What is served on a plate, is folded around the edges and
resembles an odd looking clam? You see
them, usually after dinner, when the check arrives? It’s a dessert type item that people all over
the US both dread, and like…though it seems innocent enough. I’ll give you a hint, they are served in
Asian food restaurants.
They are of course fortune cookies. And what do fortune cookies have to do with
writing? Well, more than you might
think. The fortunes inside make awesome
writing prompts, or story starters.
For instance. I
had one that said, “Beware of the man sitting across from you.” At first I was, “What the heck is this
supposed to mean?” I was with a writer
friend of mine, and I made a joke of it at the time (this friend is male).
How it can be used as a story starter:
The above fortune became my story “The Misfortune Cookie.” It was about a girl on a blind date, and the
date was going very well. Until she
opened that fortune cookie. Something
warned her that she was in grave danger, and she made a hasty exit from the
ladies room. She goes out in front of
the restaurant, and starts to cross the street, the totally bewildered guy
following her when the screech of tires is heard, and….well, I won’t give away
the ending.
Another fortune cookie that I received in my past, came
from Wendy’s Hamburgers, who had a restaurant in what is now the “Center of
Science and Industry” (AKA COSI), who at the time was the “Son of Heaven”
exhibit. Wendy’s for the event, served
the cookie caged papers. My family and I
were about to go on the first ever cruise, and my fortune cookie made me really
nervous. It said, “Leave your boat, and
travel on dry land.” I showed it to my
parents, and my dad laughed at that. Turns
out the cookie may have been right. For
the day we were supposed to get on the ship…we missed the boat! Literally, we left home late, and even though
we drove straight down from Columbus Ohio, to Ft. Lauderdale, we still missed
the boat.
So any time I get one, I keep it, and type it into an
excel document for possible projects.
So I’ll give you one to try out, or try out one of the
others mentioned above.
“You will meet a tall handsome stranger.”
Enjoy and Oh….
GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
