Imagine That (Short Stories) by Leon Rice (essential reading .txt) 📖

the floor. Lucky had been John’s pride and joy, until little Davie came along; now, he was second fiddle. Lucky didn’t know it though.

Dinner was ready and the three of them sat down to eat. Mary had fixed corn and green beans to go along with the potatoes and pork chops. The aroma of the food made their mouths water. John was tense; he was always tense when Mary was around. She constantly meddled in their lives and John resented it.

“So did you put in your application at the mine yet?” Mary inquired.

“Here we go,” John thought. “She never gives me a break.”

Rather than get into an argument with her, he simply said, “Goin up there tomorrow.” which wasn’t true, but he thought that should put an end to an unwanted conversation. They ate in silence. After finishing their meal, Mary cleared the dinner dishes and changed Davies’ diaper.

Little Davie started to make a fuss; he had been napping on the hid abed; it was dinner time for him too. Mary got a bottle out of refrigerator and put it on the stove to warm. After feeding the baby, they settled down to watch a little TV. John was half way planning to go out this evening to meet Barb, but decided to wait a while before leaving. Mary would be here for a while, watching TV with Kim and he thought it would be better if she were unaware that he was going out. John loved being married and having a baby, but he also liked his freedom. He was a regular a Will Pastorino’s tavern; he also loved his beer. He couldn’t keep his mind off of Barb. Should he meet her or not - what a dilemma. They watched TV for a little while and Mary made sure little Davie didn’t need anything.

“Will you be able to take care of Davie after I leave Kim?” Mary asked.

“I thought you were taking Davie back to your mom’s tonight.“

“Oh, Okay, I can do that; I just thought you were going to keep him tonight.”

“I would love to keep him, but I guess it really would be better if your mom watched him again tonight.“
* * * *

John had taken Lucky back outside and put him in his pen. He sat down in a lawn chair to relax after dinner. Kim didn’t like it when he went to Will’s tavern; she also didn’t like the fact that he drank beer, but she realized that there was nothing that she could do about it. She hated the fact that he smoked cigarettes: “Those things are nasty!” was her usual comment regarding John ’s smoking -- These ideas came from her strict Southern Baptist upbringing.

John smoked a cigarette and tried to think of a reason for him to leave the house tonight - Kim and Mary would be busy with little Davie so all he needed was a reason that Kim would accept without causing an argument. He didn’t mind lying if it really suited his purpose. A lodge meeting, that was it, he would tell her he had a lodge meeting; she never minded his lodge meetings. He thought about it; he was loosing his nerve - if he ever had any nerve in the first place.

It was going on 6:30 and if he was going to go he needed to just do it. There really wasn’t anything wrong with just meeting Barb for a drink. It wasn’t really a date. They could just have a drink and talk for a while. No harm in that. “It’s settled then,” he thought, “I‘ll just go meet her.”

John went back inside and without hesitation, said to Kim, “I’ve got a lodge meeting at 7:00 tonight, I hope you don’t mind. I’ll only be gone for a little over an hour. You’ll be alright with Mary here for a while won’t you?”

“I’ll be alright John . . . . Just don’t be too late.” Little did she know that her confidence was about to be compromised. After all, “what she didn’t know wouldn’t cause her any problems,” thought John .

“Spring showers bring May flowers,“ he thought, or some nonsense crap that his mother use to say; he dodged the rain drops, as he left his house and got in his cab to go to the tavern. John was nervous; his palms were sweating; he was about to do something that he kind of thought was wrong, but had decided to do it anyway. He wasn’t always stalwart - most of the time, but not always.

Barb was sitting at a table in the back of the bar. She had on a low cut blouse, tight jeans and her hair was in a ponytail. Her makeup was perfect and she couldn’t wait for John to get there. She was sexually on edge in apprehension of her encounter with John . She was over sexed and “had a thing” for almost every man she knew. - but this thing with John : “oh my god, this was really going to be sweet.”

John circled the block that the bar was on -- “couldn’t do it . . . . Shouldn’t do it.” . . . . He circled the block six times, then made his final decision. Despite the fact that he was sexually aroused, he finally said to himself, “I just can’t do it.” Maybe he was a better person than he thought he was.

He felt good about his decision. He was proud of himself. He would not compromise his marriage for a little conversation with another women.
He fantasized about what might have happened. It was vivid in his mind; he had even thought about the motel he would take her to. All that stemming from a brief encounter at Will’s bar. Now it wouldn’t happen; he was glad. He drove to the park at the lake where the city water works was located. He pulled into a parking space near the picnic tables, turned off the engine, turned on the radio, and prepared to wait for an hour to pass, and then he would go home; no harm done.

Barb waited; a half hour passed, then an hour. “He wasn’t coming . . . . I knew he wouldn’t show.” She finished her drink and left for home. “He had no idea what he was going to miss out on. . . .It was his loss.” she thought. Sometimes, he didn’t like himself when he did the right thing; “some people seem to have all the fun! They just have all the damn fun! Damn it, just damn it, that‘s all!”


Zealand
A Short Story by Leon Rice

This is a story about a young man named Zealand. It is intended for a young reader of the age of adolescence, perhaps considering religion and it’s implications in his or her own life. This story has protestant overtones, but in no way is intended to denigrate the magnificence of the Catholic Church. It is quite simply religious fiction. Negativity with regard to either Protestant or Catholic religion is not intended. The reformation did happen and this is a simple little story about one young boys journey into the realization of his future.

Grumpus was a crusty old man in his late 70’s. He lived in the village of Voltaire in the French alps. The year was 1517. Grumpus was a man of extremes: either he was totally elated, totally depressed, or mad as hell. You never could tell which man you were dealing with until it was too late. Everyone approached him with caution. Most of the time he was elated and a very happy man. Grumpus’s main purpose in the village was that of a prophetic nature. He was aware of what would come to pass in the future and he helped the residents of Voltaire prepare for what awaited them.

He was quite proud of his grandson Zealand. Zealand was 15 years old and worshiped his grandfather; the sun set and rose in his grandfather, as far as Zealand was concerned. Their love for one other was obvious to everyone.

Zealand’s grandmother, Marisela, was a wonderful women; she was warm, tender, kind, and was quite robust. Grumpus loved her madly. Often times he thought that he did not know what he would do if something happened to her. He was sure that he would not be able to live without her . .

What of Zealand’s parents, you may wonder: They were both away on a quest in Germany helping a man who would change the world, Martin Luther.

* * * *

Five days of the week, Zealand spent time with Cornelious, from noon till about 4 in the afternoon. Cornelious was a dwarf. He was 38 inches tall and was a kind and gentle soul. He greeted everyone with a hug. He had knowledge