The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[jpwagoneer1964]

PSYCHIC ENNIS

A Sunday morning in May at the 'Broken Arrow Ranch' 1997.

Ennis looks up from his Sunday paper. "Ya gonna git that....er ya want ma ta?"

"Get what...." Jack replies.

"Phone....whut da ya think Ah meant."

"Phone aint ring'n ... why da ya want me......"

Ringggg.........ringgggggggg

Ennis, furrowing his eyebrows, looks at Jack nodding his head in the direction of the phone on the wall.

Later that same day.

Ennis peeling potatoes looks to Jack. "Jack...ya wanna answer that...hands kinda full."

"Answer what...." Jack looks at Ennis.

Ennis looks back, brows lowered.

"Oh....Ah sure." Jack answered.

"Twist, whut are ya doin' ". Ennis said as Jack reached for the receiver. "Nobody's on the phone....git the door, some one at the door!"

"Don't hear no knocking....no doorb---"

ding-dong

"F---king smart ass!" Jack bellowed over his shoulder.


Next day,  Monday around 1 p.m.


Ennis and Jack are grooming their horses after a morning ride to check fences. Ennis starts to take off toward the road.

"Just where da ya thing yer going in an all fired hurry?" Jack calls to Ennis.

"Git the mail."

"Aint here yet!  Flag's still down."

"Will be by the time I git out there....commin' er whut." As they reached the mailbox the mailman, Pete drove around the corner gently slowing to a stop at the box.

Walkng back as Ennis thumbed through his new 'Liberty Saddle Shop' catalog, Jack speaks. " Ya know Ennis...this sixth sense of yours is startin' ta git on my nerves."

"Sixth...whut?"

" Like just now, the mail...."

"The Mail?....We been her over ten years.....Aint ya never notice when we're at the barn if ya look just over to the east ya can see Pete when he makes that turn by the Keller ranch....been especially easy ta spot since he got that new red Saturn last year. Our place is next is all, can meet up with him if ya leave when ya first see him. That's all it  is Jack....Guess yer not very observant" Ennis smiles to himself.

[Penthesilea]

Force of Nature

Liked it Marie! 

Obeying an impulse he didn't stop to question

Thankfully he didn't stop to think. Ennis has some of his best moments when he acts on impulse .

[Penthesilea]

PHYSIC ENNIS


.....

"The Mail?....We been her over ten years.....Aint ya never notice when were at the barn if ya look just over to the east ya can see Pete when he makes that turn by the Keller ranch....been especially easy ta spot since he got that new red Saturn last year. Our place is next is all, can meet up with him if ya leave when ya first see him. that's all it  is Jack...." Ennis smiles to himself.

Hey Mark, it's great to see you drabbling  ! This brought a broad smile to my face  .
(But shouldn't it be "Psychic Ennis" instead of "Physic Ennis"?)

[mariez]

Thankfully he didn't stop to think. Ennis has some of his best moments when he acts on impulse .

Yep - we really see his beautiful heart in those moments. 

PSYCHIC ENNIS
........
 That's all it  is Jack....Guess yer not very observant" Ennis smiles to himself.

LOL!!!  Mark!!  It's great to see you, bud.  I've missed you and your drabbles - I love your vision of J&E.   

Marie

[cwby30]

Ennis could tell when Jack was preoccupied with his own thoughts, after twenty-some years he could read his man's body language from across a corral full of horses under a midnight moon. On impulse, he walked up behind Jack and put his arms around Jack's waist, catching Jack unawares.  Jack leaned back into Ennis with a sigh, knowing he'd have to face things soon enough but knowing it would be easier with Ennis' strong arms backing him up.  Turning in those arms, he put his own around Ennis.  They stood there, each holding onto the best thing in his life. 

[100 words]

[mariez]

Ennis could tell when Jack was preoccupied with his own thoughts, after twenty-some years he could read his man's body language from across a corral full of horses under a midnight moon. On impulse, he walked up behind Jack and put his arms around Jack's waist, catching Jack unawares.  Jack leaned back into Ennis with a sigh, knowing he'd have to face things soon enough but knowing it would be easier with Ennis' strong arms backing him up.  Turning in those arms, he put his own around Ennis.  They stood there, each holding onto the best thing in his life. 

[100 words]

Now that's a perfect dozy embrace - really well done, cwby!

Thanks,
Marie

[mariez]

Hey everyone!  Some Saturday prompts to consider:

• stay
• go
• crazy

Marie

[mariez]

Wounded Boys, Tortured Men

The boy was taught to throw the first punch.
The man's taut body was made for fighting.

The boy felt the blows from his father's rage.
The man felt the futility of ever making it right.

The boy saw what a tire iron could do.
The man never stopped seeing it.

The boy's father kept his secrets to himself.
The man's father never came to see him ride.

The boy wanted to be a sophomore.
The man wanted to stay up on the mountain.

The boy was crazy to be anywhere else.
The man just wanted his sweet life anywhere.

The boy learned some things couldn't be fixed.
The man knew he had to stand it.

~~~~~~~
115 Words

[Penthesilea]

Wounded Boys, Tortured Men

The man never stopped seeing it.

The core of which all the heartache evolved 

Liked the whole thing. The form, the confrontation of their experiences. But damn, so sad  .

[jpwagoneer1964]

SPRING 1990

Home Run Ennis

Ennis is pitching to Matthew, their ranch hand  Andy Collins' oldest son. Jack, Ennis along with Andy are helping his two oldest sons practice for tryouts to a local team. Matthew swings and misses.

"Jack....git up there and show 'em how ta hit." Ennis calls out to Jack.

Jack confidently struts to the plate, take a few swings before Ennis throws. Jack misses the first pitch.

"Come on Jack....thru it right to ya!"

"Don't worry ....git the next one...bring it on Ennis."

Ennis throws...Jack hits a foul, striking the side of barn. "Watch it Jack ....yer a scarin' the horses...hit'n their barn n all"

"Just throw me the ball....hit a homer this time!"

Ennis throws, Jack swings hard, this time hitting a foul to the other side....crash....right thru their kitchen window.

"Thought ya said home run Jack....that wuz more like a hole in one....we's playin' baseball here....not golf!. Gonna be 'xpensive lettin' ya play with us"

"Oh yeah! ....think ya can do better?"

"Damn tootin'...Hand me that bat." Ennis said as he walked to the plate.

"Show him uncle Ennis....you can hit one." Andy's children echoed.

Jack, now on the mound, tosses the ball to   Ennis...six feet to his left. "Standin' right here Jack...can't ya see me?"



Jack, silent, this time throws way to high. "Only stand six feet Jack...same as you...yer throwin' like I wuz eight. Mebe Andy outta throw."

Andy, now on the mound throws a perfect pitch, Ennis swings, hits the ball hard, making a home run between 1st and 2nd bases."

"Yea uncle Ennis!!!! way to go!!!" Andy's sons cheered on.

"Da I need ta run it er walk it?" Ennis said smugly knowing there was no way to ball could ge retrieved in time to get him out.

Later, practice over for the day, Ennis and Jack walked back to the. "Ennis....gotta hand it to ya...yer really good! Never had time ta play much grown' up."

"Guess I outta be...played on a 'Little league' team fer two years...started when I wuz 11...sponsored by the Riverton Nash Rambler
dealer....they paid fer the uniforms 'n all....picked me up fer practice 'n the games in a brand new Rambler station wagon...took me all the way ta town 'n back."





Jack turns to Ennis, impressed. "Must have thought a lot of ya ta do all that. Ridin' in a new car 'n all " Jack had never even been in a new car until he was grown and met Lurenne.

"Ah guess...Course had ta give it up when my folks was gone" Ennis looks down.

"How came ya never told me?"

"Don't recall ya ever askin'... Guess a lot ya still don't know 'bout me."

"Ennis I'm sorry ..."

"Whut....?

"You had to give it up.....yer really good!!! Could've  mebe played the big leagues....who knows!"

"Don't know....guess things turn out ok fer me....." Jack looks at Ennis. "Can't see how Ah'd ever meet up with ya on a baseball field....yep...chances of that ....pretty slim.....seem more likely pennys fallin' from the sky 'n runin' in ta ya on a stadium field." Ennis laughing,  slaps Jack on the back. "Come on....ya gotta be sweepin' up that glass on the kitchen floor...better head down ta the hardware store get ah new pane of glass...best git at least two for extra if ya be playin' with us.

As the pair approached the front steps Ennis turned to Jack.  "Jack....now don't ya be worrin' none....we'll git ya playin' real good in no time....you'll be fine....don't mind teachin' ya...you be a big help to those kids....make a baseball player outta you yet!"