After about an hour the boys finally showed up at Cecilia's door. There were three of them and they were big boys. Just right for moving Wendell. She was so grateful to them for their help that she offered to send them home with the cake that she had made that morning. They told her they were headed into town so they would stop by later and pick it up.
After the boys left Cecelia tried to make Wendell comfortable. She took off his shoes and tried to decide if she should undress him. She had never seen Wendell without his clothes. He always bathed while she was in her room sleeping or doing something in the kitchen. She found herself feeling very self-conscious.
She decided that he was not going to be out much longer so she did not need to undress him. He would wake up in time to play the piano for her while she read. She was going to miss his help with the laundry though.
Cecelia decided to get started on rewashing the sheets that she had washed earlier that morning. The dust had settled and the sun was blazing so hopefully they would dry quickly.
As she worked she tried to occupy her mind with the mundane chores of the day. After she finished the laundry she really needed to make lunch for her and Wendell. Oh Wendell, surely he would be up by lunch time right?
She hung the clothes on the line for the second time that day and decided to go and check on Wendell. She had decided to make his favorite lunch instead of sandwiches. She felt so bad about him falling. It was her fault after all. She should have picked up those pieces of glass. She looked down at her hand as she thought of picking up the glass. Picking up small things was just so hard with only four fingers. She tried not to dwell on her problems. No reason to dwell, right?
She opened the front door and started to walk back to Wendell's room and heard his heavy footfall. Thank goodness, he was alive, and awake.
"Wendell, where are you?" Cecilia called.
"Cece, I am in the back of the house. I will be up there in a minute."
Cecilia walked into the kitchen and began cutting up the chicken she had been saving for the dinner on Sunday. She decided to fry it up for lunch. Wendell loved fried chicken. She also found a few potatoes and decided to make a potato salad instead of mashed because Wendell loved her potato salad so much. She had some beans left over from the night before and put those on the stove to heat them up as well. Wendell would be so pleased.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Muse
The storm began to pick up and Cecilia watched the funnel cloud swirl around the yard. Luckily, it did not come close to the house. As she continued to watch she saw that it was headed for the neighbors to the south. They had been hit more than three times. Hopefully, this one wouldn't do too much damage.
As the storm began to settle she began to worry about Wendell. He still had not stirred since she had pulled him across the threshold. Cecilia allowed herself to begin to dwell in the what ifs that she could feel at the back of her consciousness. They had just been a wisp of a thought five minutes ago when she was caught up in watching the storm, but now they were getting bigger and moving with more force through her mind.
What if Wendell didn't wake up? What would she do? She could not work this land by herself. She was lost without Wendell in more ways than one. She had never spent a day apart from him. He had always been there. Cecilia never knew where he had come from. He was not her brother, but he had always lived with her and she had never asked her mother about where he came from. Cecelia wasn't even sure that Wendell knew. She made a mental note to ask him when he woke up. She also made a note to tell him how much she appreciated him and loved him when he woke up, if he woke up.
Just then, her swirling thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. She moved as quickly as she could into the kitchen where the phone was.
"Hello," Cecelia answered. It was her neighbor to the South, Ann.
"Cece..I am just calling to make sure you and Wendell are okay. We watched the tornado swirl around the property. Luckily, it missed your house and ours." Ann said.
"Well, as far as damage I think we are okay. But, Wendell fell on the porch right before the storm and still has not woken up. I barely got him moved in before the storm started. Can you send the boys over here to help get him to the bed."
"I will send the right over, but Cece you need to call the doc to come out." Ann implored.
"I am going to wait. I think he will just wake up and when he does he will be embarrassed. I don't want him to be embarrassed in front of doc."
"Okay, the boys will be there soon." Ann hung up.
Cecelia poured herself a glass of tea and sat down in the living room to wait for the boys. Hopefully, they would be able to get Wendell into his bedroom and in bed. That should help.
As the storm began to settle she began to worry about Wendell. He still had not stirred since she had pulled him across the threshold. Cecilia allowed herself to begin to dwell in the what ifs that she could feel at the back of her consciousness. They had just been a wisp of a thought five minutes ago when she was caught up in watching the storm, but now they were getting bigger and moving with more force through her mind.
What if Wendell didn't wake up? What would she do? She could not work this land by herself. She was lost without Wendell in more ways than one. She had never spent a day apart from him. He had always been there. Cecilia never knew where he had come from. He was not her brother, but he had always lived with her and she had never asked her mother about where he came from. Cecelia wasn't even sure that Wendell knew. She made a mental note to ask him when he woke up. She also made a note to tell him how much she appreciated him and loved him when he woke up, if he woke up.
Just then, her swirling thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. She moved as quickly as she could into the kitchen where the phone was.
"Hello," Cecelia answered. It was her neighbor to the South, Ann.
"Cece..I am just calling to make sure you and Wendell are okay. We watched the tornado swirl around the property. Luckily, it missed your house and ours." Ann said.
"Well, as far as damage I think we are okay. But, Wendell fell on the porch right before the storm and still has not woken up. I barely got him moved in before the storm started. Can you send the boys over here to help get him to the bed."
"I will send the right over, but Cece you need to call the doc to come out." Ann implored.
"I am going to wait. I think he will just wake up and when he does he will be embarrassed. I don't want him to be embarrassed in front of doc."
"Okay, the boys will be there soon." Ann hung up.
Cecelia poured herself a glass of tea and sat down in the living room to wait for the boys. Hopefully, they would be able to get Wendell into his bedroom and in bed. That should help.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Muse
Wendell bounded up the stairs carrying the basket of clothes. It was so full with the sheets that he wasn't looking down. His boot heel hit the shards of glass that had fallen from the table when Cecilia had stood up to get the wash off the line in the yard. The big man went down with a loud crash. Cecilia did not see him slip, but heard him hit the porch.
At first it was quite comical. She had to suppress her laughter. Wendell was so clumsy for someone who could play the piano with such a fluid grace that she had never witnessed. But, then as she started to walk toward him she noticed that he wasn't getting up. The wind was picking up behind her and she knew they had to get inside or they would be caught in the storm.
"Wendell, get up! We have to get in the house. I know you hurt your pride, but we have to move fast."
Cecilia continued walking toward the porch and when she finally reached the steps she noticed that Wendell was very still. Too still. She felt a panic rising up through her entire body that just seemed to burst open when it reached her chest.
She put down the basket she had been carrying in from the yard. Time seemed to stop. Everything began to swirl around her. The dust had finally made it in from the prairie. As she bent down to look at Wendell, so many thoughts began to hit her all at once. What was she going to do? How was she going to get Wendell inside? What would she do without Wendell?
Cecilia reached out to touch his throat just to check and see if he had a pulse. A wave of relief swept over her like a hot shower. She could feel the strong pulse that she had felt so many times when he bent down to kiss her on the forehead. He was alive, but why wasn't he moving?
She realized that Wendell had probably hit his head on the corner of the steps. She gingerly lifted his head to see if he had hurt himself, and then she saw it. The glass that had fallen when she had stood up earlier. Why hadn't she stopped to pick that up? This was all her fault, but there was not time to dwell in that self-pity. There would plenty of time later to think about all the things she should have done.
She didn't see any blood and she decided that was a good sign. The dust was starting to cover everything around her including her face. Pretty soon she was not going to be able to see. She needed to get Wendell inside.
She walked around to his feet and began to pull. He was big and Cecilia was not. Wendell had grown to be about six foot five inches tall. This was almost two whole feet taller than Cecilia and he out weighed her about 100 hundred pounds. After what seemed like hours, Cecilia finally got him across the threshold of the house. She still needed to get him the rest of the way in so she could shut the door to the dust outside. She continued pulling him into the house and finally got him in far enough to shut the door. She ran outside to get the wash, and the tea pitcher she had been using. Luckily, it had not fallen and broken as well. That would have been a mess she did not want to clean up.
Just as she walked into the house with the last basket and shut the door to the storm she walked over to the window and noticed the funnel cloud off in the distance.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Muse
Cecilia sat on the porch drinking iced tea and watching the wash that she had hung on the line blowing in the wind. She noticed that wind had picked up in the last few minutes. This concerned her only because she also knew that her wash was not dry yet. She would have to get it off or wash it all again because of the dust. There would be a dust storm this afternoon. She would not have to wait much longer.
She stood up quickly and grabbed her basket. In her haste she had knocked her glass down and it shattered across the porch. She had to move fast to get the wash, the glass would have to wait. She looked out into the field and saw Wendell stand up. He began to walk toward the house. Cecilia hoped that he would remember that she had put the wash out this morning because it would take her a long time to get it all in the basket.
She had been in the mood to wash their clothes, the sheets, and the kitchen curtains. She had planned to wash the sitting room curtains this afternoon, but if the storm was long that would not happen. She began to pull the clothes off the line quickly hoping to beat the storm, but could feel the wind picking up faster now. The storm was coming and quickly. That usually meant that it would be followed by a thunderstorm and possible a tornado. They had never had a tornado touchdown on their property, but the people down the road had. So she and Wendell had been able to watch the funnel cloud close-up.
Just as she started on the sheets, Wendell came running up. "Cec, I think this is going to be a big one. I could see it off in the distance when I got up to come in. We better hurry and get in the house."
Cecilia and Wendell began pulling the sheets and curtains off the line. Cecilia was cursing the dirt. Now she would have to rewash everything. All her morning work was spoiled. She would have to do it all over again. She had been hoping to get finished early today and sit down and read while Wendell played the piano in the sitting room. Now her work would go on into the night and she would not have time to read before dark.
While Cecilia was lost in angry thoughts Wendell got everything else off the line. As if he had been reading her mind he turned to her and said, "Cec, I will help you with the wash so you can read this afternoon."
"Thanks, Wendell. I really wanted to read that new book you brought me from town the other day."
" I know, let's hurry and get inside." Wendell said quickly.
She stood up quickly and grabbed her basket. In her haste she had knocked her glass down and it shattered across the porch. She had to move fast to get the wash, the glass would have to wait. She looked out into the field and saw Wendell stand up. He began to walk toward the house. Cecilia hoped that he would remember that she had put the wash out this morning because it would take her a long time to get it all in the basket.
She had been in the mood to wash their clothes, the sheets, and the kitchen curtains. She had planned to wash the sitting room curtains this afternoon, but if the storm was long that would not happen. She began to pull the clothes off the line quickly hoping to beat the storm, but could feel the wind picking up faster now. The storm was coming and quickly. That usually meant that it would be followed by a thunderstorm and possible a tornado. They had never had a tornado touchdown on their property, but the people down the road had. So she and Wendell had been able to watch the funnel cloud close-up.
Just as she started on the sheets, Wendell came running up. "Cec, I think this is going to be a big one. I could see it off in the distance when I got up to come in. We better hurry and get in the house."
Cecilia and Wendell began pulling the sheets and curtains off the line. Cecilia was cursing the dirt. Now she would have to rewash everything. All her morning work was spoiled. She would have to do it all over again. She had been hoping to get finished early today and sit down and read while Wendell played the piano in the sitting room. Now her work would go on into the night and she would not have time to read before dark.
While Cecilia was lost in angry thoughts Wendell got everything else off the line. As if he had been reading her mind he turned to her and said, "Cec, I will help you with the wash so you can read this afternoon."
"Thanks, Wendell. I really wanted to read that new book you brought me from town the other day."
" I know, let's hurry and get inside." Wendell said quickly.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Muse
Cecilia had always wondered why it was necessary for human beings to have five fingers on each hand when they could so easily survive with only four. She picked up her iced tea and wiped the sweat off the glass with her good hand. Cecilia knew that when she went into town everyone was staring at her “bad” hand. She was born with only four fingers on her right hand. This never really bothered her because she didn’t see the need for five fingers, unless she happened to be around people who did not understand. Everyone always looked at her with such pity in their eyes. But, Cecilia didn’t need their pity. You never use all of them anyway, she thought.
She took a long drink of her tea. The sweetness of the liquid filled her mouth and she held it there for just a moment to savor it. There really was nothing like iced tea. Her mama used to make the best sun tea in the summertime. She would fill up a pickle jar with water and place her homemade tea bags in the top of the jar with the pieces of thread hanging out of the lip and place the lid on the top. She said that the secret to good sun tea was to leave the lid unscrewed so that the air could get into the jar. Cecilia didn’t know if she quite believed this because she always closed the lid. Always. If she didn’t close the lid she was afraid that the gnats would fly in and she would accidentally swallow one.
Swallowing a gnat had to be Cecilia’s greatest fear. Along with stepping on the cracks in the porch, going up into the attic at night, down in the basement any time of the day or night, and losing Wendell. She sat and thought for a moment, no losing Wendell had to be her greatest fear. Gnats, cracks, basements, and attics aside it had to be Wendell. He had always been there. Ever since she could remember he had held her hand as she fell asleep at night, and greeted her every morning in his special way. He loved to sing her songs when there was a thunderstorm, and when the wind picked up and started blowing across the plain he would always sweep her up in his arms and carry her to the sitting room so she could watch the dust cloud come in from the south.
Why did it always come in from the south, she wondered? Even now she could feel the air getting dryer and dryer. They hadn’t had any rain in months. If it didn’t rain soon they would surely have a dust storm. Oh how she loved to watch the power in those things. The cloud would build and build until it seemed it would burst with pure dust. One time she was making sun tea out on the porch and saw the cloud coming in from the south like it always did and made it out to the porch just in time to rescue her favorite pickle jar. She knew that she wouldn’t have any tea that night, but being able to watch the storm from beginning to end was reward enough for her.
Wendell had come running in from the fields. He was so worried that she would walk out and try to get in the middle of the cloud. Cecilia had always wanted to be swept up. She remembered the look on Wendell’s face when she had told him. They were just kids sitting at mama’s feet in the sitting room and they heard the rumble that always comes before the dust and knew it was coming. Wendell was worried that she was afraid of the storm, but she had told him no, she was not afraid. She loved the dust storms. She imagined that her house would be swallowed up in the dust cloud and she would drift on the prairies forever with her mama and Wendell there by her side. No more bad hand, no more work for mama, and Wendell would be with her forever.
She took a long drink of her tea. The sweetness of the liquid filled her mouth and she held it there for just a moment to savor it. There really was nothing like iced tea. Her mama used to make the best sun tea in the summertime. She would fill up a pickle jar with water and place her homemade tea bags in the top of the jar with the pieces of thread hanging out of the lip and place the lid on the top. She said that the secret to good sun tea was to leave the lid unscrewed so that the air could get into the jar. Cecilia didn’t know if she quite believed this because she always closed the lid. Always. If she didn’t close the lid she was afraid that the gnats would fly in and she would accidentally swallow one.
Swallowing a gnat had to be Cecilia’s greatest fear. Along with stepping on the cracks in the porch, going up into the attic at night, down in the basement any time of the day or night, and losing Wendell. She sat and thought for a moment, no losing Wendell had to be her greatest fear. Gnats, cracks, basements, and attics aside it had to be Wendell. He had always been there. Ever since she could remember he had held her hand as she fell asleep at night, and greeted her every morning in his special way. He loved to sing her songs when there was a thunderstorm, and when the wind picked up and started blowing across the plain he would always sweep her up in his arms and carry her to the sitting room so she could watch the dust cloud come in from the south.
Why did it always come in from the south, she wondered? Even now she could feel the air getting dryer and dryer. They hadn’t had any rain in months. If it didn’t rain soon they would surely have a dust storm. Oh how she loved to watch the power in those things. The cloud would build and build until it seemed it would burst with pure dust. One time she was making sun tea out on the porch and saw the cloud coming in from the south like it always did and made it out to the porch just in time to rescue her favorite pickle jar. She knew that she wouldn’t have any tea that night, but being able to watch the storm from beginning to end was reward enough for her.
Wendell had come running in from the fields. He was so worried that she would walk out and try to get in the middle of the cloud. Cecilia had always wanted to be swept up. She remembered the look on Wendell’s face when she had told him. They were just kids sitting at mama’s feet in the sitting room and they heard the rumble that always comes before the dust and knew it was coming. Wendell was worried that she was afraid of the storm, but she had told him no, she was not afraid. She loved the dust storms. She imagined that her house would be swallowed up in the dust cloud and she would drift on the prairies forever with her mama and Wendell there by her side. No more bad hand, no more work for mama, and Wendell would be with her forever.
That's the end...
That is as far as I can go with The Heist right now. I will try to write more later, but the ending is just not working for me. I have started a couple of other stories. I have the first part for a new one to publish. This is really my problem. Things seem to go and on for me and I can't wrap them up and bring good closure. UGH! Probably because I don't make an outline and I don't know how the story is going to develop until I actually write that part. I hope you enjoy this next story.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Heist
Frank started walking toward the group. He has known that Smalls would be here since he sent him an anonymous tip about Les walking. Smalls didn't care if Les walked, but he did care if he walked with his share of the money. When Frank mentioned that, Smalls had almost choked on the food he was eating while they were on the phone. Frank thought he was going to have to call 911 for the big man.
He had also known that this would be the best way to get Les out of the tunnels. To make sure he knew where he would be. Frank still needed to go down into the tunnels and figure out the next move. He wasn't ready to totally walk away yet, he just wanted everyone to think that he was.
"Les, Indigo, what is Smalls doing here? I thought that you were out of the country until the job was over?" Frank said.
Les dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it to ground it into the pavement. He waited to answer Frank. He knew that waiting would cause Frank to grow impatient. Impatience and anger were the only things Les had on his side right now.
Les took a deep breath and looked from Indigo to Smalls and then to Frank. He paused again and began to speak. "Frank, I think it is time to walk away. I called Smalls and got him on a plane early this morning. We always said that we would know when to walk away. I think that this is the job we need to pass on to someone else."
"I think that would be a mistake..." Indigo interrupted.
"A big mistake. Especially since we have others waiting to be paid," Smalls said.
"The other guys will be fine with walking away. They trust me and won't..."Les said.
Frank cleared his throat to interrupt. "We are not walking away. We are going to do this job and follow it through, but we are going to do it my way. I am in charge of this crew and the jobs that we take. Les you need to take a walk. We all appreciate everything that you have done, but I will take it from here. You will get your share, just after the job is over. We will meet at our usual place to do the split."
"How can I trust you? If we go through with this job I will be a part of it from beginning to end. I will not walk away without everyone."
"Then you will let me take the lead and take a step down. I am in charge now, and the two of you are just along for the ride. I make all the decisions, or I walk away with my crew."
He had also known that this would be the best way to get Les out of the tunnels. To make sure he knew where he would be. Frank still needed to go down into the tunnels and figure out the next move. He wasn't ready to totally walk away yet, he just wanted everyone to think that he was.
"Les, Indigo, what is Smalls doing here? I thought that you were out of the country until the job was over?" Frank said.
Les dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it to ground it into the pavement. He waited to answer Frank. He knew that waiting would cause Frank to grow impatient. Impatience and anger were the only things Les had on his side right now.
Les took a deep breath and looked from Indigo to Smalls and then to Frank. He paused again and began to speak. "Frank, I think it is time to walk away. I called Smalls and got him on a plane early this morning. We always said that we would know when to walk away. I think that this is the job we need to pass on to someone else."
"I think that would be a mistake..." Indigo interrupted.
"A big mistake. Especially since we have others waiting to be paid," Smalls said.
"The other guys will be fine with walking away. They trust me and won't..."Les said.
Frank cleared his throat to interrupt. "We are not walking away. We are going to do this job and follow it through, but we are going to do it my way. I am in charge of this crew and the jobs that we take. Les you need to take a walk. We all appreciate everything that you have done, but I will take it from here. You will get your share, just after the job is over. We will meet at our usual place to do the split."
"How can I trust you? If we go through with this job I will be a part of it from beginning to end. I will not walk away without everyone."
"Then you will let me take the lead and take a step down. I am in charge now, and the two of you are just along for the ride. I make all the decisions, or I walk away with my crew."
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