is particularly friendly, and I just know she would change you into a blade, a board, or a ski in a jiffy.' "With the reassurance from Carriage, Wheel agreed to meet this magic."
"He rolled very fast through meadows, through forests and through mountains saying..." 'Roll, roll, roll gotta roll carry my load.' Me and Roland said the Wheel's mantra together. "Upon reaching the place of magic, the Wheel rolled to a stop. He looked on in awe of the wonderful things he saw, the lights seemed to break apart and surround him."
'Tut tut tut, Now what do we have here?' I tried making my voice high to depict the voice of magic. It got a laugh from him as I hoped, albeit it being a sleepy laugh. "The wheel was frightened, he looked around yet saw no one in sight that could have a voice." 'Your looking around as though your lost, pretty carriage wheel, do you want magic to be your guide?'
"The wheel finally answered after recovering his wits", 'Im not lost Miss Magic ma'am, I came to ask of you a favor.' 'Hmmmn... I no longer grant favours, nor joys nor gifts after an unfriendly visit from the police. Do you know how hard it is to find a good favour? The worst is a Christabel...'
"She seems confusing" Ronald remarked sleepily "Ohh I get it, Joy, Favour and Gift are girl's names. Ewwww" his facial expression made me laugh, my eyes strayed to the clock. 10:15, but I didn't care, this time spent with my son is more precious than some staring at a blank page and praying for ideas.
"The wheel was confused too, he didn't know what Magic was speaking of, 'what is a Christabel ?' he thought."
'Mrs Magic ma'am I have just one wish.' "Magic looked at him curiously" 'And what might a wheel of your make and tree type want from me? You have it all; a nice grainy texture, a healthy shade of brown and look at that finishing.'
"Although what Magic said to the wheel was true, he was obstinate in his decision."'I want to experience more things than rolling, I want to fly, to swim and slide. I want more.' "Wheel pleaded with magic."
"Magic looked at wheel solemnly". 'Do you know what your asking me to do? Your asking for a change in your very existence. It's not something that once it's done I could easily change you back.' 'I know.' "Wheel said".
"Magic took one more look at wheel and smiled then before Wheel knew what was happening he was floating in the air. There he saw a small woman with golden hair. 'Magic?' "he asked unsure"
'Today you've come to me with a wish and it shall be done.' "Her voice was more intimidating now."
'For your wanting of other objects lives, I'll give you a life of being in all their lives.'
"With a big puff of air, wheel was whittled down into a flat trapezium like shape."
'What am I? What is this?' "Wheel asked in horror. Magic answered his question".
'From now on you'll be known as a Skeg. You'll be present on every new makings of boards, planes and ski, so you'll feel what it is they feel and you'll be put at the back thus you'll view their lives as you've always had, behind them.'
"Thus the newly formed Skeg was made to be put in every board, plane and ski. So he felt every turbulence, wave and friction before the board, plane or ski ever did. The End"
I noticed that Roland had fallen asleep before I finished, guessed I was so wrapped up in my story that I didn't notice. I took a look at the time, God it's past 11, best to go up to bed, then it hit me. No story I've ever brought up is as unique as this, I have to write it. "Hold on pages, Mama's coming with a great bedtime story. What would I title it?" I wondered, then I saw a flat tire from one of Roland's bicycles. "Guess it can't roll anymore, hehehe. Wait that's it, 'The Tire that didn't want to Roll anymore'.