The Puke Bucket
I’m glad you’re enjoying Cole’s first solo adventure so far. I thought it would be fun, this time, to provide some commentary to go along with the story. Maybe it’ll give you some insight into how stories are created. Or just show you how a weird mind works!
One of the most common questions posed to me is, “How do you get all your ideas?” They don’t all come to me in the same way, so the answer isn’t a general one. In this case, I knew I had to provide a Cole adventure, because that’s how you voted. I knew it had to be a mystery, because solving mysteries was the career our guy was pursuing when he met Jaz and Vayl in Miami. But I didn’t quite know where to begin (beyond the first rule of writing, which is, in the middle of the action). So here’s how it happened this time:
Recently, due to a rash of sickness that has taken down most of our community, I was required to dig out our puke bucket. It’s been in the family almost as long as our kids. This item has sat by our bedsides as a just-in-case during those nauseous nights when we weren’t sure the person who was experiencing illness would be able to make it to the bathroom in time. Due to frequent bouts with the bleach bottle, it has also served other purposes during its time with the family. I have dug up flowers and sent them to friends for transplantation into their gardens, using the bucket to hold water and roots and save the van’s floorboards. I have filled it with soap and water and used it to wash everything from the family car to the kitchen floor. It is a multipurpose tool. And yet, it will always be called the puke bucket. Since it and Cole were sharing space in my brain at the same time, somehow, magically, the two melded.
So now, because I needed a place to begin Cole’s story, the puke bucket is not only a trusted tool in the Rardin family arsenal. It’s also semi-famous. But it’s led me to wonder…what do you think Bergman uses when he’s sick??
This entry was posted on Monday, March 29th, 2010 at 10:36 am and is filed under Cole Bemont . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
March 29th, 2010 at 11:05 am
I see Bergman having a stockpile of those airplane puke bags. Because he’s so high-strung I would imagine he feels like he’s about to yack a lot and you can fold those little bags down so they easily fit in a pant pocket!
For some reason when you asked what we thought Bergman used to throw up in I pictured Bill Murray in What About Bob?. The scene when he’s on the bus going thru all the motions like he’s throwing up, but it’s just a “false alarm”. Lol! Love that movie.
March 29th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Aw, man, Nicole that’s hilarious!!
March 29th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Either a puke bag which he incinerates, or a self bleaching/sterlising bucket which closes to incinerate the contents, sometimes with hilarious, unpredictable results
Can see him being very paranoid about the DNA/foresinc evidence traces in vomit 
March 29th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Knowing Bergman, it’s probably some form of nanotech puke-eating self-destructing bag. You puke into it, and the bag eats the puke away then biodegrades. The only problem is that sometimes, it biodegrades THEN eats whatever is around it.. Hilarity ensues..
March 29th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
I can’t see Bergman ever being sick. He lives in such a sterile clean invironment no doubt with air purification and some invention that kills all nasty germs. But since he has been getting out with Jazz and the gang lately it may become reality and then I definately agree he would invent a puke bag that biodegrades.
March 30th, 2010 at 3:48 am
I kind of have to agree with Nicole about the idea of those airplane sick bags.
Except Bergman’s would probably be packed in a sterile manner and have an incendiary charge in the bottom of them so the biohazard can be disposed of in a safe(ish) manner.
Thinking about it, they’d also be kind of handy to make popcorn in.
March 30th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Bergman doesn’t get sick, and even if he does, he would probably assume someones tried to poison him or something!
He therefore has the ultimate first aid kit, with all sorts of very advanced drugs and concoctions to counteract the ‘poison’ (man flu).
Really can’t see him nursing a puke bucket, unless Jaz forced it upon him!
March 30th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Ok, so now I’m seeing Bergman having to puke in the next installment.
He’d probably have something like color coded puke bags for a specific ailment… I just can’t see him ‘winging’ it. And BTW, this is why I love Jennifer’s site. Hilarious discussions!
March 31st, 2010 at 6:36 am
So true, Penny. Puke and then research, that’s our Bergman!
LOL, Jaden3! Love it!
Both excellent points, Amanda.
Aw, Chloe. I don’t know whether to laugh or gag! Okay, laughing wins.
Which just convinces me further that Jaz is very, very good for him, Sophie.
OMG, color-coded puke bags?? Too good, Teri!!
March 31st, 2010 at 9:21 am
I just couldn’t help it. You asked and I saw an R2D2 looking thng that follows him and turns it into mulch or something….
March 31st, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Since Bergman is computer savvy, and most likely uses a Mac, he probably has the husk of a PC to puke into. It’s what I use
April 1st, 2010 at 10:59 am
LMAO, Zita!!!
April 3rd, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I think Bergman should just use his toilet. Only he should freak out everytime he pukes. Like, he should bathe in hand sanitizer, and then pour half a gallon of bleach into the toilet, and scrub the seat.
QUESTION!! what happens to Jolayna when Cole’s building burns down in Once Bitten, Twice Shy??
April 4th, 2010 at 5:10 am
Probably something that he can throw away – or maybe a remotely operated toilet that follows him wherever he goes. Something that’s a germophobe’s dream!
April 11th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
I picture Bergman using a beaker type container which he can throw in some chemicals into and KABOOM! Instantly incinerates his puke and the container. TA DA!! No messy clean up after!! lol
May 2nd, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I like Shevon’s idea. I was gonna say that before I read all the comments. Great minds think alike.