Monday Moment #75: a writing prompt for your work-in-progress

(If you’ve already read this then skip past all the italicized blah-di-blah and start writing.) Monday Moments are writing prompts for your work-in-progress. They are questions that come from my experiences and are my favorite way to find out more about my characters. I find I learn a lot. Some of it I use. Some of it I don’t. But I always, always get to know my character(s) better just by answering the question. I hope you do too. )

I ran away to join the circus.  But the circus didn't want me.

Yesterday, my family ventured out to the city for a visit to the Pacific Science Center where they currently have a circus exhibit.

Can you hear that big top music... do, do, doodle, doot, do, do, do, do, do...

I was off to a good start. Apparently packanatomicalization (getting into small spaces) is my thing. Somehow I can do the human-pretzel trick and fit myself into a small box. Now, it's really not all that difficult. Plus, the truth is, my driver's license probably lies when it says that I'm 5'4" (that's a little generous). The HARD part is getting the last leg in, really the foot. But I did it! Woot. My family was so proud. (Not really, they threatened to leave me all folded up in there.)

What I was really looking forward to was the trapeze. The crew there straps you into a harness then raises you up where you can bounce and flip (forward and back) to your hearts content (or until they bring you down). I was so ready, not scared a bit. I knew I could get a good bounce, and flipping only meant throwing your your arms and head forward or back. No problem. Piece of cake.

Until I was up there. The bounce. Whee! I could fly. I had just the right combo of arm pull and leg lift to get me soaring. Now, it was time (at the top of my bounce) to throw myself back.

ERRRRRCH!

Attempt made. But this body wouldn't go.

Attempt...attempt...attempt.

It felt so unnatural and wrong to throw my body back while dangling way up high. There was something not only mental about it, but physical.

I found myself bouncing up there, like I was in some sort of adult-sized Johnny Jump Up saying, "I can't do it." I literally said it. And even when my hubby egged me on, both in a supportive way, and also with a bit of "Don't be a chicken!" the answer was the same.

I CAN'T DO IT.

Ah, that still makes me so sad.

Do over please!

But then again, I think I might get up there and freeze up all over again.

What has your character been unable to do, even though they really want to?