The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[MaineWriter]

Hello drabblers,

Try these...

• social hour/coffee hour/fellowship time (ie, the get together time after church)
• Sunday funnies/comics
• ears

L

[mariez]

(I know, its been a while, well here is one, but been there before.)

The Wilderness

.  . . Yet he didn’t even ask her if she was okay.  . . .

.  .  .He had that happy, peaceful look on his face again.  He looked like he was having real nice dreams.  He never had that look when he was awake with her.  . . .

Hi ya, Marl - great to see one of your drabbles - I've missed you!    What a perfect title.  Thanks so much for bringing Cassie to life - you really understand her - and Ennis.  Has she been talking to you much lately?  (Hint, hint  )

Thanks,
Marie

[Lumière]

A little dabble ...


All that Chitchat

Alma brushed the sandwich crumbs from her floral-print, polyester skirt and sipped her creamy coffee.  The Church Hall hummed with life - people conversing and laughing; children playing as they snacked on cookies, leaving crumb trails as they chased after each other.  The social hour after every Sunday service was a great time to meet up with neighbors and catch up on local gossip.

“Your girls look taller every single time I see them, Alma!” Helen Barron exclaimed.  She was seated beside Alma, stuffing her chubby cheeks with  large bites of her chocolate-coated doughnut.  Alma smiled and looked at the girls playing with a group of children nearby.

“Yeah, they do grow fast, don’t they?” she said quietly.

“You should see my Toby!  Spittin’ image of his father these days,” she crooned.  “Speakin’ of fathers … How is Ennis doing?  Haven’t seen him in church these past weeks..” she popped the last bite of doughnut in her mouth and looked at Alma as if she was really concerned.

“Um, he’s doing fine.  Very busy as usual, ya know how it gets…what with him being a wrangler an’ all,” she managed a smile.

“Oh I know sweety, I know… Best to keep ‘em busy, otherwise you never know what they can get into..” she said, lowering her voice considerably.

“What d’ya mean?”

Helen looked around and leaned in closer, almost whispering into Alma’s ear, “You know Debbie Hunter, of course.  Well!  Her husband’s been seeing that Dillon woman at the other side of town!  Six whole months, imagine that!  Poor Debbie!  Everyone’s talking about it!”  She sat back and waited for Alma’s reaction.

“That’s too bad,” was all Alma could think to say.

“I know, the poor girl!” Helen continued.  “You don’t have ta worry ‘bout that kinda thing with your Ennis though!  I mean, he’s so quiet and hardworking!  Better thank your lucky stars ya got a man like ‘em!”

Alma smiled tightly and nodded quietly.  “I best be gettin’ back home now.”

She bid farewell to the ladies who were chatting away behind her and went to get the girls.  She thought on the nosy Barron woman as she and the girls stepped out of the hall.  If anyone ever found out the truth about Ennis... She dreaded the thought...

She hurried back... hoping that he’d be home from the fishing trip he'd made five days ago.

[Cameron]

Aw, thank you so much Marie. 
I guess Cassie and Ennis and everyone needed to go for a little vacation for a while. But maybe they are back for real. We'll see.  They did come back again today too.

M, so glad to see you here today with a wonderful drabble.

Marl

[Cameron]

Sunday Morning

(August 1980)
Ennis sat at the table with the Sunday comics in front of him.  He stared at them but he didn’t really see them at all.  But he sat there looking at them. He wasn’t really in the trailer.  He was up on the mountain, where he was just last Sunday, with Jack.  It was a warm day.  They were up almost the whole night, and then they got up and watched the sunrise.  The quarrel was all forgotten.  Jack had his arms around him.  He could feel Jack’s heart beating against him as he saw all the colors in the sky.

But suddenly it was Cassie standing right in front of him.  She was all dressed up, in a blue skirt and a crisp white blouse.  She was wearing little pearl earrings in her ears.  She never had them on before.

“Well, I am going now, you sure you’re not comin’?”

“You know I don’t go to church” Ennis replied.

“Well, you know I don’t go either” Cassie said, staring hard at him.  “But maybe you can come this once, with me.  It’s not everyday I have friends having their babies baptized.  Besides, maybe the social hour will be fun, you know, its good to talk to folks once in a while.”

Ennis looked up and stared at her.  It was Cassie, but it was just like Alma was talking to him.

“Are you sure?”  Cassie asked again.  “I really wish you would go.”

Ennis just shook his head.  Cassie left.  Ennis walked over to the door and looked out.  He walked around the trailer and looked up at the mountains. He stood there like that for a time.  He was up there again.  But then he heard cars passing by on the road.  He turned around and watched them.  Suddenly a red and white truck was passing by.  Ennis felt his heart skip a beat.  It seemed the truck was slowing down.  His heart jumped again.  But then the truck just drove by.

Ennis went back inside and sat back down at the table.  He stared at the comics again.  But he didn’t see them at all.

[mariez]

July 1978
.  .  . .
"Yer dad...he give me that same look...early in the mornin' .....sometimes...didn't  always light up easy at the crack o' dawn....Ya hungry?" .  . . .


"Sure musta been nice ...up here everyday just ta yerselves..... 

Great to see Ennis and Bobby again, Mark. . . .  "didn't always light up easy at the crack o' dawn....  That is so Ennis - can just hear him saying that.  I love how Bobby his trying to draw Ennis out about that summer - he's dying to know more, but knows that he has to be gentle about it. 

All that Chitchat

 . . . .Helen looked around and leaned in closer, almost whispering into Alma’s ear, “You know Debbie Hunter, of course.  Well!  Her husband’s been seeing that Dillon woman at the other side of town!  Six whole months, imagine that!  Poor Debbie!  Everyone’s talking about it!”  She sat back and waited for Alma’s reaction.  . . . .

"Chit-chat" indeed. This is a perfect little "filler" - exactly the kind of conversation I'll bet took place.  Perhaps the minister needs to give his flock a sermon on the evils of gossip, hmmm?   

 . . .Ennis looked up and stared at her.  It was Cassie, but it was just like Alma was talking to him.
 . . . .
. . . . Suddenly a red and white truck was passing by.  Ennis felt his heart skip a beat.  It seemed the truck was slowing down.  His heart jumped again.  But then the truck just drove by. . . 

Poor Cassie has no idea who she's dealing with, what she's up against - but she just keeps trying.  Really well done, Marl.  Glad they're talking to you again.

Thanks,
Marie

[Lumière]

Marl, this struck me ...

Ennis looked up and stared at her.  It was Cassie, but it was just like Alma was talking to him.

Poor Cassie.  Like Marie said, she had no idea what she was up against. 

Lovely drabbles, Marl!  Glad that you are bringing Cassie back to life, even if she isn't all that happy! 

[Lumière]

M, so glad to see you here today with a wonderful drabble.
Marl

"Chit-chat" indeed. This is a perfect little "filler" - exactly the kind of conversation I'll bet took place.  Perhaps the minister needs to give his flock a sermon on the evils of gossip, hmmm?   

Cheers Marl and Marie! 

Small town gossip must've been something that Alma dreaded, knowing what she knew.
Yeah, Marie, a sermon against gossiping is sorely needed here ..lol..

[Cameron]

Aw, thank you so very much, Marie and Millie,

Can I tell you again how much it means to me?
A whole lot!!!

Marl

[cwby30]

Evenin'. Sorry this is a few days' late...RL and all. 

*****************

Circle JE Ranch, April, 1995


Jack leaned against the counter, cup close to his lips, its steaming contents warming his face. His body felt like leaning, not sitting, this particular morning. Not an unusual occurrence. His eyes hadn’t focused completely, and he was enjoying the quiet stillness of the early morning.  Sun hadn’t made its appearance yet, but soon would, could tell by the shifting color of the sky outside the kitchen windows. He stifled a yawn, and took a sip.

‘Nothin' like a good cup a joe first thing in the mornin'.  Well, second best thing, anyway, next to wakin' up tangled in Ennis’ arms and legs. Well, third best thing, anyway, next to wakin' up with Ennis strokin' me and whisperin' inta my ear, and slowly…’

“Mornin', Jack. You’re up mighty early.” 

“Mornin' yourself, bud. Couldn’t get back to sleep.”

“I did. Worn out after that early exercise.”

“Humpf,” he replied with a smirk, followed by a smile, which was covered by a warm good morning you look beautiful even if your hair is sticking out all over the place and you taste like toothpaste and coffee kiss. 

“Where’s the coffee? Pot’s empty.”

“Over on the counter next to the stove, in that glass pot. Called a French press. Got it at Murchison’s  last weekend. Ya put in exactly three scoops of coffee…”

“Exactly?”

“Well, 'proximately, seein’s how I added some extra, just because, like I always do…and then ya fill it up with boilin'   water and put on the top. After awhile, ya push down on that thing there on top, pushes the grounds to the bottom. Then ya pour a cup. Simple, even you c’n do it.”

After taking sip, Ennis said, “Tastes good, reminds me a Brokeback, and our fishing trips. Looks like another thing I’m gonna like about the French.”

“Such as?”

“French press coffee pots…” arm around Jack’s waist, “…French roast coffee…” his coffee cup on the counter, “…French fries…” other hand putting Jack’s cup on the counter “…French Lace roses…” other hand now on the back of Jack’s neck, “…French bread…” lips brushing across a cheek towards their intended destination, “…but most of all, French kisses…” mouth covering mouth, getting as good as he gave. 

Coming up for air, arms around Ennis' neck, Jack added, “French last names…”

“Not French, Italian, told ya that b’fore.”

“Well, humor me, cowboy.”

“Done that already for a lotta years, rodeo.”

“Lookin' forward to a lot more, too.”

“You bet.”

And they stood holding each other as the rays of the morning sun slowly added their own warmth to the kitchen.