The exercise:
We welcome September by writing something which takes place in: the trading post.
The hike didn't end up happening, as fatigue lingered into a second day. We did meet up with a friend and her three year old son at the park this morning, so at least we managed to do something.
We got a start on the box harvest after dinner, which should leave us with a reasonable amount of work to do tomorrow morning. Hopefully the rain holds off for us.
Mine:
Jimmy "Squinty" Munroe slid off the side of his horse and approached the trading post with his trademark limp. He nodded to any man who caught his eye, tipped his hat to the ladies. That he received nothing in return didn't appear to bother him in the least.
Stepping up onto the boardwalk in front of the store, he reached for the door and was forced to snatch his hand away as it swung outward with enough force to break bones.
"No!" yelled Caleb Lewis as he stormed out of the building he had built with his own two hands. "No, no, no!"
"What's the problem?" Jimmy asked as he stepped to the side. He tried to maneuver his way inside but found his way blocked by a long, muscular arm. "Closing up early today, Cale? Taking a nice little vacation?"
"I told you a hundred times if I told you once," Caleb yelled, wagging a finger in Jimmy's face. "You ain't allowed in my building no more!"
"Aw, come on now Cale! I thought you were just joking around!"
"Do I look like I'm joking around?"
"Well, no, I can't say that you do. Not unless you've been working on your acting. Have you been -"
"Go away and do not come back, Squinty!"
"Now, now," Jimmy said, offering the palms of both hands as he took several steps back. "There's no need for name calling. Just because you didn't care for those furs I brought in last month -"
"Those were skunk furs!"
"The finest specimens for miles in any direction!"
"And you didn't even bother to wash them after they sprayed their stink all over the place!"
3 comments:
Shame about the hike, but it sounds like you had a fun day anyway! Hmm, Squinty seems like a likeable and interesting character. But then so does Caleb if I'm honest :) There's some great interaction there, and the dialogue is excellent: it's always clear who's speaking, and the voices are very natural sounding. I was also very impressed that Caleb's words are conveyed by yelled both times you mention him speaking, and that after that I just know that the poor guy's not calmed down. Fantastic work, and a lovely little tale told as well.
The trading post
"Driftmoss and tidethrush..., willow-bark and painsweet...."
Jocasta looked sideways along the counter at the woman with the lined face, woollen shawl pulled over her head, and a hand-woven basket on her arm. The woman was muttering a litany of things that Jocasta didn't understand as she pawed through the basket. There was a strong smell of wet dog, as well as something more foul, that she suspected came from the shawl.
"What can I get you?" The man behind the counter was broad-shouldered, unshaven, and his eyes twinkled like the sun peering out from thunderclouds.
"Jocasta would like some Dom Perignon, a tin of truffles, a side of salmon and... throw half a dozen patés, some crusty french bread, unsalted butter, a bottle of decent red and some caviar in a hamper, yah?"
"Jocasta's in the wrong shop," said the man, his smile not leaving his face. "I don't rightly know what half of those things are, let alone sell them."
"Jocasta is not pleased," she said. "The smell in here is ghastly and you're telling Jocasta that you don't have truffles? They're only tinned, for God's sake! It's not like Jocasta's asking for fresh here!"
"That'd be the skunk furs," said the man. "What's a truffle? And who's this Jocasta you keep talking about. Can't she speak for herself?"
"Jocasta is speaking!" Her voice went up to a screech, and the woman with the basket looked at her with clouded eyes. "And don't look at me like that you harridan!"
"You leave her alone," said the man behind the counter. "She brings in things people want."
"She's your supplier?" Jocasta's eyes went so wide that for a moment it looked like her eyeballs would pop out of their sockets and roll around on the floor. "Jocasta is appalled!"
"Jocasta is banned," said the man firmly. "From this here trading post, and all like it."
Back to Caleb's trading post.
=======
Annie smiled. She didn't like that annoying little trapper, and he never tipped her after enjoying her favors. When he finally slunk away, and Caleb turned to go back in the trading post, she stepped forward. "Nice work, Caleb." He barely glanced at her. "Sure," he muttered, and stomped inside. Annie frowned. She sure wished that handsome Caleb would pay more attention to her.
Greg - thanks so much for your kind words on mine :)
Aw, poor Jocasta. It's always so frustrating when a shop doesn't have what you're looking for...
Morganna - and poor Annie as well! It seems like the ladies are not getting what they want today, doesn't it?
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