Author Topic: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!  (Read 1178253 times)

Offline TH

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« Reply #970 on: April 07, 2007, 11:51:06 am »
A chocolate Easter Bunny, coloured eggs, crocuses and a heel of ham.  His girls were coming!

(words:  16)
I know you think I know that you know what you think I said.
Know you what you think I know you know is not what I meant?

Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #971 on: April 07, 2007, 01:21:10 pm »
The Explanation Continued

(July 2003)
Ennis looked at the artist.  He was sitting at the table with his head down.  The incense had almost burned down to the end.  The artist was now paler than anyone he had ever seen.  Paler than he thought a person could be.  It was almost the early hours of the morning. 

Oh, that's intriguing - the incense has burned down, the night is ending, and the artist is paler than ever . . . love how you tied these together, Marl.   Creates quite an image.


Sorry?  Would we all be Brokies if we didn't love angst........?
 
:D
Marl 

Ain't that the truth?  LOL!


.  .  .Would have been fine, but he didn't want them. . . . 

Damn. I love a perfectly written sentence (and a perfectly written drabble, for that matter  :)).


   Alma said "No" to his having the girls.  He threw the chocolate Easter Bunny, eggs and crocuses behind the trailer, turned on his heel and went back to work. 

(words:  29)


A chocolate Easter Bunny, coloured eggs, crocuses and a heel of ham.  His girls were coming!

(words:  16)

TH, these "concentrated" drabbles are terrific.  Maxium effect from a minimal number of words.


.  .  .
Junior giggled. Ennis’s eyes met his wife’s; whew was the look he gave her.

Alma shrugged lightly. “I never read it, either, Ennis.”   

That's so sweet - it's nice seeing Alma and Ennis as a team, here.  This makes me want to dig out The Velveteen Rabbit, which I know is in a box somewhere in my basement, and read it again.

Thanks,
Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline Cameron

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #972 on: April 07, 2007, 02:17:03 pm »
(I don't mean to keep dribbling this out in drabbles.....but it just keeps happening this way.)

After the Call

(July 2003)
The artist got up from the table, got some water, slowly drank it, and sat back down.  He took the black and tan scarf back from Ennis, and twisted in his hands.  He continued explaining.  “I went to see him as soon as he called.  I never heard him sound like that before.  It was a little more than two years ago, two since he left.  It was in the early spring, when I got there.  I saw crocuses blooming all over, and Easter bunnies in the windows of the stores in town.  Those bothered me.”

“He picked me up at the airport.  I was shocked when I saw him.  He lost a lot of weight.  He was just skin and bones.  He looked as if he hadn’t stopped crying for days.  He came right into my arms when I got off the plane, and we stayed that way for a long time, right there in the airport.”

“He told me that his mother had just been in an accident, she didn’t make it.  But that was almost was a blessing because she was sick anyway, that was why he left New York, to take care of her.  He didn’t tell me that before.  But still he was all broken up.”

Ennis stood up and walked around the kitchen.  He turned on the faucet and washed his hands in the cool water.  He looked out of the window, it was fully light out.  That didn’t matter, he went to the ranch when he pleased.  He turned and leaned back on his heels.

“I still can’t understand, what does it have to do with me?” Ennis asked again.  He was real tired now and wide awake too.

The artist held out the scarf to Ennis across the room.  “His mother gave him the scarf, when she was pretty sick, but before the accident.  He never saw it before.  She said that she put it away for years.  She couldn’t bear to see it.  But she wanted him to have it.  He gave it to me. He said it was very special. That’s why he gave it to me, just before I left.” 

Ennis sat back down at the table “Ya didn’t get back together?”

The artist looked directly at him.  “No, I could have stayed, maybe, if I had wanted to.”  He folded and unfolded the scarf in his hands.  “I must have been crazy to leave and not try, but when I was with him again, by then it seemed it wouldn’t be right.  Maybe he changed, maybe I did.  Maybe I learned how to be on my own, for real.”  His voice grew softer “I don’t know, I don’t, but I had to go, I now had something that I had to do.  It was more important than being with him at the time.”  The artists’ pale eyes glowed brightly in his nearly white face, reflecting the light now streaming in from the window.

“What could have been more important?"  Ennis asked, thinking of missed chances.

“Finding you” the artist replied.


« Last Edit: April 08, 2007, 04:27:30 pm by Cameron »



Offline Penthesilea

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #973 on: April 07, 2007, 03:48:19 pm »
Note: I have no idea where in Wyoming oil fields can be found. I picked the name Auburn for the simple reason that I like it's sound.


Easter Sunday

Ennis put on the new jeans he had bought for this occasion and the shirt Junior had given him for his birthday. He didn't want to meet this guy, but there was no sense in delaying the inevitable. He was gonna be his son-in-law soon.

The restaurant was classy, more than Ennis could have afforded and probably more than Junior and this Kurt could afford. Ennis remembered what a nervous wreck he was when he had to ask Alma's father for his bleessing for their wedding. If this Kurt was gonna ask him formally? Probably not. Different times.

The guy raised respectfully when Ennis reached their table.

"Kurt Aguirre." he introduced himself.

A wave of panic flushed Ennis. He wanted to turn on his heels and leave on the spot. Instead, he managed to shake the boy's hand and exchange the usual civilties.

When he had his beer in front of him, Ennis asked "So, Kurt, you're from around here?"

"No sir. I'm from Signal, but now I live and work on the oilfields near Auburn."

Signal. Ennis began to sweat. He had to know. He couldn't leave it to chance to meet Joe Aguirre at his daughter's wedding.

"Your father's also on the oilfields?"

Kurt laughed "No sir, he wouldn't go near 'em. He owns a sheep operation. Although he's practically retired now."

"A sheep operation in Signal? What's his name?"

"Daddy." Junior was taken aback. It wasn't her daddy's way to be so nosy and intrusive.

"Joe Aguirre. You know him?"

Ennis ignored the question and excused himself to the restroom.


271 words)

Offline fernly

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #974 on: April 07, 2007, 04:20:39 pm »
Quote from: Penthesilea
"Kurt Aguirre." he introduced himself.

 :o

OMG

Good one, Chrissi!
on the mountain flying in the euphoric, bitter air

Offline jpwagoneer1964

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #975 on: April 07, 2007, 05:10:08 pm »
June 1987

 Looking out the window there was something familiar about the tall young dark haired cowboy as he turned his heel and walked toward the Riverton cafe entrance Ennis thought as he watched him speak to the waitress at the register. Ennis looks down at his soup, embarrassed at catching himself staring.

"Sir...Are you Mr. Del Mar." Ennis looks up, thinking maybe he's seeing a ghost. Before him this young cowboy is wearing the face of Jack Twist standing tall with that same stance he would never forget.

"Umm.." was all Ennis could get out.

"I sorry sir, I really didn't mean to startle you. I'm Bobby Twist....Jack was my dad." Bobby hold out his hand. Nearly in a trance Ennis "takes it as he rises to stand, still not believing his eyes, brought back to that day so many years ago in Signal for just a moment.

"Would it be okay if...I mean may I sit down sir?"

Ennis hardly able to speak." Yes...yes...please....Call me...call me Ennis....please"

Looking across at Ennis Bobby began to speak. "Sir...Mr.   I mean Ennis. Dad he spoke of you often...Always tellin' stories 'bout campin' huntin'.... He really....I mean.....I know who you were to him....He...he cared fer you an awful lot."

Ennis flinches, Bobby looks back assuring. "Its okay Mr. Del..Ennis.  The last time he ever took me camping....I used to bug him 'bout goin' on those fishin' trips..when I was 'bout ten he flew me up to Casper, met me there took me to meet by grandparents an my first camping trip up in the Big Horns..."

"Jack...your dad told me 'bout that...He...he met you after we'd been ta Pine Creek"

"I guess I knew even then not ta ask him anymore 'bout the fishing trips, but he always took me camping when I didn't have school. That...that last time he had a little to much to drink one night...told me 'bout meetin' up with you at Brokeback, the summer ya spent herdin' sheep...Said when he met up with ya again he wanted ta be with you, ranch up together, grandpa would give 'm the money...Told me you wouldn't do it...said you wouldn't leave your wife and girls, and didn't want him ta leave my mama 'n me....." Bobby looks down t the counter top. "Said he kept after you....but you never would..."

Ennis look at Bobby, doesn't quite know what to say.

"That's the reason I wanted ta meet you...Ennis....to thank you...If it weren't fer you might hardly of known my dad....can"t thank you enough."

"You needn't thank me none...Bobby. Your Dad was a real good man, we wuz good friends...besides.... Just didn't always think things through is all. He....he loved you very much....Don't think there's a way he'd ah ever really left...No ...not 'fore you wuz growed .....nohow"

Bobby smiled back at his new found uncle, none the less thankful for his savior.

« Last Edit: April 07, 2007, 06:43:57 pm by jpwagoneer1964 »
Thank you Heath and Jake for showing us Ennis and Jack,  teaching us how much they loved one another.

Offline Cameron

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #976 on: April 07, 2007, 08:46:23 pm »


Easter Sunday

.........
"Joe Aguirre. You know him?"

Ennis ignored the question and excused himself to the restroom.

Chrissie,

I agree with Fern, I also thought this a wonderful drabble! :D

Marl



Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #977 on: April 07, 2007, 11:28:25 pm »
. . .
“What could have been more important?  Ennis asked, thinking of missed chances.

“Finding you” the artist replied.   

MARL!!!!  (But I do understand that you have to write it as it comes!  :)  )


.  .  .
"Joe Aguirre. You know him?"

Ennis ignored the question and excused himself to the restroom.   

Wow.  Chiming in with Fern and Marl - this is great.  Took me by complete surprise -no wonder Ennis had to excuse himself!


. . .
Bobby smiled back at his new found uncle, .......

Aww, Mark - how I love watching this in my mind's eye - thanks for the image and the perfect picture.

What a great variety of perspectives, drabblers.  Thanks.
Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline jpwagoneer1964

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #978 on: April 08, 2007, 12:12:12 am »


Aww, Mark - how I love watching this in my mind's eye - thanks for the image and the perfect picture.

What a great variety of perspectives, drabblers.  Thanks.
Marie
Thanks Marie

There is more of that story to come!

Mark
Thank you Heath and Jake for showing us Ennis and Jack,  teaching us how much they loved one another.

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #979 on: April 08, 2007, 08:41:01 am »
Good morning all,

Try these today:

  • lilies
  • cave
  • white

L
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