Friday's Writing Group - Two Stories

Author - Julie Adamson
ISBN:  978-0-47350542-4

Effervescence is always boldly present when the writing group I belong to meets. Yesterday afternoon, in my home, we regaled each other with writing news and stories. An added bonus came to us all the way from Wellington, New Zealand! Julie Adamson, a past member of our group, returned to her home and family a number of years ago. We have have missed her gentle laugh and wonderful poetry in our group. She has met, very successfully with the challenges of Haiku and has published two children’s books. Yesterday, we each purchased signed copies of her beautiful second book ~ Hannah and the Fire Chief. Both of her books were inspired by her grandchildren. That along with a lovely, delicious chocolate bar (Fijian Ginger and Kerikeri Mandarin in Dark Chocolate) straight from New Zealand! Thanks so much Julie!!

Now, on to our self assigned topic for this month. This was again, fun and we all shared our such varied pieces! Every one elicits laughter. Our topic phrase: It was not a dark and stormy night. I had recalled a piece I had written a number of years ago for this same group, but in this case it was the usual phrase: ‘It was a dark and stormy night.’ That piece was an actual experience that I had in 1988 when I traveled to Texas to work. So, for yesterday, I did a similar piece but fanciful, shorter and almost reminiscent of a movie! I am including them both in this post:

A Night to Remember

It was a dark and stormy night.  A sentence far too cliched, over used and makes me think of Charley Brown rather than a night to remember.  However, it definitely was a night to remember.

39, confident and driving a brand new Dodge colt, I was scouting the territory of my new employer. Hired over the phone in April at St. Mary of the Plains Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, I wanted to see where I would be working in October that same year. In May, I drove from Regina, Saskatchewan to Grand Junction, Colorado before going on to Lubbock, Texas.

  

The day started out clear, sunny and calm, and I set off early for the 740 mi (1200 Km) trip.  A long drive through unfamiliar country, I had mountains to climb beginning in far southern Colorado.  As I came down from Raton, New Mexico, on the east side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains into the Llano Estacado that extends from south eastern New Mexico into north west Texas, fat clouds were beginning to form on the horizon.  Not problem. I stopped for breaks often.  However they gathered over me much more quickly that I anticipated.

Then it started to rain - big fat drops flattened onto my new windshield, trees in the gentling descending plains were starting to bend in a fairly heavy wind.  No matter.  I was now only about 2 or 3 hours out of Lubbock according to my directions.  The highway was broad and flat, with no traffic.

The clouds came in faster.  The night grew darker.  The wind grew stronger. The night should not have been upon me yet, but it had arrived fiercely - a not so gentle reminder that I shouldn’t ‘mess with Texas.”   My dad did teach me, that in a storm, get off the road and get shelter till the storm passes.  Where to go?  This was an Interstate highway! Divided.  The highway sign for Happy, Texas welcomed me so I pulled off the interstate, drove down the main street  - of a closed up town.  Rolled up. Quiet. Dark.

Back on a highway, which now had a 1/2 inch of water on the pavement and a wind that rocked my car threatening to push me off into the Texas plain, I was truly frightened.

I don’t remember tears stinging my eyes, but I do remember my fierce determination to get to Lubbock, Tx and safety.  I prayed like I have never prayed before or since and just kept driving.  I did arrive safely in Lubbock, had a good nights sleep and awoke to beautiful sunny day and a very wet city on the Texas plain.  

Did I mention that this was 1988 before cell phones and oh, yes, I had no radio in my brand new car! 

"Determination gives you the resolve to keep going 

in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you."

~ Denis Waitley

Life Changing

It was definitely not a dark and stormy night. As a matter of fact, the sun shone brilliantly, lighting up the Texas plains that welcomed me on my adventure. Passing herds of Texas long horns grazing in the mesquite on one side of the road and a little further, small herds of buffalo shaded under the few trees they could find, were treats I hadn’t expected. I drove a brand new sleek emerald green 1988 Jaguar with soft tan leather seats. The convertible top was down and the wind tousled my hair. I had the radio playing Willie Nelson’s On the Road Again. His Texas drawl, the perfect accompaniment to a new and exciting world. Never had I been this far from my prairie home in Saskatchewan, but I had decided to strike out on my own. Learn new ways, meet new people and best of all make my own rules. My parents had put money in my bank account, some in my pocket and all the advice in the world. Don’t drive past five o’clock and make sure you stop for meals oh and stop every two hours - that was my mom.  Make sure you get maps whenever you stop and.. I know you love that car, but get out and stretch your legs.- that was my dad. There was the old standard - call us when you get there or if you need anything - that was both of them in harmony. I hugged them both and told them to stop worrying, assuring them that I would call them just as they asked. Texas Tech University had accepted me into their journalism program. Despite my excitement I was a little scared. This being a big girl and my own adult was kind of scary. Those two feelings mixed and wavered inside my gut. (mom didn’t like me using that word). Then I saw Lubbock, Texas. Buddy Holly’s home town! Lubbock, on the skyline, was not a city of tall buildings! A kind of rumpled looking collection of houses and stumpy office buildings. That was a bit concerning. I drove on anyway. I turned right on the exit to Texas Tech University. When I drove toward the campus, I breathed a sigh of relief. Beautiful red brick buildings with Spanish tiled roofs greeted me. Sighting a telephone booth, I pulled over and called my parents, gushing about everything I had seen. The sun was almost down, the wide azure sky filling with golds, peach, and deeper purple. It felt like home. A Motel 6 sign down the street winked on in the waning light, a family restaurant was just beside it. I had supper at the restaurant and stayed at the Motel 6 that night. Morning would be time to open the next chapter in my adventure.

“But now he was dreaming, he was wildly imagining things”

~ Iris Murdoch,  The Green Knight

Foot Work

Little more than bumps 

in the roads we travel

are life’s challenges ~

Some bigger, 

   some smaller

     and some just in-between.

Taking any bump 

too fast can damage

this mortal vehicle 

that carries us on earth ~

Slow quickly

  Slow thoughtfully

    Slow into the music.

“Moving fast is not the same as going somewhere.”

~ Robert Anthony

Next

Larger than life itself are 

‘the slings and arrows’ 

that catch us upside the head
when we least expect it.

Solid stones hitting 

squarely in the solar plexus

catching our breath,

bunching it into a ball of fear,

until breath comes naturally.

A new path opens to opportunity 

for growth and change

despite a still muddied horizon

but with studied clarity of purpose

and belief that challenges create

goals for any next step.

“Don’t waste a minute not being happy, If one window closes, 

run to the next window - or break down a door.”

~ Brooke Shields

Talking Points and Golf

“Absolution is not removal of responsibility for the future. Like a bank savings account where a withdrawal can be made whenever you see the need.”

“Well, I’m not a priest so I have never known the finer details. You know, the differences between forgiveness and absolution. It’s never, ever made sense to me. Not only am I not a priest, I have no ties to any religious order, nor do I want any.”

“Even though I’ve tried - and tried - to explain it to you, Jeremy?”

Jeremy shook his head and laughed. “Still doesn’t make sense. Have you got your clubs with you?”

“Of course. I never go anywhere without them. By the way, our tee time is in……Father Mike glanced at his watch……..an hour. Finish up your drink and let’s get going. It’s bit of a drive to the golf course.”

Jeremy and Father Mike had had this conversation many times. Both of them held fast to their beliefs. Friends since kindergarten, they grew in stature and interests. Although, they took different career paths, maintained regular visits. As each of them traveled and technology took hold of the world, they had long phone conversations. Phones gave way to Skype to Facetime. Their ‘good old long talks’ stayed long and very often the world’s ills, while challenging, were certainly not cured. 

On this afternoon, they were both in the same city for coinciding conferences. When they discovered this marvellous opportunity, an extended golfing vacation was in order. They always picked up where they left off from their last conversation. Many years before, after a vicious physical fight the two twenty something friends had had over the religious vs secular aspects of their beliefs, the two friends had called it quits. But, sitting on the ground, bruised and dirty, one of them - and neither remembers who laughed first - started to chuckle. The chuckle turned to deep belly laughs until they were both in tears. In the dust and dirt of this very unfriendly fight they shook hands and promised each other that they would not let their opinions divide them.

“Mike, did you read any headlines this morning? It’s International Women’s Day. What does your Vatican think of that? Women are going to take over the world someday. They’ll run the place and we can golf all we want.”

“Jeremy, you just won’t call me by my clerical name! Why is that? International Women’s Day! Where did that come from? I’ve got five sisters and I work with a lot of nuns. What do you mean ‘they will run the world’? It feels like women have always been running my life.”

“So where are we going for dinner after this game? Is there a good pub in this neighbourhood?”

Their voices drifted on the afternoon breeze. If you listened closely, eventually there was the click of a driver on a little white ball. Then laughter and “Man! Look at that ball fly!”

“A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.”

~ Jim Morrison

Viral

Harbours, full of friends, families and people we’ll never meet, wait with baited breath for rescue or reprieve. The powers that be are challenged to do the right things, globally, for each individual, their country and diplomatic relationships. Territorial, political, waters are seldom calm at the best of times. While this threat to humanity spills over borders, secured or unsecured, we are all left with many questions and few answers. Belief in individual abilities to care for ourselves has its own strength to clean up our tiny corners of this embattled globe. That in itself can go viral.

“Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’ ”

~ Audrey Hepburn

Trapped ~ 2

Trapped

“Conveniences have trapped us indoors!” 

Conrad's newspaper rattled with frustration as he straightened the stubborn crease. He refused to read the news on anything other than actual paper. He even, sometimes, turned off the TV if the announcer annoyed him.

“We don’t know how to do anything without some kind of device telling us what to do. Look outside. It’s raining - pouring actually - but where do we go for the weather? To some kind of device. Sure it’s more detailed and, sometimes, even entertaining. But in this city of microclimates, I want to know what it’s like at my house! On my street!”

Mabel had given up a long time ago. Not about convincing him of the value of those ‘damned devices’ he was always on about. But about changing his grumpiness. It was just his way. That’s what she told herself so she could go about her day calmly.

“Well then dear, get your rain gear and boots on. I’ve got our big umbrella out and ready. We’ll go for coffee with the rest of the naysayers and have a laugh.”

“I was mortified by the prospect of becoming 

hopelessly trapped in someone else’s story.”

~ Lionel Shriver, We Need to Talk About Kevin

What Are They? - CHALLENGES ~ Theme for March 2020

"Conveniences have trapped……

Harbours full of …….

Absolution is not……..
Larger than life……

Little more than…..

Effervescence is……

Naively pushing on…..

Gallantly offering…..

Evermore, with humility……

Secure in the knowledge…….

“I have always grown from my problems and challenges, 

from the things that don’t work out, that’s when I’ve really learned.”

~ Carol Burnett