Author Topic: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!  (Read 1396713 times)

Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1300 on: May 13, 2007, 04:14:00 pm »

. . . .
"Umm...almost forgot.....have somethin' fer ya...." Ennis reaches into the cab of his old pickup, pulls out an envelope gives it to Bobby. Bobby opens it finding twenty postcards of various sites of Wyoming, turning one to the backside he finds as they all are stamped and addressed to Ennis del Mar. Bobby looks to Ennis. "Son....you be writtin' regular ya hear?...better not be lettin' more 'n two weeks go by without hearin' from ya ....understand?"

"Yes sir.....Ennis."

"An on that first one....ya be givin' me yer address at that school so Ah c'n write back ....ya hear? An ah wanna be hearing 'bout yer grades in all...be studin' what ya want....when ya get ta the last one ...let me know ...send out some more"

"Yes ...sir....Ennis"

"An you be behavin' yerself st that school....ya hear me son......don't be doin' nothin' ...ta hav'ta settle early....understand?...." 

A new series of postcards to be exchanged - this is brilliant, Mark.  You've made me cry and you've soothed my soul.  I love the line about all the life that came from such a lonely place. 


. . . .
“I love her. My own baby sister.” She rocked the little bundle in her arms. “How about...Alma?” 

Ahh... the first time Aunt C meets her baby sister!  It's nice to have a big sister looking out for you - I have one of my own.   :)

Thanks,
Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1301 on: May 13, 2007, 04:21:22 pm »
Tender Heart

She stood in the doorway of the small bedroom looking at her sleeping boys.  Where had he taken them today?  No one had said – and she'd been afraid to ask.  She stepped quietly into the room, taking care not to wake the two boys as she sat on the edge of their bed.  She worried so about the youngest – her baby.  So quiet and still – always thinking, never complaining.  She wondered what he was dreaming of as she touched a finger lovingly to his furrowed brow.  He had been troubled upon their return – even more quiet and still than usual.  She sighed softly.  Such a sensitive little boy – forever bringing home creatures in need of help – a wounded bird, an injured cat.  Her hand moved gently from his brow and settled on his chest, and she prayed with all her might that she would always be there to protect the tender heart beating so strongly beneath her hand.

~~~~~~~~~~
158 words
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline belbbmfan

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1302 on: May 13, 2007, 04:36:51 pm »
Tender Heart

She stood in the doorway of the small bedroom looking at her sleeping boys.  Where had he taken them today?  No one had said – and she'd been afraid to ask.  She stepped quietly into the room, taking care not to wake the two boys as she sat on the edge of their bed.  She worried so about the youngest – her baby.  So quiet and still – always thinking, never complaining.  She wondered what he was dreaming of as she touched a finger lovingly to his furrowed brow.  He had been troubled upon their return – even more quiet and still than usual.  She sighed softly.  Such a sensitive little boy – forever bringing home creatures in need of help – a wounded bird, an injured cat.  Her hand moved gently from his brow and settled on his chest, and she prayed with all her might that she would always be there to protect the tender heart beating so strongly beneath her hand.

~~~~~~~~~~
158 words

Oww, Marie! That was beautiful. How very fitting on mother's day.

Dang, you have me in tears now, thinking about my own mum..., still, thank you for this.  :-*
'We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em'

Offline jpwagoneer1964

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1303 on: May 13, 2007, 08:59:44 pm »
Tender Heart

She stood in the doorway of the small bedroom looking at her sleeping boys.  Where had he taken them today?  No one had said – and she'd been afraid to ask.  She stepped quietly into the room, taking care not to wake the two boys as she sat on the edge of their bed.  She worried so about the youngest – her baby.  So quiet and still – always thinking, never complaining.  She wondered what he was dreaming of as she touched a finger lovingly to his furrowed brow.  He had been troubled upon their return – even more quiet and still than usual.  She sighed softly.  Such a sensitive little boy – forever bringing home creatures in need of help – a wounded bird, an injured cat.  Her hand moved gently from his brow and settled on his chest, and she prayed with all her might that she would always be there to protect the tender heart beating so strongly beneath her hand.

~~~~~~~~~~
158 words
GOOD JOB MARIE!!!!!!!
Thank you Heath and Jake for showing us Ennis and Jack,  teaching us how much they loved one another.

Offline Luvlylittlewing

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1304 on: May 13, 2007, 10:25:23 pm »
Ennis looked at Jack and wondered about the woman who raised him.  Jack was such a gentle, loving soul, and he certainly benefitted from the loving influence of Mrs. Twist.  Ennis watched as Jack tended to a tiny lamb.  Jack gently examined a tiny ear for an injury; soothing, comforting the small animal all the while.  Yes, someone loved Jack, cared for him, nurtured him. 

"Tell me about your mom."  Ennis said as he sat facing Jack.

"What you want to know?"  Jack answered, slightly amused.  He always welcomed questions from his friend - took it as a sign that Ennis was becoming more comfortable with him.

"Well, was she nice?  She do a lot of good things for you?"

"Well, sure.  She did the normal mom things like cook delicious meals, help me a bit with my homework, nurse me when I was sick."  Jack continued to inspect the little lamb.

"But the one thing I remember most of all," Jack began, "Is the time when I woke up in the middle of the night and I was scared.  My dad yelled at me to go back to sleep, to act like a man, but my mom always came to me.  She would hold me in her arms and stroke my brow until I fell back asleep."

Ennis listened to this and nodded.  He was almost envious of the kind of love that Jack received from his mom.  But Ennis shook such thoughts from his head when he realized that he, too, benefitted from Mrs. Twist's loving care of her son.  Ennis remembers the black nights when all he could think of was the darkness of his life, the uncertaintly, the terrible difficulties.  But Jack always sensed his discomfort and held him, soothed his brow, rocked him until he fell asleep...

Offline jpwagoneer1964

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1305 on: May 14, 2007, 01:23:49 am »
Very nice Marie!!!!!
Thank you Heath and Jake for showing us Ennis and Jack,  teaching us how much they loved one another.

Offline jpwagoneer1964

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1306 on: May 14, 2007, 01:47:14 am »
 



 Epilogue

Early that October a semi with a car carrier pulled into the streets of Riverton with  eight new Fords, all pickups except a silver Thunderbird on the bottom. On the top row second from the front behind a dark blue one ton crew cab dually was a two tone white and burgundy F-150 XLT, special ordered for Ennis Del Mar. Nearly every night before going to sheep Ennis would pour over the glossy color brochure with the options checked off he wanted, some Bobby had talked him into. ’Ennis…ya have at get air conditioning….can’t be drivin’ ’cross these plains in middle of summer without it’  ‘But did fine without it….’ ‘Pop would want ya ta have it and he’d say ya better use it!’ And not the ones he didn’t. “Ain’t getting’ power windows though….c’n roll up my own ….don’t care what yer daddy say ‘bout that!” Three days later, protective plastic removed from the seats and floor, washed and waxed to a sparkling sheen Ennis is handed the keys, proudly driving through the streets of Riverton feeling surrounded, protected by Jack..

More that two and a half decades would pass before Bobby  would  return to Brokeback, this time with his own sons Jack Jr. 17, and Caleb 16, to bring Ennis up to the mountain to join his father.  Driving that same pickup he helped Ennis order so long ago, still in fine condition up the narrow dirt road  as he downshifted he thought of  that lesson, taught with so much patience, never giving up until he was confidant shifting through the gears. Jack Jr.  drove Bobby’s own pickup following behind his dad, each pulling  a horse trailer, to the drop point where Jack and Ennis first rode together 50 summers before.

Bobby had returned to Wyoming the following the summer at Lightning Flat, working on a ranch with Ennis, Ennis arranging the job. Always a hard worker, Bobby grew attached to the animals, caring for them, fascinated  by the creatures, finding the work much more fulfilling than selling heavy farm machinery. Changing his major to medical science he applied and was accepted to the Colorado State Veterinary Program remaining there for graduate school, always returning to Wyoming to work with Ennis. For three summers he and Ennis worked for a pack station taking tourists on one or two week long treks in the far corners of Yellowstone. Ennis with his daughters raised, well respected by all the surrounding ranches  enjoyed the freedom of picking and choosing his employment always looking forward to those summers, able to find promising new adventure.

Bobby interned for a vet in Laramie taking over the practice when he retired. Married raising his two sons, Bobby’s ’uncle’ Ennis, always a welcome guest, never missing a birthday celebration, graduation, often spending a few days several times a year, helping Bobby teach his sons to ride and care for their horses, camping at Pine Lake for their spring break.

Ennis had told Bobby not long before. “Seems like the cure is worse that the disease…don’t seem right  ta  be goin’ through all that…just ta make it longer ‘till Ah’s see your daddy again….been getting’ real lonesome fer him …don’t seem like it should be so long now….. You don’t be worrin’ ‘bout me now ya hear!….wouldn’t trade the life Ah lived fer no ones!…ya hear son?…Got ta have my two little girls, saw my grandchildren grow up….see yer sons almost grown…got ta be with yer daddy…..no wouldn’t trade any of it fer nothing’….You don’t be sad fer me when Ah’s gone….ya hear son ? ….be with yer daddy again….together……always….”

By the light of the fire, father and two sons laughed and told stories of the two men, one the younger generation had known all their years, the other they had never met. “Yeeeeeeee…Hawwwwwwwww!!!!!! ….waving’ at  the girls in the stands…..throwin’ me ta hi heaven…..”  “That  Jack….sure didn’t like beans much….sure could talk ah lot…..” the younger Twists would mimic “Huh?…” and roar with laughter.

Their last morning on Brokeback, standing as he had done  with Ennis so many years before, Bobby opened the container, then tilting it,  a gust of wind blew freeing his remains to become part of the mountain, together with Jack. Bobby with his sons at either side  looks on, tears flowing freely, Jack Jr. and Caleb comforted by their fathers arms. Ennis del Mar, the man his father had loved.

While Bobby and his sons wouldn’t again  ride up  Brokeback, every spring they would return to camp  at Pine Creek as Ennis had done with them before, as did his father with Ennis. Each of them would glance over at Brokebacks peak standing tall in the distance Bobby thinking of his dad and Ennis, the man who taught him so much about his father, and his sons the grandfather they never got to meet, but somehow knew so well, together with their uncle Ennis forever part of the mountain.
   


« Last Edit: May 14, 2007, 10:50:10 am by jpwagoneer1964 »
Thank you Heath and Jake for showing us Ennis and Jack,  teaching us how much they loved one another.

Offline Lumière

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1307 on: May 14, 2007, 01:52:41 am »
I have been missing in action  today.. I see that there are quite a few drabbles I must catch up on tomorrow!
Thanks drabblers!!  ;)

Marie ~ Wonderful to see you drabble today!!  :-*


~M


Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1308 on: May 14, 2007, 10:19:04 am »
Thanks for the kind comments on my little offering, everyone  :)  (and sorry for making you cry, Fabienne - I cried a little myself).  Yep, yay for moms everywhere. 


. . .
"But the one thing I remember most of all," Jack began, "Is the time when I woke up in the middle of the night and I was scared.  My dad yelled at me to go back to sleep, to act like a man, but my mom always came to me.  She would hold me in her arms and stroke my brow until I fell back asleep."   . . .

This is lovely - and I've always loved watching Jack tending to the little lamb.


. . . .
While Bobby and his sons wouldn’t again  ride up  Brokeback, every spring they would return to camp  at Pine Creek as Ennis had done with them before, as did his father with Ennis. Each of them would glance over at Brokebacks peak standing tall in the distance Bobby thinking of his dad and Ennis, the man who taught him so much about his father, and his sons the grandfather they never got to meet, but somehow knew so well, together with their uncle Ennis forever part of the mountain.   .....

Mark, this series has to be one of my favorite fics ever.  What a perfectly beautiful ending . . . true love never really ends.  Have you considered putting all these drabbles together somewhere?  It's really special - as are the pictures you chose - they tell a story themselves.

Thanks again,
Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #1309 on: May 14, 2007, 10:21:02 am »
I know it's Monday - but how about these for today -

  • Friday
  • paycheck
  • exhausted

Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain