The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[ifyoucantfixit]

A BOYS DREAM

January 1952

Deep in slumber Ennis found warmth and comfort under the covers, laying in the stillness of the night. Tall trees, mountain peaks, clear streams paid visit in his dreams. And  most of all a tall, dark haired smiling young cowboy dancing around the campfire, side by side staring at the stars in the heavens,with endless tales of the rodeo, far away ranches,   wishes for a sweet life.

Jack in his bed under in square quilted cover sleep soundlessly at peace. A tall blond cowboy with hardly a word to say, sharing the warm summer breezes high in the mountains, with horses to call their own, just him and this cowboy no one else to mind. And he would make this cowboy speak words, dance by the fire and make him  laugh out loud, care for him, hold him close when it was cold. And he would no longer be alone, so far out on this ranch, where no one came to play.

 

     I love this Mark, and as always, you are such a close heart to them....you make them live in you,,,,janice

[Cameron]

(I decided to keep this name for a little while, but it's still me. Here is the next part of the Neighbor or Tom and Ennis)

After the Ride

(July 1985)
Tom kept driving faster and faster.  Ennis’s heart was pounding harder and harder.  Even though they were going up the mountain, the truck felt like it was going to go out of control.  It felt like the truck would fall off the mountain. “What the fuck is goin' on?”  Ennis yelled at Tom.  But Tom kept driving.

Finally Tom slowed down and then stopped the truck.  Ennis was struggling for air. Tom was sitting there calm.  Ennis tried to look around. They were as far up the mountain as the road would take them.  Ennis opened the window to get some air.  The wind was howling so loud Ennis heard it rattling in his head.  Then a crow was screaming at them.  Ennis looked around but he didn’t see the crow. 

“What the fuck was that?”  Ennis said, between gasps of air.

“I just want to teach ya a lesson.”

“Whaaaaaat?”  Ennis yelled. 

“I wanted ya to be really scared of somethin’, somethin’ real.” Tom replied

“Who the hell do ya think ya are?”  Ennis screamed, his face now red with fury.

But Tom said nothing more, he just sat there looking all calm and peaceful.

“Just go back now” Ennis said, his voice still shaking.

Tom drove back to the trailers.  Ennis went back to his without saying another word.  He made his own dinner, a frozen one.  Then he went to bed, covering himself with a blanket even though it was July.

Ennis dreamed of Jack that night.  They were at the lake.  Jack was yelling at him, just like he did that last time.  Ennis couldn’t stand to listen to him.  But suddenly Jack stopped yelling and held out his arms saying softly, “I’m sorry Ennis, this has all been a big misunderstandin.’”  Ennis went right into his open arms….

But then Ennis woke all wet from sweating.  He got dressed and went to the ranch, still feeling shakey all day.  He never liked surprises.  Especially when he was just starting to feel comfortable.

When Ennis got home Tom was waiting for him, sitting on the step.  “Ennis, maybe I was way out of line.”  Tom said, as he stood up.  “Just let me explain.”

But Ennis just walked right by him and opened the door to his trailer.  He got a beer and steadied himself by the sink.  He was still shaking and sweating, like he was all day.

[Lumière]

(I decided to keep this name for a little while, but it's still me. Here is the next part of the Neighbor or Tom and Ennis)

After the Ride

Tom drove back to the trailers.  Ennis went back to his without saying another word.  He made his own dinner, a frozen one.  Then he went to bed, covering himself with a blanket even though it was July.

We all need a security blanket from time to time, even if it is literally .. 
Cheers Marl.

~M

[Cameron]

Hello Cameron,

I just happened to mosey back in here after several weeks and I found that this story has piqued my curiosity. Where can I find the earlier parts?

Milo

Hey Milo, Thanks, I am glad.
The first part is right on page 59 called "The Artist", and the rest are right after that.

Marl

[Cameron]

We all need a security blanket from time to time, even if it is literally .. 
Cheers Marl.

~M

Thanks so much M,  poor Ennis

Your drabble is truly awesome today, poor Alma too
Cheers back to you
Marl

[mariez]

For Their Sakes ..

.  .  . She played it back over and over in her mind . . .

. . . maybe there was a very good reason for what she’d seen, like ...

Poor Alma - trying so hard to deny something that she can't forget.     You have such a great connection with so many characters, Milli. 

. . .
When Ennis got home Tom was waiting for him, sitting on the step.  “Ennis, maybe I was way out of line.”  Tom said, as he stood up.  “Just let me explain.”
. . . 

I think I understand what Tom was doing, but . . . I'm anxious to hear what he has to say!  Great job, Marl. 

Thanks,
Marie

[MaineWriter]

Hi everyone,

Let's try these today.

• overdue
• incense
• M & Ms

L

[Cameron]

Needing to Know

(June 2003)
“You gotta explain this all to me” Ennis said to the artist the next night, when he went over.  The artist was outside as usual, this time working on a child.

“I am not ready to, I will tell you when I am” the artist flatly replied.

“Why are ya doin’ this to me?  I don’t get it!”  Ennis said, almost yelling.  “How the hell did ya get the postcards I sent Jack?  How the fuck do ya even know about Jack?”

But the artist didn’t say anything more.  He silently returned to this work.

Ennis sat down on a block of wood.  He stared at the artist again.  His skin looked even paler, his hair even lighter, his eyes even stranger in the light of the moon.  The light of the moon and the light from the new lamp now on the side of the yard.  Ennis sighed.  He didn’t know if any of it was real at all.  “I must be goin' crazy” he said out loud.

The artist went over to Ennis and gave him some tools.  Ennis spent the rest of the night working on the mountain.  It was growing larger.  But nothing more was said.  The next night Ennis went over again.  The artist was not outside.  Ennis walked all around the house.  He was about to go back to the truck, but then the door opened.

“Sorry” the artist said.  “I had things to do, please come inside.”

Ennis climbed the steps and went into the house.  There was a smell, a nice smell but none that Ennis never known before.  He looked around.  “Incense” the artist said, nodding to a vase of glowing sticks on the table.

“I don’t have much food” the artist said.  “But would you like some tea? Or maybe some candy?  There was a green bowl on the table filled with green M & M’s.

Ennis said “No, thank you.”  He sat down at the table and put his head in his hands.  He had one of those headaches again.  “I wish you would explain it all to me” Ennis said dejectedly.  “It doesn’t make sense at all.”

The artist sat down at the table too.  “You still miss him, don’t you?”

Ennis searched the pale eerie eyes, the pale, now sad looking face.  “Every minute of every day” he whispered.  “Seeing them, the postcards, ya know….”  Ennis then buried his face in his arms.  It never really was any better, in all those years.   Even those years with Tom.  The artist put a gentle hand on Ennis’s shoulder, and then began tenderly moving it across his back.  Ennis tried, he tried to hold it in, but he couldn’t this time at all.

“An explanation is long overdue” the artist whispered near Ennis’s ear.  “I so hope it helps you.”

[fernly]

Overdue

        “Come on, Bobby,” Jack raised his voice enough to carry down the hall. “Make sure you get all your books.”
        There was no answer, just some thuds and what sounded like a muffled Goddamnit.
        “Bobby Twist, what have your momma and I told you about usin’ language like that?”
        “Sorry, Dad,” came the answer.
        His son’s voice sounded rueful, but Jack figured that was more from being caught swearing than any actual remorse about it. His son was real determined about most things.
        “Do you need some help?”
        “I can’t find the last...” there was a muttered word Jack didn’t quite catch, “...book. There’s supposed to be six, just like how old I am.”
        Jack got to his son’s door, his own books in one hand, the other jangling his keys, in time to see Bobby backing out from under the bed, not a speck of dust on him. One thing Lureen and his ma had in common, they cleaned everything. Not an inch of their houses didn’t get scrubbed, dusted, and organized. But then Lureen used some of her left-over energy to decorate every available surface, while his ma left everything pared down to the bone. Not that she had any choice.
        “Dad,” Bobby was tugging at his sleeve.
        “Sorry,” Jack brought his attention back to the grinning boy.
        “Look, I found it!”
        “Allright, then, let’s get goin’. You want to renew any of them?”
        Bobby shook his head. “No way. I don’t want the same books for two more weeks. Can’t we get new ones?”
        “Sure we can.”
        “Maybe some about Wyoming? When do I get to go to Wyoming with you and see your ranch? I want to see Granma and Grandpa Twist. I want to ride Buck.”
        “Someday, Bobby.” Jack plopped Bobby’s hat down on his head, and turned him toward the door, as he tucked his own books under his arm, the ones he’d requested special from the ag college library, about intensive ranching, the ones Lureen assumed were for some vague far-off retirement plans, not an overdue dream held as hard and close in him as his bones.




and overdue thanks to Milli and Marie for their kind words about recent drabbles 

and big thanks to all the writers here for their work - it's such a treat to read all these stories   

[jpwagoneer1964]

April 11, 1978

"Dad...can I go with you fishin' this time...? Pleeease...." Jack looks back at his son standing in the doorway as he tosses another shirt in his travel bag.

"Bobby..you know you have school next week....can't take you outta school just ta go on some dumb fishin' trip..."

Bobby looks down, crestfallen. Jack sees.

"Look...Bobby, ya can't be missin' school...." Bobby walks over to his dad put an arm around his waist, Jack put hand on his head.

"Bobby....when is your spring break?"

Bobby lites up. "Starts a week from Friday...got half day schedule."

"Show me on the calendar." The pair walk to a 'Newsom Farm Equipment' calendar on the wall. "See dad."

"Tell you what.....How 'bout I have your mama put you on a airplane...I'll pick you up in Casper...You can leave that Friday afternoon or Saturday at the latest...You 'n me c'n do some campin' fishin'...'n maybe it time ya met yer other grandparents.....I know your grandmama would really like ta se you.....would you like that?"

Bobby is beaming. "Would I! And fly on a plane!.....Dad you the best!"