Installment #5 Tucker Fuhrman

 

     Tucker swiveled his chair away from the desk and looked out across Denver.  He loved this city.  It had been good to him.  He leafed through the offer on his lap.  One year.  It was a good offer and he knew the man would take good care of the plumbing business he had operated for the last 8 years.  But this offer was for a year down the road.  Why couldn’t he do it now?  But there was an advantage to this.  In one year he would have more money put away and the business would be all paid for.  He could walk away with a clean slate and over $500,000 in his pocket.  This would give him time to find a place probably in Pueblo or Colorado Springs and establish some sort of social life.

     He had started the business just to see if he could.  It had been boom times and his bids at the hospitals and medical centers were fair and honest and this led to more work.  He had expanded several times and was now set for retirement.  He could begin to wind things down and by the time all his contracts were finished the year would be ending.  He picked up his pen and signed the contract.  Then he buzzed the intercom and spoke to Margie, the office manager.  “Margie, this contract is ready.  Want to do that for me?”

“Of course, Tucker, be right in there.”  She clicked off. 

http://www.shop.loumercer.com

Installment #4 Cynthia Browder

     Cyndi stared at the match.com email on her screen.  Where had that come from?  She could join free for ten days on a trial period.  What was there to lose?  Nothing.  She moved the cursor over the try it free box and clicked.  Oh, dear, she needed a name.  She looked out the window and there was a delivery truck with a duck on the side.  Truckingduck.  There!  That sounded good!  She picked a password and made a note of all this in her book she kept by the computer.  The next screen asked her personal information, what she expected from a man if she did indeed want a man.  She filled in hobbies, interests, religion, height, weight, hair color, eyes, build, marital status, children, pets, and then she was done.

     The next page opened and the search box came up.  Sure.  Female seeking male age 55-65.  That seemed about right.  Height?  6’ would do.  She liked tall men.  She hit the search button again and was amazed at the men that popped up.  She idly ran the cursor down the first page.  Nothing caught her eye.  She hit next. Whoa!  A cowboy.  She liked cowboys.  65 Likes to ride.  Has a ranch.  No kids. Widower.  2 dogs. Something was not right.  Next.

     This was a rather plain man in some sort of “go to hell hat”.  At least that was what Cynthia called it.  6’2”.  Now that sounded good.  There was also a picture of him with a big black Poodle.  He liked animals.  She opened his profile.  “Successful business man looking to retire in Southern Colorado.  Seeking a good hearted woman with a sense of humor.  Must be able to carry her own suitcase and weight in proportion to height.  Well, a few pounds is alright and I might help with the suitcase.”  Cynthia smiled and hit the wink button.

She checked out a few more, winked at another one and then took a second look at AlfredJ424.  He did have beautiful blue eyes.  She closed the window, checked her email and turned off the computer.  It had been a very long day and she was ready for bed.

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Do not be confused by the title. Chapter One simply means this is my first book. There may never be another, or there may be many more. I am very proud of this endeavor and guarantee you will enjoy the book in it's entirety. Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Installment #3 Tucker Fuhrman

Installment #3      Tucker Fuhrman

     Tucker slid into the drivers seat of the now black BMW.  This felt good.  This felt right.  John had taken the car into the paint shop and now the brown BMW was a muted black.  Exactly what Tucker wanted.  Green was a good color for a ‘vette, but a BMW was a conservative car and said that the man at the wheel was a success; a man who had reached the top.  And black was a serious color.

     “I sure appreciate this, John.  I just don’t like brown.”  He pulled his checkbook out of the back pocket of his jeans.  “Let me give you a check and I will pick it up tomorrow afternoon when the paper work is all done.  OK?” 

     John nodded and opened the door to the office allowing Tucker to enter. As he watched Tucker filling in the zeroes he envisioned Holly welcoming him to the apartment love nest.  Maybe he would even move in with her.  Leave that fat wife of his in the house in the suburbs.  What had he been thinking?  Holly was so warm and welcoming and the little lines they sometimes shared just added to the excitement.  He reached for the check and shook Tucker’s hand.

     “Thanks, Tucker.  It has been a pleasure.”  As he watched Tucker climb back into the Corvette, reverse and then move easily into traffic, he licked his lips and reached for the phone.  He listened as the phone continued to ring on the other end.  Why that stupid bitch!  Where was she now?  She was no doubt out screwing her dealer for her daily fix.  In a moment of clarity he saw it all before him.  He would go home to Margaret.  Holly was fun, but Holly was a player.  A man with kids in high school and a car dealership had no business with someone like Holly.  There was talk of him being a candidate for city council.  Politics and whores did not mix.  When he reached the top, Holly would follow.  Maybe it would not be this Holly, but another one.  He dialed his home phone and this time there was an answer.

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  Do not be confused by the title. Chapter One simply means this is my first book. There may never be another, or there may be many more. I am very proud of this endeavor and guarantee you will enjoy the book in it's enirety. Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

Installment #2...Cynthia Browder

Installment #2

Cynthia Browder

 

     Cynthia pushed the gear shift up to “P”, set the emergency brake, and turned the key to the off position.  The little Mazda quietly shut down.  She loved this car.  There was just something about a Mazda and the way it handled.  Sporty.  That was it.  Blue would not have been her first choice, but when Rick had seen it on the lot and knew it was the owners demo car he had lit up.  That would drop the price several thousand dollars and he had been looking for something dependable for Cyndi and he had found it!

     And he was right.  It was a four door, but small with four cylinders.  The inside was as nice as a luxury car at an economy price.  The gas mileage was phenomenal and that was good.  He drove a little Mazda Sundowner pickup that he loved, but Cyndi needed a car.  So the deal had been made. 

     Before she opened the door, she remembered back to the visit from the state patrol a year ago.  Rick had been late getting home from work and she had began to worry.  She knew when she opened the door why the trooper was there as soon as she saw him.  The little gray Sundowner pickup had been no match for the big Ford ¾ ton pickup that had crossed the center line and hit him head-on.

     He was in the hospital and he would drive her there.  It was not good.  Was there someone the trooper could call?  No one near.  The kids were back in Kansas.  Oh, wait!  Yes, he had kids.  Right here in Pueblo, Colorado.  Right up the street actually.  Yes, call them.    Thank you. 

     And so she had met the two girls at the hospital.  Allen and Fred were further and would be flying in as soon as they could get a flight.  She had set through the night with Angie and Martha.  Rick was still as death.  Since there was no one to tell them not to, the EMT’s had placed him on life support.  They prayed, but there were no signs of life.  The boys came the next day and it was the same.  And so it stayed in that limbo for three weeks.  Feeding tubes giving him nourishment, a respirator breathing for him, a catheter to empty him, nurses to bathe him.  The boys went home.  The girls returned to their lives.  And Cynthia waited.

     When the waiting became too much, she hired an attorney.  Yes, he could be unhooked.  There were no signs of life on any of the screens.  And so she called the kids together.  She presented the facts.  She told them the cold, hard facts, which they already knew.  Five signatures later, with hospice in the room, the ventilator was turned off, and the room echoed with Rick breathing in the same rhythm as the respirator had breathed when it was hooked up and working.  Cynthia knew a moment of hope.  She held that hope for the next few hours.  She knew it was just muscles doing what they had been trained to do, but still she hoped.  At 5:26 the next morning, that stopped and Rick Browder’s spirit left his body.

     She was a widow at the age of 51.  She would have no one to hold her when she cried.  No one to share her joys with at the end of the day.  She would eat alone, walk alone, dream alone.  She suddenly began to cry alone in the stillness of the car.  The road ahead that was her life suddenly became very long and desolate.  Life was not fair and her sadness was slowly replaced by an anger that threatened to consume her.  Then she laughed.  She was remembering the single piece of paper that the hospice worker had given her.  The title had been The Normal stages of Grief.  Yes, as surprising as tonight had been, it was normal. She sighed as she picked up her purse, opened the car door and headed into her home.

*****************Buy my Book*******************

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Long Ago and Not Very Far Away Installment #1

Long Ago and Not Very Far Away

Installment #1...Tucker Fuhrman

Tucker Fuhrman brushed an invisible piece of lint off his trousers. He knew he was going to buy this BMW, but he did not want the salesman to know his plans. Let him sweat. It was just exactly what he needed to make him feel good about himself. His new company had taken off in a blaze and he had the money. He did not do things like this very often, but today he would.

"I don't know, John. I am not sure I like the color. Suppose I could have it painted but it would be quicker and easier to just buy a black one to begin with, don't you think?" He pulled his chapstick from his pocket, removed the cap and applied it to his lips. Colorado was very good at drying his lips, hands and every other part that reached the air. St. Louis had been more humid and he liked that, but he lived here now, so he made his consessions. St. Louis was far away. He let his mind think briefly about Janice and then turned to the lot and smiled at the Corvette waiting there. " I got to go. I will call you in a day or so. In the meantime see what you come up with."

He folded his 6'2" frame into the bright green corvette and inserted the key in the ignition. It sparked to life instantly and he pulled the seat belt across his chest and clicked it into the latch. He hated to leave the BMW alone in the lot, but this was a game that had to be played and it was one he would win. The BMW was brown and brown would never do. The leather upholstery was grey and that was good, but brown was just not in his vocabulary.

Tucker pulled into the parking lot of the little Italian Deli two blocks before he got to his house. He was hungry for something, but not sure what. Italian for sure. He settled for a bowl of spaghetti, two meatballs, some garlic bread and then after a moment of reflection decided he needed a salad. The lower track was just not up to par and something green might be in order. Carole, the server, placed it in the bag, added it up and then asked, "Anything else, Tucker? Something to drink maybe?" She looked at him coyly through her long lashes.

"No, thanks, Carole. I have some wine in the fridge and that will just have to do."

"You know I would love to help you drink that. Don't you ever get lonely? I sure do."

"No, I don't. How much?" He gestured at the sack of food.

Carole glanced at the ticket and announced, "Nine dollars and eleven cents." She pouted a little at Tucker and he ignored her as he laid a ten and 3 ones on the counter, picked up the bag and turned to go. As he exited the door he overheard her snarl at the cook, "Fucking fag! He ain't fooling me."

Tucker made a mental note to look for another Italian Deli in the neighborhood. It was just easier than trying to explain to women like Carole that he was looking for a woman with class and he would not settle for anything short of what he wanted. He was not going to rut around with someone just to pass the time of day so they would not think he was gay. He knew he was straight and he knew what he wanted. Was it his fault that the women in the world he lived in were all just looking for a husband and not really caring about what he wanted? Lord only knows he had spent 55 years on this earth being disappointed and he could sure spend another 55 if he needed.

He pulled into the alley of the condo on Clifton and pointed the opener at the garage door. It raised quickly and he did not hesitate as he pulled in beside his three motorcycles. They were better than a woman any day of the week. As he opened the door of the Corvette he leaned across the seat and picked up his sack. Hooking his keys in the belt loop of his jeans he threw his leg over the Norton and settled his lanky frame on the leather seat. This was heaven. He pulled the bowl of spaghetti out of the sack, fished out the plastic fork and proceeded to devour the meatballs, the spaghetti, the garlic bread, but the green salad remained in the bag. So much for the problem with the lower tract. He ran his hands lovingly over the handlebars of the Norton. Maybe he would take it for a little spin tomorrow. Once more his mind thought back to Janice.

He had planned on marrying her. He really had. But that was 30 years ago, and her mother had not thought him good enough for her. Maybe he hadn't been then. Maybe he still wasn't, but one thing was sure, it had been her final call. He still remembered her standing small beside her ramrod stiff mother. He remembered the tears in her eyes as he turned and walked out the door. He had walked slowly to the Triumph hope against hope that she would run to him and into his arms. But she hadn't. Her mother had won and he had left St Louis and gone to Cleveland. That part of his life was over. Janice was dead to him and St Louis was far away.

Tucker got off the Norton and entered his condo, turning off the light in the garage and on Janice, the lost love of his life. The one he measured all women by in this present life.

Long ago and not very far away...

Looking back it seems I always knew him, but just met him yesterday.  I had just published my first book when he left me.  I had the next one in my mind and wanted to get started on it, but I promised him a couple weeks before he passed away that the next book I wrote would be about him and me if we had met in a different place and time.  He gave me all his past history and I took notes.  Since that time I have tried to write on my next novel, but it is not happening.
So brace yourselves, kiddies, you are about to embark on another adventure and this one is going to be pure fantasy.  I am not sure that we will live happily ever after, but who knows what may happen in this land of make believe?  I will have his brother on board if I need clarification as to his younger days.
But rest assured, I will not use his name or my name.  That is just to protect his family.  My friends knew him.  They knew all about the last 3 years and we can not lose sight of the fact that this is pure fiction.  The only part that really happens is his death.  Just remember,  all fiction is some truth and most truth is partly fiction. 
That being said, I hope to publish my first installment on Monday.  I think this one will go fairly quickly since it is all one big day dream!  In the meantime, you might think about giving a copy of my first book as a Christmas gift to some one who reads.  That would please them and keep me out of the poor house.
Just click right here to find it online.

I have run amok!

Now, I know you popped in here to read the next installment, but I got some bad news for you.  Since the sales of my first book are stalled out I have rethought the whole thing.  Don't get me wrong, I am full of ideas and there is another book just busting to get out, but I am not a rich woman.  So until I can pay for the last one, I am not going to worry about the next one.
And how silly is that to put it on here for free and then think some one might actually buy it?  Not good marketing from this end.  So the book is on a flash drive waiting to be finished. When the first one is paid for the second one will be printed and that is how it goes.
In the meantime, here is this blog and nothing to put on it.  So my thoughts are that I am going to wander around this town and pop in to businesses here and there and then give you a report.  Say I decide I want a hamburger and I drop in to McDonalds.  Does the clerk smile?  Make eye contact?  Is the place clean?  Was the hamburger what I expected?  You get the drift.  Trust me I have been in some places that would not like to have my report published!  I am thinking I may need to take some one with me to verify my findings.  I think I will carry a clipboard and when I leave get a permission slip.  Thinking I may want to consult my attorney before I even embark on this, so give me some time and then check back in and see where I am.
And I would like your feedback on whether you would even read this or not.  So email me your thoughts.  loumercer3@aol.com  In the meantime...

 

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This is the novel I have for sale on Amazon. Do not be confused by the title. Chapter One simply means this is my first book. There may never be another, or there may be many more. I am very proud of this endeavor and guarantee you will enjoy the book in it's enirety. Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Installment #13 Greg and Kevin

 Greg smiled as he watched Kevin adjust the mirror, move the seat, flex his hands, and finally grip the steering wheel.  Kevin met his eyes and exclaimed, “What?”
 Greg laughed, “Is everything quite right for your stint behind the wheel?  Anything left to adjust? “  Secretly he was proud that Kevin wanted everything just right.  Made him feel secure.  And that was part of Kevin’s charm, always the same.  Always dependable.  And he would drive the speed limit and not go over.  He would be careful passing and never take chances.  Greg liked that in  partner.  Not that he had many partners, but he had his dreams and knew what he wanted.  Dependability.  Trustworthy.  Honest.  Loving.  What more could he ask for in a man?  They would board the plane at DIA and be home before dark.  Greg wondered briefly how the pub was doing and then flipped the lever on the side of the seat and reclined just a little.  Not going to sleep, just wanted to be in the semi vegetative state that he liked when riding in the passenger seat.  They would be at the airport in just a little over an hour.  Course that security thing at the airport was the worst.  It actually took less time to get home than it took to get through that mess.  But soon.  And then he realized that they would be landing in San Francisco and they would not have a car to get home.  He had taken Kevin to the airport and his mother had taken him.  Two cars were in the garage at home and they would be in a cab.  What a waste.  Then he laughed.  Kevin glanced at him and reached for his knee.  Giving it a squeeze he smiled.
 “Well, what is so funny on that side of the car?”
 “I just realized that we are going to have to take a cab from
the airport to the house and there are two cars setting idle in the garage.  We are just pretty wasteful.”
 “We could ride the shuttle into town and then catch the city bus if you would rather.”  The look of horror on Greg’s face made Kevin laugh loudly.  He knew how Greg abhorred public transportation.  He pulled into the center lane at the toll road entrance and pulled the ticket.  Handing the ticket to Greg he accelerated and blended into the west bound traffic.  In the distance he could see the big planes heading for the tiny dot on the horizon.  DIA was getting closer.  He felt the familiar knot in his stomach that he always got before a flight.  But he did not want Greg to know, so he smiled and squeezed the hand that lay on the seat near his leg.

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This is the novel I have for sale on Amazon. Do not be confused by the title. Chapter One simply means this is my first book. There may never be another, or there may be many more. I am very proud of this endeavor and guarantee you will enjoy the book in it's enirety. Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Installment #12 Jack Farley

 Jack unlocked the door and opened it into his condo.  Home.  It had been a very frustrating day.  Hot as hell.  He dropped the mail on the hall table and headed for the refrigerator and a cold beer.  He was only mildly surprised that there was no beer to be had.  Should have gone shopping.  Shoulda, coulda. Oh well, grab a quick shower and hit the corner bar.  He was ready for a little meaningless chatter with the boys anyway.  He stripped as he headed for the shower leaving a trail of clothes behind him on the floor.  Wasn’t really littering, just storing them there for later.   Yeah, the cleaning lady would pick them up tomorrow.  And she would call him a pig.  She would tell him the floor was not a storage area.  And he would ignore her.  She should know if he picked up after himself, she would not have a job.  That was the way the game went.
 Clad only in his “whitey tighties” as  he like to call his Fruit of the Loom briefs he suddenly remembered the mail.  He should be hearing from his oncologist about his PSA test last week.  Surely it was alright.  He felt alright.  It had been over a year since he had been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and he was faithfully taken the chemo shot every 3 months.  That and the radiation seeds the doctor had planted in his scrotum were surely working.  He was sure if he ever got the notion that he could get a hard on.  At least he sure hoped so.  Just the other day he had felt life down there just thinking about Meg Parker in the shower.  Sex had never been a big motivator in his relationships.  There were things far more important that brought him back to a woman for a second or third date.
The first and most important thing was that she be pretty.  He preferred stunning and he had many of those.  A woman must be intelligent and able to carry on a conversation and not become flustered or rude.  She must be a lady at all times.  There was that one back in St. Louis who had been perfect or so it seemed.  He had entertained the idea of her as a wife and then she had done the unthinkable.  He and a friend had been out riding the trails on their dirt bikes and were close to Janice’s house.  Why not stop in for a cup of coffee.  Jack wanted to see what Roger thought of Janice.  So they popped in unannounced.
 Of course Janice was happy to see him and immediately made coffee.  Soon she appeared in the living room with a plate of his favorite cookies and two cups of steaming coffee on a tray which she sat on the table in front of the sofa.  Jack and Roger reached for their cups.  Jack noticed a bit of coffee on the tray, but what troubled him most was the lack of a saucer.  If he picked the cup up off the tray, the bottom would be dripping and it would drip on him.  He was not in the mood to be saturated with hot coffee just because Janice was inept at serving coffee properly.  He suddenly saw a future before him of a dirty house, cold lumpy gravy, snot nosed kids and probably a hairy dog laying somewhere near where he would want to eat. 
 He arose briskly and headed for the door leaving a completely confused Janice and Roger staring after him.  He had to leave because he suddenly felt like he was choking.  Smothering.  Dying a lonely old man would be better than compromising all the things he believed in and God help him a saucer and a doily under his cup was nothing short of civility.  Mother had not understood at all when he explained that, “No, I will not be marrying Janice.  If you are so concerned about her, you go talk to her.  I never talked marriage with her so I am clear on this one.”
 And mother had.  Janice’s mother was her best friend, after all.  There had been recriminations and even father had voiced an opinion that dating a girl exclusively for three years  usually gave people an idea that more would be coming.  So he had left home and taken an apartment in the Gas Light District.  After work he would go “clubbing” and weekends were spent antique hunting.  He found he had a flair for design and so pursued the free lance design business in his spare time.  He took up photography and developed his own film.  He loved taking pictures of people being people.
 And so he had spent his life.  Cleveland, Sacramento, back to St. Louis, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and now Denver.  He had worked in the Post Office, been a draftsman for a plumbing company, an engineer, day labor, dog trainer, and now he was a detective.  Analytical mind had gotten him here.  And over the years he had come to know that he was dyslectic and had retrained himself in the way he learned things.  He knew he could only concentrate on one thing at a time and that was why Meg had upset him so bad.  Ah, yes, his mind had come full circle and it was back to Meg.
 He found the envelope with the return address of  the oncologist.  He picked up the letter opener and slit the top.  With two fingers he removed the single sheet of paper.  It was short and to the point.  His PSA was elevated and he needed to come in for a consultation.  He dropped the letter in the basket and returned to the shower and his plans for the evening.



 

Installment #11 Fred

Fred
 Fred closed the door as Kevin and Greg turned and headed back down the mountain.  He looked at the bottle of Calamine lotion they had brought him.  That surely was nice of them!  Bet Meg had put them up to it though.  Didn’t matter.  It was still nice.  He had some creosote salve that was doing the job of drying the rash up, but he took the Calamine lotion anyway.  Wouldn’t hurt.
 He hated to hear that Meg had to take pills.  Guess she had it way worse than anyone else.  Bet it would be a cold old day before he went picking anything for a woman again.  He crossed to the shelves in the kitchen and gazed idly at his canned goods.  Nothing looked good.  He knew he should eat, but eating alone wasn’t much fun.  Sure he had done it for years, well all of his life mostly.  Food was what fueled his body so he had to eat.  But yesterday had been nice.
 Yep, there they sat at the table with silverware and drinks and he had felt really good.  He liked the boys and he really like Meg, and she was really nice.  Kind of reminded him of his own mother.  Momma.  Momma had short hair like Meg’s, but Meg’s was getting gray in it.  Momma would never be gray.  Momma would be forever young.
Fred walked to his bed and knelt beside it.  Reaching far back he brought out the green box and placed it on the bed.  Lifting the lid carefully he peered inside.  He slowly picked up the picture of the pretty woman with the smiling face and kissed it.  “Oh, momma, where has the time gone?  It was only yesterday that you were making me cookies and smiling when I came home from school.  Then you were gone!”  He laid the picture gently in the box and took out another picture.  This one was of a stooped, tired man with an air of hopelessness about him.  Father.
 Fred did not like to look at his father.  That made him sadder than when he looked at mother.  Mother made him happy, but father made him sad.  Why?  He had never wondered why before, but tonight he wondered.  He remembered the years that he and father had been alone with mother gone.  Some times he would find his father watching him very closely.  That always freaked him out.  But why?  It was his father and he could watch him if he wanted to.  But he never talked about mother.  Neither one of them.  It would have been normal for them to talk about her, but the subject just never came up.  Maybe he would think about that tonight.  Yes, tonight he would wonder about father and why they never talked about mother.  Surely they both missed her.  He made a mental note to think of father later then he opened the door and went out into the yard. 
 He pulled the vial out of his shirt pocket and knelt by the Antlion’s den.  This time he had a different plan.  He pulled out his long tweezers and held them near as he popped the cork with his thumb and dropped the ant into the funnel shaped depression.  The sand began to move as the antlion prepared to grab it’s prize, but Fred was faster and caught the antlion by the leg and held it gently as it struggled trying to get the ant, trying to escape whatever held it fast.  The ant scrambled frantically trying to climb out of the pit of death.  Maybe mother had tried to escape father that way.  Surely she had tried to escape.  He closed his eyes and he saw the struggle.  He saw mother’s eyes wide with terror.  He saw her backing away.  He heard her sobs as she flailed at father.  He heard her scream.  “No!  No!  For God’s sake stop!  Stop!”  He heard her dying breath and he saw her vacant eyes.  But he did not see father.
*************************To purchase Chapter One...Loose Ends*******************

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Link

Installment #10 The Farewell Party

 Kevin popped the top on a Coors Light.  He preferred Bud but the Coors plant was just up the road a ways so Coors it was.  Colorado and Coors.  He smiled at Greg standing over the grill and poking at a steak.  Greg had made a rub that he was sure Kevin and Meg would like and as the sweet hot smell of the Chipotle wafted upward he knew this was a winner.  This was going on the menu at the pub as soon as he got home.  No hurry though.  Clark was holding down the fort and Greg  knew how much Clark liked playing pub owner in his absence.
 “Hey Kev, when are we going home?  Not that I am in any hurry, just saying.”  Kevin smiled as he reached for another beer.  He popped the top and handed it to Greg.
 “Quiet getting to you, Bro?” He arose and walked over to stand beside Greg at the grill.
 “No, I really like it here.  Sometime you will need to show me Denver.  Do they have much community there?”  Kevin knew that by “community” Greg meant gay culture, like San Francisco. 
 “I never spent much time there.  I do know they have a community center.  Well, so does Colorado Springs.  Pueblo is trying, but they are not so open down there.  Colorado Springs has the world’s largest and most religious centers.  They tried to pass a law one time called Amendment 2 which basically took away any civil rights for gay people.  Guy named Perkins.  It was worded so it looked like a good thing and it passed.  Course it was struck down by the Supreme Court when it was challenged.  You ought to read up on that.”  Kevin leaned closer to the steak sizzling on the grill.  “Damn, Greg!  That smells good.  What is it?”
 Greg beamed.  “Well first you got your basic Chipotle which is just roasted Jalapeno. 
Then I put in some garlic, Vidalia Onion,  cilantro, and brown sugar.  I rubbed that all in and
let it soak for a few hours.  I think it is going to be pretty good.  Going t be hot, but that
is what Chipotle is, isn’t it?”
 Kevin laughed as he hooted,  “ My little Gringo!  Never thought I would see the day!.” 
He reached for Greg and pulled him into an embrace and as he did so he saw the wide eyes of Fred
Himes and suddenly stopped and stepped back.
 “Fred!  Good to see you.”  He stepped forward with his hand extended.  Fred seemed not
to notice the gesture and pulled his hat off his head.
 “Oh, I came for the party, like Mrs. Parker said I should do.”  He rummaged in his
pocket and finally pulled out a handful of bedraggled vines.  He thrust them toward Kevin. 
“Here.  I brang these.”  Kevin stared at the sorry looking offering and then reluctantly reached
for the gift.
 “Why thank you Fred.  Let me go give these to mom.  Take a look at what Greg is making
us for supper.  Do you like hot stuff?”  He headed for the door.  “Be right back.”
 Fred took a few tentative steps toward the grill and Greg.  “Howdy.  That sure does
smell good.”  Greg suddenly felt his heart ache for the old man before him.  What a simple soul
he was, bringing a vine.  At least he knew the rudimentary patterns of behavior.  Greg wondered
at what transpired in this fellows life to bring him to this mountain and his solitary life. 
Well, at least he assumed it was a solitary life.  Greg could not imagine any woman living there
with him.  He breathed a sigh of relief as Meg came outside and went to the man.
 “Oh, Fred.  Thank you for the lovely vine.  I have it in some water and I am going to
try to root it.  I think it would be lovely on the east side of the chicken house.”  She smiled
at Fred and his face lit up like a neon sign.  Meg Parker brought out the best in everyone. 
Kevin and Greg’s eyes met over her head and they both smiled.
 Soon Fred and Meg were seated at the table and the boys were delivering a platter of
steaks and a bowl of grilled vegetables.  Plates were passed and the farewell party was in full
swing.  All were in agreement that the new rub Greg had made was perfect.  Any more heat would
have been to much and any less too little.  Just the right amount of sweet and the tang of the
cilantro melded it together perfectly.  And the crowning achievement was the Flan that Greg had
finally mastered.  Just the right amount of caramel. 
 As the boys began to clear the table, Meg noticed her hands were itching as she held
them up to examine them she detected tiny bumps.  “Well, I must have gotten into something.” 
She excused herself and went into the house where she washed her hands and got out a bottle of
Calamine Lotion which she rubbed on her hands.  “I just don’t understand what I could have
gotten into.” she remarked as she walked back onto the patio.  Kevin turned and held his hands
out to show her that his also were red and tiny blisters.  They suddenly looked at Fred, who was
rubbing his hands together.
 They all three turned and looked at Greg who showed them his hands which were not red. 
It clicked with Meg first.
 “Oh, dear!  Fred I am afraid you have brought us poison ivy!” 

****************This is the place to buy my first novella***************** 

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Hey look! My very own widget.

Wonder if it works?  You will have to tell me because things are strange on this side of the blog!  LOL

Installment #9 Fred

 Fred watched from the edge of the forest as the shiny car kicked up gravel on Banner  Road.  Yep.  It was that one cop.  Wonder why he drove that car?  Looked like he should drive a black sedan of some sort.  Or maybe white.  White would be good.  Bet he was showing off for Mrs. Parker.  Bet that was it all right!  Well, that was no never mind to him.  He had more important things to do right now.
 He glanced at the sun.  Must be about 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon.  They ought to be thinking about cooking before long and he ought to be thinking about maybe getting cleaned up, but first he had something to do.  He felt the vial in his shirt pocket and turned back towards his cabin.  He better hurry!
 At the cabin he knelt by a solitary scrub evergreen.  He had pruned it so the branches did not touch the ground and the sun could reach the soft dirt for several hours a day.  He stared intently at the funnel shaped depressions in the dirt.  Which one today? 
 He had a grid laid out in his head and numbers for the depressions, but they kept changing positions! Finally he picked one as the recipient for the day.  Pulling the vial from his pocket he held it near his face and stared at the big red ant inside.  It was not moving much.  Oh, it needed air! 
 Fred quickly pulled the stopper out.  The ant began to kick.  That was just in the nick of time!  Better drill a hole in the cork or the next one might not make it at all.  He smiled at the ant as he tipped the vial down and the ant slid down the tube and landed gently in the sandy dirt.  Fred had worked very hard to make the area just right.  It had to be sandy and soft.  If it was not the larvae buried in the sand could not build it’s trap.  He had worked very hard to make this the perfect world.  Antlion’s normally did not live up here on the mountain.  Or so he thought.  He had never seen them before and this was the only ones he knew about.  He could be wrong, but he did not think so.
 He had caught three of the adult damselflies and put them in an aquarium with sandy soil and a little greenery and a grow light all set up right in his kitchen.  He had put up a little card so he would not forget what he had learned at the library.
Common name: Antlion
Scientific name: Myrmeleon sp.
Order: Neuroptera
Life cycle: Complete metamorphosis.  Adults do not fly much but lay eggs in the sand.  Eggs hatch and the larva dig funnel shaped pits in the sand and hide in the bottom.  Ant or other small things fall in the pit and can not get out.
 He had easily recognized the mother antlion when he seen her.  She looked very much like a dragonfly, but much smaller and rather drab with four wings with veins in them.  He was not sure whether the mother was called a damselfly or an owl fly.  Really did not matter.  He knew he was going to get something when he saw her with her tail in the sand in the aquarium and several weeks later he began to see the funnel shaped traps immerge.  They were fascinating to watch, but for some reason when the ant was trapped and the antlion struck, it made him very sad, as now. 
 He watched the ant struggle to get away and slide back down the steep sides into the ferocious jaws to the predator.  As he watched the ant slowly stop struggling and curl into a fetal position he realized that time had passed and it was going to be supper time pretty quick.  He hurried back to the clearing and sure enough, they were making preparations to make more preparations. 
 He hurried to the cabin and through the door to his small cot.  He gathered a pair of boxer shorts, a pair of socks, his newest Levi’s, a white tee shirt with a pocket and his long sleeved blue checkered shirt he had ordered last month from LL Bean. These he laid on the chair outside the door to his shower room.  He had built this little room himself after dad died.  It held a corner shower, a small sink and of course, a commode.  He had bought a taller one because he was a tall man and did not like crouching when he did his business.
 As he stripped and dropped his clothes on the floor he remembered how when he first built this he did not have a water heater.  Mountain water was very cold and he very soon realized that a water heater was a must.  As he lathered his chest he also made a mental note to buy more soap.  He had found that bag of Irish Spring soap laying by the road last winter.  Whole bag not even touched so he had brought it home.  He kind of liked the smell of it.  Maybe he would buy some more. 
 He wondered what kind of soap Meg used.  He could call her Meg when he was here naked in the shower and no one else was around.  When he was at her house he had to be respectful and call her Mrs. Parker.  He bet she was really soft.  He could almost tell that by looking at her.  Course she was in the sun a lot of times, so she wasn’t the creamy skin like his momma. 
 Or like momma used to have.  And she wore tennis shoes mostly, not like the patent leather ones his momma had worn.  His momma had been perfect.  His momma had been like an angel.  Probably why he had not messed with women.  None could compare to his momma.  Still there had been that woman in Kansas that time.  Not a woman really, more of a girl.  Not a little girl.  She was just out of school and working in that café where he ate.  He let himself think back in time for just a moment.  He tried to remember how that woman had felt.  Oh, yes!  She had been so soft and warm.  And she smelled good and her hands pulled him toward her.  And her lips!  Her eyes!  He could almost see her.  He could alost feel her and almost see her as he suddenly turned the hot water off and felt the jolt of ice cold mountain water bring him back to reality.  And with the memory he lost what could have been a hard on. 
 But Fred Himes, Jr. would never allow that to develop.  Not while he had control of his mind.  A woman would never be a part of his life.  And with that came a very great sadness.

;">********************For Sale by owner*****************

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Installment #8 Jack Farley

 Meg watched from the doorway as Jack Farley unfolded himself out of the Corvette.  As he stood he instinctively brushed at a wrinkle in his gray slacks.  Then he tucked his notebook into his left hand and firmly closed the door of the car.  He turned toward the house and his eyes met those of Meg Parker as she held the door open wide.  She stepped aside as he walked through the door and into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Mr. Farley.  Did you have a nice drive down? “  She indicated a chair at the table.  “Or would you prefer the living room?  It has softer chairs.  Or we can set on the deck.  It is nice out there in the morning and evening.”

Jack frowned.  He had been here less than a minute and was already given three choices.  Jack did not like choices.  He liked to know exactly what his next move would be and this woman had him going in three different directions before he was completely in the house.  He looked at her in consternation. 

“Mrs. Parker!  This is your home.  Wherever you want to sit to hear this gruesome tale I bring you is entirely up to you!  Kitchen, front room, deck, roof, chicken house, I really do not give a damn!  Just pick a place.  Any place!”  He stared in horror as he noticed a tiny tear well up in her eye and slowly start down her cheek.  Ah shit!  What a way to start the day.  It could only go downhill from here, he was sure of that.  And he was right about that as he noticed Kevin and Greg staring at him in disbelief.  Kevin was the first to find his voice.

“Well, let’s do the deck then.  Would you like a cup of coffee?  And mom made some blueberry muffins.  Greg, can you get them settled and then help me here?  I would like to get this over with and get into town.”

Very soon they were seated around the glass top table with mugs of coffee in front of them.  The silence was awkward and Jack knew it was his little tirade that was at the heart of the matter.   Might as well bite the bullet on this one, he thought, as he began to take documents out of his notebook. 

He started with the 17 year old boy 16 years ago and concluded with Jeffery and Ambrose.  As he reported each one he watched Meg grow paler and more withdrawn.  As the threesome realized the full scope of who Marshall Purcell was and what he had done a complete silence gripped the people on the deck.

“Any questions?”  They eyed him ludicrously.  Meg was the first to speak.

“Why?  What would make someone do something like that?  How did I figure in this picture?  How did he find me?  Why did he find me?”  Her voice trailed off as her body was wracked with sobs.  Kevin and Greg hurried to hold her.  Jack suddenly realized that he wanted to hold her and comfort her.  He had never had feelings like that in his 53 years and it scared him.  Better proceed slowly here! 

“That is the big question here.  The only family he has left is his father and step mother.  There does not seem to be any clues there.  Father said he was a good kid growing up and never had any problems.  He was injured in Viet Nam, but lots of guys were.  After the service he was kind of a loner.  Had an office manager and she is helping us track money.  Looks like he planned on taking you to Mexico.  Lot of unanswered questions.”

An uneasy silence followed and Jack began to tuck his documents back in the notebook.  He stood to go.  A vision of Meg in his Corvette flashed before his eyes and he snorted in derision as he knew that was not going to happen.  It was a short walk from the deck to the car.  As he reached for the door handle a small hand appeared on his large one.  He stopped and looked in the gray eyes of Meg Parker.  His heart almost stopped.  What now?

“Mr. Farley.  I need to apologize for my behavior.  I know you went to a lot of time and expense to come here and tell me this and I did not mean to upset you.  Can you forgive me?”  Her eyes silently pleaded with him. 

What the hell?  He behaved like an ass and she apologized?  As he gazed down into the eyes that seemed to be turning from gray to green he felt an emptiness well up inside him like he had not known for years.  Not since he was a small boy at home in St. Louis.  He wanted to say something very profound.  Something she would remember, but all that came out when he finally did speak was

“Meg.” and that was barely a whisper.  Had the boys not been standing on the deck watching them, he might have grabbed her and kissed her, but they were, so he did not.  He needed to think, but that was not going to happen while he was lost in her eyes.  This was the first woman he had ever known that looked him straight in the eyes.  No wavering there.  And he could not turn away.  He could not think.  But he had to think so he had to turn away.  And then he remembered.

“It was not you.  It was me.“  He wrenched the door open and climbed into the seat.  “I should have your computer next week.  Can I bring it to you? I’ll call first.”

 Meg smiled.  “Sure.  Call first.”  She did not bother to tell him that by next week she would be up and running with the new computer and would have little use for the other one.  She just stood and waved as he left the drive and the shiny blue Corvette turned onto Banner Road, headed for Denver.
*******************************
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Installment #7

Meg

Meg handed her Paypal Business Debit card to Kevin and smiled. “You boys know what I need in the line of a computer. Ebay, something to balance the check book and keep track of my money, a word processor. Big screen. Sound.”

“Oh, one like you had?”

“Right! Only new and here, not in Denver. I don’t think I am ever going to get mine back and my store is waiting.” She frowned as she recalled the events that had led to her computer being taken by Jack Farley. “But wait until Mr. Farley gives us his report. He should be here pretty soon.” Then as an afterthought she added, “I wonder if that man ever smiles?”

Kevin and Greg laughed at the change of topic. “Gee, mom! Where did that come from?”

“I don’t know. He just seems like a very odd man. I guess I shouldn’t say anything. I only met him last week and have only seen him a couple times and that was under rather awkward circumstances. And he is coming down from Denver to fill us in and he doesn’t need to do that, so maybe I am just jumping to conclusions. But first impressions, you know….” Her voice trailed off as the sound of a car pulling up the gravel drive came through the open window. “Ah, speak of the devil!” They all laughed.

*******************************************

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Installment #6 Jack Farley

 Jack smiled as he gently guided the Corvette around the curves.  This was an especially fun part of the drive with the “s” curves, the switch backs, and the straightaway.  This little honey was just a matter of “hooking the white line” and staying there.  He could have brought the Chevy Van and the force would have paid all his expenses, but he kept envisioning Meg sitting on the passenger side and casting sidelong looks a him as he sped through the mountains. 
 He smiled as he thought of the look on her face when he had first met her.  She had tried to take a haughty attitude when he confronted her with the fact that Jeffery Purcell was a married man and she had been carrying on an online flirtation with him.  And then they had discovered that a hacker was into her computer and then a man was missing and it had been total chaos after that culminating in her being kidnapped and then rescued by her son and the old man up the mountain and her kidnapper was dead.  The fact that Marshall Purcell was a serial killer of sorts and had killed his twin brother was enough to boggle any mind, but the pile of bodies at the bottom of the mine shaft had taken and would indeed take a lot more investigation before the complete truth could be known.  As it was, he would be the better part of the day telling her what he knew as it was.
       
Jack slowed as he reached the northern edge of Colorado Springs and searched for the exit that would take him to the highway that led to Banner Road and Meg Parker.  Oh, yeah, and a rest area.  Ah, McDonalds.  That would work.  And a couple breakfast burritos.  No hash browns.  Those thing were way to greasy for his stomach.  He did try to eat about halfway healthy and grease was not his friend.
As he stood at the counter waiting for his order he gazed at the metallic blue Corvette twinkling in the sunlight.  Just dark enough blue that it was still blue and not the blue black of most of them.  His was special.  He had given up a lot of nights on the town to pay for this and now that it was all his he could not help but feel a glow of pride.  But he did not boast.  When someone asked what he drove he told them “a Chevy”.  Never said “Corvette” as that would be bragging.  “Just a Chevy.”  Course when the guys saw that the Chevy was in actuality a Corvette, they just looked at him.  The girls, of course, simpered and batted their eyes.  Coy little things.  Anyone with any sense knew a Corvette was an aphrodisiac.  But Jack just liked the way it handled.  Sex in a Corvette was not something he was ever going to attempt.  And usually when he drove he was alone, but now he pictured Meg by his side. 

 He tried to pinpoint what it was about Meg Parker that was sticking in his head.  He had seen better looking women.  Hell, he had screwed better looking women and walked away never looking back.  She was rather plain looking.  Much shorter than he liked his women to be.  He was 6’2” with a very good physique.  Meg was just over 5 feet with mousy brown hair and eyes that were either blue or gray.  Maybe hazel.  He just wasn’t sure.  She might be a little overweight; not much just a little.  He suddenly realized that the kid behind the counter was talking to him.

“Here!  Are you alright mister?  Here is your order.”  He pushed the sack at him and then he noticed the line behind him was growing.  He grabbed the sack, mumbled something and hurried across the floor to the exit.  What an idiot.  Like a damn school boy mooning over some little twit.  As he folded his legs into the car he glanced at the clock on the dash.  9:47 AM.  Meg was probably naked and standing in the shower right now.  He groaned and slipped the gear shift in the first gear and slowly drove toward the highway that headed westerly and in the direction of the foothills and Banner Road.
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Installment #5

Meg, Kevin, and Greg

 Meg pulled the plug and let the dishwater escape down the drain.  She rinsed the sink, dried her hands, and turned to look out the window at the boys in the yard.  Kevin and Greg were playing with the dogs.  They would throw the ball and the dogs would chase after it, each trying to get there first.  Icarus, the calico cat sat and watched with a bored air.  As Meg watched Icarus began to slowly meander down the yard in the direction of the area where the ball was being thrown.  Greg tossed the ball and the dogs were in hot pursuit.  Then Meg laughed as Icarus launched herself at the ball and both dogs skidded to a stop.  The dogs watched in consternation as Icarus sat down on top of the ball and began to groom herself.  She had to be the weirdest cat she had ever seen.  Kevin and Greg were laughing hysterically when she walked across the deck and onto the grass.  She reached down and picked Icarus up and headed back to the house.  Daisy and Elvira resumed their quest for the ball.

 “Who wants to go for a walk?” she called over her shoulder and both boys headed for the house followed by the two happy dogs.

 Very soon the trio came out of the house with water bottles, hats, walking sticks, two jumping dogs and a cat lagging behind.  They started up the winding dirt road that would take them past Fred Himes, Jr’s little cabin and barn.  When Kevin realized where they were going he turned to his mother and smiled.

 “Mom!  Can we stop and say hello to Fred?  He seems like a lonely little guy and I do owe him a debt of gratitude.”

 Meg smiled.  “Of course.  It would be rude not to since we are going right past there anyway.  We both owe him a great deal I think.”
 The dogs ran ahead and then back.  Icarus had not followed long and had lain down beside the road to wait for their return..  Fred’s barn came into view first and Meg studied it as they passed.  The barn was fairly new and she decided that Fred must have built it in the last few years.  It was not the traditional barn with a hay loft above and animals below.  It was about half the size of a working barn.  It was painted Barn Red and trimmed in white which rather surprised Meg.  Sort of like something in a story book.

 This was the first time she had given any thought at all to where Fred lived.  When the cabin came in sight she was not surprised at all to see how small it was.  It appeared to be three or four rooms.  It was typical log cabin construction and the spaces between the logs were filled and well maintained.  There were no curtains in the windows.  The area around the cabin was clear of weeds or any kind of undergrowth.  That was good in case of a forest fire.  His old pickup sat in the yard with the hood raised.

 Kevin looked at her quizzically.  “Shall I knock on the door?”  Before Meg could answer Fred stepped around the corner of the house balancing five cans of oil and a filter in his arms.  Kevin and Greg quickly hurried to help as the cans began to teeter.  “Looks like we got here in just the nick of time.”  But Fred kept control of the cans.

 Fred appeared to be taken aback at the sight of so many people in his yard.  Nobody ever came up here and now there were three people right on his front yard!  And one of them was the boy he was going to go down and see.  It made him feel kind of warm inside.  He smiled.  “Well, hello there.  I was just changing my oil.”  He stopped and flushed.  That was a stupid thing to say!  They could see he was changing the oil.  He looked at the little dog at his feet looking up at him.  It appeared to be smiling.  Did dogs smile?  He had never given thought to that before.  Sure looked like they did.  He smiled at the little dog and then looked up to see all three of them watching him and smiling at him smiling at the dog.

 “That dog looks like it is smiling at me!”  His eyes met Meg’s and at that moment the cans that were teetering finished their descent causing every one to jump back.  Elvira yipped and ran for the clearing followed closely by Daisy.  The four adults suddenly burst into laughter.

 Kevin was the first to regain his composure.  “Well, I don’t think Greg and I were of much help here.”  He bent and began to retrieve cans of oil.  “Where shall we put these?”

 “Oh, right there on the fender will be good.  I always try to save a trip and it always ends up more work then it would have been if I just made two trips to begin with.”   He shuffled his feet as he stood only a few feet from Mrs. Parker.  He blushed.  “Guess you are going for a walk, huh?”  Another brilliant observation on his part and this brought another flush.

 “Yes, Fred.  Would you care to join us?”  Having deposited the cans and filter and spout, the boys returned and waited expectantly for his answer. 

 Fred shuffled his feet before replying, “Oh, I ain’t much of a one for just walking unless I am trailing something.  And besides that, I need to get this oil changed so I can go into town today and get supplies.  Winter will be here and I won’t be ready.” 

 Meg realized at once that Fred was very uncomfortable and laid her hand on Kevin’s arm and looked at Greg.  “Well, boys, I have an idea.  Let’s let Fred continue with his plans for today and since we have plans for the rest of the day, we could maybe plan a cook out tomorrow evening.  Would that work for you, Fred? “  Then she hesitated and added, “ The boys are leaving in the next couple of days and we can call it a farewell party.”

 Fred’s eyes clouded and a tear escaped down his cheek.  The trio looked at him in consternation.  They had no way of knowing that in his mind he had escaped to a time when he danced with mother to Gene Watson on the radio singing Farewell Party. “There’ll be flowers from those, who’ll cry when I’m gone, and leave you in this world alone.  Don’t be mad at me, for wanting to keep you till my life on this old world is through.  You’ll be free at the end of my farewell party, but I’ll go away loving you….” 

 He once more saw his beautiful mother in her flowered dress and white patent leather shoes smiling at him as she stood at the window waiting for father to come home from work.  Mother was so fragile. 

 Fred’s body was suddenly wracked with sobs as he turned and ran into the house, closing and locking the door behind him, leaving the visitors staring at the door.  They glanced at each other uneasily at this show of raw emotion, then turned as one and started back up the mountain.  Daisy and Elvira followed with a soulful look back at the cabin in the woods.
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