Who’s running this story anyway?

The characters drive my stories. I used to fool myself and think I was in control. That the plot came first. Ha! Remember yesterday when I said The Passenger all began with Paolo? 

Who was I to think I ran the story? 

It’s true. I envisioned Paolo ““ when I was sixteen ““ on the city bus on the way home from an after school activity. That afternoon I noticed a man who looked a little worse for wear and quickly made up a history for him.  

I decided he was alone in the world, having lost his family years before. Then I started with the “what ifs.” What if he died there on the bus? Would anyone help him? I put a young woman (Elizabeth) there willing to help him. I knew her kindness to him at his death would only be the beginning of a lasting friendship. 

Those were the seeds for the story”¦ and it all began with envisioning Paolo. Of course, the bus became a streetcar but that’s another topic, perhaps. 

See you tomorrow!