Fragment #2
“It’s payback for all the bad things I did over the years, I think. No one in my family ever had arthritis.” She says this with her small pinched mouth, her eyes pinched tight as well, a face accustomed to pain, accustomed to bearing up. Her walker leans, its limbs folded into itself, against her car. When we first moved in and Marla was giving me the rundown on all the neighbors, she warned me off this woman whose name I can’t seem to recall (Edith? Alice? Something old and solid like that. A name smelling of lavender and your grandmother’s sitting room).
Before we moved in, she was apparently caught sneaking around outside BudÂ’s house in the middle of the night, leafing through blueprints heÂ’d left on the porch, plans for a renovation he has yet, to this day, gotten around to. Right up on his porch, Marla had told me. Hunkered down like a small animal, flipping feverish through the pages. Looking for evidence. Paranoid, Marla had hissed. She thinks someoneÂ’s after her.
Well, pain can twist everything around in a mind, no doubt. But BudÂ…to look at his tumbledown timber-pile of a house, IÂ’d be doubtful of the existence of any blueprints. He doesnÂ’t exactly strike me as the planning sort. And this woman standing in front of me, no way she could ever hunker. No way in hell she could do that. So as always with MarlaÂ’s stories I find myself coming back around to the one obvious truth amidst the jumble of threads she feeds me. What it usually comes around to is that Marla is a fucking liar.
Marla must be a fucking liar. Because all IÂ’ve done is asked this Edith or Alice how sheÂ’s feeling, and acknowledged the walker instead of pretending I didnÂ’t see it, and here her pinched little face is unfolding and sheÂ’s telling me about her hip replacement gone wrong. Telling me about the doctor and the hospital and the rehab. The cortisone shots and how none of it works and sheÂ’s in pain all the time, five months straight now in constant pain. And as she tells me this, her face goes open and soft, as if no one has asked how she was, and then stood there and listened to the answer, in a very very long time.
Guess there are many (Alices? Ediths?) around, with people talking about them but never with them. Thanks for a fragment that made me think 🙂
Posted by: sol
That’s the problem nowadays, people have no time to actually stop and listen. Thanks for this. Loved it. 🙂
Posted by: Kai
Wow. I just love how you say so much in so few words. You’ve created some really intriguing characters.
Posted by: Anna
Guess there are many (Alices? Ediths?) around, with people talking about them but never with them. Thanks for a fragment that made me think 🙂
Posted by: sol
That’s the problem nowadays, people have no time to actually stop and listen. Thanks for this. Loved it. 🙂
Posted by: Kai
Wow. I just love how you say so much in so few words. You’ve created some really intriguing characters.
Posted by: Anna
Marla sounds like a fun gal. As long as we know she’s a fucking liar and can, you know, cut what she says down to reality!! Thanks for the good read with my coffee!
Posted by: beverly
I like these fragments.
Posted by: Phoe
Just wanted to say you’re two for two. Both fragments have been enjoyable reads, and leave me wanting to know more about the back story of the characters. Well done, and keep ’em coming!
Posted by: Sandra
Very nice, thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Faith
This one got to me.
Posted by: Michelle
Beautiful. Resonating.
Posted by: Janet
Marla sounds like a fun gal. As long as we know she’s a fucking liar and can, you know, cut what she says down to reality!! Thanks for the good read with my coffee!
Posted by: beverly
I like these fragments.
Posted by: Phoe
Just wanted to say you’re two for two. Both fragments have been enjoyable reads, and leave me wanting to know more about the back story of the characters. Well done, and keep ’em coming!
Posted by: Sandra
Very nice, thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Faith
This one got to me.
Posted by: Michelle
Beautiful. Resonating.
Posted by: Janet
Very nice. I love the tossed off line about Bud not being the planning sort.
You draw very vivid characters.
Posted by: Sarah R
I love the last line, espeically… her face goes open and soft, as if no one has asked how she was, and then stood there and listened to the answer, in a very very long time.
I also enjoyed the image: A name smelling of lavender and your grandmotherÂ’s sitting room
I can’t wait to read more fragments.
Posted by: Jen S.
Lovely.
Posted by: Rachael
You are really good. I’m glad you are sharing these fragments with us. I for one feel very honored by your trust!
Posted by: KaKi
Your last line is so powerful. Lovely.
Posted by: Rachel H
Nice. Vivid. I think I’ve seen these characters in my neighborhood.
Posted by: Celia
Very nice. I love the tossed off line about Bud not being the planning sort.
You draw very vivid characters.
Posted by: Sarah R
I love the last line, espeically… her face goes open and soft, as if no one has asked how she was, and then stood there and listened to the answer, in a very very long time.
I also enjoyed the image: A name smelling of lavender and your grandmotherÂ’s sitting room
I can’t wait to read more fragments.
Posted by: Jen S.
Lovely.
Posted by: Rachael
You are really good. I’m glad you are sharing these fragments with us. I for one feel very honored by your trust!
Posted by: KaKi
Your last line is so powerful. Lovely.
Posted by: Rachel H
Nice. Vivid. I think I’ve seen these characters in my neighborhood.
Posted by: Celia
wow – the transition from the realization reinforcement of Marla’s character to the simple appreciation of someone showing some interest – I’m loving this gift that you’re sharing with us. BTW – tell your d— publisher that we WANT the book – SOON!! And so glad you’ve already got more in the pipeline!!
Posted by: robin
You made a tear! Nice work, I hope you continue the fragments, and I can’t wait for the book!
Posted by: pattie
I love these fragments. I want to know more about Edith or Alice and why Marla is suck a fucking liar…. This is GOOD.
Posted by: Carmen
I enjoy reading these writing fragments. Keep them coming!
Posted by: Knittripps
I feel sorry for you Alice/Edith. I have personal experience with arthritis and bad hip replacement. By being kind to invisible people we are “paying forward”. We all some day become old and invisible, more so if we are women…ciao
Posted by: rositta
It’s often most difficult to write the shortest pieces. Yours is only one of three blogs I read regularly now that I’m a stay at home Mom, and these fragments will keep me coming back.
Posted by: Tanya
wow – the transition from the realization reinforcement of Marla’s character to the simple appreciation of someone showing some interest – I’m loving this gift that you’re sharing with us. BTW – tell your d— publisher that we WANT the book – SOON!! And so glad you’ve already got more in the pipeline!!
Posted by: robin
You made a tear! Nice work, I hope you continue the fragments, and I can’t wait for the book!
Posted by: pattie
I love these fragments. I want to know more about Edith or Alice and why Marla is suck a fucking liar…. This is GOOD.
Posted by: Carmen
I enjoy reading these writing fragments. Keep them coming!
Posted by: Knittripps
I feel sorry for you Alice/Edith. I have personal experience with arthritis and bad hip replacement. By being kind to invisible people we are “paying forward”. We all some day become old and invisible, more so if we are women…ciao
Posted by: rositta
It’s often most difficult to write the shortest pieces. Yours is only one of three blogs I read regularly now that I’m a stay at home Mom, and these fragments will keep me coming back.
Posted by: Tanya
More, please, more. Can you PayPal/PDF your novel to us and eliminate the middle man?
Posted by: Anna
Aw. Poor Edith! Alice!
Posted by: Amy
You have captured in a few paragraphs something that I live so often. Our society seems to disregard the old and infirmed so easily. As if merely speaking to them will contaminate us with their age and fragility. “No one has listened to me in so long. They ‘hear’ me but they don’t really listen.”
It’s so sad to see and my heart aches every time I sit with a patient and play this scenario out with them.
Thanks for the words. I can’t wait to continue to read more.
Posted by: knittingnurse
Another reason to look forward to Tuesdays… or maybe the only reason to look forward to Tuesday… Thanks for these!
Posted by: Jen sans blog
Pain sucks. Poor Edith/Alice.
Posted by: Riin
More, please, more. Can you PayPal/PDF your novel to us and eliminate the middle man?
Posted by: Anna
Aw. Poor Edith! Alice!
Posted by: Amy
You have captured in a few paragraphs something that I live so often. Our society seems to disregard the old and infirmed so easily. As if merely speaking to them will contaminate us with their age and fragility. “No one has listened to me in so long. They ‘hear’ me but they don’t really listen.”
It’s so sad to see and my heart aches every time I sit with a patient and play this scenario out with them.
Thanks for the words. I can’t wait to continue to read more.
Posted by: knittingnurse
Another reason to look forward to Tuesdays… or maybe the only reason to look forward to Tuesday… Thanks for these!
Posted by: Jen sans blog
Pain sucks. Poor Edith/Alice.
Posted by: Riin
This is awesome. I’m totally sucked in.
Posted by: cherylc
thank you!
Posted by: janna
As someone who loves to read but has little time to do so , your fragments are perfect! I love that I see them in my head as I read! Not all stories do that 🙂
Posted by: Ella
delurking to say thank you for sharing this wonderful fragment. wish i could read more.
Posted by: Eunice
god, that’s beautiful. And I love, “What it usually comes around to is that Marla is a fucking liar.” Zap.
Posted by: Lizbon
This is awesome. I’m totally sucked in.
Posted by: cherylc
thank you!
Posted by: janna
As someone who loves to read but has little time to do so , your fragments are perfect! I love that I see them in my head as I read! Not all stories do that 🙂
Posted by: Ella
delurking to say thank you for sharing this wonderful fragment. wish i could read more.
Posted by: Eunice
god, that’s beautiful. And I love, “What it usually comes around to is that Marla is a fucking liar.” Zap.
Posted by: Lizbon