Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[richardg49]

Do I get to go first? Must be one of the advantages of being an antipodean!

One of the excellent 'running jokes' all through the book is those phone calls Ellery keeps getting from Bill, always coming at an inconvenient moment, the moments becoming increasingly inconvenient as the story goes on. Here we get a typical full-on example of 'Ellery-speak', from Chapter44:


“If that is Bill I’m hangin up.” He strode over to the telephone. “Hello? Well, if it isn’t Bill Early.” Ennis stopped eating, but stayed seated, his fingers bunching into fists.

“Thank you kindly for that apology Bill. I forgive you.” His voice paused. “No, you can’t come over an apologize in person, an no I ain’t alone if that’s the real question. I am dining right now with a friend and would like to get back to it.” Another brief pause. “No it is not any of yer fuckin business, and if you want another black eye you just come right on down an I am sure Ennis would love to give you one. Now that answers yer other question. Good bye Bill.” He hung up and strode back into the kitchen. “Fuckin Bill,” he sighed.

What's especially good about this is that you can easily work out what it is that Bill must be saying at the other end, and exactly what is the real reason for the call: he's filled with suspicion and jealousy of Ellery's developing relationship with Ennis. I had totally missed this in the previous two readings I have made of the story. Bill was interested in Ennis and offered him $100 so that he would stay at the Red Stallion over the weekend, not really to look after Pete, but so that he (Bill) could have the opportunity to seduce Ennis. No wonder he's so frequently calling Ellery - Ellery has 'stolen' Ennis away from him before he had a chance to do anything.

[louisev]

I wasn't sure that many people got the "running joke" nature of Bill's ever-more-inconvenient phone calls... but it was a good buildup to when Wayne eventually showed up and he got all of the Bill-wrath that had been stewing for the entire first book!

[louisev]

chapter 42: 

Ennis swallowed down the remains of his coffee, feeling slightly more awake. “Maybe if I had more schoolin an less ranchin I coulda done somethin like be a policeman.”

“You got a real good right hook Ennis, you could take down a perp in a bar brawl like a champ.”

Ennis grinned. “Bill shouldn’t a laid hands on ya, Ellery, that made me really mad.”

“Yer right about that boy. There’s only one man I want ta lay hands on me an I’m lookin at him. Want some more coffee or you ready ta get fancy again?”

Ennis blushed bright red at his use of the words and what they had come to stand for. “Might... need some rilin up fer that.”

Ellery stood up and came over, sliding a leg up over Ennis’s rubbing a hand up his bare back. “I got a whole lot a rilin in me, but we best get to it. It’s almost two an I got to get in the office by nine.”

“Shit, I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, it’s Tuesday mornin. I work Tuesdays. But at this rate, I think I’ll be takin off work early. You gonna stick around a couple a days?”

“Maybe more, thinkin bout that barbecue. No hurry if I just won a reward for the ring, that’s over two months pay fer me normally speakin.”

“I’ll bring in the ring an put in the claim, maybe get the money in a couple days.” Ellery bent down and brushed his lips against Ennis’s cheek. “You can stay as long as you like boy.... now come on, I got another jar a vaseline in there an I haven’t got off yet.”

[belbbmfan]

chapter 43 Reward

'Time to get a move on' Ennis thinks. And so he does. He does what Jack told him in his dream and calls Jack's mother, he buys new clothes, tells junior he loves her, cooks dinner. Looks like Ennis has turned a new leaf.

And this is my favorite line in this chapter:

“I died an went ta heaven. Whose this cowboy lyin here in my living room I wonder?” he said in a sultry voice.

 

(and thank god no one is going to make anymore remarks about the condition of ennis's old boots!)

[mariez]

chapter 43 Reward

'Time to get a move on' Ennis thinks. And so he does. He does what Jack told him in his dream and calls Jack's mother, he buys new clothes, tells junior he loves her, cooks dinner. Looks like Ennis has turned a new leaf.

And this is my favorite line in this chapter:

“I died an went ta heaven. Whose this cowboy lyin here in my living room I wonder?” he said in a sultry voice.

 

(and thank god no one is going to make anymore remarks about the condition of ennis's old boot!)

Good Morning all!  I was just about to hit the reply button when I got the notification of a new post - I was just about to quote the exact same line - may favorite, too! 

And then Ennis replies:

“Nobody special.”

Ennis's modesty is so endearing - and so dang sexy!  I could picture this scene in my mind's eye so perfectly!  Nothing like a cowboy in a tight pair of jeans! 

Great quotes this morning!

Thanks - Marie

[MaineWriter]

I love Ellery's expressions, "Christ on a crutch." LOL, where do these come from?

From Chapter 44:

Ennis waited for a few minutes, watching him eat, then got up and peered out the front window, the sun now casting long shadows from the hedges.

“If he’s gonna come he’s gonna come Ennis. We’ll deal with it when it happens.”

“You really don’t mind if I punch him again?”

Ellery came out to the living room and sidled up, running an appreciative hand over the seat of Ennis’s new Wranglers, squeezing slightly. “He’s a jealous bitch of a man, Ennis, an I ain’t gonna have him runnin ya off. Sure. Punch him as much as ya like. Just don’t get any important parts damaged in the process.” He slid another hand up Ennis’s chest and then down, giving his crotch a little squeeze. “If the coast is clear, I think I’m done with dinner.”

Ennis tore his eyes away from the window, taking a deep breath, and grabbed Ellery with both hands. “Yer rilin me up again boy.”

“Good deal, that was the plan.” And he tilted his head down slightly for the hard kiss he knew was coming next.



L

[MaineWriter]

I had forgotten just how much Bill was around in the first book. I remembered all the phone calls, of course (morning, noon, and night) but he was also showing up on Ellery's doorstep on a regular basis, like this exchange from Chapter 45:

“Ellery... I think we got ta talk about this. You know how I feel about you.”

“Yeah, you feel like you own me body an soul an bank account an I can’t have a fuckin life a my own an yer way a showin it was to destroy every lick a trust I ever had in you as a man by gettin some boy whore ta screw in my very own home. That I will forgive you for maybe in about 50 years or so.”

A small pause. “That was stupid a me, Ellery an I’m damn sorry.”

“It is way too late fer sorry, Bill. Any feelin I had for you died that day, an that was a long fuckin time ago. And it ain’t gonna happen. Not today, not next week, not in six months.”

“You don’t understand El, just listen. I can’t get over you. I can’t just let this drop, seein you get all moon eyed over some two bit ranch stiff with long legs an big brown eyes, it ain’t right. We should be together.”

“Bill, you are truly pissin me off. What part a it ain’t gonna happen didn’t you get?”

“El, we was meant ta be together. This guy can’t mean this much ta you, come on now.”

Ennis had heard enough. He hurriedly wiped himself dry and slipped on his drawers and his new denims, making a point to put on his new white shirt as well, tucked it neatly, combed his fingers briefly through his hair and then came out to the door.

Bill hesitated when he saw Ennis and fell back a step as if expecting him to throw a punch. “We got ta try, El, we got ta work somethin out.”

“You ain’t listenin Bill. He said it was over an done an its over an done,” Ennis said, his voice cold.

Bill pointed, accusingly, at Ennis and looked beseechingly at Ellery. “What has he got I ain’t got? He’s a skinny, poor, broke down ranch stiff!”

Ennis gave Bill a warning look, eyes flashing, and felt a little better able to face that pointing finger in new, good fitting clothes.

“He’s a grownup, Bill. Yer a child. Furthermore, yer a child who won’t take no for an answer, and I ain’t a bowl a dessert. Now you get two choices, Bill. You can drive outta here right now and don’t call or come back and bother me, or I can have Lewis come down an take you into custody for harrassment and I can get a restrainin order tomorrow morning. Your choice Bill, before Ennis here gets a fist made.”

L

[David]

All I can say to Ennis is......"Duck!"

Beware the fist that incures the fistula!   

Damn legbone....

[louisev]

All I can say to Ennis is......"Duck!"

Beware the fist that incures the fistula!   

Damn legbone....

damn legbone indeed, because this is about the time the legbone is incurred!

[mariez]

"Bill pointed, accusingly, at Ennis and looked beseechingly at Ellery. “What has he got I ain’t got? He’s a skinny, poor, broke down ranch stiff!”


"Why, he's got Mr. Coyote, Bill, that's what!"   

(But I guess even Ellery doesn't know that yet, does he?)   But he will soon enough!

Reading with 20/20 hindsight is a different experience - but fun!  Takes away some of the suspense - but the upshot is that I concentrate more on smaller details!

Thanks - Marie