Author Topic: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!  (Read 1183226 times)

Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #2810 on: April 30, 2008, 09:56:10 pm »
May 1989

3AM

Aww, the 3 A.M. "dooms" I call those.  I'm sure glad they have each other when that happens!  :) Thanks, Mark!


Riding through the notch in the forested hills, they gazed at the ranch spread across the green valley floor before them.  As a rule, he kept his emotions in check, but not now, not riding up here alone with his one and only. Ours, he thought, with his heart swelling, not bad for a rodeo fuckup and a dirt-poor orphan. Sure am glad I said 'yes, sir' and not 'no way in hell' last time he asked about that sweet life.  Laughing he spurred Cigar Butt and yelled, "Beat ya home!" "Not a chance," Jack yelled back, urging Twister forward. 

Nicely done, as always, cwby - thanks for the smile!

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 mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #2811 on: April 30, 2008, 09:59:18 pm »
No Way

Ennis watched quietly as the foreman's son rolled his eyes at his father and mumbled a reply indicating he'd do things his own way.

Rick shook his head as his son walked off.  "They get that age, think they know better than their old man.  Guess we all did, though, huh?"

Ennis shrugged.  His own father was long dead by the time he'd reached that age, but he couldn't imagine he'd ever have responded with anything other than "Yes, sir" or "No, sir," let alone tell his daddy he was wrong.  Some things you just did not do. 

No way.

~~~~~~~
100 Words
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 #2812 on: May 01, 2008, 04:19:55 pm »
A Snowy January Morning, 1990

Ennis and Jack have taken a load of firewood to their neighbor, the widow Callahan. Ennis's eyes are open wide at the freshly baked apple pie Mrs. Callahan handed him.

"Sure do thank you ma'am."

"Can't tell you how much I appreciate you boys keeping supplied with wood fer the winter."

"Cut down a whole forest of trees fer one of these pies ma'am." Ennis said.

"You boys got plenty of wood for yourselves on a day like today?"

"Yes ma'am" They both said in unison.

"Now you boys better go home...secure you animals...get inside...by the fire...enjoy your day."

Both Ennis and Jack looked questioningly at  Mrs. Callahan. She  gave a warm smile and  winked."Mr. Callahan and I would enjoy staying in on a day like this....wouldn't waste  it...we were  married 62 years. Now you boys run on home....stay by the fire...ya hear!"

"Yes ma'am." Ennis and Jack echoed as the tipped their hats.

« Last Edit: May 01, 2008, 07:28:22 pm by jpwagoneer1964 »
Thank you Heath and Jake for showing us Ennis and Jack,  teaching us how much they loved one another.

Offline cwby30

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Re: Baked Apple Pie
« Reply #2813 on: May 02, 2008, 03:29:34 pm »
Afternoon, jp.

Well, can smell that pie all the way over here!  Good friends, good neighbors after all these years living on the Ranch. And good advice from the Widow Callahan. 

Like your Drabbles about their life, as with the other longer stories you've written.  Recall a series of three or so Drabbles last Fall about a dance. Last I remember, the guys were in the truck heading to the dance.  Any more on that? 

Thanks again. 

Offline mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #2814 on: May 05, 2008, 12:11:10 pm »
Both Ennis and Jack looked questioningly at  Mrs. Callahan. She  gave a warm smile and  winked."Mr. Callahan and I would enjoy staying in on a day like this....wouldn't waste  it...we were  married 62 years. Now you boys run on home....stay by the fire...ya hear!"

Everyone should have a neighbor like Mrs. Callahan.  That was sweet.  Thanks, Mark.

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 mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #2815 on: May 05, 2008, 12:19:05 pm »
Some small prompts to start the week  :)

  • bad
  • sad
  • mad

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 mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #2816 on: May 06, 2008, 02:44:02 pm »
Lessons

Sage, Wyoming
1950

He looked over at his older brother who was sleeping soundly, mouth wide open and his bruised jaw wet with drool.  He'd sure got him good – first in the outhouse, then on the stairs, and again before bed.

His daddy had slapped his back, told him he was proud, so why did he feel so bad? He didn't have the words to describe how he'd felt when his small fist connected with K.E.'s jaw after laying in wait, but he did know that when he was done and K.E. was doubled over, sniffling and crying, wiping the blood from his face, he was no longer mad, he was just sad.

~~~~~~~
110 Words
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 mariez

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Re: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!
« Reply #2817 on: May 09, 2008, 12:43:38 pm »
Hi everyone!  Let's see if these prompts can inspire some drabbles:

  • straight and narrow
  • rabble rouser
  • kick the bucket

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 cwby30

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Re: Scared
« Reply #2818 on: May 09, 2008, 06:19:50 pm »

Before he met Jack Twist, he'd always trod the straight and narrow, eyes down, doing his job, no questions, knowing his lot in life, not a rabble rouser unless someone started in on him.  When he met Jack Twist, he'd looked up into deep blue eyes, and saw another life before him, one that scared him. But the thought of life without Jack scared him more.  Their argument last month cut him to the core.   So, it was time to say and do some things that needed saying and doing before one of them kicked the bucket and it would be too late.  He picked up the phone and dialed Childress for the second time in his life. 

[118 words... will take the extra off the next time!]

Offline mariez

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Re: Scared
« Reply #2819 on: May 13, 2008, 12:54:57 pm »
Before he met Jack Twist, he'd always trod the straight and narrow, eyes down, doing his job, no questions, knowing his lot in life, not a rabble rouser unless someone started in on him.  When he met Jack Twist, he'd looked up into deep blue eyes, and saw another life before him, one that scared him. But the thought of life without Jack scared him more.  Their argument last month cut him to the core.   So, it was time to say and do some things that needed saying and doing before one of them kicked the bucket and it would be too late.  He picked up the phone and dialed Childress for the second time in his life. 

[118 words... will take the extra off the next time!]

Another excellent (and heartbreaking) drabble, cwby!  Thanks (and I don't think there was any "extra", I wouldn't have changed a word  ;))

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