The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[Cameron]

(A bit long....guess I went a little overboard )

The Gift

(June 1982)
Ennis went to the door.  “Hey, gotta talk to you.”  Ennis’s heart was pounding, the voice, so familiar, and so strange.  He looked at the clock, 2 in the morning, then he almost tripped over his old worn out shoes.  Enns stopped and steadied himself, trying to catch his breath.  “Come on, please, open up!”  But it was no use, his heart was racing, Ennis wondered if it was a dream, the dream he longed for every night.

Finally he got to the door, Ennis hesitated and took a deep breath.  “It couldn’t be, it just can’t.”  He slowly opened the door.

Ennis felt his heart drop like a lead weight onto the floor.

It was Bill Jensen standing there, with an old beat up bag in one hand, a small package in the other.

“I wanted to see you…..before I go” Bill Jensen said.  “I’m leaving, made up my mind tonight, they don’t need me here, they don’t want me here at all.”

Ennis just stared.

“I wanted to ask you, just had a thought, why don’t ya come with me?  Come on, you don’t belong here either.  There’s gotta be a place, ya know?  I know there is.”

Ennis stared. “Whadya say?” Bill asked.  Ennis shook his head.

“Yeah, figured you’d say that, well, worth a try” Bill Jenson said, then he held out the package, wrapped in wrinkled brown paper.  “Gotta gift for you” he said, and put it in Ennis’s hand.  “Don’t open it till I’m gone.”  Ennis held it and just kept staring.

“Well, good luck to you” Bill Jensen said, and he took Ennis’s hand.  “I’ll send you my address in the mail, as soon as I have one.  Thank You.” he said, and then he turned around and disappeared in the darkness.

Ennis stood at the door, opening and closing his hand, hurting from the splinters and Bill Jensen’s tight grip.  Then he went inside and closed the door.  He looked at the package in his hand.  Ennis tore off the paper, and opened the box.  He gasped.  Ennis started shaking, then he dropped it on the floor.  Ennis lurched toward the table, then sat down on the tiny chair, and for the second time in a month, broke down in heaving sobs.

[cwby30]

Evenin', Marl.

Really like how your drabbles of Bill Jensen flow together. Hope you don't mind, but I've started saving them, to red through again as a whole. Cant' hardly stand it, waiting to find out what the present was. 

Thanks.

[Cameron]

Mind?  Of course not, Cowboy, I am flattered.  I am so glad you enjoy my stories.
Thank You!

[mariez]

       “Daddy we got you a present.”  
       Jenny reached two tiny fingers inside her mouth and fished out a sticky wad of gum.
       “Is that for me?”  Ennis grinned, eyes wide in mock surprise.  He saw their shoes were badly worn, and wondered if Mr. Simon would extend any more credit.
        Jenny giggled and redeposited her gum.
        “Sent away for it ourselves with our own money.”  Junior handed him a small package, postage still on it, the brown paper brightly colored with crayon and tied with a fuzzy red string courtesy of Mrs. Higgins at the gift shop.    
        “Happy Birthday Daddy!”
100 words

What a touching and true slice-of-life, Clyde.  Ennis does love his li'l darlin's.   

. . .   Ennis tore off the paper, and opened the box.  He gasped.  Ennis started shaking, then he dropped it on the floor.  Ennis lurched toward the table, then sat down on the tiny chair, and for the second time in a month, broke down in heaving sobs.

This took me by surprise, Marl!  I really like that you expand Ennis's world with all these different characters - and I'm anxious to find out what the gift is!

Thanks,
Marie

[Clyde-B]

his heart raced faster.
Ennis was so close.
You Bet.

Love the 'You Bet' ending!

In His Mind's Eye

Maybe it was time to move them up to Lightning Flat.  Lureen kept asking why he was saving them, and what could he tell her?  He could see himself in his mind's eye, washing their clothes, naked as a newborn except for those boots. The truth was – sometimes he missed those days so much he could hardly stand it – and he couldn't bear to part with any little bit of them, even a pair of worn-out boots. 

~~~~~~~
77 words

*wicked laugh*  I could see that too!   

        It was Sunday night.   Ennis had dropped Junior off at Alma's house.  He was on his way home.   He thought about stopping by the bar for a drink.." Ive got time for one" he figured. 
        When he got to the bar, he ordered his regular, placing the money on the bar.  He walked to the back of the room, to see if there was a pool game going on.  A couple of the young guys from the Harrison outfit were in town on Sunday afternoon.  Havin an afternoon of rest and fun.  And more'n a few beers, by the look of em.  As he leaned back against the wall, to stand an drink his beer .  He glanced over at the table in the corner.  Those two middle aged women were there again.. They seemed intent talking to each other this time, and paid him no mind.  He felt eased about that. 
 

Reminds me of my Sunday night bowling league!

   Ennis tore off the paper, and opened the box.  He gasped.  Ennis started shaking, then he dropped it on the floor.  Ennis lurched toward the table, then sat down on the tiny chair, and for the second time in a month, broke down in heaving sobs.

Marl,
You're suspense is alway so good, I'm curious about how you work.  Do you know what's going to happen next when you finish these?  Or do you find out when you start the next one?

What a touching and true slice-of-life, Clyde.  Ennis does love his li'l darlin's.   

 

Thanks Marie, that's one of things I loved about Ennis.

[Penthesilea]

[

The Gift

 He looked at the package in his hand.  Ennis tore off the paper, and opened the box.  He gasped.  Ennis started shaking, then he dropped it on the floor.  Ennis lurched toward the table, then sat down on the tiny chair, and for the second time in a month, broke down in heaving sobs.

Marl, girl, don't get me wrong. I love your stories, I really do. But Damn!!! for the cliffhangers. You are one evil author  .

What. Is. In. That. Package. ?? ?? ??

*sigh*

 

[Cameron]

 

Thank you so much, Marie, Clyde, Chrissie and Cwby again too.,

I am so glad that I am able to keep you in suspense.  You certainly don't expect me to give away any secrets now?
Guess you got to wait for the next drabble or two.

You're all the best...

[mariez]

       
 ....Then he remembered, he had that card, he had ta mail.  He finished his beer and went to his truck.  Knowing he needed to get that in the post office before leaving town. 
 . . . . .
         He hoped Marvin Johnson was still needin a cowboy for the roundup
this year..That card should let him know he was available.

Hey, how did I miss this yesterday?  You clever thing, Janice - great "twist" with the cards.  Poor Ennis never had any relief from worry did he? 

Marie

[mariez]

Here's some prompts for you Saturday drabblers:

*flea market
*bargains
*crowded

Have fun 

Marie

[ifyoucantfixit]

                                        Another Germ

         It was Saturday morning, and Ennis had woken up with the pillows damp.  He knew what
this day would be.  After having his breakfast of warmed over coffee and cheerios.  With the
last of the milk he had in his fridge.  He placed the bowl, and spoon in the sink with the rest of the detritus remaining there.  Before heading to town for those shoes.
         He scavanged thru the bargain rack at the general store.  Mayhaps they would have a
pair of boots he could use there.  Finding a pair, he thought might be his size, but no box to
betray for sure, with his nearsightedness no help to decipher the secret.  He went to the
chair in the back of the room to sit and try them on.  Those two ladies he had seen from the
back of the bar were there too.  They were in the back looking at some walking boots on the
wall, and passed near enough for him to overhear some of the conversation they were having.
         " Annie, you know you need new boots for this hike.  This will give you some time to
break them in before we go up there."  "I guess so.  You are probably right.  These are a good
fit, and they sure are the right price."  "Thats for sure.'  "Its for sure better than buying them
from that flea market we saw last week."  "Yeah I guess so, but those didn't need breaking in."
She remarked with the quirk of a smile.