Chamblee54

@howboutyouwrite “what if the collapse of the world trade center took place during a terrible family vacation” … Most americans were at at either work, or school, on the morning of September 11, 2001. For many people, these institutions provide a family of sorts. Highly dysfunctional in many cases, full of people that you cannot get away from fast enough when you can. You can learn something, or make money, or take up space.
For me, nine-eleven was a blueprint shop on West Peachtree Street. The man across the room was the worst co-worker in my experience. An loud, aggressive Jesus worshiper, who used his religion as a weapon to fight his battles. The whole business gave me a PTSD of sorts, and it makes me unhappy to talk about today … just like a terrible family vacation (TFV).
A vacation is either too short, or too long. It is defined by time off from your everyday assignment. You either go somewhere, or remain in place … a “staycation.” In a sense, America was the TFV. Mom and dad were perpetually on the verge of divorce. Big brother was on dope, with a looming court date. Sister was on dope, terminally depressed, and spent her days watching soap operas. You were newly sober, and not sure how you fit in to all of this.
In a writing prompt, you have the option of saying it does not work, and moving on. This was not the case on nine-eleven. In the case of TFV, mom can threaten to call off the trip if you two don’t quit fighting. Maybe that is the best alternative. Pictures today are from The Library of Congress. They were taken at Irwinville Farms, Georgia, May 1938. The photographer was John Vachon.