Chaos doesn't suddenly descend on a writer's room: it's creeps in, like fog, or mould. There's nothing to notice at first. Then you're forced to acknowledge its small claims over the days, weeks, until one day you look around and realise why you feel so wired. There's no clear route from your computer to your door, the waste paper basket is overflowing, you can't see a single knot of wood on your desk top, loose sheets of paper and plastic sleeves that were once married are now littered everywhere in acrimonious divorce.
I'm not advocating Pure Order. I like a certain amount of clutter but there comes a point when not being able to find anything leads to tidying up a bit. That point is now.
I wish it had been three days ago, before I decided to make jam from the first crop of Victoria plums from a neighbour's tree. I can't decide whether the chaos flavoured the jam or whether I just don't like plum jam. But there's something not right about it. Too sweet? A touch singed around the skins? The four sealed jars sit there like judges: you wasted all that fruit, they say. You didn't pay enough attention. They may have to move out.
Here they are brooding over the early stages of my Wrapizza: a guaranteed cure for the chaotic and hungry writer being judged by jam.
A wrap, a tomato base, thinly sliced cheese (of your choice) and red onion. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts and the onion softens, top with a pile of fresh rocket and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
You could use any ready-made pizza sauce but it's easy to chop up (and skin) a handful of ripe tomatoes and cook them down, with the spices and herbs of your choice (garlic pepper, chives, a little chilli, oregano...), to a thick and sweet and fragrant sauce. You don't have to be quite so OCD about the cheese: remember I was attempting to temper the chaos.
It doesn't matter how many times I assemble this snack it always makes me feel happy, satiated, relaxed. It's comfort and taste combined. It makes tackling the chaos a little less intimidating. Even the jam relaxed a little: it may live to see another day.
Hungry Writing Prompt
Write about the chaos in your life: past and present.
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