the writing and photography of Neil Kramer

Choose Your Own Blogventure

(Note: I’ve always had a thing for librarians, especially when they take off their glasses and let their hair down, transforming themselves into the hottest chicks on the planet. And they like to read. Although, they usually have to put their glasses back on to do that. Nancypearl Wannabe blogs at Musings of a Semi-Coherent Mind. She is also a librarian. I had no choice but to say “yes, ma’am,” when she came up with this idea to create an online “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. The adventure story starts at her blog Friday morning at 10AM– start HERE — and then it is up to YOU to create your own unique version of the tale, depending on the choices you make, and which option you click. You’ll figure it out. There are 26 bloggers working on this story, none knows where the story is heading. Will it be coherent? Will it be a mess? That’s part of the adventure.)

Previous Section of the Story (You came here because you think Emma should ignore the zombie-like figure and continue to the Store 24)

continued —

Emma entered the brightly-colored Store 24 convenience store, grabbed a package of orange Hostess cupcakes, and went to pay the $1.25, all in quarters, tightly gripped in her right hand, just like she always did when she came in to buy her favorite treat. But where was Henri, the smiling French-Canadian owner of this franchise, the happy-go-lucky gentleman with the graying hair, the quick wit, and the polite manners, who would always say to Emma as she walked in, “A beautiful day, isn’t it?” in both English and French, and sometimes, when he was in a extra special good mood, in Ukrainian as well? It wasn’t like the proud and conservative-minded Henri, a man who kept a gun at his side at all times, to leave his store unguarded. Was he in any danger?

Just then, Henri rushed out of the stock room. He was not in any trouble. He was fine. In fact, he appeared quite dapper. He was dressed in a top hat and polished black tap shoes. He was also wheeling a large red Samsonite suitcase.

“Henri! What’s going on?” asked Emma. “Where are you going?”

“I’m done with the convenience store business,” he said, matter-of-factly. “I want to follow my dream – to be a Broadway hoofer! I’m leaving this podunk town and moving to the Big Apple.”

Henri jumped onto the front counter and started to do a little tap dance, right in the empty space near the cash register, between the beef jerky and the TV Guides.

“Gotta dance! Gotta dance!” he sang with gusto.

“But what about the store?” cried Emma, trying to reason with him. “How will it survive?”

“Why don’t YOU take it over,” he said, pointing right at her. “You know more about the products at Store 24 than anyone.”

Emma paused, her head spinning. Had Henri gone crazy from breathing in the fumes from the Orange Slush machine?

“Hey, I have a better idea!” shouted Henri, jumping down from the counter. “Why don’t you come with me to New York, where we can become lovers? We both know that you coming here all the time has nothing to do with orange Hostess cupcakes. You love me! Admit it!”

If you think Emma should go to New York with Henri, click here.

If you think Emma should take over the Store 24 franchise from Henri, click here.

Note: The other participants have terrific “pieces” of the story on their blog. There are so many good writers online. Check them out:

RA from Definitely RA
Chris from Brick Window
Aaron from Funky Carter
Neil from Citizen of the Month

Stefanie from Stefanie Says
Lara David from Life: The Ongoing Education
Srah from Srah Blah Blah
Mickey from The Prettiest Denny’s Waitress
Dutchess of Kickball from Average 20 Something
Jess from Du Wax Loolu

3Carnations from Thinking Some More
Erikka from The_Extra_Ordinary
Elisabeth from Elisabeth Writes
Noelle from The Daily Tannenbaum
Courtney from Malfeasance
Chloe from Groove Is Life

Kirsten from In A Western Place
Michelle from Michelle In The City
Vanessa from Crazy Says What
Jack from Box of Jack
Abbersnail from Bright Yellow World
Lara B. from Red Red Whine

Andrea from Fretting the Small Stuff
Beej from Neuteronomy
Sarah from Constantly Arriving

22 Comments

  1. Mr. Fabulous

    Hottest librarian ever?

    Shirly Jones in The Music Man.

  2. Mr. Fabulous

    Or, if you prefer, Shirley Jones.

    Sheesh.

  3. better safe than sorry

    i think she should go to new york, but when i followed the link, she wasn’t there yet, probably packing.

  4. Jess

    This is the only section other than my own that I had already read, obviously, but it looks even better in print! And those cupcakes have traveled far. What a great detail.

  5. nancypearlwannabe

    Oh la la, a secret love among the Orange Slush. How romantic!

  6. V-Grrrl

    Emma should go to NY with Henri, and then she should dump him when she gets there. She’s a smart girl–why turn down a free trip to NY? Once there she can hook up with a truly sexy man–a WRITER who loves her chutzpah and her ‘cupcakes.’

  7. Lara

    Ha! I think my favorite part is “You know more about the products at STore 24 than anyone”! 🙂

  8. Laurel

    LOL! This is the funniest section I have read yet!!

  9. churlita

    What a fun idea.

  10. Noelle

    I worked on Broadway back in my 20’s, and I can attest that most of the backup dancers are former Store 24 managers.

  11. nancypearlwannabe

    Oh, also, I love that he chose tap dancing and singing over running a convenience store. I mean really, who wouldn’t?

  12. Paige Stanton

    OOoo I love this idea!

  13. RA

    You go, Henri! Pursue that dream!

  14. abbersnail

    Neil, this is a fantastic section of the story! I can’t wait to go back and read all of them!

  15. Sarah

    Yum. An orange slushy would go great with an orange Hostess cupcake.

  16. mickey

    I feel like you know someone like Henri. Or maybe you know someone you wish would be like Henri. He’s just following his dream.

  17. lizardek

    You are so totally awesome. Really.

  18. sassy

    OK, so whatever choices I made led me to frolicking with unicorns and getting carried away by Matt Damon in a limo – two lifelong dreams finally accomplished.

    That was funn Neil, now I’m pooped.

  19. 180/360

    What a cool idea! I have a huge collection of Choose Your Own Adventure books.

  20. Allie

    Great section!

  21. Elisabeth

    I love your part! So funny.

  22. Kristabella

    Great job!

    This was really a great project!

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