MR EBON - Chapter Three

I am Watching and Waiting !

 

“Farewell Sam for a short time, and I’ll be back for you…”

In a midtown hospital at this precise moment a man child takes its first breath and announces his arrival.  The mother is relieved to have it over. These last couple of months have been difficult and now here is the result of all that labor, little Sam.

They aren’t the same parents Sam had before but close enough as to race and intellect.  Sam’s eyes don’t focus as of yet and he hasn’t discovered one of the most important thing about himself at this age… his thumb for sucking.  When his mama isn’t available that thumb will save the day.

The first thing he will learn to do is to lie.  He will scream and cry when there is nothing wrong with him. He just wants attention and that is his way of getting it.



Sam's New Parents

He learns that the goo goo sounds have power when used at the right time for it is one of the devices that endears him to everyone.

At age three he hits the other kids and that is very encouraging at this point. The darkness is taking root in him at this early age although he hasn’t a clue that we’re in the background working on him.

Almost everything in existence when misused can be an object of evil working within him.

There came a bone of contention between Sam’s mom and dad because his mom wanted to take him to church and his father (whom I will soon harvest) wasn’t going to stand for it.

He said, “Let him grow up and then choose for himself whether he wants to go to church.” (this is one of my favorite sayings; it is straight from the big man himself).

Her reply was, “I suppose we should apply the same standard to everything in his life.  Like going to school; let him grow up and then decide if he wants to get an education and going to the dentist and eating a balance diet. His taste for sweets would exclude food that is necessary for proper development.”

While they argue I vote for no church for I have a safe and sane path for him to follow (right to Hades).

Much to my chagrin the mother won out but I saw to it that Sam didn’t get much out of church.  While it seemed he was always acting up it was me agitating him just enough to make him seem incorrigible.  I was having the time of my life.

I can’t wait until he gets older and I have a lot more to work with.

His mother was disturbed at Sam’s behavior and started to read the Bible to him every night.

Why couldn’t he get a mother who was a boozer and didn’t care if he went to hell?  It just makes my job a little harder but I’ll still get him for he is mine.

He is starting to nurture a good one called, “hidden sin.”  He is sinning and hiding it from everyone. This will trouble him his entire life. It will follow him to his grave unless he repents of it, but he will be so enamored by some of it he won’t want to repent.  This is going to be fun watching him squirm.

He may try to be righteous but he can’t for I have my hooks in him.  I’m getting tired of what I consider small stuff that he does, lying, stealing and the like.

He is almost ten and age gives me something new to work with.  I think I will test him out a bit by sending him a few thoughts of mine. Just to see if he is ready for some heavier stuff.

Well sad to say that didn’t go over very well. His Mom is still feeding him that Bible stuff and it is squelching the information I am feeding him.

Another year or two and my contribution to his thoughts will start to override her efforts because he will want to experiment with the unknown good stuff.

To be concluded in the next chapter

 

 

Mr. Ebon - Chapter Two



Coming to get You

“This is crazy. The only one that fits the category you speak of is GOD.”

“Now you are beginning to get the picture. I’m here to pick you up and escort you to you final place of judgment as soon as you use that gun on yourself.”

“This makes no sense at all.

Who are you?”

“My name is Mr. Ebon. Perhaps you have heard of my brother, Mr. Black.”

“Are you some kind of angel or something?”

“Yes as a matter of fact that is exactly what I am although one of the lower ones. I just need to check your papers and see where you are assigned.  Well now this is strange. I have heard of this happening but have never had a case like this.

It looks like there was a glitz in your life plan and you can either use the gun and go with me now, or you can live your life over.  You need to think this over very carefully.”

“What happens if I want to live my life over?”

“You start from being a little baby in your mother’s womb.  If you don’t get aborted then you will make the trip down the birth canal and break forth with a mighty yell when you taste fresh air for the first time. You will then begin your life’s journey all over again.  Soooo, tell me what is your decision.”

“I have had a miserable existence so far and it couldn’t be any worse the second time.  My wife ran off with my partner and took all our money and left me with all the debts.  My kids are rotten, on dope, and in trouble all the time and will not go to school. I lost my home and the rent is due for which I have no money to pay with.

Either way I’m out of this life, so I think I would like to take you up on your offer to give life another shot, and do it over again. I will correct the mistakes I made before and knowing what I now know it will be easy.”

“Wait, maybe I gave you the wrong impression.  You will start as a baby child without any knowledge of the past.”

“Wait yourself that isn’t fair. How am I going to know what to do and what to change if I don’t know where I missed it the first time?:”

“Those are the rules and can’t be changed; you will have to work with what you have and if it turns out as it did before then you have no one to blame but yourself.”

“I still don’t think its fair for I will have to deal with the same parents and siblings.”

“No you don’t understand. The only thing that will be the same is you. The parents you have will be just an average couple who have to deal with the normal problems of this day and age.”

“Well I’m ready, when do we start.”

“It will be soon but first let’s go over this again for I want to be sure you don’t want to end it all yourself.  Here is your gun all cleaned up and loaded ready to go. You won’t have to go through the whole thing again.

Don’t think it will be any easier for it won’t be. As you think about the hard places you have gone through while they won’t be the same they will be similar to the ones you dealt with before. The only thing you can hope for is you will react differently. Before you make the change and are reborn there is one thing you should know. I came here to transport your soul to a place of judgment darkness where I dwell.

While I am disappointed at having to wait for you I know it is only a matter of time before I get you. I have many helpers and they will force upon you every kind of temptation.

This will insure you don’t change your final resting place. You are mine and I don’t intend to lose you. As you succumb to temptation you will sink into a similar situation as you are in now.”

“What if I don’t yield to your tempting me?”

“You will for you won’t know I’m the one tempting you. You will think it is yourself who is being drawn to what is commonly called ‘Sin.’

While waiting I have many more to pick up so I will be busy but will have more than ample time to keep you in the fold. You will not remember that I’m waiting for you to and though I hate it that is the way it is.

Just look around you and you will see so much of mankind who are playing into my hands and they are ignorant of what awaits them because of their way of living. They are so deceived by my master… that they think he isn’t the force behind them driving them to perdition.”

To be Continued

 

MR. EBON Chapter One

This short fictional story is continued and it is only 4 chapters long

 

Mr. Ebon suddenly appeared

As Sam Morgan sat at his desk he was staring at the ceiling and his mind was a total blank.

He must have been doing that for thirty minutes undisturbed for all the employees had gone home two hours ago. 

Finally a thought appeared on the canvas of his mind and all it brought with it was a painful reminder of past mistakes. He wasn’t a bad man but he had done things he shouldn’t have done and they surfaced at inconvenient times to torture him.

“How many times must I pay for my failures?” he thought?  “Why does it keep haunting me? If someone could tell me how I can change the past then I will gladly do it.  I will change everything in a flash just tell me how.”

When I plead my case all I get for an answer is… silence with no remedy. I have hardened my soul against all my unkindly deeds but under laying it all it still remains eating away at me.

Sam kept a revolver in his desk drawer and finally took it out. He took the bullets out of the gun and clicked the trigger several times playing Russian roulette without the bullets in the gun. He then reloaded the gun and was thinking of a way out of this life.

As he thought of his life he was startled by a man standing in the shadows of the large office. When he composed himself he was finally able to speak.

“Who are you?” he asked.

The figure was silent remaining in the shadows.

Once again Sam spoke; “Who are you and how did you get into here?”

The mysterious figure moved slightly but remained silent.

This is the last time I’m going to ask you; “How did you gain entrance to my office for the building is locked and my office also.”

The figure took a few sinister steps toward Sam and it was unnerving to him.

“My door always squeaks when opened, and makes a loud piercing noise when opened even a little.  I won’t allow it to be oiled for it always announces someone’s arrival. How did you get in without the door doing its duty?”

With a couple more steps taken the strange figure now was close enough for Sam to see his eyes and they were icy cold.

Fear gripped Sam but he didn’t want to show it if he could avoid it, as the figure took a couple more steps.

When he was standing at the desk front he stared at Sam and spoke; “I have come.”

“You have come, what are you here for?”

“I have come for you.”

“Well what if I don’t want to go with you.”

“You don’t have a say in the matter.”

“Who are you anyway coming in here talking all this foolishness and making no sense at all?  You still haven’t answered my question; how did you get in here?”

“I am like the wind, I go where I want to go and walls don’t stop me.”

“Well that may be but I’m telling you to get out of here the same way you came in and don’t come back again.”

“I am sorry but I can’t leave yet.”

“Do you mind telling me why?”

“Yes I could but I don’t think you’re ready for that yet.”

“I haven’t got a clue as to what you’re talking about just get out of here.  Okay I’m going to leave and you can stay here if you like.”

“Oh I’m going to leave when you do, or I should say you’re leaving when I go.”

“Why should I go when you go?”

“It’s mandatory.”

“This is crazy, mandatory?  Who dictates that?”

“Shall we say; someone bigger than you and I.”

 

To be Continued

 

Today's Short Story is all here !! 

A new continued story will begin soon.

 

They Call Me the god Father !

 

My name is Lucas. People use different versions of the name depending on what they expect to get from this meeting.

Sometimes it is Mr. Lucas so as to add a little respect to the greeting and again it is just Lucas. Some consider me the one to come to when they have a situation they either can’t handle or don’t want to handle.

I have my own community, the law calls it a gang, or mob for convenience sake, but it is no such thing.  It is a group forced to live in close proximity to one another due to economic reasons.

For some reason, and believe me I don’t understand why but people come to me for advice. The want me to solve their problems by giving them the answers they need to make things work out for them.

Sometimes I think they must have watched the movie, “The Godfather” too many times. I get tired of people coming to me wanting answers.

If the advice doesn’t work out they blamed me. On these occasions it works out to their advantage for if they screw up they would say Lucas said to do it like this. This would shift the blame to me and there would peace in the home once again so I suppose it does some good either way.

 Another thing;

About being an advice giver was too much of it had to do with sexual things. Both men and women come to me about all kinds of issues.

Young guys come to me and say, “Hook me up with that girl” meaning help me get her into bed.  I tell them right off, “The pimps work down on 42^nd street so go down there.”

Recently I have taken a page from the Patrons of old and started to ask, “What are you going to do for me if I do this thing?”

Most of the time they can’t come up with an answer and I will say “I will let you know later what you must do for me” and they quickly agree to do whatever I say.

Usually what they want is a simple thing. I have fun with the women when they come to me with problems with their husbands in bed. They tell me their husbands aren’t good lovers and want me to clue them in as if my name was Kinsey.

I ask them what they want and they usually turn red and I say, “Oh, that’s what you want them to do?” and then it gets even funnier. I go into the routine of; “if I do this for you what are you going to do for me”? It is then they don’t know what I’m going to ask them to do and they become very uncomfortable. I don’t let them off the hook by saying; “This is a very embarrassing thing you want me to do but it will be done as you wish but someday I will call on you for payback.”

They leave thinking they have a debt they hope they won’t have to repay.

The men do the same thing wanting me to get the wives to be more responsive to their fantasy. I tell them if you want more romance then be more romantic and give them a couple of tips.  Usually a week later they come up to me and say my advice worked wonders.

Personal Economics

The next thing is a money thing where I am supposed to solve money problems for the people. Small things like whether or not to buy a new sofa are easy but then they come to wanting to borrow money from me. The last thing I want to do is to say no to their request for money but it is obvious I can’t support the whole of our community.

Each case falls into a different category it seems but one of the most frequent revolves around me getting someone to forgive a debt. Whether it is personal or business there is not much difference between them for people want to be paid. I try to work out a reasonable solution for all parties which sometimes works and sometimes not. In either case no one is completely happy but somewhat consoled.

When it comes to me loaning money to someone who asks me I give them my stock answer; “I have two kinds of money. My personal money I use for my survival and my loaning money. These are separate and I never mix them. My loan money is all loaned out but if you can get the people who have it to pay me back I will loan it to you.”  I tell them who owes me and leave it up to them to try to collect for me.

Then There Is This

A young man I have known slightly who came to me and said his girlfriend has broken up with him and he is going to kill himself. I said, “Why?”

He went on saying, “My heart is broken and I don’t want to live.”

“I must say you are wrong. Your heart isn’t broken for it is still doing what is always does which is to pump blood through your body.”

He said, “You don’t understand that was just a figure of speech.”

“You mean you’re going to kill yourself over a figure of speech? That doesn’t make any sense to me.”

He said, “Let me start over; she said she doesn’t love me anymore.”

“Then she must love you less?”

“I don’t know, maybe so.”

“It sounds like she doesn’t know what she wants and I wouldn’t kill myself because of a girl who doesn’t know what she wants.  Now let’s think about this. Do you think she will be going out with someone else in the near future?”

“Well yes, probably so.”

“Which means she is a two timer type, right? First it was you and now it will be someone else. How many before you, I bet it was several.”

“Yes I’m sure it was.”

“And was she intimate with them?”

“I suppose she was - there were a couple of guys who said she was.”

“Let me get this straight for I’m confused. You are in the middle of a long line of guys who she was overly friendly with and you’re upset because she is moving on. Doesn’t it seem more reasonable to be glad you’re rid of her? Before you answer let me ask, do you think you could get another girlfriend?”

“Yes I think so.”

“One who is as pretty as or even prettier than she?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“One who hasn’t had all the experience she has had?”

“I’m sure about that.”

“Now I could go on but isn’t it the best day of your life when you have got rid of a tramp and you are going to be looking for a real woman instead of psycho-babe?”

“You know you’re right. I didn’t know how lucky I am. I have a couple in mind, and I’m going to start working on them tonight.”

“Just remember it will take some time and effort to win over something worthwhile.”

As he left I thought, well one more problem dealt with. He will be back for either for a tune up or to tell me of his successes.

Money Matters

Perhaps you wonder if I charge for my advice and the answer is no.

People do donate small things to me but I never ask for anything. On the other hand it would be an insult to refuse a gift from people I help; so I receive it with thanks.

There is a lot of useful information that comes to my ears. Sometimes when there is a fixed horse race I manage to make a wager and sometimes I realize enough to support myself for a year or two of course that is after taxes.

Then there is the stock market. I have the reputation of guessing which stocks will go up or split or something like that. Because of my success I have been invited to talk to the SEC a time or two but I convinced them I was on the up and up.

I have purchased some prime real estate over time and am invested in some of the better Hotels. I reserve a penthouse for a weekend just for the fun of it a couple of times a year.

My Charities

A man in my position is looked to when someone is in need. This is different than someone putting the bite on me for a loan they don’t intend to pay back.  Since I know everyone in my neighborhood everything is personal.  

Even with my success making money I don’t have enough to care for the many blocks of my people.  So I have made contacts with every government agency and send the people to the department they need to be in contact with.  Sometimes I go with them and sometime it will be a local lawyer. In any case my people are cared for even though I have to get them to bend the rules a little.

My Future

Do I intend to keep on with my God-Father-ish ways?

I don’t know. I suppose I would have to move far away in order to discontinue my present way of life.

There is a certain god like quality that surrounds a man who does what I do. A similar adulation the witch doctor gets only without his trappings.

I guess my answer is; “Yes I intend to continue until my mind can no longer think clearly and give sound advice then I will pass the gauntlet to someone else and let them bear the burden.  

Next person please!”

 

 

THE WRANGLER - Chapter nine



I Told You I would Not Stay - So it is Good Bye

They started working on Joe and finally invited Lynda for a visit when they thought Joe had agreed and accepted their wishes.

Early before the rooster crowed Joe packed his stuff and asked one of the stable hands to take it to town. He saddled his two horses and left without a word. They tried to find him but it was to no avail.

Cindy said, “I guess we should have listened when he said he would leave if Lynda was welcomed back.”

The books were all in order and instructions for the next three months operation. After looking over the books Betty said of all the years he worked here he never took a cent of wages. We owe him thousands of dollars and trading Lynda for him was a bad deal.

I'm Back !! Or NOT !!

Lynda arrived and was chattering about a bunch of nonsense that no one wanted to hear. 

It didn’t take long for her welcome to get worn out and she was sent back home.

Like a black cloud the losing of Joe hung over the whole ranch. 

They thought Joe could be treated shabbily and he would put up with it, but as it turns out, some men have a dignity that doesn’t overlook betrayal.

Joe found a small place just across the Texas, Arkansas border just big enough for his horses to graze on and for him to ride and exercise them.

It was a year later a Man showed up at Joe’s place with a package for Joe.  He said he was a detective hired to find him and the package was for him.

Joe asked who it was from and he said he didn’t know he was just hired to find him and deliver the package.

Joe took it and went inside and put it on the table. He couldn’t imagine who wanted to give him whatever was in the package. After looking at it for four days until his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to open it.

Inside there were some pictures of the ranch and of the Hustons along with some of the people who worked the house and stables.

He was glad to see the pictures and people he missed.  Inside was some letters. The letters told him how much they missed him and he was wanted and need back at the ranch. Also included were the wages he earned but didn’t take for all the time he worked there.

Then there was a letter from Cindy which said among other things; how much she missed him and that she was still single waiting for the right man to come home and marry her.  She said she knew she loved him but until he left she didn’t know how much.

She went on and told how Lynda came and after one day was sent packing and was told not to come back ever.

Cindy wrote I will give you one month to get back here and if you don’t I am coming to get you and bring your horses with you.

Joe had been hurt deeply by a series of events but found it hard to stay mad after reading all the letters from the ranch.  He finally decided he had punished himself enough, he was going home, and he would see about getting married.

It was ten days later when Cindy saw a familiar figure riding in from the east. She ran to the corral where the stable hands were taking the two horses.  She grabbed Joey and hugged and kissed him like he had never been kissed before.

When is the Wedding?

When he got his breath he said, “When’s the wedding?”

She laughed and said, “As soon as we can get the preacher.”

His welcome included a party and a fiesta on the day they were married.

Joe concluded he never realized how much he meant to the Huston clan and the ranch hands until now.

It wasn’t long before they decided they should add on to the ranch house for there were some young cowboys in the making running around the place and they delighted in teasing their grandpa Huston. 

 

HoustonTHE WRANGLER  loved every minute of it and hoped they grew up to be as fine a man as their father Joe.

Grandma Huston was the love of their life and she babied them until they were grown men and on their own. 

So ends the saga of little Joe. Of course there is much more that could be written but it is time to move on to the next tale and see what excitement is waiting for us there.

  Post script

It was some ten years and three boys later when Joe, Cindy, and their sons went to Chicago for a Stock Yard doings.

They were checking out of the hotel and were ready to return home.

Cindy went back to the room to gather up things the boys neglected to pack and on the way down Lynda and a man got on the elevator. Lynda said, “It is you Cindy.  I thought I saw Joe but he wasn’t limping like he was the last time I saw him.”

Cindy said a year after we were married; Joe saw a specialist in New York and he was operated on. Now the only thing left from his accident is a couple of scars. He can do almost everything he could ever do and without pain.”

“You have some boys now?”

“Yes we have three and they want to be just like their dad.  They spend a lot of their time riding Joe’s two favorite horses Windy and Swifty.  When they get on Swifty he pretends to buck but he has taken to the boys for they are always messing with him.”

This is my number Four

“Cindy, this is my husband Charles. He’s my fourth and I don’t know how much longer he is going to last before I get rid of him.”

The elevator arrived at the main floor and Lynda said, “I think I will say hello to Joey.”

Cindy said, “That’s not a good idea, because he doesn’t want to ever see you again.”

“Well then, tell him I will be ready for number five soon, if he is interested.”

“No I don’t think I will.  Joe only has three interests now, the ranch, his boys and me, and you are nowhere to be found on his list.”

Lynda said, “Well maybe in another ten or twelve years he will change his mind, c’mon Charles let’s go.”

When Cindy approached Joe he asked, “Who was that you were talking to?”

She answered; “Just some people of no importance, let’s go home.”

Finis

THE WRANGLER Chapter eight

A Girl Can Change Her Mind - Can't She?

 

The wedding was drawing near when Cindy received a letter from Lynda.

She said in the letter that an old love, her first love had come back into her life and she had married him.  She said it was hard to explain and she wanted Cindy to break the news to Joey.

The man, Melvin or Mel as she called him heard that she was going to marry Joe and he showed up apologizing for his treatment of her and after several dates she fell back in love with him.

She said he didn’t want to be nasty but she needed a whole man not a cripple for a husband.  One with whom she could be popular in society and travel the world.

The comparison between the two men left Joe at a disadvantage and she succumbed to Mel’s advances.  After she had sex with him she felt she had to go through with a marriage.

Joe could see that Cindy was upset and inquired as to what was the matter.

Handing him the letter and Cindy said, “I’m tired of doing Lynda’s dirty work.”

Joe read the whole letter for Cindy only got through part of it.

Broken Hearts Don't Mend Easily

Joe gave it back to Cindy who threw it in the fire place.

Cindy knew the embarrassment Joe would suffer from being jilted and how his joy will die and sadness will live on.

He went to his room and an hour later came out.  All the staff and the Huston’s were in the big room.  

Joe said , "It seems the wedding is off.  That’s the end of it and I will not discuss it. You may feel free to talk about it among yourselves if you want to but for me it is old news.  

I have much work to do and am going to take care of business."

Everyone could see this was a hard thing for Joe to bear but he handled it like riding a bronco.  It was hang on tight till it was over and then wait till the bruises healed.

Then get on another - - but Joe had no desire to find another for the bruise from this ride wasn’t going away soon.

Lynda wrote Cindy she would like to visit and show off her new husband and before Cindy could write back they showed up at the ranch.

Joe was away checking the herds and Cindy sent one of the stable hands with a note explaining what was going on. Cindy told Lynda she had no shame showing up here trying to rub it in on Joe by bringing this man she married to the ranch.

Lynda said, “I wanted everyone to see why I married Mel instead of the cripple.”

Mrs. Huston overheard the ongoing conversation and told Lynda to take her man and go and don’t come back for she was a disgrace.

She called a couple cow hands to show these unwelcome guests the road and they can walk back to town. She told Lynda they better hurry for it would be dark before they got to town if they didn’t shake a leg.

Betty said, “That trash better never set foot on the Circle O again or I will have both of them shot and thrown into a gully for the buzzards.”

Cindy never saw her Ma that mad before and believed she meant every word of it, even if it was her own daughter and new son-in-law.

It was only six weeks later when word came down that Mel, Lynda’s husband was caught in bed with another man’s wife and he  had been shot dead.

A couple months later Lynda wrote a letter to Joe wanting to renew their relationship.  She played the part of a deceived woman and now the cad was dead.

Joe was indifferent to the whole event saying it was nothing to him but if Lynda was ever invited to the ranch again he would leave and not come back.

It seemed the family was inclined to forgive and to invite Lynda back into the fold and more so as days went by.

~ ~ ~

to be concluded very soon

THE WRANGLER - Chapter seven

 

 

 

When they arrived at the big city, Joe checked in at a hotel and Cindy went to stay with Lynda.

That evening they picked Joe up and went out for dinner and some entertainment.

They met up with one of the fellows Lynda had been dating and she introduced him to Joe.  

The guy was about half drunk and was talking incessantly. Then he said, “Oh, this is the cripple who you are in love with?”

Everything was quiet for a while till the guy said, “He looks alright to me and should make a good husband for you.”

No one said anything till the guy said, “Excuse me, but I got to go, I have fiends waiting.”

It was quiet again until Cindy said, “Well, that was interesting, I’m going over to say hello to someone I know.  While I’m gone perhaps you might have something to say to each other.”

Still no one said anything till Lynda spoke up, “Well, that wasn’t planned.  I guess we might as well clear this right here and now.  Lynda continued, “You know I am attracted toward you and if you don’t feel the same then it’s settled so how about it?”

Joe said, “You know how I feel but I haven’t been able to tell you because I didn’t want you to be straddled with a man that wasn’t whole.”

She said, “You have a couple stiff joints that’s all and it’s like the man said, ‘You look like you would make a good husband for me.’  So do you want me for your wife or are you going to live alone the rest of your life.”

He answered, “I want you more than anything.”

She teased him, “More than going down to Madams?”

He said, “Don’t mention her for I never went down there.”

She laughed and said, “I know.”

Cindy came back and said, “I never did like that person and I hope you got this straightened out.”

Lynda said, ‘Yes, it is settled my bridesmaid friend and tell our mom thank you.”

“Thank you for what?”

“She will know, just thank you.”

Joe wondered what they were talking about but figured it was a woman thing and something a man wasn’t supposed to understand anyway.

The wedding was set for three months away.  Lynda was all agog and excited.

Joe was calm and collected after the initial shock.

All the ranch hands were teasing Joe, some of which wasn’t very nice but he knew that was the cowboy way. They couldn’t help but be a little raunchy and an event like this brought it out of them.

Joe was getting enough of it but kept his emotions under control until one of the hands said, “I hope she is better than what we get down at the Madam’s.”

That was all Joe could take and he said, “The next one who insults my future wife is fired and if I was able I would fight him but the firing will have to do.”

The word went around that Joe had enough of the joshing and that was the end of it.

Most of the men who knew Joe respected him for they saw him as a real man, but a few only saw a man who limped and had once been broken up.

 

THE WRANGLER Chapter six

I Miss You So Much !!

 

Lynda said goodbye to Joe and said she wouldn’t be coming back at least for some time.

He wanted to know why and she said, “I have to get on with my life.”

He said, “I will miss you and hope you change your mind and come back.”

She said, “How much?”

“How much what?” he asked.

“How much will you miss me?”
“I don’t know, I just know I will miss you as much as I can.”

She said, “I have to go, I will write Cindy and let her know what I’m doing, goodbye Joey.”

Those words cut deep and Joe didn’t know if he could bear not seeing her again.  It sounded like she was going to get married and he couldn’t blame her for not wanting to hang around him.

Joe tried to keep his mind on running the ranch but Lynda occupied much of his thoughts.

It had been a month and He had not heard anything from her so he kept asking Cindy if she had heard but she said, “No I will tell you if I do.”

She teased him by saying, “I think you are interested in her for more than just a friend. I believe you are in love with her. Joey is in love, Joeey is in love with Lynda.”

She was having a lot of fun at Joe’s expense not realizing she was striking a nerve.

Joe had to make several trips to town during that month and some of the boys had got paid and were in town on one occasion and tried to get Joe to go down to the Madam’s place.

They told him you don’t have to do anything; you can just sit and visit with the girls.

Joe told them, “Visiting those girls was the last thing he wanted to do.”

The guys gave him a Parting shot saying; “You don’t know what you’re missing,” and went their way laughing.

When he returned to the ranch Cindy said, “I got a letter from Lynda.”

She waited for some response from him. He finally couldn’t stand it so he said, “Tell me.”

She said, “It’s mostly about what she has been doing.”

Joe said, “What has she been doing?”

“Well let’s see, she has been seeing some of the fellows we know, one of them more than the others. He has a lot of money and she thinks he is going to propose to her. 

She said if he does she probably will turn him down although she isn’t sure because no one else is that interested in her as far as she knows. At least no one has made it known to her.

That’s about it I’m going to write to her is there anything you want me to say to her?”

Joe turned away but said, “Tell her I want to see her very bad that’s all.”

“Don’t you want me to say some love stuff.  You know want to tell her that don’t you?”

Joe said, “I don’t know you figure it out.”

She said, “If you want to see her so bad I’m going to visit her for a couple of days next week you can go with me.”

Joe didn’t say anything but she could see he wanted to go.

From that point she talked as if he was going with her and she helped him pack.