by Monica Kennedy
Member since:
November 30, 2005

Fifteen Minutes

July 11, 2006 02:20 AM EDT (Updated: August 02, 2007 01:51 PM EDT)
views: 49 | rating: 9.6/10 (8 votes) | comments: 19

Fifteen Minutes . . .  went by so slowly as Dad read me the definition of apology from the Oxford English Dictionary – the dictionary that is so complete and compact it comes with a magnifying glass to read it.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly as they stole a few last kisses before his flight took him off to war, unsure if he would ever come home again.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly as the line to the bathroom dwindled down to none.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly when she left the kids in the car.  The drugs don't numb the pain, or bring them back again.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly as she watched her Momma die.  Like the idling of a car, her breaths sputtered out into final peace.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly as the flames spread from the pot, to the stove, to the walls, to the kitchen, to the house. 

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly as we waited for the ambulance to arrive.  They all said he was too old to drive.  No one did anything about it though.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly during the spending spree contest.  You get some really dumb items when you shop for free in a hurry.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly as he waited for the combination of the right moment and nerve to ask her to marry him.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly between her water breaking and the baby girl being safely born.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly as they waited for the cancer test results.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly as the divorce was finalized.  They never thought it would end this way.  Was it the right decision?

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly when everyone but one person had finished the test, but the class was not over yet, and no one could leave.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so quickly when everyone else had finished the test, but the class was not over yet, and no one could leave.

Fifteen Minutes . . . went by so slowly when you could leave as soon as you answered the question, but your mind was drawing a complete blank!

A lot happens in fifteen minutes.
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Comments: 19

Mona S. Svendsen Jul 11, 2006, 2:46am EDT
We all live through some of these 15 minutes. Some good, some bad, some horrific, but we do get through them.

Well thought of!
Cheryl W. Jul 11, 2006, 6:42am EDT
aw.....love this, Monica. Makes one realize how precious our moments on this earth are....and how we need to make the most of each one.
Stephen Schneider Jul 11, 2006, 9:22am EDT
Nice use of the challenge Monica
Pam F. Jul 11, 2006, 10:09am EDT
Great job Monica. Mine would be that 15 minutes went by so slowly and painfully waiting for the migraine meds to kick in. Rough morning for me today. :(

You did a great job with this challenge.
Monica Kennedy Jul 11, 2006, 10:55am EDT
Thanks everyone - Pam - I can relate - my fifteen minutes are going by slowly with menstrual pain/issues this morning. Days like this make me hate being a woman. And, I really could use some chocolate, lol! Of course, there is none in the house. This is an emergency people! Some one get me some chocolate!
Clare Stella Jul 11, 2006, 12:53pm EDT
I really enjoyed this, Monica, the way you took fifteen minutes and explored it in so many different ways. Nice job of writing. Hopeyou get that chocolate! One nice thing about being 60 is all menstrual issues have ceased. It's really enjoyable.
0000-glendaross-0000 Jul 11, 2006, 2:50pm EDT
Most of these 15 minutes are critical in someone's life...Thanks Monica for the welcome and for the offer. I am open to any advice.
Judy Beauchemin Jul 11, 2006, 3:05pm EDT
Good thinking, Monica. How about the slow 15 minutes watching and waiting for the pot of water to come to a boil.
Madame Donna C. Jul 11, 2006, 3:58pm EDT
Very creative. Fifteen minutes are precious minutes.
Carol Voigts Jul 11, 2006, 9:10pm EDT
Good one, Monica. It has the same flaover in quickly versions, of the poem I wrote "When Art Messed Up Time" Thanks for a good read.
Tanja Edwards Jul 11, 2006, 10:24pm EDT
Very insightful. I have been in or in similar situations, and can relate to the way time moves very arbitrarily
Kathryn E. Jul 12, 2006, 3:43am EDT
Ingenious, Monica. I like the dramatic tension in this piece. Well thought out. Very good.
Gisela S. Jul 12, 2006, 6:58am EDT
Mon -

I lose fifteen minutes on a regular basis - this helped me to remember how precious they are! Well done!
Carolyn Madden Jul 12, 2006, 7:04am EDT
I love this Monica, reminds me of the Einstein quote: "When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity."
Edward Nudelman Jul 12, 2006, 9:00pm EDT
These are great Monica, some very hard to read, others only too familiar. We are like grass of the field, the sun comes up and the grass withers...
Cat Givens Jul 13, 2006, 3:11pm EDT
Ah, you've captured my admiration once again, Dea Monica! Lovely and painful. Like life.
Sara :-) Jul 17, 2006, 9:25pm EDT
Great job. It's amazing how fifteen minutes can literally, change someones life.
Marinela Kotsina Aug 7, 2006, 4:35pm EDT
Every moment is precious Monica ! and the best is to live it in full and in light.
thank you
Kelly B. Aug 8, 2006, 12:32am EDT
this makes you think of how much time is wasted.

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