The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[mariez]

.  .  .
"Engine trouble cowboy?"


"Jack!....how did...."

Knew somethin' must ta happen'd.... knew you would be leavin' me up there....without no beans" Grabbing Ennis in a fierce embrace. .  . .

20 years is a long time ...thanks, Mark, for giving us a peek at one of the sweet moments that we didn't get to see - it helps.   

Marie

[MaineWriter]

Hi all,

For today...

• bagel
• mechanical pencil
• crown of thorns

Leslie

[jpwagoneer1964]

July 1988

"This here where's me 'n Jack....your daddy had camp fer the most of that first month.... I wuz the camp tender first....took care o' camp...did the warshin'...cookin'....Had the campfire right there...." Ennis, indicating a level spot. "Tent over there....See that ridge up there?....that's where's the sheep were...could see ...yer daddy when he wuz up there." Ennis grew silent...images of those first days brought back to him.

Bobby took a Bagel out he had in his pack, munching on it he was awed by the surroundings here, where his father had spent the summer so long ago.

"Yer dad..he...he came down ta camp fer breakfast 'n supper...always goin' on 'bout somethin." Bobby laughed. "Told him if he wanted Ah's switch, stay up there with the sheep....said okay but couldn't cook worth a damn...he sure wuz right 'bout that..I swear...didn't think ya could burn't water but he did!" Both men break  out in laughter.

"One mornin' Ah's coming back ta camp....saw all this black smoke....thought he caught the woods on fire....turned out it wuz all comin' from the fryin' pan!"

"'Nother time come back ta camp...first Ah don't see yer dad...heard some noise in the tent...walk over...yer dad put these two sticks up his nose...lookin' like a walrus...jumps out aht me with his arms raise up like this." Ennis raised his arms high over his head, fingers pointed down. Bobby hardly able to controll himself with laughter. "Like ta have hog tied 'm."

After a moment Bobby speaks. "Is this where....?"

"..No...ah...we're goin' up ta the next camp....should make 'it for dark....guess we'd better get a move on then....huh?"

[ifyoucantfixit]

     Mark, your stories just make me happy...First Jack fixing Ennis's truck, and then not making him pay for it...That is a true friend, and a lover...The very best kind...A friend in need...\
     Then the continuing saga of Bobby and Ennis,, keep them coming..
                                                                              janice

[mariez]

. . .
"Yer dad..he...he came down ta camp fer breakfast 'n supper...always goin' on 'bout somethin." Bobby laughed. "Told him if he wanted Ah's switch, stay up there with the sheep....said okay but couldn't cook worth a damn...he sure wuz right 'bout that..I swear...didn't think ya could burn't water but he did!" Both men break  out in laughter.  .  . .

Not only do I love seeing Bobby and Ennis sharing thoughts of Jack, you've done a great job of fleshing out Bobby's character - he's always been a kind of question mark and that bothered me.  And the picture . . . dang, that is just so Ennis.

Thanks, Mark
Marie

[jpwagoneer1964]

Thanks again Marie.

I actually wrote the end of this story yesterday, but there will be lots more in between (as yet unwritten ). 

Mark

[MaineWriter]

Good day my friends....

• temper tantrum
• kiss and make up
• parrot

L

[cwby30]

Mornin', jp.

Nice couple of chapters in their pilgrimage.  Ennis finally able to share with someone those golden days of their youth, those few months when their world revolved only around them.  And Bobby finally able to hear how his daddy fell in love, and understand the man who raised him, and now the man who gave his daddy his heart and whom he calls uncle.

Feels like we're riding along with them heading up to "their place," through the pines and meadows, across the creeks, hearing the clack of hooves on rocks, the occasional tug of the reins, feeling the wind and hearing it in the trees, overhead the blue sky with clouds scuttering along.

Thanks for the story.

[jpwagoneer1964]

July 1988


"An he comes showin' off his rodeo buckle sit right here down by the fire....told 'm somethin' bout rodeo cowboys bein' ah bunch of f***ups....he says' Like hell they are'......leans over ta me.....'YEEEEEEEE HAAAWWWWWWWWWW' ...jumps up like he riddin' ah bull sayin' 'Spirrin' his guts out...wavin ta the girls in the stands....kickin' me ta hi heaven! ...But he can't dashboard me no way!  YEEE HAAAAWWWW' An then...." But Ennis and Bobby are in hysterics. "And then....throw himself on the ground in a fit!" After the both recovered Ennis spoke. "You know...your daddy cudda' gottin' awful riled at me fer sayin' that....but he didn't."

The fire crackled and threw sparks in the air as Ennis tossed a log on the fire. The two men are enjoying the afterglow of the evening meal of grilled steak, fried potatoes, beans, and peas in butter. Ennis picks up a stick from the wood pile points it at a nearby tree. See that tree over there! One day came back fer supper...wuzn't in to big ah hurry cuz Ah knew it would be burnt....sure glad he learn't ta cook since....Couldn't find 'm anywhere...no sign of his horse er the mules...started walkin 'round lookin'...got under that tree." Ennis points up again with the log. "Yer daddy jumps out...almost landed on top o' me...grinnin' like the cat sallowed the canary....thought Ah'd jump outta muy skin right there!.....But Ah showed him...."

"What did ya do Ennis?"

"Huh?...oh...well...the next mornin' when Ah rode down fer breakfast...rode out real early...you how yer dad is in the morning'...kinda groggy? Well it was barely lite out...Ah lay this rope out....cover it with pine needle an such...threw a rock at the tent ta wake him...he gets up...starts ta mosey outta the tent....an....an..."Ennis starts to laugh uncontrollably.

"And what Ennis?  What happened?"

"He walks on....he get on where's Ah got the rope  an....an Ah lasso's him up ah tree....Wuz that one right there." Ennis points with  the log....He wuz hangin' upside down up in the air...got 'm by one leg....wuz the funnest thing Ah ever did see! Yer daddy  up there strung up in that tree!" Both Ennis and Bobby  roll on the ground laughing.

After a bit Bobby spoke up. "One time mama just got this brand new Cadillac...Pop he hated drivin' her cars...'to low can't see nothin'' ...we got these new posts on either side of the driveway....Anyways they was goin out ta dinner  er somethin, was lookin' out the front window....he backs  out...an...an back right into one of them posts...smashes in the back right tail lamp 'n bumper...then he pulls forward....then scrapes the whole back side of the car." Bobby breaks out in laughter. "Oh mama was mad!....she had ta drive this old loaner Ford fer two weeks while the Caddy was being fixed.

"Wounder why yer dad never told me 'bout that?" Both of then howl.

"One time we drove to Dallas...Pop wanted ta take his pickup...but we went the the Caddy...he pulls off the highway to check out this ranch...over some dirt roads 'n stuff...we get back on the road find out one of the back right tire is flat...He jacks up the car part way and then can't get the fender skirt off....finally he found the lever took it off an threw it side of the road.....got the spare on....an drove of without it! When we got back told mama he'd left in the trunk...he'd put it on later....Ordered a new one from Caddy....took a week or so to come....they come painted but they had to order it from Detroit...kept givin' her a story as to why he never put it on..."

"Didn't hear 'bout that one neither..." Both are holding their stomachs with  laughter.


 

[Lumière]

Greetings!  I got a dabble today .. 


Say You’re Sorry…

Ennis threw himself on the living room sofa and rubbed his forehead in frustration.  He was still slightly shaking with anger.  Alma had taken off again and left him responsible for dinner and household chores she was supposed to be handling herself.  He didn’t want to delve into the real reason why he got so angry and why he’d lost his temper and thrown a tantrum for the second time this week, in front of the girls.  He was chiding himself for not reining his temper and for being a lousy parent when Jenny walked into the room and sat down beside him quietly; her sister was still outside playing on the swing set.

“Daddy?” she patted him on the knee.  “Why don’t you like Ma?”

He looked into his daughter’s eyes and exhaled shakily.  “Oh, come here..” He took her hand and sat her down on his knee. “Darlin’.. Of course, I like your Ma … I love her..” he managed a smile.

“So why do you fight all the time and use bad words?” she asked, a look of confusion in her eyes.

“Daddy lost his temper, is all.  I’m sorry darlin’, I jus’ got a little upset.  Everything’ll be okay.” He rubbed her back reassuringly; she smiled a little.

“So you’ll tell Ma you’re sorry?”

“Promise.”  His eyes glistened with tears and he blinked them away.  She finally smiled when he kissed her forehead and pinched her nose.  She jumped off his knee and ran outside to join her sister; he followed her.

“Your daddy’s feelin’ left out.  Anybody wants to give up their seat for me?”  He looked from Junior to Jenny in mock sadness.

“Yer too heavy Dad!” Jenny laughed as she swung back and forth.

“Plus you won’t fit on the seat!” Junior jumped in.

He sat heavily on the stairs, pretending to sulk.  They both giggled in amusement; momentarily forgetting the quarrel they'd witnessed less than an hour before.