It was warm. It was dark. Annie sat on the roof. She looked over the town and its houses and its people.
She was wearing only her bra and underwear and she was holding a can of beer.
She noticed a patch of trees moving slightly in the breeze. She felt the breeze against her pale flesh. She was short and slightly overweight but still attractive. She had bright blonde hair in a ponytail and big blue eyes.
Even though it was warm it felt like rain was coming. A summer rain.
She was standing up now. And laughing. She could hear her Brother inside the house. He was arguing with his girlfriend.They were both only 13 years old and Annie found this funny. Annie herself was only 17 and she hadn't yet had any sort of boyfriend. Her parents were divorced. Her Brother and her lived with their Father. He was a decent man. He did things like let his teenage daughter drink beer on his roof.
"Hey, Bobby!" Annie yelled inside. "They're starting! Tell Dad! And bring your girlfriend!" She said the world girlfriend funny, emphasizing the "girl", teasing him.
"Shut up! Shut up, Annie! I'll be out in one damn minute!"
The fireworks began, despite Bobby's yelling. The light from them reflected on Annie's face and body in bursts. Her eyes shined brightly and she smiled.
Her Brother and his girlfriend emerged from the house through the window. Their Father followed.
"Pa? Can I have a beer too?" Bobby asked.
"Hell no. You're 13 years old. You ain't old enough"
Bobby shot Annie a scowl as she sipped her beer mockingly.
The small family sat on the roof and watched the fireworks. Bobby's little girlfriend covered her ears and Annie thought this was the silliest thing. While they were up there,Annie's Father smoked 4 cigarettes. Annie smoked half a cigarette before feeling ill.
When it was all over the Father made them all come in and eat some supper.
"I'll come in a while, Papa", said Annie.
"Well, alright. But don't stay up too long. It's lookin' to rain"
"I won't"
"I'll leave some spaghetti out for ya"
Annie stayed up there all night, first gazing at the moon then turning her attention to the stars. The rain started to fall and it fell on her skin and freckles. Her teeth chattered as the hot summer night gave way to wind and rain.
Annie sat on that roof for some time.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Under the Light of the Gas Station
Under the light of the gas station Gary smoked cigarettes and told jokes. I was his audience.
So this guy goes into a Doctor’s office. He’s got a dot about the size of a quarter on his forehead.
The man says “Doc. I got this dot on my head. What is it?”
The Doctor takes one look at it and goes “Oh, boy. Now I’ve only read about this medical journals. I ain’t never actually seen it but you’ve got a penis growing out of your forehead.”
“A penis? Coming out of my forehead? Are you sure?”
“Quite sure. It will grow to full size in about 6 weeks”
“Well, can’t you cut if off?"
“I can’t cut it off or you’ll die. It’s attached to your brain”
“So, doc. You’re telling me that in 6 weeks I will get up every morning and see a full grown penis coming out of my forehead?”
And the doctor goes “Oh. No, no. You won’t see anything. The balls will cover your eyes.
Gary laughs hard and I follow suit.
“That’s a good joke”
It was dusk.
“You want something to eat?” he asks me.
“Aw, no. I’m good”
“You sure? It’s a long drive to Redding and I ain’t stopping once we get on the road”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll probably just sleep mostly”
A young woman exits from her car and passes by me on her way inside. She is very attractive and Gary notices me staring at her.
“Pretty girl”. He smiles.
“Red hair in a ponytail”, I say, “it always turns my head”
“But how many times you see them girls looking back at you?” Gary laughs.
I laugh with him.
Under the light of the gas station Gary continues to smoke cigarettes.
So this guy goes into a Doctor’s office. He’s got a dot about the size of a quarter on his forehead.
The man says “Doc. I got this dot on my head. What is it?”
The Doctor takes one look at it and goes “Oh, boy. Now I’ve only read about this medical journals. I ain’t never actually seen it but you’ve got a penis growing out of your forehead.”
“A penis? Coming out of my forehead? Are you sure?”
“Quite sure. It will grow to full size in about 6 weeks”
“Well, can’t you cut if off?"
“I can’t cut it off or you’ll die. It’s attached to your brain”
“So, doc. You’re telling me that in 6 weeks I will get up every morning and see a full grown penis coming out of my forehead?”
And the doctor goes “Oh. No, no. You won’t see anything. The balls will cover your eyes.
Gary laughs hard and I follow suit.
“That’s a good joke”
It was dusk.
“You want something to eat?” he asks me.
“Aw, no. I’m good”
“You sure? It’s a long drive to Redding and I ain’t stopping once we get on the road”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll probably just sleep mostly”
A young woman exits from her car and passes by me on her way inside. She is very attractive and Gary notices me staring at her.
“Pretty girl”. He smiles.
“Red hair in a ponytail”, I say, “it always turns my head”
“But how many times you see them girls looking back at you?” Gary laughs.
I laugh with him.
Under the light of the gas station Gary continues to smoke cigarettes.
Clam Chowder
Olsen Donahue pulled into Richard’s driveway a little past 3am on a Friday. He was on the road from Portland, OR to San Diego, CA. Richard was Olsen’s cousin. Olsen was coming into town for his Aunt Anne’s wedding. Her third marriage. Olsen was still a bachelor. Richard had a wife. Only one. Her name was Beverly. She was asleep in their bedroom.
“Well, howdy!” Richard yells as Olsen’s 89 Honda Accord pulls up the gravel path.
“Hey, cousin!”
Olsen gets out of the car and they exchange hugs and smiles.
“Come on in. I left some soup out for you if you’re hungry. Clam chowder”
“Thank you”
“I’ll get your bag”
They walk into Richard’s kitchen.
“You like clam chowder, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I love it”
“Bev was afraid you didn’t eat meat anymore”
“Well, I eat fish still. No red meat though”
“No red meat? No steaks? Boy, you must be a cheap date!”
The men laugh together under the dim light of Richard’s kitchen.
“I made a bed for you out on the porch if you want. It’s a nice night. I’m sure you don’t get stars like this out in the city”
“We sure don’t”
Richard lights a cigarette and the smoke drifts up to the ceiling.
“The soup’s up there on the stove if you want some”
“Thanks, cousin”
The t.v. in the living room is playing an old movie from the 40s. A film noir. The sound of gun fire blares from the t.v.
“Damn. That shit is loud” yells Richard.
The two men continue to sit there and talk and eat soup and smoke cigarettes until the sun comes up.
“Well, howdy!” Richard yells as Olsen’s 89 Honda Accord pulls up the gravel path.
“Hey, cousin!”
Olsen gets out of the car and they exchange hugs and smiles.
“Come on in. I left some soup out for you if you’re hungry. Clam chowder”
“Thank you”
“I’ll get your bag”
They walk into Richard’s kitchen.
“You like clam chowder, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I love it”
“Bev was afraid you didn’t eat meat anymore”
“Well, I eat fish still. No red meat though”
“No red meat? No steaks? Boy, you must be a cheap date!”
The men laugh together under the dim light of Richard’s kitchen.
“I made a bed for you out on the porch if you want. It’s a nice night. I’m sure you don’t get stars like this out in the city”
“We sure don’t”
Richard lights a cigarette and the smoke drifts up to the ceiling.
“The soup’s up there on the stove if you want some”
“Thanks, cousin”
The t.v. in the living room is playing an old movie from the 40s. A film noir. The sound of gun fire blares from the t.v.
“Damn. That shit is loud” yells Richard.
The two men continue to sit there and talk and eat soup and smoke cigarettes until the sun comes up.
A Scene
“Lord, gimmie the strength to raise these kids right and not cause a scene in this place. Oh, Lord. Please”
The woman in front of me in line at Ray’s Tacos mutters this while her 2 kids make a mess of the self-serve soda machine.
“Bradley! Kyle! Knock it off!” she yells.
The boys deliver a well rehearsed “sorry, Mama!” in unison. An older man, probably in his 70s, exits from the restroom and joins the woman in line.
“O.k. Tell the man what you want, Dad” she instructs.
“Chicken burrito. Diet coke”
“What size diet coke, sir?” the boy behind the counter asks. The older man is already shuffling away though, towards the boys in the corner.
“Small”, the woman answers for her Father. “Please”
The man picks up one of the boys and smiles at him. The boy laughs while his Brother is busy making the ultimate graveyard at the soda fountain. Just as he is about to add some Lipton Diet Raspberry Ice-T to the sugary mix, his Grandfather steps in gently.
“Now, now. I don’t think you’re going to like that one in there, Kyle”. Kyle takes a gulp from his current concoction and decides it’s good enough as is.
“Boys. Dad. You guys want to pick out a table for us?” the woman asks while putting away her change and collecting her Father’s small soda cup. “You want ice, Dad?”
“Yes”
The boy behind the counter is young. He is a small Japanese teenager with thick glasses and a crew cut. He looks nervous about everything.
The woman prepares her Father’s diet coke while the boys and him laugh together in a nearby booth.
The woman in front of me in line at Ray’s Tacos mutters this while her 2 kids make a mess of the self-serve soda machine.
“Bradley! Kyle! Knock it off!” she yells.
The boys deliver a well rehearsed “sorry, Mama!” in unison. An older man, probably in his 70s, exits from the restroom and joins the woman in line.
“O.k. Tell the man what you want, Dad” she instructs.
“Chicken burrito. Diet coke”
“What size diet coke, sir?” the boy behind the counter asks. The older man is already shuffling away though, towards the boys in the corner.
“Small”, the woman answers for her Father. “Please”
The man picks up one of the boys and smiles at him. The boy laughs while his Brother is busy making the ultimate graveyard at the soda fountain. Just as he is about to add some Lipton Diet Raspberry Ice-T to the sugary mix, his Grandfather steps in gently.
“Now, now. I don’t think you’re going to like that one in there, Kyle”. Kyle takes a gulp from his current concoction and decides it’s good enough as is.
“Boys. Dad. You guys want to pick out a table for us?” the woman asks while putting away her change and collecting her Father’s small soda cup. “You want ice, Dad?”
“Yes”
The boy behind the counter is young. He is a small Japanese teenager with thick glasses and a crew cut. He looks nervous about everything.
The woman prepares her Father’s diet coke while the boys and him laugh together in a nearby booth.
Monday, August 20, 2007
An explanation of the hiatus
I was away for 2 weeks on tour with a friend's band. Don't worry though because I have still been writing. Tomorrow I will put up 3 new stories, 2 for the weeks I missed and a new one.
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