First words

Was re-reading one of the recent entries on my other blog, "Follow your Bliss" and it occurred to me that something I said might make a catchy first line for "The Bog."

"It's not a good idea to cry at 75 miles an hour."... or something along those lines.

This could be the opening scene: Grace driving home to Hunters Corners, pissed off, frustrated, frightened, to assume the role of caretaker to her mother, Maria. Grace's Aunt Mable, who had been caring for Maria, has suffered a stroke and can no longer do the job. Grace doesn't want to go back to Hunters Corners - she loves her life in the city - so she's pissed off. She's always been rather alienated from her mother because of Maria's mental illness. She's not sure she knows what to do. She feels terrible guilt for these selfish thoughts and figures she should be glad to return home and take care of her mother. At least she won't have to worry about finances...so she thinks.

We see the scenery change as she nears the town, we see the bog and Grace's curious, subconscious reaction as she drives past it, we see the town, small and shabby, and we see the house were she grew up and her cousin Cyril sitting on the porch as she drives in. Cyril silently rises without acknowledging her and enters the house. Just being his odd self again, Grace figures.

OR

The above scenes could be the second beginning. Sort of like you see in some movies where something really dramatic happens, but you're not sure what it means or what its significance is to the story. Then you backtrack a bit and pick up the story before all the action begins.