Our BetterMost Community > Creative Writer's Corner
Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll
magicmountain:
--- Quote from: MaineWriter on December 06, 2006, 08:32:39 am ---Chapter 14 is on of my favorites....Ennis and Ellery have brunch at the High Plains Diner, preceded by Ellery buying "a baffling collection" of snack foods. The whole conversation over their Texas omlettes is classic. Ellery is turning on the charm, Ennis confused, trying to figure out what is going on. Ellery is paying attention to Ennis, complimenting him, noticing he is quiet. Right here, this chapter, is where it all begins...
L
--- End quote ---
Yeah what is that baffling collection of snacks.? Maybe that's what he subsisted on before Ennis' home cooking.
richardg49:
Sorry if I'm getting in ahead of the rest of you, but where I live (downunder) it will soon be bedtime for me. I've discovered that when I log in again in the morning that all the discussion has been had, all the interesting quotes have been found, and all the insightful commentary has been made. So I'll get in early for the discussions of 16 - 20 with this from ch. 19:
“Hey. Ellery. We got a situation downstairs. It’s Wilson and he showed up and he’s drunk and he’s mad. Bill has got him at the bar but things are getting ugly.” The blond youth was shaking.
“Did he show a gun?”
“Don’t know, don’t think so Ellery.” Gene’s face was white with tension.
Ellery turned and gave Ennis a long look, and then took out his gun, checking it as he did. “Ennis can you keep Pete up here outta trouble?”
Ennis nodded, a lump rising in his throat. He was genuinely fearful for Ellery. The deputy paused and glanced over his shoulder at Gene. "Go down and tell Bill I’ll be right down, but make sure Wilson don’t hear ya.”
“Sure enough.” The blond head disappeared as he clattered back down the way he came. Pete sat, inert as a stone, staring at nothing, but Ennis wasn’t paying attention to Pete at the moment. His eyes filled with sudden moisture, tears welling up.
“Ennis,” Ellery said, his voice pitched low.
“Uh, yeah, I’ll look after Pete.”
“Ennis.” He took a step toward Ennis, reholstering his gun and holding out a hand, grasping his elbow.
“I said okay.”
“You gonna be all right?”
Ennis looked at Ellery searchingly, then, his chest tight with an unspeakable, horrible pain. “Jes – be careful. I don’t want nothin to happen to ya.”
Ellery smiled, a hint of that mischief returning. “Don’t worry, we got a getaway car, remember?”
Is this the moment we know for sure that Ennis cares about Ellery far more than 'just friends' would imply? The situation parallels a very similar situation much later in the second book when Ellery is about to set out to Texas to find Jack's killer, and Ennis is similarly fearful for Ellery and virtually tells him not to go because he couldn't bear the fact of Ellery getting killed, and he again would lose the man he loves.
I also like the sensitivity that Ellery shows at this moment, aware that Ennis is worried about what could happen to him, and taking the trouble to reassure him. Characteristically, he does it with an offhand quip about 'a getaway car'. Note also the use of 'we' in that line, reinforcing the idea that they are partners in this tense situation.
magicmountain:
Wasn't about now that Ellery said he'd never been shot, that his body was in perfect condition and he intended to keep it that way cos he had plans for it.
Perfect condition?!!!!
richardg49:
--- Quote from: magicmountain on December 07, 2006, 04:39:29 am ---Wasn't about now that Ellery said he'd never been shot, that his body was in perfect condition and he intended to keep it that way cos he had plans for it.
Perfect condition?!!!!
--- End quote ---
Yes, I enjoyed, while doing this re-reading, recognising all the ironies and secondary meanings that there are in the writing. 'I have plans for it' was another of those, deliberately designed to embarass Ennis and make him blush. Its clever, too that Ellery's back problem, which is going to feature so prominently in the later stories (especially as something that frequently gets in the way of them 'getting fancy'), is here the device which first allows Ennis to touch Ellery in an intimate way and prompts his 'I do want it' declaration. (Am I getting too far ahead in the chapters?)
louisev:
Well, Jo, his comment about "perfect condition" was definitely an innuendo!
And don't worry about "getting ahead", it is a reread, after all. Some rereaders have admitted that now that they have started again they have just kept on going!
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version