Writing with Rox Weekly Prompt—"Here's 50 Cents and You Two F*ckers Can Take the Bus Home!"

A few weeks ago during Word Jam, we were writing about funny childhood stories and as usual I found myself writing the story about the time Ma got so frustrated with twelve-year-old me and my best friend Lisa, manic on Fun Dip and trouble in the back of the tan Volvo Wagon, that she slammed on the brakes a few blocks from the Santa Monica Pier and started yelling. She'd had it. "Here's 50 cents and you two fuckers can take the bus home!"

This well known and beloved line stands out not only around here at the Beach, but among childhood friends and family, Ma included. It's become so well known around here that it's often recited in unison, like church or some such. I've written about and told this story so many times that the truth of it is beginning to dim...was it two quarters or fifty cents? Did we actually get out of the car and take the bus home (which was not uncommon) or did we shut up and drive on? Did we catch the quarters when she threw them? 

As I was writing this story, yet again, likely for the hundredth time (I think every one of my students or healing groups had heard this story in some version over the twenty plus years that I've been doing this), it occurred to me that I had the perfect title for my memoir: Here's 50 Cents and You Two Fuckers Can Take the Bus Home!  which more or less encapsulates the story of me and Ma. Of course if you know Ma, whether in person or on the page, you know this also encapsulates exactly what makes Ma both so lovable and unlovable. The memoir is about my utter devotion to this dichotomy.

Folks, I've been struggling with "what is this memoir about?" as long as I've been writing. Seriously. And all of us who write memoir have the same struggle: what is this really about? It's hard to know, especially when it's your story you're writing, your life you're living, for Land Sakes! Because your story is about you.."all about" you, n'est pas? 

So how do I finally know this so clearly? Raw writing. Intuitive writing. Once again the power of raw writing, especially in community, is a never ending, always giving gift. Infinite! I've written this story so many times raw that it's recurring theme and consequent recurring response among readers, etc,  finally added up. I had no choice but to listen to myself. Listen closely. Listen again.

What's the title of your memoir? Your life story? What's the first thing that comes to mind? Even if you are not writing one or never wish to, what would the title be? It's sort of like "what's the soundtrack to your life?",  a question my dad loved so much he used to ask it of callers on his outgoing answering machine message back in the mid nineties. So, what's the title? Titles? The happy version? The corny version? The comedic or the melodramatic one? 

You'll be amazed at what you can learn from a title.

Please share (you can't copyright titles, remember?)!    Hope to write with you soon!