Seeing Dead Bodies

The other day I watched my children as I folded clothes. They were playing on the back porch when my three year old sprayed some water against the patio concrete.

Five year old Matthew studied the mark and then announced, rather gleefully, that it was a rocket ship. He instructed his brothers to come look and I watched out the window with a smile on my face.

To Matthew, a water stain became a roaring rocket ship.

It reminded me of a few weeks ago when I was driving and spotted a man in a parking lot hoisting a dead body into the trunk of his car. No kidding, (well, actually I am kidding... but for a moment it seemed real).

Like Matthew, I see stuff. Do you?

Comments

That shows you both have a great imagination. Nothing wrong with that.

I can't watch horror movies anymore because for days afterwards I can feel something watching me. I"m not sure how I was able to sleep when I was young because I used to love that stuff. Go figure!

Lynnette Labelle
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com
Debra E. Marvin said…
Good Morning! Adding to my big imagination (I blame this on being an only child) is my need to be a champion, a leader -- a hero?
I tend to imagine the worst and then watch carefully (spy?) to catch the crook in the act. I think I just created a heroine for another book.

I could tell you a story of how I spied with binoculars on some visiting 'guests' to my neighbor's cottage. I was sure they were being robbed!

Anyway, that imagination is a necessity for us, isn't it?
Jody Hedlund said…
I just LOVE when my kids get creative like that. I can't tell you the many things they "see" in sometimes rather interesting situations! As writers, I think we too should always be letting our imaginations run wild! Great inspiration, Jessica!
Unknown said…
My children have vivid imaginations as well, and I'm pretty sure they didn't get it from their father! I think it's great that our imaginations can continue on even though we are adults. As long as we aren't still playing with our imaginary friends.....I think it's perfectly acceptable!
You had my eyes bulging at the dead body. Too funny!

Yes, I'm forever spinning creativity from simple actions I pass and then making them snowball. Great fun!
Terri Tiffany said…
OK--your title caught me. I kept thinking when is the dead body going to come into plau.
Do I see things? More like imagine things. When I watch people I come up with elaborate plots for them!
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Lynnette,
You watched horrors? *shiver*
No, I can't watch them either, though I do love to read suspense/thrillers, but then my imagination ends up going wild and I see serial killers everywhere. LOL!
I'm not sure how you were able to sleep either! :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Good morning Debra! Your binocular story is TOO funny! LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Kids are so wonderful. So your kids do it too, Jody? That's so funny. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Eileen! Glad to wake you up this morning. Snort!
Jessica Nelson said…
Don't worry Marybeth, no imaginary friends here. :-) Yeah, my kids didn't get an imagination from their father either!
We can just blame ourselves. Ha!
Jessica Nelson said…
Terri,
I do the same thing!!! So, are your plots sinister like mine? Or are they romances, women's fiction? :-)
Katie Ganshert said…
You've got a future writer on your hands! How adorable!
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Katie.
You never know... :-)
Jennifer said…
I certainly see stuff like that. In fact, I see too *much* stuff. My mother asked me a few weeks ago why everything can't just be what it is, because I saw a turnip as a mind control device (the root goes into your brain and the leafy part is the transmitor!!) and it kind of freaked her out. Lol. :)
Jessica Nelson said…
Haaahaaa! That's hilarious Jenna. See, only writers can appreciate this kind of stuff. LOL
Do I see things?
How about a sign that said "Welcome Sinners." I thought the church that had it on its marquee was being gracious. It actually said "Welcome Shriners," since they were in town that weekend.
My brain jumps to conclusions with words. I once mistook a "Parking Deck" sign at the entrance of a mall for "Peking Duck," and told my husband, "ooooh, let's eat there!"
He didn't think they would serve very tasty food!

Thanks for making me laugh today, Jessie!

Jen
Audience of ONE
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL! You're the one making me laugh. :-) Thanks for sharing!
Sure do, and it drives my husband CRAZY! ;)
Cindy R. Wilson said…
Lol, isn't using your imagination wonderful? So great that your son is creative, too!
Hi Jess -

I'm glad I'm not the only one, who has an imagination. I think it's part of a writer's equipment. :)

Blessings,
Susan
How funny! I do that all the time. Not see dead people (shiver), but see something and spin off on it and create something totally off the wall. :) It's a fun creative process!
Katie Salidas said…
How cute. Kids have the best imaginations. Sometimes I tell my little one to make up a story for me. As we grow up I think we lose some of that brilliant imagination. Thankfully, most of us writers retain a little of it. ;)

I don't see dead bodies, but I do hear strange noises in the dark and wonder if vampires are out there prowling the night. LoL. I've got too much vamp on the brain.
Denise said…
This post had me giggling! Fun! It's always great to watch kids imaginations...if I get thinking too deeply about some story plot while weeding, I can get a whole row weeded in our garden without realizing it. Without imaginations, well, life would just be boring!
Dara said…
I think my imagination is over-active, LOL. For me it comes when I'm watching a documentery (what a geek I am!) and I think of how the people of that time would've lived. Same thing when I go to a museum--I always make stories up in my head around a certain artifact.

Guess it's my history geek in me :P
Jenna, A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!

I "see" things as well but was too afraid to admit it to anyone except my husband because they'd think I was weird instead of imaginative!

smooches,
Larie
Robyn Campbell said…
I've seen things like the dead body image you had. I race home to tell the hubby and he just looks at me(rather strangely) and walks off.

Oh well, guess you have to be a writer to understand, huh? Thanks for giving me a fun morning.:)
Angie Ledbetter said…
Almost every single day.
Jessica Nelson said…
You all are awesome! Thanks so much for sharing what you "see". It's nice to know I'm not the only odd one out there. And too funny about our husbands. I guess because we're so imaginative we tend to pick more literal spouses?

You all made me laugh! I appreciate that you commented.
i think that's the case. if my husband didn't ground me in reality...i'd be off in lala land most of the time.

i watched nim's island yesterday. LOVED it mainly b/c the part jodie foster plays is a reclusive writer with agoraphobia. AND SHE TALKS TO HER CHARACTERS! they are so much a part of her and her imagination. (okay...the other reason i liked the movie was b/c gerard butler is in it...) :)
Jill Kemerer said…
Oh yeah! Both of mine are just like me--we all see strange things in ordinary objects. My mom and dad still laugh at the time I KNEW there was a dead fish in my pancake. I can still see its little skeleton!
Nancy J. Parra said…
Funny!! thanks for the smile.
Jessica Nelson said…
I've never seen that movie Jeannie. It sounds good though. I've heard the name Gerard Butler before. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Jill, you cracked me up so much when I read that! Esp. since I just had almost the same thing happen the other day. Something hard was in my waffles. Immediately I thought of a bone, like what some people had found in their fast food. Yuck! But I finished my waffle. LOL!
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Nancy,
I'm glad I made you smile. :-)
Karen Hossink said…
OK, Jessica. You're scaring me.
You see men hoisting dead bodies into their trunks??? Maybe you're spending too much time in the sun.
*silly grin*
Pen Pen said…
AH! The body thing must have scared you a little!
I've always heard things or seen things and thought it was something scary. I wasn't raised reading or even watching scary things, but my mind still went right to fear. I think it helped me write even then tho! I used to see UFOs-robbers-animals-even planets that weren't really there. Perhaps it's the curse of the writer's mind! :)
Karen Hossink said…
*hmph!*
I always love reading your replies. You aren't so bothered by seeing dead bodies that you have stopped replying to these comments, are you?
*another silly grin*
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL! No, I'm not bothered too much. Intrigued. I have to wonder why they were killed, who are they... LOL I actually answered and then got an error code and so exited the page with a disgusted sniff. :-)
Too much sun? Yes, every day that my kids drag me outside so they can catch lizards and I can sweat. Yuck. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Pen Pen,
I don't know what it is. Like you, I didn't watch horror movies, but I will admit to reading too much Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine. LOL
Deb Shucka said…
All the time, and not just in clouds. It's nice to know I'm not alone - or too crazy. :)

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