Notes for Writers of Historical Twentieth Century Fiction
1.2 Social Interaction
Greetings: during the twentieth century people greeted each other with handshakes, hugs, upper arm grabbing and kissing on various facial parts, including the lips. (Huge potential for disease transference and death of minor characters.)
Alcohol: could be consumed in restaurants, pubs, parks and other public spaces. This could lead to carousing, sentimentality, revealing of vital plot secrets, dancing on tables and break up of superfluous relationships in which the writer has lost interest.
Relationships: the following were possible precursors to marriage – hand holding, dinner dates, getting carried away during the polka, long lingering looks, sexual congress and actual countryside walks.
Miranda Lewis 2020
Day 3 of London lockdown and I’m reading, writing, gardening – what’s not to love? All very ordinary; all very strange.
Greetings Friday Fiction buddies around the world (no kisses of course, except virtual ones) and many thanks to Rochelle to whom I raise a glass of red – or I will later since it’s still early afternoon here and standards must be maintained. (photo copyright Jeff Arnold)
Stay well my friends. x
(For previous nonsense writers’ handbook entries click here.)
Loved “getting carried away during a polka”. Happens to me all the time
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You old romantic! Thanks for the visit.
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I have realised during all this that I do not actually make contact with many people in my day to day life, so am not missing it much! I am also still required to go to work, and have always enjoyed going for a run on my own, plus reading and writing in the house. Apart from missing the cinema, not much has changed so far! Stay safe, and a good fun story 🙂
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I’m similar – I lead quite a quiet life with my family, but I do love the cinema and the last time I was up in London, taking the train, was with thousands of people on a demo…I also volunteer on a veg farm once a week which is very sociable with lots of good chat out in the fields and a noisy communal lunch. This week my day there will be very different. Keep well!
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Brilliant! I love this.
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Thank you!
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Like your style 🙂
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Thank you kindly!
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This is great fun but I felt sad reading it as I realised it is ages since I danced on a table!
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Still allowed this century but it’s not quite the same in the privacy of your own home is it!
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Douglas Addams with perfume and lace. Love it.
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Thank you!
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You are welcome.
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Dear Miranda,
I shall raise my glass of red to you as well. We are day 2 of lockdown here in Missouri. Not a lot has changed for me aside from my swimming which I dearly miss. Sweet story. Hopefully we’ll be able to return to those sociable behaviours soon.
Shalom and good health,
Rochelle
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Hi Rochelle, Well soon is a relative term…Hope you can find somewhere to swim. My niece is still surfing, solo for now. Stay well.
Miranda
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A topical take, nostalgic already.
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I love starting my morning with a smile. Thanks 🙂
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Glad to be of service!
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Great take on the prompt! Thank you for a story that makes light of our current troubles.
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Apart from not popping to my local, nothing much has changed for me. It’s 5.39 now, so I will raise a glass of red to you!
Here’s mine!
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I can’t say I’ve been in the presence of anyone getting carried away by the polka… Fun take!
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I enjoyed this and you’re right, there is a silver lining, more time to read and write. Is going out for more paper classed as essential shopping?
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My son found some paper at the supermarket for me just before lock down!
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However will we write stories now that all those plot devices are gone? 🙂
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A lot of potential for drama when cooped up together!
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I’m cooped up on my own and also working from home so my drama levels have dropped 🙂
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Day 3 of London lockdown and I’m reading, writing, gardening – what’s not to love? All very ordinary; all very strange. – This is how I feel. Feels surreal. I’m largely a home body but that’s a choice. Now the choice isn’t mine I itch to go out (although I prefer to write, read, potter around the house).
Great style used for the story.
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Ordinary life with a huge dose of the worrying and distracting extraordinary… I managed to get out on Friday to a farm where I volunteer. (Essential work as it produces food and all set up for safe social distancing.) It felt good to get out and be totally adsorbed in a practical task.
Stay well.
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Fresh air is great. I question about people’s mental health and other health issues that comes from small places. Luckily I live in a house.
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Need a laugh in these trying times. Starting the third week of stage 2 lockdown here in Australia. Sitting at the computer is beginning to be the norm. Be well friend.
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We haven’t heard so much about Australia over here but I think that’s because the news is relatively good. Not that after the fires then this anything is ‘good’… You too Susan – be well.
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I enjoyed reading this… The phone has replaced my daily coffee outings. Opening up new opportunities to interact. Sadly some will be struggling to adapt.
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I am counting my many blessings. Others won’t be in a good space you’re right. Enjoy your phone calls. Staying in touch is even more important now.
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Love the ironic tone. Well done.
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Thank you!
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[…] Miranda Lewis uses the prompt to give advice to writers looking back on the age when these devices were in common use […]
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Thanks for the mention! Much appreciated.
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I can see how this period of time could be seen as very strange… alas
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We were going to plan a non-flying holiday to Sweden this summer – using trains and tunnel to Europe. Another time…
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