The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[mariez]

And for today: 

• bungalow
• flood/floods
• rescue

Marie

[mariez]

Fathers and Sons

Jack pulled up in front of the little bungalow with a neatly trimmed lawn and overflowing flowerbeds. "There ya go."

"Thanks for the ride, sir, much appreciated."

"No problem.  Bye now."  He was about to put the truck in gear, but paused to watch as the front door opened and a man with salt-and-pepper hair hurried down the steps, the size of his grin equal to his son's. 

It was the first time he'd ever given a ride to a hitchhiker, but the time spent in conversation with the young man had made the long ride pass quickly and he'd enjoyed the company. As he looked upon the pair, arms slung comfortably over each other's shoulders, laughing together as they climbed the steps, he felt a pang of envy, and more than a little sadness, at the sight of a father and son who were so right with each other. 

~~~~~~~
150 Words

[mariez]

Happy Monday, all!  To start the week:

• proud
• polite
• passive

Marie

[jpwagoneer1964]

Late sping afternoon, 1991

TALKING SMACK

"Ya otta be careful lookin' inta the mirror so much." Ennis called out to Jack. " Might just crack on ya."

Jack faining hurt."Aw....just want ta be lookon' good for ya."

"Yeah?.....ya cover that mole on yer lip with the mustache of yours....best part of yer mug.....bet I havent seen fer 10 years."

ding-dong

Ya wanna get that Ennis...?  not quite done yet."

"Sure...wouldn't wanna take ya away from that mirror of yours."

Ennis finds Gabby, their ranch hands 5 year old daughter in tears in the doorway.

"Sweetheart..what's wrong honey?" Ennis scopes her up in his arms and sits her down on his lap in a front porch chair.

"You and uncle Jack...said bad words to....each othe.... " Gabby starts to cry.

"Whut?......" Ennis looks at her puzzled. "You mean when I called him a dumb sh....." Ennis catches himself.

"Are....are you mad with uncle Jack?"

"Oh....sweetheart.....oh no....." Ennis put his hands on her face wiping her tears with his thumbs.  "Me an yer uncle Jack aren't mad  darlin'....ya see that just the way we are with each other....we talk like ta another all day long, teasin' 'n all...from when we wake till we go to sleep at night...just our way we say I love you....." Ennis says without hesitation. "Ya don't need ta give it 'nother thought."

"All day?"

"Yep....All day sweetie." Ennis kisses her forehead. "You know sweetheart....when me an yer uncle Jack met...yer mamma and daddy wuz just little babies....no older than yer brother Nathen....That wuz a long long time ago.....we's know one 'nother a long time....we'll always be tagether darlin'.....just like yer mama and daddy."  Gabby looks up at Ennis and smiles. "Feel better now sweetheart?"

"Yes uncle Ennis."

"We better be gittin' ya back ta mama and daddy....HEY TWIST!" Ennis shouts as he stands up. "Ganna take Gabby back to the Collins' ...ya wanna come er what?"

Jack, silent in bare feet, standing invisible behind the old screen door, unable to speak.

"See that baby doll....Your Uncle's to busy combing that hair o' his ta even answer me." Ennis winks a Gabby, smiles, she smiles back. "Ya wanna shoulder ride back sweetheart?"

"Yea.....uncle Ennis!"

Jack looks on as Ennis walks away...little girl playing with his blond locks riding his broad shoulders ...tears rolling down his face.

.

[Front-Ranger]

You really have a gift, friend Mark! That made my day start so finely!! Thank you!

[mariez]

"Me an yer uncle Jack aren't mad  darlin'....ya see that just the way we are with each other....we talk like ta another all day long, teasin' 'n all...from when we wake till we go to sleep at night...just our way we say I love you....." Ennis says without hesitation.

So very, very true!! They always did have their own way of saying that.  Mark, it's great to see you, friend.  Your drabbles always brighten my day!

Marie

[mariez]

An Essential Truth

Looking back, there wasn't much in his life he took pride in.  His girls were the apples of his eye, of course – and good girls they were – polite and respectful.  Though truth be told, he probably had to give Alma, and maybe just plain luck, most of the credit for that.

But when the words came out of his mouth of their own accord as he looked Jack's father in the eye ….. I’d be proud to….he recognized the essential truth of them at once.

He was damn proud to call Jack Twist his friend, and he always would be.

~~~~~~~
100 Words

[cwby30]

"Are....are you mad with uncle Jack?"

"Oh....sweetheart.....oh no....." Ennis put his hands on her face wiping her tears with his thumbs.  "Me an yer uncle Jack aren't mad  darlin'....ya see that just the way we are with each other....we talk like ta another all day long, teasin' 'n all...from when we wake till we go to sleep at night...just our way we say I love you....." Ennis says without hesitation. "Ya don't need ta give it 'nother thought."

"All day?"

"Yep....All day sweetie." Ennis kisses her forehead. "You know sweetheart....when me an yer uncle Jack met...yer mamma and daddy wuz just little babies....no older than yer brother Nathen....That wuz a long long time ago.....we's know one 'nother a long time....we'll always be tagether darlin'.....just like yer mama and daddy."  Gabby looks up at Ennis and smiles. "Feel better now sweetheart?"

"Yes uncle Ennis."

Evenin', jp

Well, short, simple and to the point, that's Ennis.  And like how the kids call them 'uncle', growing up accepting them as together.  Always enjoyable to find one of yours to read.

Thanks again. 

[mariez]

Okay, let's see if we can get something started with these:   

• seesaw
• ponytail
• rubber band

Marie

[stonebiscuit]

Distance

The girls sat together on one end of the seesaw, ponytails flopping with the gentle up and down motion. Ennis smiled gently from the opposite end. Alma stood quietly in the doorway of the cramped laundry apartment admiring her little family. They were happy, she said to herself, although the image of the man in the red shirt was again on her mind like a rubber band snapping back against a red finger.

A breeze shifted slightly over the grass making it wave to the trees. Aguirre rode across the remains of a campsite, the ground still ashen. He was happy, he said to himself, although the the image of two boys was again on his mind, snapping back like a rubber band against a red finger.