Lucky Strike by Nancy Zafris

Author:Nancy Zafris [Zafris, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unbridled Books
Published: 2005-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

NINE

Miss Dazzle sprang up the three steps to the pool and gave Jimmy Splendid a big hug. “It looks like everyone’s in town today,” she said. “Aren’t the kids with you?” Jean asked. She stood up from the chaise longue and immediately lost her balance. Jimmy Splendid caught her and tried to ease her back down, but she wanted to stand up and that was what she did. What a strangely arranged town, she thought. They had passed through it at one end and come to this motel on the other end. It simply began, and then it simply ended. She could see beyond the town to the unreal landscape. The sky in its perfect blueness seemed flat, a piece of construction paper on which were pasted the pieces of a brown mountain range.

“The kids were right here when I left to take Randy home,” Miss Dazzle said.

“They must be with Jo. Have you seen Jo?” Jimmy Splendid and Miss Dazzle were staring at her. “I’m fine,” she said. Her heart revved up quick and frightened. The way they were looking at her was not right. Their expressions had turned sinister. “Are you sure?”

“Am I sure what, honey?”

Maybe she was a little confused. She decided to sit down. Jimmy Splendid’s steadying hand followed her to the lounge chair.

“Do you remember the doctor being here?” Miss Dazzle asked.

“I remember. He thought Beth was selfish going on about her barbecue.”

“Oh, Randy’s so annoying.”

“That little girl?” Jimmy Splendid asked. “I got a kick out of her.”

“And it was a private conversation.”

“Randy’s not, you know, he’s not much for kids. But that little girl’s a sweetheart, so don’t you worry about it, darling.”

“The kids aren’t with him, are they?” Jean asked.

“No, no.”

“Where are they then?”

“They must be with your friend Jo.”

“That’s right,” Jean said.

“It’s awful hot out here,” Miss Dazzle said. “And you’ve been out here this whole time?”

“No, it’s just that I thought the kids were with you,” Jean said. She just said it to buy time, but she was repeating herself and probably to them looking crazy and bewildered. But everyone had invader thoughts, alert unseen butlers to the main topic. Her own adulthood was one big invasion, making it impossible to formulate a free unencumbered conceit. All her previous experiences attended each new experience, familiarizing it before it had barely begun. Yet one had to find a way to live as though life was not one big circular argument, as though it was still possible to forge ahead into original territory.

“You’ve been out here this whole time?” Miss Dazzle shook her head.

“Even for hot it’s hot,” Jimmy Splendid said.

Jean looked out over the parking lot. Jimmy Splendid’s truck and Miss Dazzle’s DeSoto were the only cars on the lot but they were parked side by side, like two lone theatergoers who gravitate close. The motel rooms all gazed out on empty spaces. A line of three mailboxes stood outside the ladies’ rentals. The little red flags were up. They were always up.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.