fiction

31 Days, 31 Dates: Chapter 1

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There’s a rumor I’ve heard that at a certain point in your life you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.  I’m not sure what age that is, although I have my suspicion it happens about two minutes before you pass through the veil.  Despite what teenage girls everywhere think, it’s definitely not the age of 25.  If it were, I wouldn’t be standing outside an institute building on a Sunday morning in Laramie, Wyoming, staring at the front door.

The sign invited visitors, but I wasn’t a visitor.  Technically, I was one of them.  This is where I was supposed to belong.  But I didn’t belong.  Not anymore.  I used to.  But that seemed like a long time ago.  And a different girl.

I bit my bottom lip.  Of all the feats and impossible acts mankind has performed, opening a door is not one of them.  Yet, there I stood unable to perform the simple task of opening a door.

I heard giggling behind me and turned to see a girl who looked barely old enough to be in the singles ward.  She smiled, and leaned toward the guy who walked with her.  His dark hair was slicked back and his suit pressed.  His short frame made him look like he wore his father’s suit.  Her blues eyes danced in amusement as her short, curly blond hair bobbed up and down.   As she past me, I noticed her cheeks imprinted with dimples.  He held the door open for her and as she went in, she stood on her tiptoes and said, “Thanks, Darren.”

He beamed and looked like that moment was the proudest moment of his life.  He looked at me as if I was intruding on his personal triumph.  “Are you coming?”

I looked around trying to think of a reason not to follow.  Unless I wanted to pose as a crazy person that stalked church buildings, there was no excuse.  “Thanks,” I smiled politely and walked in.

I had never been in that particular building before in my life, but it felt familiar.  A painting of the Woman at the Well hung above the couch.  I glanced to the chapel.  The couch looked more inviting and I wished I didn’t promise my brother I’d sit with him.  I walked into the chapel and noticed it was decorated in the purple theme.  Huge windows on the sides of the stand allowed light to flood in.

My instinct was to go to the back of the chapel.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t early enough to procure the coveted back seat.  At least I wasn’t so late that I had to sit in front.  I got a spot in the middle on the side.

I looked around nervously.  My goal was to find my brother without making eye contact with anyone else.

“Hey, Grace,” I heard to my right.  I breathed a sigh of relief to find brother, Matt putting his scriptures next to me.  “Glad you made it.  I don’t feel like walking home after, can you give me a lift?”

I nodded my head.  My brother’s attempt of going green prompted him to sell his car. During the week he used public transportation to get to and from work.  For the most part, anywhere else he wanted to go he either walked or rode his bike.

“I’m passing the sacrament, so I’ll join you afterward.”

I nodded.  A huge sigh of relief escaped as I watched him walk to the front of the chapel.  As I watched him, I noticed a guy stop him to talk to him.  Suddenly, they both turned in my direction.

Uh-oh, this can’t be good.  I picked up a hymn book and started to flip through it anxiously.  However, I could tell they were walking in my direction.

“Gracie,” Matt said, “this is Wyatt.  Wyatt, this is my sister Grace.  She just moved here.”

“Nice to meet you,” Wyatt said with a smile.  He stuck his hand out for me to shake. “Unfortunately for you, you picked a bad time to come.”

My eyebrows furrowed.

He laughed.  “I’m speaking today.”

“Oh,” I said forcing a laugh.  Got to love that Mormon humor.  “Maybe I should leave,” I turned to leave.

“Stay,” Matt commanded and I resented being treated like a dog.

Wyatt thought we were performing some kind of comedy routine and laughed again.  “Only if I can leave with you.”

I smiled weakly.  Matt held his index finger at me as if that held the power to keep me on the bench.  Which, it must have worked because all I did was glare at him.

“I better get up on the stand,” Wyatt said and shook my hand again.  “I’ll see you later?”

Apparently, with Matt’s mighty finger, I wasn’t going anywhere.  I nodded my head.  They walked to the front of the chapel.  I decided to continue flipping through the hymn book until service started.

*******

I paced back and forth in the foyer of the church.  I looked at my watch for what seemed like the bazillionth time in five minutes.  “C’mon, Matt,” I muttered out loud and flopped onto the couch.  Just then, the chapel doors opened and two men walked out.  Quickly I sat up straight and made sure I was sitting ladylike in my skirt.

The two men were deep in conversation.  One was wearing an expensive suite and was tall, well over 6 feet because he had to duck coming out of the chapel.  The other was shorter, probably not even 6 feet tall, with thick brown wavy hair and he smiled at me.  It was Wyatt.  As he conversed with the taller guy, he kept glancing over at me.

I smiled politely at him but was trying to use mental telepathy to get Matt to come.  It wasn’t working.

“I’ll see you later, Connor,” said Wyatt.  He started walking toward me.

Oh no.   I really didn’t want to shake his hand again.

“Oh, Wyatt,” Connor said in a deep, low voice while turning around.

That’s it, keep him occupied.

Connor mumbled something to Wyatt but his voice was so low, I couldn’t understand what he said.

Wyatt stopped walking and looked at him.  Now was my chance to run.   I looked down the hall and looked at my high heels. Maybe not.

“What are we doing again?”  Wyatt asked Connor.

Connor mumbled a reply.  I thought I heard volleyball mentioned. Connor pointed at him.

“Yeah, I have a lot of work to do, but I’ll try and make it.”

“Right on,” Connor said and for the first time noticed me sitting on the couch. He mumbled something to me but I didn’t understand.  Which was okay because he didn’t wait for an answer.  I looked behind him down the hall willing my brother to come at that moment.

Wyatt sat down next to me.  “So,” he smiled.  “How did I do?”

“It was good,” I smiled my most polite smile.

He nodded slowly.  “So, you’re new in the ward?”

“I’ve been here about a month,” I tried to nonchalantly check my watch.

“I don’t remember seeing you,” Wyatt ignored my watch check.

I shrugged.  “I haven’t been the most active.”

“Oh,” he said not wanting to dive into such a personal topic on the first conversation.

“I enjoyed your talk,” I said.  “It was very…” I wanted to say long, “informative.”

“Informative?” he laughed.  “If by informative you mean spiritual or I just gave a long winded narrative of the virtue of keeping the Sabbath Day holy?”

I forced a laugh. “I meant, it was something I needed to hear.”

“Oh,” he said perking up.

Perhaps I should have let it go with that, but I couldn’t help but add, “Over and over and over again.”

He looked at me and I smiled.

“Hey Wyatt,” a voice to the side of us said, “good talk today.”

I stood up as Wyatt turned around.  “Thanks, Matty.”  He looked at me as if I were going to disagree.

I rolled my eyes.  “I was just kidding you, it was a good talk.”

He nodded but didn’t look like he believed me.

“Wyatt is the Elder’s Quorum president,” Matt explained.

“Well,” I said because I wanted this conversation to end so that we could leave.  “It was nice to meet you,” I again smiled. Then feeling bad about my earlier comment, I felt like I needed to reassure him.  “And it was a good talk.”

“Thanks.” Wyatt smiled unsure of the sincerity.

“Listen, we better go,” Matt looked at me.

I rolled my eyes.  He knew I had been waiting for him for fifteen minutes.    “Ready when you are.”

“Later,” Matt nodded at Wyatt.  “I’ll probably see you at dinner groups.”

“See ya,” I gave one last parting smile to Wyatt.

“Hey Grace,” Wyatt said as Matt opened the outside door for me.

So close to freedom, I turned around.

“Will I see you at FHE tomorrow night?”

“FHE?” I asked.  Matt nudged me with his arm.

I wanted to say no.  “Sure,” I smiled.

“We’ll probably play volleyball.”

“Oh,” I said again.  My mind raced with excuses to get out of going.

“Great, see you then,” he nodded to Matt and we walked out the door.

As I climbed in my car I couldn’t help but mumble, “Oh no.”

31 Days, 31 Dates: Prologue

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I pushed the scan button on my car radio searching for a radio station.  All I heard was static.  “C’mon,” I said to myself and pushed again.  “There’s got to be something.”  My old Buick Oldsmobile was crammed with all my earthly possessions and I was tired of driving.  Interstate 80 from Provo to Laramie seemed a little desolate and I felt lonely.  I needed to hear some music to get my mind off of things and I couldn’t find a radio station.  Unfortunately, my car was so old it didn’t have an mp3 player or even a CD player.  A broken toothpick was stuck in the side of the on button to hold it in place.  “C’mon,” I muttered again.  Suddenly, a song broke through the static.  “Finally,” I sighed.

After a moment, I could make out the strains of a country song bewailing a relationship that had come to an end.  “Forget that,” I said and took out the toothpick.  “I need something to get my mind off of that, not on it.”

The Stormy Night

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The old priest stood by the big front doors of the church and watched the blizzard. “I feel like I’m in a snow globe,” he said to only the falling snow.  After a few moments of reflection, he closed the doors and shuffled back inside the chapel.  Most of the parishioners stayed home locked safely in their warm houses, only a few of the regulars braved the snowstorm to come to church that evening.  After seven o’clock, nobody came.  The chapel was empty except for one man who had been sitting on the same pew for most of the evening.

It was not an unfamiliar sight to the priest.  He had seen more than a few poor souls racked with torment and guilt.  But this man didn’t once look around to find a priest or to search out a confessional, he kept to himself.  That intrigued the old cleric.

The priest watched all evening as the younger man alternated positions of having his head rest on the pew in front of him and stretching back and looking at the ceiling.  Even though his old body was beginning to slow down, the priest was proud of the fact he still had a pretty good memory – especially when it came to faces.  He knew he had never seen the young man in the church before.

 

The priest started a systematic check of each row to make sure hymnals were put away.  As he worked his way down the chapel, row by row, he glanced at the man from time to time.  When he finally got to the man’s row, he asked, “Excuse me, are there any hymn books on this row?

The man, who appeared to be about thirty, looked to the side of him and then back at the priest.  “No, sir.”

“Mind if I sit?”  The priest pointed to the pew in front of the man.

The younger man sat up and straightened his tie.  “I’m not a member,” he said and waved his hand to signify the building.  “I just came in here because I need a place to think.”

“Oh yes,” the priest nodded his head and sat down.  “Everyone is welcome here.”

The young man looked at the priest and forced a laugh.

The priest looked at the expensive suit on the young man and noticed it seemed to contradict his appearance.  It had been soaked through with snow and still looked pretty damp.  A puddle of muddy water formed at his feet from snow.  It also looked as if he had worn that suit for several days and it had been awhile since he had shaved.   His black, thick hair had apparently been greased back at one time, but now was frizzing giving the young man a wild appearance.  “You don’t believe me?”  The priest rested his right stubby leg on the bench so that he could see the young man’s face.

The man played with a wedding band in his fingers and stared down at the floor.

“My son, what troubles you?”

Continue reading →

31 Dates in 31 Days excerpt

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Years ago, I wrote a book.  It’s not all that great but it does have a beginning and an end.  It’s about a girl named Grace who takes a challenge from a guy named Matt that she can go on 31 dates in 31 days.  It is set in an LDS single’s ward.

A lot of the dialogue is taken from actual experiences in my life.  Including the following discussion on altitude.  Can you guess which character’s voice is mine?  Unfortunately, it is not the heroine’s. 

Here is a chapter from my book.

My body was still very much upset with me when I woke up Sunday morning.  It complained as I was getting ready for church.  It definitely let me know how unhappy it was with me when I sat on the bench in the chapel.  The folding chair in Sunday School and Relief Society didn’t appease it any.

The good news during church was it was my fourth week since Matt and I started the game.  It was old news.  I hardly got any stares or comments.   The news article from last week seemed all but forgotten.  For the first time all month, I felt like a regular member.

My date for the night was Niles Scott, a tall skinny guy who turned red every time he spoke in his monotonous voice.  We were going to another fireside at the bishop’s house.

When we arrived to the bishop’s house, people had already gathered.  The living room was full of people.  There were two empty spots on the love seat next to Lexi, but I kept looking.  “Where do you want to sit?” I asked but as I turned around Niles was gone.  “Okay, table for one,” I mumbled.

“Grace,” I heard my name called.

I scanned the room of people but couldn’t figure out who had called out to me.

“Grace,” I heard again.  The voice seemed to be coming from the couch.  But that would mean it was Lexi calling me.  Surely, my ears were playing tricks on me.

“Grace,” she said again and laughed sweetly.  “Here’s a spot.”

I looked around the room again to see if there were any other options.   There wasn’t.

“I don’t bite,” she said sweetly.

I walked to the couch and sat down.  “Thanks,” was all I could say.

“So,” she started, “I hear you got a boyfriend out of your …” she bit her bottom lip, “game.”

“Well…” I wished I had disappeared with Niles.

“That’s so great!” she continued.  “I’m so happy for you.”

I looked around the room for any other place to sit.

“Matty,” Lexi called out causing me to jump.  “I saved you a spot.”

He smiled and nodded but continued to look around the room.  But she had saved the last possible sitting place.  He walked over and sat on the other side of her.  As soon as he did, she linked arms with him.

“I’m surprised you didn’t bring your boyfriend,” Lexi said to me.

“Mac?” I asked.  “He’s working.”

“Too bad.  It is hard dating someone who chooses to work on Sunday.  What was it you said in your talk a few weeks ago?” she asked Matt.

“Working on Sunday is not good.” Matt mumbled and I had to fight hard not to laugh.

Lexi’s eyes narrowed.  “Anyway, maybe we could double some time.”

Matt coughed loudly and tried unsuccessfully to untangle his arm from hers.   Doogan walked in and was crestfallen when he saw our seating arrangement.

“Doogan!” I said causing Matt and Lexi to jump.  “Why don’t you sit here?”

He shook his head but inched forward.

“No, I’ve got to find my date,” I stood up.  “You might as well.”  He was already to the couch.  I walked to the doorway and looked back.  Doogan looked happy.  Lexi looked annoyed.  And Matt looked uncomfortable, which I felt bad about.

I found the kitchen and also my date.  Niles was talking to the bishop’s wife.

“Hi,” I said.  “I wondered where you disappeared to.”

The bishop’s wife looked at me and then at Niles and smiled.  “I better go see if bishop needs any help.” She said and patted my arm as she went into the other room.

I sat on a stool next to Niles.  We sat in silence for a few moments.

“The weather is supposed to get warmer,” he spoke looking down at the counter.

At first, I wondered if he had seen Mac’s call out to me on the news and was making fun of me.  But after studying him for a few seconds, I could tell this was just his topic of choice.  “Yeah, I heard that.”

“We’re cooler than Salt Lake or Denver,” he continued.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.  Wyoming is cooler.”  I would have used the word colder.

“It’s because of our altitude,” he said matter-of-factly and almost made eye contact with me.

“Is that right?” I wondered if I could get my spot back on the couch.

“We’re in the mountains, so we’ll always be cooler.”

“So,” I tried making the conversation light, “we should move some place lower?”

“Only if you like it hotter,” he looked at me.  If he didn’t look so sincere, I would have started laughing.

I nodded.  “Do you want to come in for the fireside?”

“I prefer to stay in here.”

I bit my lip trying to decide what proper dating etiquette called for.

“There you are,” Matt said walking into the kitchen.  “We’re about ready to start.”

“Don’t you want to come in?” I asked Niles.

“Bishop wants to get started,” Lexi walked in.

“Go ahead and start, we’ll be in, ” I looked at Niles who kept his head down.  “In a few minutes.”

“You coming?” Doogan popped his head in.

Niles started looking for the exits.  Judging by our quiet ride here, I could tell we were three people past his comfort zone.

“You all should go in,” I felt bad for intruding on Niles’ solitude.

No one moved.  Niles began fidgeting.  I was as uncomfortable as Niles looked.

“Hey everyone,” the bishop said patting Doogan’s back warmly.  “The fireside is in the other room.”

I looked at everyone.  I went into the living room and sat on the floor in front of the tv.  Lexi and Doogan sat on the couch.  Matt stayed by the kitchen doorway and leaned against the wall.  Niles never came in.

Everyone in the room snickered and whispered.  I didn’t get much out of the fireside that night.

The Legend of Henry Luck

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Some people’s life

can be summed up in one little story.

 But for others,

it takes a legend to tell their glory.

 Back in the day,

when the old west was still young –

 the law couldn’t

contain anything under the sun.

 There lived a man,

Henry Luck was his name

 and Wanted Posters

broadcast his fame.

 Most people

avoided him and hid from his shadow

 It was common

knowledge that if he had a foe,

 that enemy

would wind up full of lead.

 and if lucky,

he would only end up dead.

 So many brave

men found no shame to run

 instead of

being caught on the wrong side of Mr. Luck’s gun.

 But even outlaws

can’t outrun time and grow old.

 At least, the

lucky ones do, the others end up lifeless and cold.

 

One summer day

Henry sat in a bar in Wyoming

 He contemplated

his sins and started to have misgivings

 He knew he would

have to account for all the bad he’d done

 For living his

life with a bullet and gun.

 And he tried

to drink his guilt away.

 When he heard that, oh so familiar call asking him to drop all

 and have a

showdown in the street that day.

 Henry downed

the last drop of whiskey

 and yelled out,

“Kid, let me be!”

 And the kid,

mocked ol’ Henry and called him a chicken

 for not coming

out and taking his lickin’

 Henry walked

to the swinging door of the bar

 and said,

“Kid, I’ve been where you are

 looking down

the road you’re going down.

 So trust me

when I say, turn around.

 Turn around

 and run or just walk away.

 It’s not too

 late to save your soul today.

 If you kill me

my friends will hunt you.

 If you kill me

my kin will come after you.

 If you kill me

my enemies will pursue you

 and you will be

their prize and trophy

 as the

murderer of their enemy.

 It’s not a life,

so turn around and walk away

 Find a pretty

wife and settle down and stay.”

 Henry stopped

talking and hoped the kid did hear

 Instead the

kid laughed and asked, “What, are you full of fear?”

 Henry opened

the door and walked to the street

 “All right then,” the kid said, “on the count of ten.”

 The kid stood

straight and shuffled his feet.

 And when he

reached ten he pulled out his revolver

 and pulled the

trigger a bit harder

 and Henry Luck

fell onto his back as if falling into bed.

 The kid wiped his

brow and yelled, “I killed Henry Luck dead!”

 

A month later

the kid was shot by David Crow

 while he slummed

the streets of San Francisco.

 

Back in Wyoming,

as they prepared to bury

 Henry Luck

in the local cemetery

 his casket

broke open and out spilled dirt.

 They say about

two hundred pounds worth

 and one steel plate

with some twine tied to the ends

 and in the

middle a small bullet lodged within.

 

But there was

no body in the coffin that day.

 And this is what

the townspeople did say –

 Both men

received just what they wanted in that shoot out

 The kid did

receive the fame he sought for, no doubt.

 And Henry Luck?

Well, they figure he got to rest in peace

 living up to

his name to a grand old age without worry and in ease.

© 2013 ck’s days

The Frog Ball

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Situated in a land far away there once was a magnificent kingdom.  The kingdom is now long forgotten even in the history books.  It is forgotten to everyone except to the local people in a tiny village in the shadow of the ruins. They descended from the people who inhabited this once lavish kingdom.  Their ancestors once ruled and lived in the region.  Of course, the only proof of their claim is a tale that has been passed down from generation to generation.   The folklore is revered and they refuse to share it with the world.   But I recently had the privilege of visiting this land and thanks to my charming ways one of the older inhabitants shared the story. Continue reading →

There Could be a Possible Story Here

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Today was extremely busy and I just got home.  So… no typical blog tonight.  I know, I know, you’re disappointed.  Keep your chin up, there’s always tomorrow.

However, I do want to introduce a character that came knocking on my imagination today.  Normally when I write stories, I get the story first and then the character.  That hasn’t worked out very well for me.  Today the character arrived first and I’m waiting for him to tell me his story. 

Henry  Luck, a drifter and gambler, came from somewhere and is sitting on the oversized sofa in a corner of my brain.  What?  Doesn’t everyone have furniture in their heads?  Just me?  Shucks.  Odd again.

Anyway, Henry’s been sitting there all day and his story is slowly coming into view.  He could just be hiding out from his best friend/nemesis Cooper J. Darwin.  Cooper is always trying to throw Henry in jail and get rid of him.  Why?  A woman of course.  Rebekah Rion (pronounced Ryan) Radcliffe is the person who came between the two.  I’m not sure how the love triangle played out.  Henry has been reluctant to open up. 

Maybe I’ll be able to share their story with you someday.

Thank You Ms. Szemenski

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His Story…

“Hold the elevator!” I called to Ms. Szemenski.  She scrunched her nose at me as the doors closed.  “That woman is evil,” I said out loud to what I thought was the empty lobby.

“You think so?” I heard a familiar voice behind me say.

I turned around quickly, embarrassed anyone heard me.  “Oh, I’m glad it’s you,” I said to Riley, my gorgeous next door neighbor.  “I thought you were Szemenski’s daughter, then I’d really be in for it.”  It was a supposed to be a witty joke, and Riley was kind enough to smile politely,  “Not that I could mistake you for her,” I thought of how closely Szemenski’s daughter resembled a sumo wrestler, “or anything.”

“Glad to hear it, Kurt,” Riley continued to smile her polite, yet dazzling smile as she pushed the ‘up’ button for the elevator.

I decided the best thing to do would be to change topics.  “So, you’re playing a gig tonight?”  As soon as I said the word ‘gig’ both of us flinched, there’s some vernacular I really shouldn’t try to use.

She nodded and her blue eyes seemed to pierce my very soul. The elevator dinged to announce it’s presence to us.   I thought I had to be  dreaming and yelled, “Five more minutes!”  My arm spastically went flying behind me searching for my alarm clock.

Riley laughed nervously.  “I think you just need to step in,” she said trying to get to the elevator behind me without getting too close to me or my waving arm.

I forced a laugh that probably made her more nervous and followed her in.

The doors closed and we were the only two in the elevator.  Thank you Mrs. Szemenski, I thought, now is the time to be cool and witty.

The elevator car was very quiet.

“So,” she said apparently forgetting about the spastic arm just seconds earlier, “you just getting off work?”

I tugged at my tie to loosen it.  “Yeah,”play it cool, “You?”

She nodded, “Yeah, just in time to change and head to the bar to set up for tonight.”  Her fingers were playing with the top button of her pizza uniform.

“Oh,” I said searching for something witty but my mind went completely blank like a computer screen during a power outage.  “So, you work for We Za Pizza, now?  How do you like that?”

Riley looked at me.  “It’s a job.  Better hours than the department store, so that’s nice.”  She hit the button to her floor again as if to make it hurry faster.

I looked at the doors.  “That’s good,” I had no idea what I was saying.  If only I could think of something amusing to say.  Nothing came to me.  “So, I was thinking, maybe some friends and I might come tonight.  To listen to your band play, of course.”

I followed as her eyes looked down at my feet and slowly made their way up to my face.  “I don’t think we play your kind of music,” she said slowly.

“No, see, I know this is how I look now, but it’s just for work. I clean up nicely, well, not that I wouldn’t be clean if I were to dress…” Danger Will Robinson, will somebody please shut me up!  “That is to say, I mean, I look different now, but that’s just the work side of me.  I have many different sides to me.  I am a very complicated… fellow.”

Why don’t I just use my tie as a noose and put everyone out of their misery?

I held my breath waiting for her reaction to my blundering.  If she never answered, I was prepared to die from asphyxiation.  After my rambling, I would be doing a service for everyone.

To my relief, she smiled again, and I was able to release my intake of air.  Unfortunately, I blew it right in her face.

She blinked her eyes.  “We play at ten tonight.”  Again, she sized me up. “Is that too late for you?”

“No!”  Does she think I’m some kind of kid?  “Today’s Friday, so I can sleep in tomorrow.”  I stared straight ahead after I said it.   Did I really have to share that much info with her?

She laughed.  “Well, it will be nice to have a fan in the audience.”  The elevator stopped at our floor and the door opened.  “I’ll see you tonight.” We stepped out of the elevator and walked to our apartments.

Only after I closed my door did I realize, Who am I going to get to come with me tonight?  I have no friends here, yet. No matter. One way or another I was going to hear Riley’s band. Thank you Ms. Szemenski.

*********

Her Story…

“Hold the elevator!” Kurt hollered as the door was closing.  Whoever was inside, let it close and I figured there was only one tenant in the building who would do such a thing: Ms. Szemenski.

“That woman is evil,” Kurt said.

“You think so?” I answered sarcastically.

Kurt jumped and turned around.  “Oh, I’m glad it’s you,” he said and I couldn’t help but smile.  He was tall, even taller than me, with brown wavy hair, but clean cut, and the most brilliant green eyes.  ““I thought you were Szemenski’s daughter, then I’d really be in for it.” He spoke rapidly,  “Not that I could mistake you for her,  or anything.” Too bad I’m not his type.  I looked down at my bare midriff where my ring was poking out of my belly button.  Definitely not his type.

“Glad to hear it, Kurt,” I can be just as polite as he is, and I forced a smile.  I pushed the ‘up’ button for the elevator.

“So,” he spoke again politely, “you’re playing a gig tonight?”  I flinched because it was embarrassing he knew we were always playing at the same old bar.

The elevator dinged and he jumped.  He yelled, “Five more minutes,” and he reached his arm back like he was looking for an alarm clock.  It was as if he was acting goofy on purpose to cheer me up.  It was working.  “I think you just need to step in,” I said as I laughed nervously and stepped into the car.  How could he possibly of known I had a rotten day and needed to laugh?

The doors closed and we were alone.  I could have asked him several questions like how he liked being here since he moved in a month ago.  Any number of things, but I figured he was used to more sophisticated conversation.   “So, you just getting off work?”

“Yeah, you?” he asked.  I felt like our conversation was like the old Atari game pong.  And just as exciting.

I nodded, and could feel my cheeks turn red as I looked at my uniform. As embarrassing as it was for him to know my band was playing at the same old bar, me working at the pizza place was worse. “Yeah, just in time to change and head to the bar to set up for tonight,”

“Oh,” he said coolly.  “So, you work for We Za Pizza now?”  I closed my eyes as I realized the last time I talked to him, I still had my old job.  I could just imagine him keeping some giant checklist with all the girls he meets and right now my name just received a huge checkmark beside the word FLAKE. “How do you like that?”

I had to be honest.  I looked into his eyes, hoping he’d see the real me, and answered, “It’s a job.” That’s where the honesty ended.  “ Better hours than the department store, so that’s nice.”  Truth was, I got fired for being late too many times.  It’s hard to get up in the mornings after playing at the bar all night.

I hit the button to my floor again to make the elevator go faster.  I really didn’t want him to think I was a complete idiot before we got out of the elevator.

“That’s good,” he said nicely.  “So, I was thinking, maybe some friends and I might come tonight.” I looked at him.  “To listen to your band play, of course.”

He wants to come and listen to my band play?  I looked at him from toe to head and realized, he was too uptown for the dive we play at.  “I don’t think we play your kind of music.”

“No, see, I know this is how I look now,” he spoke rapidly, “but it’s just for work.  I clean up nicely, well, not that I wouldn’t be clean if I were to dress…”  He rambled on.  I was used to guys who weren’t nervous around me at all, they just took what they wanted and said what they wanted without really respecting my feelings or thoughts.  Kurt was different.  Kurt was a nice guy and was a little nervous around me.  I felt flattered and I hadn’t felt that way in a long time.

“I am a very complicated,” he continued, “fellow.”

I couldn’t help but smile and I could feel his hot breath on my face.   “We play at ten tonight.”  I looked at him again, worried that he might have to get up early in the morning for work.  “Is that too late for you?”

“No!”  He exclaimed.  “Today’s Friday, I can sleep in tomorrow.”

I couldn’t help myself and laughed.  “Well, it will be nice to have a fan in the audience,” and I meant it more than he realized.  Normally, we just get a bunch of drunks who could not care less for our music and were there for the socializing.

The elevator opened to our floor.  “I’ll see you at ten, then.” We stepped out and walked down the hall. I couldn’t help but smile. Thank you Mrs. Szemenski. 

The Magic of Hoffoody

/ cksdays / Leave a comment

(fiction)

Brrrng!

The class bell caused me to jump.  Lunch time, or as I think of it, the worst time of the day.  Slowly, I gathered my books as the rest of the class hurried out the door.  By the time I closed my locker, the hallway was nearly empty.

I used to sneak to the library and eat my sandwich there.  But, one day I was unaware Mr. Peterson was combing the aisles.  Right away, he smelled my peanut butter and tuna fish sandwich.

He caught me mid-bite.

 

No longer was I allowed to hide in the library during lunch time.  I took a deep breath and pushed on the heavy cafeteria door.

Noise surrounded me as I entered.  Eagerly, I looked at the teacher’s table hoping there would be reinforcements for protection. No such luck.  The only teacher sitting there was Nervous Nelson. He earned his nickname because he just sits and sips his coffee.  Even during class.

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