BEYOND SHANK’S MARE

This is a true short story all here to be entered at

 Tell Me a Story. 

My continued story will be here tomorrow.

 

Walking

courtesy photobucket.com

 

In days of yore we use an antiquated term believed to be Scottish in origin, to express walking which was by Shank’s Mare.  

So many times in response to the question, “How you going to get there?” I would say “By Shanks Mare,” meaning I was going to walk.

The time came when I was ever so slightly beyond Shank’s Mare and owned a Push-Mobile.  It was ride a little and then push a little.  The trunk was always full of old tires, tubes and patching along with a jack or two and oh yes, a hand pump.

I had a 25’ Chevy for a while then I moved up to a 29’ Chrysler which each time I parked I had to raise the hood and turn the fan back a half turn so the water wouldn’t leak out of the water pump.

Such idiosyncrasies were of no bother for I was beyond Shank’s Mare and everyone knew it.

It wouldn’t be long in each case my push-mobile would become a junk-mobile and expendable.  The thing was I was always just ten dollars away from new wheels, usually with a horn that blows.

But then for some reason I hit a dry spell and had to do my courting via public transportation which left my hands free for a little hugging and smooching without endangering our lives.

We took our short honeymoon in a borrowed car and managed shortly thereafter to buy a 35’ Plymouth.  Our first moves were in that car.  We just put all our belongings in the rear seat and moved to the next place.

Some sixty odd years later I have had a variety of old and new cars but those ten and fifteen dollar cars still hold a fond place in my heart for it was them that got me beyond “Shank’s Mare.”

 

This post is shared at: Tell Me a Story

 

ELLIOT JOHANSON STORY CHAPTER 12 Going Broke

Mayfields Daughter's caused him to be broke

The next two years went by without any issues of drama.  El felt that Clarisse and Missy moving back East solved a lot of problems for him.

 

Clara received a monthly letter from each of them.  It was mandatory otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered.  Strangely enough Missy had found a decent guy among the upper crust snobs and had been married for a year.

 

Clarisse and her friend Lauren were doing what she described in one of her letters as playing the field.  Missy as it turned out was pregnant and wanted Clara to be there when she birthed her first.  

 

Clara was excited about the whole affair but wasn’t treated with the respect she deserved by Missy’s husbands family.  

 

The family wasn’t as well off as they pretended they were and when it came to setting Missy up in a new house they weren’t slow to ask Mayfield to pay for a lot of extravagance that was needed to keep up the family image.

 

El kept his opinion to himself concerning that but Sid’s wife Lucy had a lot to say and said it more than once.  

 

In the end Mayfield emptied his bank account and set both daughters up in style. Missy’s in-laws felt they had found the answer to their needs and kept asking for more both for Missy and themselves.

When they found out there wasn’t any more they were quite put out.  

The end result of all this was Mayfield couldn’t afford either girl’s life style and he told Clarisse she would have to earn her own way or come home.  

 

Instead she elected to marry an older man who was divorced but had quite a bit of money.

It took Mayfield a couple of months for him to realize he was broke.  He tried to sell his share of the ranch holdings, but it required the signatures of him, Sid and El.  

 

Sid said I would have bought him out but his girls would have run through the money in no time.  Then they would have left him penniless with no place to stay and Clara and Lucy being sisters they would have moved in with Lucy and me.

 

As it is Mayfield will just have enough to clear off his local debts when we sell our steers this year.  

 

At first Mayfield was furious when he found he couldn’t sell his share of the ranch but he knew better than to mess with Sid.  He wasn’t ready for a trip up to the glades where many never returned from.  

 

Buck was getting a number of fine offspring via the mares from Argentina. They were fancier looking than El’s favorites which were the two colts out of the mustangs.  El had pretty well got them broken and they were going to be used by El at the next roundup.

 

He spoiled them even worse than he did Buck who by the way isn’t as interested in El since he had all the mares to care for.

 

In a month the roundup would be starting and then it would be a couple more months until one of the hands would be moving to the line shack and stay there till winter was over.  This year they were limiting the hands stay to one month and then they would rotate and another hand would take over.

 

It can get pretty lonesome being there for all three months by yourself.  El decided to go up and check the line shack and see if it needed any repairs.

 

He named his two ponies Bob.  He couldn’t tell them apart so they both were Bob. They were quite attached to him.  If he was going to ride one of them the other had to go.  

 

Leaving one of them there usually resulted in the barn getting a hole kicked in it or the corral turndown.  It was easier to ride one and let the other run along side and if he was going very far to switch horses after awhile.

When the shack came into view El saw a couple of work horses in what was left of the corral.  In it there was an old wagon with a caravan top on it.

 

There was a fresh grave off over where the ground was digable and another started.  El quietly opened the door and saw a figure sitting slumped over asleep.  The person had a shovel in their hand and there was what looked like a dead body nearby.

 

El slipped out and went to the unfinished grave and finished digging it.

 

When he returned to the shack the figure was beginning to stir and jumped when it realized someone was there. It grabbed a shot gun nearby and pointed it at El.

 

Neither the figure nor El said anything.  Then the figure collapsed dropping the gun.

 

El had unloaded the shotgun when he was first in the cabin for he didn’t want to be shot by someone who wasn’t all there.  

 

 

El went over and was going to drag the figure outside in the fresh air for the dead body was beginning to smell and found the figure weighed very little. He laid it on a cot on the porch and then wrapped the dead person in a blanket and buried it.

 

He got a bucket of water and returned to the porch where he found himself staring at the shot gun he had removed the shells from.  He then realized the figure was a female although he couldn’t tell what kind she was.

 

She still had the blanket wrapped around her and was pretty well covered up. He spoke to her in gentle tones and said for her to lie down before she fell.

 

Upon hearing that she eased back down on the cot.  El got the dipper from the water bucket and gave her a drink as she lay down looking confused.

 

Building a fire he put on some coffee he had brought with him and scrambled some eggs.  He tried to feed her but he could only get a little coffee with sugar in it down her.

 

After she lay back down El went out and tended to her team of horses.  It looked like they hadn’t had any water for some time. He watered them and threw down some hat left over from last winter which they ate.

 

It was getting too late to head for home so El fixed a little soup made from an unlucky rabbit he had spotted, and managed to get some of the broth down her two or three times during the evening.

 

Inspecting the wagon he found it wouldn’t be usable.  The only things of any value were pictures of people El assumed was the girl’s family.  He took out the pictures and pushed the wagon to an open spot and set it afire.

 

Finding a shirt and some old pants he washed and hung them out to dry before the sun went down.

 

It was obvious she hadn’t changed clothes or washed in several days, maybe weeks. He figured it was no time to worry about being shy so he cut her rags off and washed her up as best he could. She was still half out of it but the bath seemed to bring her to.

 

He put the clean shirt and pants on her and told her they would be sleeping outside tonight.  Opening the windows he removed and burnt all the bedding for it reeked with death.

 

The next morning he warmed up the broth for her and then tended to the horses.  He put a rope on her horses and tied them to one of the Bob’s.

 

Saddling the other Bob he sat the girl sideways on the saddle then mounted the horse himself.  He said this is going to be fun and they headed for the ranch.  He went to Sid’s place and told Lucy he had a project for her.

 

He said, “I’ve done my part now’s up to you to see if she is going to live.  I’ll send one of the hands for a doctor.”

 

He put her horses in the corral and the wrangler tended to them.

 

El was still staying with Mayfield and he asked Clara for some food.  He said, “I’m perishing,” to which she said, “If you are perishing then I won’t waste any food on you.”

 

To be continued  

I LOVE CORN

This post is an extra story and will be shared nextTuesday at:Tell Me a Story

Return tomorrow for my continued story you will find here.
 

Corn 

I have loved corn from my earliest memories.

It was what we ate everyday in one form or another.

 

We enjoyed biscuits in the morning and it was corn bread for what we called dinner and supper.  I’ve eaten a lot of molasses and corn bread.

Part of the time we had home made butter and sometimes not.
 

When the corn was green and the ears were full it was corn on the cob and some times off the cob.  I remember going into the fields and plucking several ears of corn and shucking and pulling the corn silk from the ears.

 

One of the grown ups would take a large butcher knife and first cut the corn off the cob, then they would scrape the cob to get the milk from it.  Next it was into the frying pan with some pork side meat to fry with the corn.

 

Just was plain good eating; fresh sweet corn with a smoky bacon flavor.

 

A ritual we followed after the corn was dried was to go to the corn crib and pick out some large ears and remove the end grains and then shell the grains from the ears.

 

Since it was all done by hand it took some time to get enough grain for the grinding. We would take the grains to a mill about two miles from the farm and the miller would grind it into corn meal.  He would give us half and keep half for the grinding.

 

I suppose today it would be called organic for it was all natural with no pesticides.


Come winter it was back out to the corn crib which was down to near half full by now and the shelling process was repeated.  It only took about ten lbs of grain that had been picked through and poor seeds removed to make some hominy.

 

Our fire place had a swinging hook on which you could hang a three gallon cast iron pot and swing it over the fire in the fire place.

 

In making hominy you need some lye to loosen the hulls on the grain.  If you didn’t have lye you could use a bag of ashes thought it worked slower.

 

With the pot filled with water, grain, and some lye it would be hung over the fireplace fire and let cook a couple of days.  Finally it took several washings to remove the lye and the hulls but eventually you had a palatable dish.

 

Fried in bacon grease it was very tasty.

 

Whether it is green or dried/ground (and now available frozen) I love corn however you fix it. 

 

Just put it on the table and call me for a lip smacking time.

 

This True Story will be shared at: Tell Me a Story

 

ELLIOT JOHANSON STORY CHAPTER 11 Tom Foolery

 

 

A salesman came along and convinced Mayfield that he needed a steam engine to do much of the work done with horses.

 

He said it can even drive a well digging machine.  Several of the big ranch owners were invited to come to the big city for some demonstrations.

 

Afterwards El and Sid was convinced they should buy the basic unit and add the accessories as needed.  Most of the farmer’s tasks were done in a fourth of the time and that included the break downs.  It was strange replacing some of the farmers with mechanics but that was the way it was.

 

Clara got a letter from Clarisse and Missy saying they were coming for a visit and bringing a girl friend for El.  They described the woman as being tall and well built. She is also chaste and prudish.  When she gets married it will be the first time a man has seen her unclad since she was born.

 

El asked, “When will she arrive?”

 

Clara said, “Soon I suspect and they may all be on the same train.  The letter doesn’t say, but I imagine they are on their way here right now.  Charlie was sick a couple of days and the mail is running behind.”

 

El said, “I’m going up to the lake cabin and won’t be back until they are gone.  My life has been so peaceful since the girls have been away but with their return I know what is in store for me.  I can tell there is something about that letter that I should take as a warning. They have plans to make my life a misery.”

 

“How long are you going to be gone?” Clara asked, and El said, “Until someone comes and tells me they have all left.”

 

Clara asked, “Are you going to take Buck and a pack horse?”

 

He said, “No I don’t want to have to care for animals while I’m there.”

 

She said, “I’ll get some vittles for you what do you want?”

 

He said, “Same as usual, fat back for eating and frying and maybe a bit of cornmeal for the fish fry.”

 

She said, “There’s bedding in the cabin if someone hasn’t stolen it.”

 

He said, “Just throw together a few things that I will need, not too much for I don’t want to overload myself.  It will take me two days to hike there unless I’ve slowed down.”

 

She said, “I still think you should take one of our pack mules.”

 

He said, “No, if I had a mule I would probably want to ride after I got tired and I need the exercise.  Don’t bother me except in an emergency or the girls have gone.”

 

The day went well and I ate a light meal for the next day would be more of a climb than today.  When I awoke the next morning my neck was stiff and sore from laying on a rock.  If I had brought a horse I would have used my saddle to lay my head on.  In the afternoon I arrived and the fishing was on.

 

Two weeks later one of the wranglers showed up leading Buck and told him, the girls had gone and I have been sent to fetch him.  El was given a note which said, “There was some business that needed to be taken care of so return.”

 

El said, “Good for I’m getting tired of eating fish twice a day.”

 

It was only going to take five hours to return by horse where it took two days to climb up to the grade.

 

When he arrived home he said, “I’m going down to the river and take a bath for I smell of fish.”

 

Clara said, “Well be careful.”  He wondered why she would say that.

 

He stripped down and proceeded to bathe when a group of girls returned from the toilet place and they saw him first.  Clarisse proceeded to throw mud at him and mess him up.

 

El said, “That wrangler is fired.  He told me that there was some business I needed to take care of.”

 

Clarisse said, “We’re the business so take care of us.”  

 

She said, “We need to wash up so you can leave now.”

 

He said, “Why should I leave there is plenty of water.”

 

She said, “You just want to see us naked.”

 

He said, “No, why should I want to see some ole skinny gals when there are real women around?”

 

“Fat ones?” she replied?

 

El said, “You can leave your drawers on if you are ashamed of what you look like.”

Missy spoke up and said, “We’ll turn around so you can come out and get dressed then you can leave.”

 

He said, “Okay, turn around.”

 

As he got out they turned back around and Missy said; “Are you gone, ooh no you are still here”

 

He said, “That was a dirty thing to do.  I think I will just stand here and dry out and you can avert your gaze or enjoy the view.”

 

He said, “Is that the prudish girl you wrote about? If she is so prudish why is she staring at me?”

 

Clarisse said, “Now be careful, you know we will get even with you so don’t do anything you don’t want payback for.”

 

He took his clothes and headed to the house but said, “I might come back and take your clothes.”

 

Laruen asked, “Do you think he might do that?”

 

Missy said, “Who cares we’ll get even somehow.”

 

After getting dressed El found the young wrangler and said, “Why didn’t you tell me it was the girls that sent you and they were still here?”

 

They said I shouldn’t tell you because it was to be a surprise.

 

El said, “And you believed them.  It was a surprise alright.”

 

All the rest of the day he tried to avoid them but at dinner they were whispering and giggling.  El said, “Don’t you think it’s time for you ladies to grow up.”

 

Clarisse said, “Growing up is all we have been doing while we were away and now we‘re going to have some fun.”

 

He said, “I don’t mind you having fun but please, no more naked stuff.”

 

That night the teasing didn’t stop until late in the evening.  

 

El went to bed and he could hear the girls planning to pull a trick on him and the new girl Lauren was in on it.

 

He thought, “I have to think of some way to get even for this.”

 

Around two o’clock, the new girl tip toed into El’s room and slipped into his bed.

 

He had over heard what they were going to do and was awake and waiting for this to happen.  He put his arms around her and became quite personal.

This wasn’t exactly the way they had planned it.  She managed to finally settle him down and she dozed off to sleep.  The next morning the other girls came running in and started yelling, “We caught you in bed with our friend.” 

It was Old Manny not El

Just when they thought they had embarrassed El the rest of the household were wakened and came in the bedroom.  

El also walked in and pulled the covers back revealing Lauren in bed with Manny, the old man who mucked out the stables.

 

Clara said, “This girl you brought home with you ... she has no decency at all.”

 

Mayfield said, “Way to go Manny.”  Everyone had something to say but had trouble being heard over the screaming all three girls were doing.

 

Lauren covered her self up with the covers and continued to scream while Manny just lay there grinning.

 

As everybody left the room Manny said, “Do I have to go also?”

 

Lauren started kicking him out of bed which only added to the grossness of the situation.

 

An hour later the girls were packed and yelling for someone to get the buggy and take them to the railroad station.

 

Sid had one of the hands hook up the team for him and he drove them to the train and then got their luggage handled for them.

 

The girls usually were sad to leave Sid for he was one of their favorites but today they didn’t even say goodbye.

 

That afternoon El said to Sid, “That is the craziest thing I have ever been involved in. The girls have one more year in school and I hope they grow up in that time for I have had enough of their tomfoolery.  

 

It isn’t funny to me anymore.  It was okay when we were kids but enough is in this case more than enough.  It’s too bad they were able to talk that girl into doing such a crazy thing for she seems to be sane.”

 

Sid said, “The last thing he heard her say to them was “if you tell anyone about this I’ll get even if it takes me the rest of my life.”

 

El said, “I tried to avoid them for I know how they are but it didn’t work out.”

 

To be Continued

MEETING BY CHANCE

This story is all here and is an additional post to be shared at: Tell Me a Story   Return tomorrow for the Next Chapter in my continued story "Elliot Johanson"

 

.  

A Chance Meeting
courtesy photobucket

  

MEETING BY CHANCE

 

Alright its time to make your move!

 

“C’mon get up and go get him as he’s there just waiting.”

 

“What do you mean waiting there have been three one nighters hit on him in the last ten minutes.”

 

“Don’t pay that any attention to them, we have explained to you how to overcome all objections these guys might come up with.  Girl friends and wives are easily put aside if you follow our instructions.  This is your night now don’t blow it, go get him.”

 

As she started to get up another girl tried to hit on him and he just turned his back on her without saying anything.  She, after saying some unkind words left in a huff.

 

“Now go while he is still focused on her,” the girls said.  “Just trust your instincts and you will be set for the night of your life.”

 

Lil got up and walked straight over and sat down next to Aaron and said; “Buy me a drink.”

 

He turned to look at this brash woman and started to reject her like the others but Lil spoke first and said, “If you don’t buy me a drink, I will start screaming.”

 

Aaron looked at her in unbelief and tried to say something but nothing would come out.  “This woman is crazy,” he thought and decided a drink might settle her down.  He looked at the bar man and asked the woman, “What do you want?”

 

She said, “The same as you are having.”

 

Aaron said, “It is a lemon and lime but no alcohol.”

 

She said, “The same for me.”  She just sat there staring at Aaron as he gave the barkeep ten dollars and he nodded to him meaning keep the change.

 

The bar man nodded back meaning thanks.

 

Lil spoke and said, “Now that I have your attention I will explain what this is all about but it will take a little while so relax and I think you will be intrigued.”

 

Aaron sat silently holding his drink but not drinking it.

 

She said, “To start with I work in a large office with about a hundred men and the same amount of women.  Most are under the age of forty with a few bosses a bit older, do you have that in mind?”

 

He nodded without saying anything but was transfixed staring into her eyes.

 

She went on saying, “I have never been with a man if you understand what I’m saying.”

 

When he heard that it broke his gaze and he spilled part of his drink.  He gasped, “What…?”

 

She went on and said, “I don’t know how it got around but everyone in the office knows I am still a virgin and I am the subject of conversation day in and out. 

 

Almost every male in the office building has hit on me many times and the more successful ones, you know the real Romeos have said some unkind things after being rejected.  I have found it necessary to face some of them down and they admitted what they said was a lie but the lie leaves a stain.

 

I am a very normal person in every way but I don’t feel that satisfying some jerk’s sex drive is for me. 

If you can see those women making all the noise over there they work with me and for the last three months they have been harassing me to give it up.  I have heard it all when it comes to reasons not to be a virgin.

 

Finally I  have had it with them and now I have decided to do something about it…”

 

“Wait,” he said, you aren’t thinking that I…”

 

Lil said, “Don’t interrupt until I’m finished for you might be flattering yourself.  

 

Understand that I want these people I work with to think I went through with the act and what I want you to do is take my arm and walk out with me.  I will simply wink at them and they will write the rest of the script.

 

Now please will you help me or I will have to go through with this again and again with someone else.  Know this I have no intention in going through with it, so if that thought comes to your mind just forget it.”

 

Aaron said, “Wow that is some story.”  He went on and said, “The reason I’m in this place where I don’t frequent at all is I have been in negotiation with a company on a big deal and I was told to meet their representative to sign the papers here tonight and I didn’t know it was bar where we were to meet.”

 

She said, “I heard one of the girls you turned down say you were gay, is that the case?”

 

He had a look of disgust come across his face and said, “Absolutely not.”  He went on and said, “I’m not interested in dating or whatever for my wife died in childbirth eighteen months ago.  I haven’t got over it fully as of yet.

 

These women disgust me for I have had everything a man could want in a woman and the life style these women pursue is repugnant to me.

 

Please forgive me for I was just about to say something to you I would have regretted because I don’t speak to women that way.  If it will help you I would be glad to take your arm and walk out of here with you.”

 

Lil winked at the girls as she walked out and had a big smile on her face.

 

Once outside he said, “Let’s get lost in case they come out and try to follow us.  My car is here so get in and we will lose them should they try to follow.”

 

As they drove alone he asked her if she was hungry.  She said yes she was for she hadn’t had time to eat dinner.

 

He said the same here neither lunch nor supper.  

 

He then asked if she would like to have dinner with him to which she said, “I shouldn’t but I’m starving, so yes.”

 

“What do you want to eat?” he asked and she said, “How about Italian?”

 

“Italian it is.”  They had a long, delicious meal and began to talk like people on a first date.  Both relaxed and became interested in what the other had to say.  

 

It wasn’t until the place was closing they realized they had talked for three hours.  He left a large tip for the waiter who wasn’t looking too pleased with them for sitting so long.

 

He talked about his wife and the child she gave him who was now a year and a half.

 

Lil was captivated by the way he spoke of his now dead wife for theirs was the kind of love women dream about but seldom find.  Just to talk with a man who had the capacity to love as he loved his wife was exciting.

 

As he listened to Lil talk he could see here was a principled woman who had been unable so far to find the man she needed.  She wasn’t willing to settle for a man that wasn’t her equal in character and she was willing to remain single just as she was unless he came across her path.

 

It was getting late so Adam asked where she wanted to go and she said she didn’t know, to some hotel she guessed for she didn’t expect things to go this far.

 

She didn’t want to go home for she wanted her co-workers and everyone to think she had spent the night with Aaron.

 

While she was undecided he said, “You’re going home with me.”

 

Her mind was filled with thoughts!  Now wait, he was exactly what she wanted in a husband, but she wasn’t ready for the honeymoon before the wedding.

 

While those instant thoughts flew through her mind he said, “Now don’t get the wrong idea.  My mother is at home taking care of little Marcie and we have an extra bedroom with a lock on the door.”

 

She tried to let her breath out easy so he wouldn’t know she had sucked in her lungs full or air, when he said the words; “I’m taking you to my house.”

 

She said as calmly as she could, “That would be nice.”

 

Upon arriving at Aaron’s home it was a beautiful house.  They found his mother Stella in the kitchen making a cup of tea.

 

She acted as if she wasn’t surprised at Aaron bringing a woman home but couldn’t pull it off very well.  She told them to sit down and have some tea with her.

 

Aaron said, no, he was going to check on Marcie and get ready for bed.

 

Lil was still full from the restaurant meal but said she would be happy to join her for some tea.

 

For the next hour they talked about Aaron and how they met that night.

 

Stella thought her story was a riot.  For the last six months she had been trying to get him to find someone to go out with but he wouldn’t budge on it.

 

Lil tried not to yawn but couldn’t hold it back.  Stella said, “C’mon I’m going to put you to bed.”

 

She pointed to a room and said, “I’ll be right back in a moment.”

 

Shortly she came in as Lil was undressing and gave her a lacy night gown and said, “You will fit into this.”

 

Lil finished undressing and put the gown on and it was a lovely garment.

 

Stella said you sleep in and when you get up we will go on with our conversation.

 

At eleven a maid came in to see if Lil was awake and ready to get up.  Lil heard a young child playing outside of her room and thought that must be Marcie I have heard about.

 

On the foot of the bed she spied some fresh undies the maid had put there and with those in hand she went into her bathroom, showered and then dressed.

 

When toddler Marcie saw Lil she ran over and put her arms around her legs and put her foot on Lil’s feet and held on as Lil walked into the kitchen.

 

Stella told Marcie that was enough and explained Marcie has been doing that since she could walk but was now getting too heavy for it.

 

She fixed breakfast for Lil and asked if she slept well and Lil answered, “Like a log. She went on to say, “I appreciate the undies for I hadn’t planned on what happened and I hate the feeling of being unclean.”

 

Stella said, “I know the feeling.”

 

Lil told Stella more about her past and hopes for the future with Stella nodding approval as she listened.

 

Stella finally spoke up and said, “That saved me asking a lot of questions and now what I want to know if you think you could handle a child like Marcie?”

 

Lil said, “Her and several more.  I was the oldest of seven kids and I had to help raise the younger ones so Marcie wouldn’t be any problem for me but why would you ask?”

 

Stella said, “Maybe you don’t know it yet, but you are my new daughter-in-law.”

 

Lil said, ‘Wait just a minute, I only met Aaron last night, and I don’t really know him.”

 

Stella said, “You know him better than you think.  Last night the two of you opened up your hearts to one another and what’s more important was you accepted each other without reservations.  

 

There are people who are married for years and don’t reach the point you two have done in a few hours.  Tell yourself how you feel about him and being honest you will conclude you want him and you want him now.”

 

Lil said, “I need some air; I’m going for a walk.”

 

Stella said, “Aaron is out there somewhere.  Find him and then come back and tell me your decision.”

 

When she saw Aaron she started to turn away but he had already seen her.

 

He quickly came over to her and took her hands and just looked in her eyes.

 

As she turned her head he placed his hand beneath her chin and gently turned her face back toward him.  They stood there for a long time not speaking.

 

After some time he spoke and said, “Are you ready?” and without hesitating she said, “Yes.”

 

Entering the house they found Stella in the game room playing with Marcie and Aaron told her, “She said yes.”

 

“Yes to what?” Stella asked?

 

He said, “Yes she would marry me.”

 

Stella said, “Is that right Lil?”

 

Lil said, “Yes that’s right. I will marry him as soon as possible for I have waited long enough and I have found the right man.  I knew I would know him when I met him but until now he hadn’t come on the scene.”

 

Marcie ran over and put her arms around Lil and said, “Mama,” which caused a tear to form in Lil’s eye.

 

She called in sick for three days and when she returned to the office she had Aaron on her arm and said, “I would like you to meet my husband for we were married yesterday and now there isn’t a virgin in the whole office.

 

From this point on I will be a housewife and mother.”

 

All the girls and guys applauded and wanted to know how it came about.

 

Lil told her version of the affair and invited her close friends to a wedding reception.  

 

During the reception Stella stood and said I want to toast the bride and groom but first perhaps we should let them in on a secret.

 

About that time the man who had asked Aaron to meet him at the bar showed up and Aaron wondered who invited him.  Stella went over to him and said this is George who I must thank for helping me by getting Aaron into the bar where he would never have gone on his own.

 

Then there are Lil’s girlfriends who hounded Lil into going to the bar where it was setup for her to meet Aaron.  

 

After investigating Lil I knew she was absolutely perfect for Aaron but getting them together was a herculean task.  Since I knew all about Lil before we ever met personally and knew she wasn’t about to come into contact with someone as withdrawn as Aaron.  

 

You all know how it was played out and the part you played and I thank you one and all.

 

Aaron and Lil feigned looking shocked but then Lil said, “This is a little bit of a shock but we wish to thank you for doing a good thing.  Actually the whole thing seems to be off the wall but the result is marvelous.”

 

Aaron then spoke and said, “Without any question I must say, Mother knows best.” 

 

 * * * Finis * * *  

 This post is shared at: Tell Me a Story