Saturday, August 26, 2006

Today and More Entrants

My wife has gone out with her friend to shop hard, then have a few drinks, and generally escape for an evening from their everyday lives. Just before she left she asked me to go upstairs and get the Yeah Yeah Yeahs CD. She slipped it in the player and cranked it up. The credits began to roll as the music blared, her arm out the window giving me the Hawaiian hang ten--or did it belong to Beavis and Butthead?--already on a rock and roll induced trip.

The kids are outside torturing four frogs I rescued from the pool filter. Actually, my youngest is learning that frogs are little people that get bad headaches when you bounce them on the ground.

We got quoted for a new fence around the pool this morning, on time, bright and early. My wife and I have a certain something that says, "Talk to me; I'll listen." He was here for two hours. We know a lot about him. He loves collecting comic books, but only Marvel. His favorite is Spiderman. He has a subscription to the Amazing Spiderman and the Avengers. Graphic Art is his true passion, but selling fence is what he does instead. Of course he loves what he does--ahem. He's from the same part of Ohio I am from, and our grandmothers live within a brisk walk from one another. I was tempted to take him into my basement and show him my childhood collection of Spiderman, Thor, Hulk, Fantastic Four and XMen, but that would have prolonged an appointment that had already stretched an hour and a half longer than it should have.

Great guy. My wife and I marvel at how many cool people we meet from Ohio. Is that reverse racism?

My writing friends keep raising the bar of excellence. Check out Flood, Rebecca, Fringes, and Bhaswati's entries in Jason's contest. If you haven't done so from the previous post, also see Mr. Schprock and Jaye's. Of course, there is still mine if you haven't read it already.

That's a lot of linkage my friends. Good luck to everyone.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the linkage love. I must say that I still have the imagery from your story in my head. Not to mention that Little Man arrived home this morning, unbuckled and with his head hanging out of the window with enthused Mommy greetings. I wanted to ask my dad "Don't you remember what happened to Bobby??"

I consoled myself by thinking that LM unbuckled his belt only in the moment he saw me outside waiting for him.

Poor Bobby...

Bernita said...

Think you're there pushing the bar higher and higher, Scott.

Scott said...

Fringes - Your piece was lovely too. Inspiring really, since I've often thought about my dad when I didn't live with him, what a hero he was and who he could beat up--which was just about everybody. I really appreciate your words. I probably made every mom (and dad!) that ever forgot to buckle their kid up feel guilty as hell.

Bernita - Well that was certainly nice of you to say. I hope you will enter your piece, which more than qualifies. Quit stallin' bub!

Jaye Wells said...

Thanks again for the link. Reader's choice is going to be tough this time.

writingblind said...

Thanks for the link. And Bernita's right, you're definitely setting the standard yourself, mister.

Dixie Belle said...

I read your story! Good work. I felt for the poor mother.

Tee/Tracy said...

Went over and read your story. Ack! Scott! Just remember to take it as a compliment that I'm grossed out. Always with the macabre details. Geez. LOL. The first paragraph alone was plenty fodder for a few nights of nightmares. Thanks. ;)

So, you going to get the fence? My sisters and I grew up with a large in ground pool in the backyard. We had a 6 ft. wooden fence around the entire yard but no fence specifically for the pool. I don't know how my parents could sleep at night like that but we all made it to adulthood.

They live in the same house now but had a security fence built around the pool after the birth of 3 grandkids (all boys), and their continued insistence at sneaking out there to attempt a drowning. LOL. I wonder what it is about boys.

Jeff said...

Great story, Scott! :)

Scott said...

Jaye - Oh yeah, I agree.

Rebecca - Thanks, and you're welcome

Dixie - Thanks for giving it a read. I'm hesitant to let my wife read this for that very reason.

Janie - Great, now where are you?

Tee - My oldest son I don't worry about now, but my youngest, when he falls it, stares up and doesn't try to swim up. Scary. Fence = good. Thanks for reading the story. I'm glad you were grossed out!

Jeff - I enjoyed your too. Bucking the trend by being bright and cheery. There's a bit of Frank Capra in you, and that's a great thing.

Anonymous said...

Scott, you've been such a wonderful supporter! I know I greatly appreciate, and I'm sure the other writers do too. Thanks!