The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[haunted_by_bbm]

Normal

"I just want to be normal, Daddy," she whispered.  Her daddy had been rocking her gently as she spoke but he started briefly..."
~~~~~~
252 words

Very powerful moment.  Beautifully written. 
Marie, I think I missed your conversion.   
Was there a party?   When did you transition from head cheerleader to awesome drabbler?   Been away for a while.  Missed the memo.     
C*   

[Cameron]

On the Way

(September 1985)
Ennis was outside, waiting for Tom.  It was getting late, it was already after six.  Finally Tom came walking across the way.

“Whadya got there?” Tom asked, looking at the package Ennis was holding tightly in his hands.

“A present, for the baby, some flannel pajamas.”

Tom laughed.  “Isn’t it a little hot for flannel?” he asked.

Ennis didn’t reply.  He hadn’t thought of that. The funny feeling got stronger inside.  He tried to ignore it as they got inside the truck.  Ennis slowly began to drive to Junior and Kurt’s house.

“Ya got the jam?” Ennis asked nervously.

“Sure do”  Tom said, showing Ennis the package that he didn’t notice before.

The night was warm, but the days were getting shorter and the sun was going down.  The sky was lavender and orange and scarlet red.  Ennis drove on the empty road, with the lights already glowing in the passing houses.  They were almost there, but then he pulled over to the side of the silent road and stopped the truck, past the string of houses.  Ennis opened the window wide as if to get some air, but then he pulled his jacket tightly around him as if the evening was frigid cold, not soft with the summer warmth.

Tom put his arm around him.  “Hey, you okay?” he asked gently.

Ennis nodded, but there was a worried look in his eyes.

“What is it? Tom asked, pulling Ennis close.

Ennis shook his head.  “Don’t really know” he whispered.

“Hey, don’t worry.  What’s there to be so scared about?  It’s just your daughter’s house” Tom said softly, his lips on Ennis’ cheek.

Ennis shook his head again.  “I don't know…. just feel like we’re goin’ to some foreign country, or somethin’.  Like some place I ain’t never been before.  I…..I don’t….I just don’t know.”

“Hey, it’s okay” Tom murmured, wrapping both his arms tightly around Ennis.  “It ain’t a foreign place.” he said, his lips on Ennis’ damp brow.  “She knows, and it’s okay….it’s okay…. I know.”

Ennis stared into Tom’s deep blue eyes, trying to put the feeling into words.  But he couldn’t make a sound.  He closed his eyes and suddenly felt the summer warmth again as Tom’s soothing lips met his.

[Cameron]

Thanks Merrily, I hope so too.

Wonderful drabbles today and yesterday too, everyone!!!!!

Marie, You are such an awesome drabbler, loved it.

Marl

[ifyoucantfixit]

           Great drabbles everyone.. Marie, you are da bomb...and a block of guda
           Cameron;  you are doing your best to give that shy, introverted phobic man a life.

[MaineWriter]

Morning all,

For today...

• "It's a scorcher"
• plain clothes policeman
• pretentious

L

[Clyde-B]

    “Holy shit it’s hot in here,”  said Ennis snaps popping loudly as he ripped off his shirt.   
   “ Well you could just open a damn window.”  Jack laughed, “Or do you think that whiteface doe and her fawn peeking out behind them pines are vice cops just lookin a stick their nose in your business?”
     “Actually I had somethin else in mind.”  Ennis loosened Jack’s tie.  “You smell so sweet, didn’t tell me we was fishin formal this time.”  He grinned.  “When you get all citified like this, unwrappin you is just like Christmas.” 

[Penthesilea]

Sorry, bending the rules again. The prompts didn't do it for me today and when I looked around my office, I saw a hula hoop. This is the result.


Hula Hoop

The girl bend down, picked up what had just barely touched the ground and tried again. She wiggled her hips but didn't find the right rythm. Again, the hula hoop slid down her skinny legs. This time, she gave it an angry kick and stood pouting, arms crossed over her chest.

"She looks like her mama." The man on the porch said to the one next to him.

"She also had a hot temper at that age?"

"No. Must come from her daddy's side."

A pause, then he continued "Bet she's gonna ask you to show her one more time."

"This time it's your turn, friend."

"No fuckin way!"

"Aw, c'mon. S'nobody here except the three of us."

-------

Later the same day, a sly grin showed on the man's face when he pulled out a polaroid he had secrectly taken in the afternoon, and showed it to his mate.

"Now you're mine, Ennis Del Mar. You gotta do whatever I want, otherwise I'll show this to the whole family at your big birthday party next month."

-------

It wasn't Jack's fault that they completely forgot about the polaroid, which had fallen to the floor next to the couch. And it wasn't Jack's fault that their curious, eight year old granddaughter found it the next day. Naturally he had no chance to keep Reggie from putting the polaroid into her travel bag, where Alma Jr. found it after Reggie had returned home from her visit at her grandpas' place.

But of course Junior knew it was all Jack's doing that she was able to see her almost fifty years old father with a hula hoop around his hips and the greatest smile on his face.


~303 words~

[mariez]

Hi Marie.  That was great but I'll have to say I read it a few times before I realized that Francine was in the book, but they had changed her name to Jenny.  I was racking my poor little brain and then it came to me.   . . . . 

  Thanks, Merrily.  You know - I thought of that - whether to use Francine or Jenny.  I read the short story years before the movie came out and I remember watching the movie and thinking "Jenny? What happened to Francine?"  I always did wonder why her name was changed.  Same with Bill/Monroe. But I did use "Monroe" instead of "Bill" in a drabble once because I wasn't sure if anyone woud remember who "Bill" was!   

On the Way

.......
Ennis stared into Tom’s deep blue eyes, trying to put the feeling into words.  But he couldn’t make a sound.  He closed his eyes and suddenly felt the summer warmth again as Tom’s soothing lips met his.

Aww... I just want to reach into your drabble and give Ennis some reassurance.  (And it's fine about the flannel, Ennis - hot weather won't last forever)     Lovely, Marl.

    “Holy shit it’s hot in here,”  said Ennis snaps popping loudly as he ripped off his shirt.  
   “ Well you could just open a damn window.”  Jack laughed, “Or do you think that whiteface doe and her fawn peeking out behind them pines are vice cops just lookin a stick their nose in your business?”
     “Actually I had somethin else in mind.”  Ennis loosened Jack’s tie.  “You smell so sweet, didn’t tell me we was fishin formal this time.”  He grinned.  “When you get all citified like this, unwrappin you is just like Christmas.” 

Woo Wee - loved that Clyde!  Christmas is my favorite holiday.     Thanks for drabbling.

. . . . .
But of course Junior knew it was all Jack's doing that she was able to see her almost fifty years old father with a hula hoop around his hips and the greatest smile on his face. 

Always a treat to read one of your drabbles, Chrissi  What a great image that is - you've made a lot of people smile with that one.   

Thanks,
Marie

[mariez]

Greens 'n Beans

"It's a scorcher, today, that's fer sure."  Ennis wiped his brow and set his hat on the chair.

"Sure is, Daddy."  Junior smiled up at him as he kissed her cheek.  "Hope you don't mind chicken salad – hate to turn the oven on in this heat, and I've been craving salads lately." She giggled softly to herself.  "I guess these are my 'salad days'." 

Ennis's brow creased slightly, "Uh – what?" 

"Oh, just something I read in a book once.  'Salad days' – kind of like the best days of your life when you're all young and innocent-like – ya know, still kind of green."  She blushed slightly and laughed as she turned to get the plates. 

There was a whisper of a smile on Ennis's face as he watched Junior, and a faraway look in his eyes. "Bean days," he murmured to himself. 

~~~~~~~~
141 words

[Clyde-B]

[

"Now you're mine, Ennis Del Mar. You gotta do whatever I want, otherwise I'll show this to the whole family at your big birthday party next month."

 

Delightful!  What sweet blackmail.