TOO UNBELIEVABLE TO BE FICTION?

Coming May 1!

A May Day Anthology

including the novella, "No More Poodle Skirts"

by Genie Gabriel

I wrote the romantic comedy novella, "No More Poodle Skirts," in between books of a more dramatic series. I was surprised it took me a while to switch my brain to think humorous. 

To kick start my funny bone, I tossed a bunch of possible scenarios onto my computer. During edits, I decided if those scenes were funny or "too stoopid to believe" (TSTB). 

To illustrate what I mean, I'm going to give you a TSTB test. Is the following anecdote funny or TSTB?

***

Once upon a time, there was an older woman, aged sixty or so, named Ms. I-Never-Touch-the-Stuff. She lived alone in a three-bedroom city house with her pack of rescued dogs and her books, rarely going out in public. 

However, the reality of the crazy world outside her door intruded and she became caught up in an extortion scam. Teaming up with an attorney to shut down this scam, Ms. I-Never-Touch-the-Stuff worked into the wee hours of the night gathering papers and making notes of how the scam artist had tried to fleece her out of a sum of money that would have provided kibble for her doggies for a number of years. 

Tired but filled with a feeling of accomplishment, she tucked the last of the papers in an envelope, addressed and sealed it, and drove to the post office to send her package of evidence. Then she headed toward home, looking forward to snuggling with her doggies. 

However, on the way home, a pair of headlights came up quickly behind her. 

Was he going to ram her? she thought, remembering warnings posted on the Internet about just such happenings. So she kept driving. Home was only a few blocks away. 

Not sure whether to move to the left or the right to avoid the vehicle now driving far too close behind her, she decided home was the safest place possible and turned the corner. He followed her! 

Then red and blue lights flashed in her rear-view mirror. A real cop? Or a rapist posing as a cop? Another Internet warning flashed in her mind. 

Knowing the neighbors would still be awake as they were night owls like her, she didn't stop until she reached her house. 

The flashing lights followed her. 

When she got out of her vehicle, what appeared to be a real cop approached her, sniffed the air, and said, "I smell something funny." 

Well, how was she supposed to respond to that? Sorry, big guy, I haven't had time for a shower today?

Then he looked at her and said, "Ma'am, have you been smoking marijuana?" 

At least Ms. I-Never-Touch-the-Stuff only said, "Are you kidding?" Instead of "Are you crazy?" as was on the tip of her tongue…

***

THE ANSWER: This may be "too stoopid to believe," but it really happened to me--dramatized only a bit. 

Thanks for playing along, and may you NOT have many TSTB events in your life. Unless, of course, you're writing a humorous story and are looking for material to kick-start your funny bone. :)