Another Brokeback ficlet
One of those missing motel moments. One-shot (500 words), movie canon, rated PG (and just for language!). All the usual disclaimers apply.
A hunderd times thinkin' about you
“How come you found me? Didn’t always live here, you know, moved around a bit since Brokeback, only came here last year.”
“My nice fairy godmother visited and waved her shiny magic wand around, gave me the address.”
“Shit.”
“Naw, they announced it in that last rodeo I was in: “Winner gets buckle, dollars, dream come true. Good luck, y’all!”
“Uhn-hmm. Come on now, Jack.”
~ Silence, punctuated by strong deep inhalations, forceful puffs of smoke to the air, one soft sigh following right on the heels of another ~
“Come on. I really wanna know. Didn’t think I was ever gonna see you again.”
“Sent the same card to every last little town in Wyoming, an’ to all the big ranches too. Cost me a small fortune, just in stamps.”
“Jack…..”
“It came to me right out of the blue one fine night, when I had me a sweet, real juicy dream.”
“Fuck, is it supposed to be a big secret or sumphin’?”
“Guess not.”
“Well then…”
“Friend, happened to meet this guy Rick Larson, something, from Lander he was, come down to Texas for rodeoin, ended up doin’ ranch work. Came along with his boss to hear about a tractor, he’d heard of you movin’ here an' all.”
“Oh, that guy. Yes. How come he tell you that, then? You ask him?”
“Sure. Tell him I miss you like crazy, couldn’t go on livin’ and breathin’ no more for needin’ you so bad.”
“Fuck, Jack!”
“Calm down, cowboy. Woa! Won’t ever get round to tellin’ you if you don’t quit squirmin’ round an’ buckin' up on me like that. I sure’m getting’ awfully distracted here.”
“Mmmm. C’me here…. “
“Mm-hmm. Yes….”
“Huh. Well, just spill it already.”
“Told him when I heard he from Lander, I used ta work up his way with a guy your name couple of years ago, asked did he maybe know you. Just doing conversation to get acquainted, you know? Shootin' the shit, nothin’ to it. An’ he told me he used a know one Ennis del Mar, thought you moved on to Riverton. That’s how come I finally found you. God’s honest truth, friend.
“That so? You just happen to ask the one guy down there who happened to know ‘bout me?”
“No, sure didn’t happen by chance. Think I would be that lucky? Nope. Hand me that pack a smokes, will ya?…And the lighter…. Yeah, I asked others too. Nobody done heard of you. I’d given up. Bet I musta asked maybe a hunderd guys, a hunderd times, the very same thing, thinkin' about you.”
“Aw, come on Jack, would you quit that, you didn't, you kiddin’ me again.”
“Am not, friend. 'Course, there's more'n a few Wyoming cowboys on the circuit. But after I quit rodeoin'..... Tell you what, ain’t too many guys from up around here come down to Texas, least not to Childress. That’s how come it so darn few. Yeah, maybe less than one hunderd, all told. In nearly four fuckin’ years."