“If You Want An Onion To Keep”

She began reading the sentence again. She was tempted to skim over it but it might have information she’d need. Was this old kitchen wisdom even relevant today? If you want an onion to keep, put it in…. the thought paused as she tried to find the word that wasn’t the brand name. It was her tiny act of resistance, of railing against the constant onslaught of BRANDING and the corporate takeover of quotidian details.
Cling wrap. That’s how to keep an onion- or a lidded glass container if you want to keep the planet as well.
But what did the sentence mean? She knew if she skimmed she’d eventually end up flipping back to the ‘bit about the onion’ to make some future moment make sense. Reading really was like life, you have to pay attention to the flow; words and details.

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The prompt “If you want an onion to keep,” was taken from The New Yorker May 30 2022 issue. I probably sat for 2 minutes before writing for 8. Then another few minutes for spelling and grammar. (It’s sooooo hard to not revise and edit!) Timed writing is a great exercise when I’m stuck creatively. Or just plain fearful of letting anything out. This little exercise helps turn the tap so the creative stream can flow. Taking a shower or going for a walk also help but this seemed easier to share. I’m always curious to learn other creative hacks to get the juices flowing, so please comment if you have some.