Thursday, May 19, 2016

One Afternoon

Phillis Juball sighed, sat back down on her straight-backed black stool and twirled herself around. The floor, made from ply wood set on top of old pallets, was tilted, so the chair always slowly rotated to face towards the door in the back. She was working at her little red vegetable stand and trying to stay sane in the heat. Every little while the wind that blew across from the fields on the other side of the street would swirl the dust on the gravel parking lot of the gas station that her stand stood next to and bring it in a little gust to hit her sweaty face and stick to it. She felt incredibly grimy. The front counter was full of fresh vegetables and fruits, and it was a Saturday, but business was very slow. She surmised that it was the heat that was keeping the customers away. That, or the weather report that a thunderstorm was on its way. It certainly felt like a storm. The air was heavy with humidity and the sky was very dim for only 3:30 in the afternoon.
A little rumble came from the direction of the dark clouds behind her stand, so she got up. If she left the hanging pots full of petunias out to be caught in the rain, the flowers would be ruined and it would take at least two or three days of sunny weather to make them look full and beautiful again. She hummed as she lifted the pots two at a time by their hangers and set them under the tent next to her stand, where the rest of her flowers and herbs sat on tables, beautifully arranged to encourage customers to buy. She liked feeling her arm muscles working when she lifted the heavy pots, so she lifted them higher than was necessary. Back inside, a small feeling of resignation came over her. Today wasn’t going to be the best day, but she would still make a little money. It was better than nothing, and tomorrow was her day off. She couldn’t wait to finally leave the hot stand and enter her air conditioned house and, even more importantly, to wash her dirty feet and snuggle with her kitten. She could not think of the right name for that kitten. It was adorable; half calico and half tiger, with huge green eyes. She loved how it could be so playful one minute and so cuddly the next. Her thoughts of the kitten ended as a blue SUV pulled up. A middle aged man, dressed in a suit got out and strode up to the counter.
“How are you?”
She smiled her practiced fake smile that she gave to all her customers. He didn’t answer, but pointed at a quart of tomatoes.
“Just those.”
He handed her three dollars as she pulled out the bag surrounding the quart and handed it to him.
“Thank you, have a nice day!”
“Mhmm.”
When he was gone, she restocked the empty quart basket and placed it on the counter as she watched a bicyclist pedal by. Another dusty, humid breeze smacked her face. She sat back down on her chair and again attempted to read her book “organic chemistry for dummies.” It was not boring to read but not exactly a thrill to read either. She was doing it because she wanted to be prepared for the course when she took it for one of her sophomore classes at Roberts Wesleyan College in the fall. Suddenly a knock on her door brought her out of the world of alkenes. The knocker didn’t stop knocking, but pounded louder as she hurried to pull up the U-shaped metal piece that kept the door closed. A young man slipped past her into her stand as soon as she opened it.
“Close it, close it!”
She jumped in surprise. She knew that face! Closing the door as quickly as possible, and pushing the metal piece back down, she turned to see him. He was sitting on the floor, gesturing for her to come close and listen to him.
“Don’t tell them I am here. Please! Make them leave!”
Almost as soon as she stood back up, a white Jeep with a colorful logo on the side swung into the lot from the road and stopped with a loud crunch of gravel and smaller accompanying screech of brakes, sending another swirl of dust in her direction. Two men stepped out and ran up. One held a very expensive-looking Cannon camera.
“Did you see a young man run by here? One that looks like Ashton Rydner?”
She could feel her heart pick up. Was that really Ashton that was sitting below her counter?
“Oh, no I don’t think anyone ran by here. A bicyclist just went by a couple minutes ago! Is Ashton in the area? That’s so cool!”
“Which way did the bicyclist go?”
She pointed down the road the opposite way from which they had come. The man with the camara seemed satisfied.
“Thanks!”
 He ran towards the Jeep. The other narrowed his eyes.
“Are you sure you didn’t see him? Are you alone in there?”
She frowned
“If I saw Ashton Rydner I would most likely be screaming with joy… and you are asking creepy questions. Please go, I have pepper spray!”
He pursed his lips, looked around one more time, and walked away. The Jeep drove off in the direction she had pointed. Her eyes got wide, but she didn’t look at the young man. She stared out the front of her stand.
“What just happened?”
The young man was looking up at her.
“You saved me from the media finding out where I am… thanks.”
 She finally looked down at him. Her eyes got wide.
“Whoa. You are Ashton. Oh my goodness… ”
And then her wide eyes got wider
“I didn’t lie to them did I?”
His big blue eyes crinkled up and he smiled his famous crooked smile with one big dimple. Her eyes were still wide and her cheeks were getting pinker by the second. He actually loved it. For some reason it felt good to him to be sitting in the dirt on the floor, watching a girl who was obviously a fan of his blush at his random appearance. There was none of the screaming and tugging of a crowd of tween girls trying to get his autograph or a picture with him. Just one girl and a simple blush and now, slowly, a shy smile.
“No, you employed bluffing, distraction and the wonderful red herring fallacy instead.”
He smiled then nodded toward her.
“What’s your name?”
“Phillis. With no Y”
She looked down. She couldn’t believe he was sitting right there, in her little stand. She had his total attention. It was almost every girl’s dream to meet Ashton, and now he was right here, looking at her.
“Why were they chasing you? Why didn’t you want them to know where you were?”
He hesitated
“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
His eyes twinkled. Her dimples got deeper; she knew he was teasing her.
“Well go ahead and tell me then, I am already in any girl’s heaven.”
He smiled, but then looked serious again.
“It’s really not a secret. I am surprised you don’t know.”
His smile came back.
“Well I am a fan of yours but I don’t have a TV at home, nor do I follow the news, so…”
“Ohhh, I see.”
He seemed a little puzzled at this confession but continued
“Well, I am sort of running away from the media for awhile. I have been constantly followed for four years. A week ago I got tired of being watched so I decided to try to disguise myself and live like a normal person- just plain disappear for a month.”
She nodded
“That is totally understandable!”
“They are too good, though. I underestimated them. It hasn’t even been a week since I left my house in LA looking like an old plumber and they already have leads that I am here in Rochester, New York.”
“I’m sorry. It has got to be terrible not having any privacy at all!”
“It’s ok.”
He smiled
“You gave me another chance! Maybe I can do it still.”
He pointed behind her stand.
“I was hiding in those woods back there but came out and walked along the road because I needed to find somewhere to buy something to eat. I took my wig off too because it was so hot.”
His brow came together
“That was stupid, now I’ll have to try again somewhere totally different!”
“Did those reporters just come along at the right time?”
“Yeah I guess.”
He looked downcast.
“Hey, I’m sure you’ll be able to do it. You’ll get better at it!”
She smiled at him.
“You still hungry? I have lots of things to eat here or I could get you something from the gas station!”
He smiled back
“Sure that would be great. What do you have here? I’ll pay for it!”
“No way! I have strawberries, tomatoes, cherries… not much other than that would be good to eat raw.”
“I’d love some strawberries, and I am totally paying.”
“Are you kidding? No you’re not.”
He smiled as she handed him a quart of large, shiny, red berries.
“Ok fine. Thank you so much!”
“Oh and I have an unopened water bottle. The man that fixes cars at the gas station always brings me a bottle on hot days, and I never drink a whole one because I’d have to go to the bathroom.”
She blushed again as she realized what she had just said, but he laughed out loud.
A rumble of thunder, louder this time, sounded just as he laughed and the first raindrops spattered on the white canvas tent that was over her stand. They both looked up and then at each other.
“I guess I found the right place to hide!”
She smiled.
“Anytime Ashton. I don’t get to host a celebrity at my stand very often!”

“Hey, snap out of it!”
Madeline Williams was staring at her friend with her hands on her hips and a perplexed look on her face. Phillis jumped and her big and staring eyes went to Madeline’s. Her lips were still parted and her face was blank.
“You’ve been sitting there staring out the front with a really weird look on your face for like five minutes. What’re you thinking about?”
Phillis looked down.
“Well, not much… just tired I guess. Sorry Maddie were you saying something?”
“Yeah I was talking. I guess it wasn’t that interesting!”
Phillis rolled her eyes, but then looked repentantly at her friend.
“I’ll listen this time!”
Maddie smiled
“I just was talking about my trip. Remember Anita, the horseshoe crab we dissected in Bio 101 freshman year? Well I found a dead horseshoe crab on the beach and cut it open. It was so cool! It just reminded me of Anita. Anyway, you’ve been doing this a lot lately- you need to get more sleep!”
Phillis stood up and sighed.
“Yeah, I do.”
A small white car pulled up and an elderly lady with white hair and sparkly blue eyes slowly stepped out and made her way to the counter. She smiled and answered their greetings.
“I just came for some strawberries and tomatoes. Those tomatoes will do!”
She said, pointing to a full quart. She walked over to the strawberries.
“Mmmm these smell good!”
She pointed to a quart.
“My grandchildren will love these!”
Phillis smiled
“They have been delicious, so I am sure they will!”
When the lady had paid and left, Phillis turned to look at Maddie.
“It’s not fair. You know exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life- it’s a really great thing to be too- and I can’t even figure out what I want to do tomorrow. I don’t know if I want to become a physician’s assistant anymore. I just can’t figure it out!”
She put her hand on her forehead and sighed.
“You know what I really want to do- and have since I was a little girl?”
Maddie smiled
“A gazelle rider?”
Phillis laughed.
“No, other than that! … I… I want to be an actress.”
She left Maddie staring at her and went out. The clouds really were gathering and the petunias still needed to be moved. Maddie followed her out after a few seconds and her mouth was still slightly O-shaped. She crinkled her nose and then lifted her eyebrows in a quizzical look.
“Are you serious?”
Phillis nodded stubbornly.
“I really don’t care what people think, and I know it’s impossible, I was just wishing.”
She walked to the front where hanging baskets full of flowers encircled the posts holding up the front canopy. She picked two up and walked back. Maddie was still looking at her.
“You know that’s a really sadly unrealistic and somewhat naive and silly and immature dream to have right?”
Phillis looked at her and raised her left eyebrow.
“Uhhh thanks so much for summing that up. I guess it is all those things, but still- who said dreams have to be realistic? If they were no one would ever achieve anything that hasn’t been achieved already, and nothing new would ever happen!”
Maddie had a confused look on her face.
“But other people have become actresses…”
“That’s not the point!”

Later that night Phillis remembered her confession. Where had that come from? Before voicing that she wanted to be an actress, she had never even thought of it. She had begun playing scenarios out in her head awhile ago and they continued to get more and more life-like. She loved the thought of being able to act the scenarios out- write a book and then make it into a movie. Something like that! It would be so fulfilling.






Not My Enemies



Where I live now, my place of work, there is a cafe called au bon pain, or "place with the good bread." It may become a place of escape for me because of the barrage of nuisance that is young (or not so young) men. You'd think I'd welcome them with open arms, but I do not. The reason is simple. I know that I will not give them what they want and that they are not right for me, and I do not want them to waste their time. 

It is not that I don't like them! I have had to turn away many men with whom I would fully enjoy being great friends. I recently realized why I like to be around gay men so much usually. They are just interested in friendship. They don't expect more. They are not threatening in any way. 

I guess if men never asked they'd never find out if I would be willing to be with them. However, sometimes it is hard to remember that they are doing what is natural... they are not my enemies. 

The necessity of turning them down burns me deep. 

I don't like doing it.

So I drag it out.

Not good.

Don't.

-Summer 2015

Apart

I knew it would happen, we’d carry apart
The halves of our lives which had not had a start
I knew that I loved you, but wouldn’t admit
Though you always said we were a perfect fit

Someday I will realize the reasons for this,
But right now I only see what went amiss.
I tried to say no, and because you were there 

It was always easy to just enough care.

I used your heart badly, for only my good
You pushed me ‘til I began thinking I should.
I told you everything, and you did the same
We tried to be friends but it ended a game.

I miss you already, and I’m sad to say bye.
I guess that we will meet again in the sky.
The seasons will go by, but always I’ll see

Your face in the sunshine, smiling down at me

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Miss you


Don’t think I don’t miss you-
For I know I do.
I’ve tried to forget you,
But each time I lose.

Autumn is making
Its way to the trees,
And half of a lonely
September agrees.

But in my hard hurting
Mind I can see.
That if I fall
It won’t be with the leaves.

If one more minute
Life would allow
I’d tell you to cherish
Forever and now

Time given to you.
Love given in need.
But forget moments
That aren’t yours, I plead.

I gave you so much
Just give me back this:
The pleasure, the bruises,
And each treasured kiss.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Thoughts

I have just started reading Frank C. Laubach's "Letters by a Modern Mystic" again. He talks of living in continuous conversation with God and responding perfectly to His will. He tried and succeeded in living in such a way that God was on his mind every half hour, and later even every minute. I am dissatisfied with myself and would like to try his method... if you can call it that.

Simple

I have a secret.
Many times I have been called an enigma, a conundrum...
and rough around the edges.
That is not the secret.
My secret is that I am not an enigma, as much as I'd like to be.
I am very simple.
People think that I am mysterious, that I think a lot-
and they would very much like to know what is going on inside my head.
Quite simply the answer is: nothing.
Maybe I am so mysterious and puzzling becuase of the lack of information flowing through my head.

Some might say I am wrong. And maybe so.
Maybe I do not know of the endless string of thought that swirls through my brain.
Maybe it is hidden from me.
Not likely.

I'm not saying I am dumb...
Although I have thought that before and would not hesitate to think so again-
if it were shown to be so.
I am simple.
In my simplicity I hide behind mysterious eyes.
That is all.

Uncle Dave’s Meatloaf

1 lb. bacon
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 box corn bread stuffing mix
4 eggs
3 lbs. hamburger
¾ to 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
A little salt and pepper

Cut thickly sliced bacon into 1 in. squares, leaving 3-4 slices for on top. Fry all bacon. Fry onion and garlic in bacon fat until caramelized. Pour stuffing mix into bacon fat and mix everything together. Mix in eggs, hamburger, salt, pepper and BBQ sauce. Put in pans, lay slices of bacon on top.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a 9" x 13" glass dish.

Drain off fat and enjoy! 

Go running so that you don't gain 5 pounds.