Word Exercises

First set of words: starve :: rind :: elusive :: withstand :: fabric :: mandarin :: knuckle :: upholsterer :: platform :: uncover

He was an upholsterer, Marty was. In love with furniture from way back. The elusive beauty of the davenport. The pug-like loyalty of the ottoman. The austere grace of the platform bed. These were qualities only Marty could see. When he stripped the old fabric from a well-used sofa, he wasn't merely uncovering a starved framework of wood and pegs and glue and horsehair. No, he was undressing a woman, the woman, the only thing he had ever loved. And today his eyes lingered over the antique wingback he'd ben consigned, its sensual curves layered in a worn Mandarin brocade, like an elegant madam who'd withstood a lifetime of men's advances. He traced one arthritic knuckle along the rind of the seam, took a deep breath and began to cut.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Second set of words: puppet :: sardines :: Denmark :: spike :: snowman :: kibble :: skip :: erotic :: layover :: garlic

The snowman skipped through Malmo on his way to the ferry that would take him to Denmark. He was slightly concerned about sharing a freezer below-deck with fresh sardines, but really, it was a small price to pay for not braving the cruel Northern sun on his journey. He was headed to Germany ultimately, but a brief layover at the Tivoli gardens would allow him to make some quick traveling cash with his infamous Erotic Sock-Puppet Burlesque Show. It was unusual, of course, to see a snowman in burlesque these days, but his was a particularly original burlesque, and he was anxious to try it in front of a new audience. He thought about all this as he pushed his slushy way past the burlap sacks of garlic and cases of kibble stacked near the freezer. He tossed his hat on a nearby spike, and with a gleeful chuckle, climbed into the freezer.