The Brigham Curse
Probably the most defining moment in writing for me...the Brigham Curse. It was a paper I did for my creative writing class at the community college. I don't even remember the prompt we were given, but I chose what my family refers to as the Brigham Curse as my topic. The Brigham Curse is a reference to the emotional moments we have while preparing for an event. This event could be a holiday dinner, high school awards ceremony, or anything that required us to dress formally, and go out. The Brigham Curse is an emotional rollar coaster that takes place during this time. It is almost always filled with words that should not be spoken on a regular basis, and always contains yelling, anger, frustration, and demanding. However, it always ends the same: calm, generous, and amusement at its absurdity. The following is an example of one of those moments. Let's watch:
Why was this a defining moment? Because so many people found it to be a witty, yet true, piece. So much so that they made copies and sent it around the family. Through this, I found that I had the ability to really write a semi-fictional narrative that people could enjoy. The feedback I received from them, even though it was my family, was motivational and reassuring.
The original dialogue for the movie is below.
The original dialogue for the movie is below.
Dialogue
“Sarah, are you ready to go to grandma's? We are eating at two," mom asked.
“No. I can't find anything to wear,” Sarah complained.” Everything feels uncomfortable. I hate my clothes.”
Ugh! Mom sloughed.
“What?!” Sarah inquired accusingly.
Silence
“What, mom? My clothes are awful and nothing fits me. I hate it!”
“Oh knock it off! You do this every time. Just pick something out. What's wrong with what you have on? It looks…”
“It's too loose. I look frumpy,” Sarah interrupted.
“You can wear something of mine. Why don't you put on the pink blouse?”
“I hate pink, and my arms are longer than yours,” she scoffed
“Oh for crying out loud, Sarah, chill out!”
“Whatever, leave me alone! I'm not going!”
“You know, it's not my fault you can't find anything to wear,” mom said tauntingly.
“I didn't say it was your fault. Stop yelling at me!”
“You're yelling at me,” mom said in disbelief. “You know what? Why do you have to ruin the day, Sarah? Everything was going fine until you started screaming at me.”
“Whatever, you started it by coming in here with an attitude and instead of helping me, you make a snide remark,” she screamed as she slammed her bedroom door.
“Forget it, I'm not going either. I've been slaving away making food to take to Christmas dinner, cleaning the house all morning getting ready to go to grandma’s and now I've had to argue with you for a half hour and haven't even put my make up on yet,” mom protests as she throws the basket of towels on the floor. “That’s it!” she yelled.
“What'd you do that for? Real mature! Why do you always have to clean the house anyway, mom?! No one is coming here, we are going there.”
“What if someone wants to stop here after? I don't want them coming in to see this pig sty.”
“Mom the house is fine! And no one ever comes here after.”
“Scott is always bringing your cousins back here to hang out.”
“Oh whatever, they don't care.”
“Well, I DO!”
“Now, go take these to your room and then make your bed, it's disgusting,” as she hands her a pair of shoes and a coat.
“I'm not going to make my bed, mom. No one better be going in my room.”
“Oh, right… so what happens if Aunt Terry comes here, huh? She hasn't seen this house since we did the remodel. I'll have to show her around and I don't want her to see that we live like slobs.”
“We don't mom, when you think the house is dirty, it looks clean to everyone else. They won't notice if something is out of place.”
“Well, I'll notice, now go do what I said,” she demanded.
A door slams
Silence
Sarah emerges from her room in the first outfit she had on, “Mom how about this?”she asks as if nothing happened.
“Oh that looks good, Sarah,” Mom replies in the same sweet tone. “Alright, grab that Crockpot, but be careful. It's hot.”
“No. I can't find anything to wear,” Sarah complained.” Everything feels uncomfortable. I hate my clothes.”
Ugh! Mom sloughed.
“What?!” Sarah inquired accusingly.
Silence
“What, mom? My clothes are awful and nothing fits me. I hate it!”
“Oh knock it off! You do this every time. Just pick something out. What's wrong with what you have on? It looks…”
“It's too loose. I look frumpy,” Sarah interrupted.
“You can wear something of mine. Why don't you put on the pink blouse?”
“I hate pink, and my arms are longer than yours,” she scoffed
“Oh for crying out loud, Sarah, chill out!”
“Whatever, leave me alone! I'm not going!”
“You know, it's not my fault you can't find anything to wear,” mom said tauntingly.
“I didn't say it was your fault. Stop yelling at me!”
“You're yelling at me,” mom said in disbelief. “You know what? Why do you have to ruin the day, Sarah? Everything was going fine until you started screaming at me.”
“Whatever, you started it by coming in here with an attitude and instead of helping me, you make a snide remark,” she screamed as she slammed her bedroom door.
“Forget it, I'm not going either. I've been slaving away making food to take to Christmas dinner, cleaning the house all morning getting ready to go to grandma’s and now I've had to argue with you for a half hour and haven't even put my make up on yet,” mom protests as she throws the basket of towels on the floor. “That’s it!” she yelled.
“What'd you do that for? Real mature! Why do you always have to clean the house anyway, mom?! No one is coming here, we are going there.”
“What if someone wants to stop here after? I don't want them coming in to see this pig sty.”
“Mom the house is fine! And no one ever comes here after.”
“Scott is always bringing your cousins back here to hang out.”
“Oh whatever, they don't care.”
“Well, I DO!”
“Now, go take these to your room and then make your bed, it's disgusting,” as she hands her a pair of shoes and a coat.
“I'm not going to make my bed, mom. No one better be going in my room.”
“Oh, right… so what happens if Aunt Terry comes here, huh? She hasn't seen this house since we did the remodel. I'll have to show her around and I don't want her to see that we live like slobs.”
“We don't mom, when you think the house is dirty, it looks clean to everyone else. They won't notice if something is out of place.”
“Well, I'll notice, now go do what I said,” she demanded.
A door slams
Silence
Sarah emerges from her room in the first outfit she had on, “Mom how about this?”she asks as if nothing happened.
“Oh that looks good, Sarah,” Mom replies in the same sweet tone. “Alright, grab that Crockpot, but be careful. It's hot.”