I continue to struggle with naming characters, particularly minor ones. My latest book has another example of me trying to have a little fun with that. Those old guys didn't really need names anyway.
From the book:
“Look what the cat dragged in. It’s my favorite grandchild.”
Trevor smiled. Not only was it early, it was early on a Monday morning and he’d had a lousy weekend. Yet Trevor smiled. Grandma May looked so cheerful, so sincerely happy to see him that he couldn’t resist the impulse.
It was fleeting. He was probably scowling as he reached for the counter.
Grandpa Paul called out to him before he could get himself onto the high vinyl chair. “Trevor! Get over here, son.”
He moved automatically towards that back table.
“I’ll have a cup for you when you get back,” Grandma May said.
All five old guys were looking at him as he neared their table. Fred and John and… what’s-his-name and… Trevor knew all their names, but it was too early to recite them even in his head. Something in their eyes suggested they were prepared to be entertained. It did not make him look forward to the conversation. He focused on his grandpa to see what he wanted.
“You gonna say good morning?”
It wasn’t. “Good morning,” Trevor said anyway.
“Got a question for you,” Grandpa Paul said. He paused and seemed to be waiting for an answer, but he hadn’t asked the question yet.
A couple of grins popped up around the table.
“Yes?” Trevor said.
“Is that your answer?”
“To what question?”
“Don’t tease the boy when he hasn’t had his coffee,” Grandma May hollered.
Trevor looked her way as the men laughed. There was a cup of coffee sitting on the counter in front of her, his coffee. He could have it as soon as he finished here. Why was he over here again?
Trevor smiled. Not only was it early, it was early on a Monday morning and he’d had a lousy weekend. Yet Trevor smiled. Grandma May looked so cheerful, so sincerely happy to see him that he couldn’t resist the impulse.
It was fleeting. He was probably scowling as he reached for the counter.
Grandpa Paul called out to him before he could get himself onto the high vinyl chair. “Trevor! Get over here, son.”
He moved automatically towards that back table.
“I’ll have a cup for you when you get back,” Grandma May said.
All five old guys were looking at him as he neared their table. Fred and John and… what’s-his-name and… Trevor knew all their names, but it was too early to recite them even in his head. Something in their eyes suggested they were prepared to be entertained. It did not make him look forward to the conversation. He focused on his grandpa to see what he wanted.
“You gonna say good morning?”
It wasn’t. “Good morning,” Trevor said anyway.
“Got a question for you,” Grandpa Paul said. He paused and seemed to be waiting for an answer, but he hadn’t asked the question yet.
A couple of grins popped up around the table.
“Yes?” Trevor said.
“Is that your answer?”
“To what question?”
“Don’t tease the boy when he hasn’t had his coffee,” Grandma May hollered.
Trevor looked her way as the men laughed. There was a cup of coffee sitting on the counter in front of her, his coffee. He could have it as soon as he finished here. Why was he over here again?
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