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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

The Perplexing Question of the Doors: How One Life Changed

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

“You wake up in an unfamiliar room.  Picture it—is it a living room?  A bedroom?  A kitchen?”

The class eyed one another with a predictable combination of confusion and annoyance. Seated square in the middle of the room, Lance Pengully kept his expression bored— a move of self-preservation. But his mind whirled in a dozen directions.  Why does it matter? If it’s unfamiliar, isn’t that enough?

Someone else—someone with enough peer clout to get away with it, of course—asked the question.  “Who cares?”

Ms. Faber gave them all that familiar, annoying smile. “Well, to the two women in Rockland who have experienced that, I suspect it matters a great deal.”

“Oh, yeah!  I heard about that.  So we have to write what we’d do if we woke up and didn’t know who or where we are?”

Lance eyed Fatima Terzi before turning his attention back to Ms. Faber. The woman shook her head.  “Let me finish.  Choose your rooms.” After a pause, she smiled and added, “Now tell me if the doors are open or closed. I want seven hundred fifty words on whether the doors in your unexpected rooms are open or closed and why you think yours are whichever they are.  On my desk Monday.  No exceptions.”

The Perplexing Question of the Doors: How One Life Changed

Groans filled the classroom, Lance’s with them.  But despite it all, he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering to the question.

In AP History, he tried to focus on the effects of the Civil War on American economics, but his mind strayed to the odd room with a desk, couch, and excessive numbers of fichus trees. They grew from nearly every real and false corner created by furniture. A bookshelf there, a low cabinet over there—for files?  Probably.

“Mr. Pengully.  Perhaps you would like to explain how reconstruction affected Northern economies?”

The use of his last name meant the teacher had called Lance several times before resorting to his “Proper tone.” The white board gave no hints.  Eyes bored into him.

Lance knew the answer. In fact, the index cards he used for studying sat stacked before him with the answer on the top card. But his mind refused to escape the question set forth by Ms. Faber.  “Sorry, Mr. Janiver. I’m having trouble concentrating.”

Hanna Sempleton kicked the back of his chair.  “It’s right there.”  The attempted hiss filled the room.

“Hanna seems to think the answer is before you.  Can you, perhaps, train your mind on it long enough to give us a simple answer?”

Sure, it worked. But the moment he received the reluctant nod of approval, his mind returned to the doorless room.

Except it has doors.  I just can’t see them.

The question plagued him through Biology and band practice. Never had his trombone hit so many horrible notes. Half the band members tried to get a pizza party together, but Lance waved them off and took off for home.

Officer Freidan waved at him. He only noticed when the guy stopped and called out his name.  “You okay, Lance?”

“Fine.  Just focused on an assignment.”  He eyed the cop and took a risk.  “Do you like rooms with open doors or closed ones?”

“Depends on the room. Depends on what I’m doing.  I like the bathroom door open unless I’m in there.  Then I want it shut.”

Good point—and so not helpful. But Lance nodded.  “I just wish I could figure out what kind of room it is. I’ve never seen one like it.”

“Describe it?  Maybe I have.  Where’d you see it?”

They sat there—well, Lance stood—in the middle of the road while Lance described the assignment, the doors question, and his room.  “I just don’t get it. Why did I think of that room if I’ve never seen one like it.”

“Choose another room?”

Lance sagged.  “That’s just the problem. I can’t.  It’s not just an assignment anymore. I’ve got to know.”

“Been there.” Officer Joe gripped the steering wheel and stared through his windshield out over the street.  “Well, if you’d said fish tank, I’d have said it was a psychologist’s office—you know, some sort of counselor.  Sounds like every one I’ve ever seen on TV, but I can’t imagine one without a fish tank.”

But as the man spoke, Lance grew excited. “That’s it!” He flashed a now-skeptical Joe a grin “I bet the fish tank was in the lobby.”

“Well, happy writing.” Joe put the car in gear and Lance turned away. A moment later he asked, “So are the doors open or closed?”

Instant deflation.  “I don’t know. But maybe now I can figure it out.  Thanks.”

Thanks for clearing it up and making sure it’s still confusing.  What a guy.

Wednesday night through Friday night, Lance fought the question.  He tried describing the room—on paper, in his mind, to his uninterested cat, even to his over-interested mom. When frustration sent his pen flying, His father came upstairs, sat on his bed in the semi-dark room, and gave him that, “I’m going to solve your problems” look.

“You’re making too much of this assignment. Do it. Choose open or closed and write that answer. Ms. Farber wouldn’t want you torn up over a simple question.”

“You think I haven’t tried that?  I write a line and change from open to closed. I get half a paragraph in, and I’m back to open.”

Exasperation exuded from his father’s tone, his eyes, the way he jumped up, with hands in the air. “Fine. Do what you want.  But don’t come home with less than a C on this.  There’s no excuse for not having it done.” As the door closed behind him, Lance heard him mutter, “You could have written two papers by now—three.”

Frustration boiled over until he shoved everything off his bed and pulled covers over his head.  The room filled his dreams, but the doors—he knew exactly where they were, but he couldn’t see them. Round and round the room, his hands fumbled, searching for secret doors, but they never materialized.

A whisper began. You could have written two.  Could have written two.  Written two.  Two…

On Monday, the class filed in the room, shuffling, laughing, jostling. Lance ignored teasing, mocking calls, and jeers as he ignored them.  He paused by the desk and handed his papers directly to Ms. Faber. “Hardest assignment I’ve ever done, and I’ll probably fail.”

“Are there 750 words?”

He nodded.

“On the subject of the room and doors?”

Another nod.

“Then at the very least, you passed.”

But hours later, in the comfort of her own home at the dining table, Barbara Farber spread out the day’s essays and pulled Lance Pengully’s to her.

She flipped the cover sheet and found a short note.

Ms. Farber,

I couldn’t answer the question—not like I thought you meant me to.  I tried so hard to see closed or open doors, but I couldn’t. Then it hit me. There were two doors. One door was open—one closed. So I did the assignment, and I’ll probably fail, but I don’t think I care. Because I learned something. I learned that we sometimes open and close the doors in our minds before we ever actually get to them in real life. And maybe that’s the real issue—that opportunities are there, but it’s what we make of them that counts. I hope I open the right door or close the wrong one.

Before beginning to read, she scrawled an A on the top right corner and circled it. Flipping back the note, Barbara sank back in the chair and read.

The Doors Question:

As you’ve probably surmised, today’s blog prompt was supposed to be me answering that question. But like Lance, I found it impossible. So…

Tell me.  Do you like questions like that?  How do you answer them? I’m totally lost. I see all the sides and don’t want to commit!

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Comments

  1. MFLiteraryWorks says

    August 24, 2017 at 8:37 am

    Wow Chautona,
    I was saving this to read when I really got a chance to sit down and concentrate and I’m glad I did.
    Such a difficult and deep question. I guess you can be flippant and just make up something, however, I really LOVE Lance’s answer the best. (Well, your answer)
    The part where he said, “I learned that we sometimes open and close the doors in our minds before we ever actually get to them in real life. And maybe that’s the real issue—that opportunities are there, but it’s what we make of them that counts. I hope I open the right door or close the wrong one.”
    I see myself doing this all the times. Mostly I see the door closed because I don’t believe I can do something or that God is directing me there. I’m learning to take steps and trust. Proverbs 3:5&6 are my life verses and I’m constantly reminded to NOT “lean on my own understanding!”
    GREAT POST! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      August 24, 2017 at 3:09 pm

      I do that as well. It’s why I found the question so hard to answer… and why I did what I did with it.

      Reply
  2. Chrys says

    August 21, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    I think for some people it is all black or all white; or in this case it is opened or closed. But I understand what you mean, there are always at least two view points. And I want context. Context is everything!

    Reply
  3. Paula says

    August 21, 2017 at 9:32 am

    I think it was posed to get us to think ” outside the box” or in this case ” the door”! Get the old brain cells working!

    Reply

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Episode 163: A Chat with Naomi Craig about Ezekiel's Song
byChautona Havig

Before I began the interview with Naomi Craig about Ezekiel’s Song, I kind of went crazy and left it in to give you a chuckle. But Naomi and I chat about her upcoming release, why she chose to write about Ezekiel, and what areas she focused on. Listen in and hear her heart for the Word and for stimulating readers to love it and live it.

Oh, and that song I couldn’t remember? Well, I found it after a BUNCH of hunting on YouTube. Here you go!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Has Ezekiel Always Confused You? How about a Little Fictional Clarity?

There’s SO much to write about in Ezekiel, but after talking to Naomi Craig, I feel like I got a pretty good grasp of where she’s taking this book without feeling like I don’t need to read it now that we chatted, and that’s always great. Naomi shows service in the temple, how Ezekiel could have had a mentorish relationship under Jeremiah, and even what kind of woman his wife might have been.

Personally, I love the “Darcy-ish” meeting where he totally insults her and accuses her of being an idolatress. Let me tell you something. I cannot wait to read that! Seriously!

God had Ezekiel do a lot of weird things, and I always wondered how he managed some of it, but Naomi brings out possibilities by focusing on this wife that we don’t know much (anything) about. How cool is that?

Naomi also gave us a couple of glimpses into what’s coming next!

She’s #TeamBlue in the Keeping Christmas novella collections, writing about Herod’s palace and the wise men’s appearance looking for “the King of the Jews.”  And… from a scribe’s perspective!  How cool is that?

Also… next up is a book about a woman in Ephriam’s lineage who built three cities. A woman credited with the building of these cities!  I cannot wait! I love how Naomi focuses on how strong Biblical women were. So often we think of them as downtrodden and little more than cattle, but God shows how much He loves His daughters in the Word, and He definitely allows them to shine. We saw that in Naomi’s debut novel Rahab’s Courage.

Ezekiel’s Song by Naomi Craig

A prophet’s heart broken, a woman’s joy gone. What does Yahweh have planned for His people?

On the brink of Jerusalem’s demise, devoted priest, Ezekiel, sees the insincerity of Judah’s worship. Despite his efforts to call the people back to true worship of Yahweh, priests, artisans, valiant warriors, and royals are exiled to Babylon. When God gives him messages of continued judgment for the people in his homeland, his heart breaks. How can he minister to the people from so far away?

The presence of the Lord is tangible when Shiriel sings in the temple, and her voice prepares the hearts of many to worship. When she is exiled to Babylon, her faith is shaken. Does the Lord’s presence extend beyond Jerusalem and His holy temple?

Ezekiel is struck mute and paralyzed as he begins his prophetic ministry, and Shiriel devises a plan to get the Lord’s message back to the unfaithful people of Judah. Shiriel struggles with discontentment as serving the Lord looks nothing like she’d imagined. Can she provide for her family and carry out her husband’s ministry when her joy is gone, and her own dreams are placed on hold?

How will Yahweh save His people from themselves? Find out in Ezekiel’s Song!

Ezekiel’s Song is available at 30% off paperback and at a discount for Kindle, too through release week, so visit Naomi’s WEBSITE for more information.

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If only owning a bookstore didn't mean dealing wit If only owning a bookstore didn't mean dealing with people.
Harper Brevig has two skills—picking out snarky bookish t-shirts and alienating customers. 
Oh, and racking up bills out of thin air. Make that three skills. She loves the elderly and the very 
young—except the ones who destroy her beloved books. You could say she doesn’t have a very nice 
“book-side manner.” 
Milton Coleridge and his parrotlet Atticus (not Finch) come to the rescue… but is it too late to 
save this bookstore?
Twice Sold Tales: the first full-length novel in the Bookstrings Series releases on November 2, 
2022. Link to more information is in my bio! 
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#amreading
#bookishbooks
#bookstrings
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