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Stories from the small town of Whisper Gap where one life, one tale invariably reaches out to touch the next. by Jo Janoski.
Rabbit on a stick! That's what the odd cave man called their supper. And indeed, it was. He roasted a rabbit over an open fire and served it to them on sticks gathered up from the woods. Richie loved it, but Becky could not take a bite. The idea of eating a bunny appalled her. After their meal, consumed with few words, as the food was so delicious, they settled back and relaxed, warmed by the glowing embers of the fire. "Are your clothes dried out yet?" the big man asked, licking the last of greasy residue from his fingers. "Yeah. I feel a lot better now," Richie replied. Clearly, he loved this experience, the fresh air, the camping, their huge bear-like new friend. "I'm still hungry," Becky murmured. "I guess the outdoors is no place for a 'princess.'" Richie said. "I'm not a princess! I just don't eat pets." "Humph," Richie replied. The big man studied them while hunched forward rubbing his grizzled chin with two oversized fingers Finally, he spoke, eyes directed toward Becky. "You look familiar. I've caught that your name is Becky, but what's your last name?" "Hale. I'm Becky Hale." "Is your mom Brenda Hale?" "Yeah, do you know her?" He blinked in surprise. "I've heard of her." "What's your name?" Richie asked. "You can call me whatever you want. My name's not important, really." The children shot each other surprised glances. Imagine not thinking your name is important! A quiet calm took over the little camp, until finally Becky spoke. "Could we call you 'Bear?' Because you remind me of a big old bear." The man smiled, displaying yellowed teeth lurking behind his whiskered face. "A bit unusual, but I like it," he said. He stretched and yawned. ""A big meal always makes me tired," he said. "We need to get back," Richie announced. "My mom will be furious I missed supper." "Mine, too," Becky added. "We live in the same house, like a big family," she told Bear. "Is that right? And what about your parents? Don't they think that's kind of crowded?" "No, neither one of us ever knew our dads. Our mothers got together and decided to share the house," Richie said. "It's cool." "I see. Well, perhaps sometime I'll stop by and visit...if you think your moms wouldn't mind." "It's okay. We'll vouch for you," the girl said with a smile. "Would you like to walk back with us now so you can see where we live?" "No need. I already know where you live, if you live at Brenda Hale's house." "Yeah, that's right," Richie said. "How do you know where that is?" "I've lived in Whisper Gap all my life. I don't think there is anybody I don't know. Now get along you two, before you get in trouble with your mothers. I'll be along in a day or two." And thus, thanks to the wandering of two children, Charlie Hanson, believed to have been killed in a plane crash, found his way back into the town to be near his beloved Brenda. Unfortunately, she would never know her old friend lurked behind his fuzzy beard and sizeable girth. He washed and dressed in his "good" jeans and shirt, then with dull scissors trimmed his beard to a shorter unruly mess, adding a few clips to cut the length of his hair. All this as the big man bent down to see his face in a mirror dangling by a wire in his tiny shack by Raccoon Creek. A gentleman who lives alone doesn't need refinements, until he spots a lady love. Soon he'd need to get a proper room in town if he intended to get the attention of Brenda Hale. Or should he go near? After all, he knew a secret that would appall her; namely, the father of Sue's young Richie. He'd stayed away all these years so he'd never get the chance to tell her, not wanting to hurt her. It was a perfect plan. Jim had taken a girl in the plane with them, along with Charlie, that fateful day. But everyone thought it had been only Charlie, and the charred bodies they found were too delicate to touch let alone be identified. He parachuted out before the plane crashed. So with Jim's dirty secret and his own adoration of Jim's wife, he bottled himself up for years, keeping quiet and holding Jim's fathering of Richie with Sue to himself. But the seclusion was about to end, as
the soon-to-be Whisper Gap's most interesting citizen moved back
into town. To be continued... Copyright 2007 JO Janoski
Jo Janoski is a poet, author, and photographer from Pittsburgh, PA. For more from Jo visit her columns: then, before; and her poetry: now, then and before. Or her online home. |
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