Journal #4 - Showing Not Telling

Chris always wanted to be successful, but committing to a job is tough for him. He currently works in the food industry, but hates conforming to a regular schedule. He comes from rich roots and is constantly battling the lifestyle of his youth. Currently, he is an embarrassment to his family.

- How do we change this into showing instead of telling?

"Ugggh, not again" Chris said as he threw his pink slip. He counted all the money he had saved up from tips and headed up stairs to his studio apartment. He washed off his make up, took off his rainbow belt, and grease stained pants. Being left with only his boxers on. He settled unto the living room couch and was flustered over the fact that they fired him over an hour lateness. He turned on the television and saw his father on the news. Mayor Edison, with the utmost superiority, put his chin up and claimed that the law to pass gay marriage will not happen. He rolled his eyes, and got so sick of looking at his father all over television. His face squeezed with tension as his heart skipped. "I knew he would not pass the law," he muttered while looking through newspaper clippings. His eyes glazed over advertisements and saw that a restaurant needed hiring. If he were to get accepted this would be his tenth job as a waiter in the past two months. He then gritted his teeth, his nose flared and daggers frayed his eyes as he looked through the advertisement. He swore to himself that no matter how tough things get he will never ask his father for help.

He remembered the last time he saw his father was in the village of Manhattan where his father was hosting a press conference. His father wore a perfectly ironed Armani suit, while Chris had on cargo pants and a tye dye shirt. They walked past each other without any acknowledgement towards one another. That night Chris keyed his limo leaving a noticable white curve on his sleak pitch black car, with a leather interior. That night he left all the way to Virginia and changed his last name. Chris promised himself that he would one day have him look down on him. He buried himself into his pillow. His throat clogged and his eyes reddened as he saw no progress into the oath he made on that dark and dreary day.