Day Of Reckoning
Hey “Hey Ennis, you ever been to the Siesta Motel out on Route 26?”
Alma asked this while unloading groceries in the kitchen so she didn’t see her husband turn white.
“ What…uh, no. Why?”
“That’s what I told Lu Ann when she asked me today.”
“Asked you what? If I’d been to some motel? Now why would I do that? Woman runs her mouth, don’t know what she’s talkin’ about.”
I told her that. She said she thought she saw you at the office of the Siesta Motel a few weeks ago when she was drivin’ by. I know she said it to get a rise outta me.”
“Well it wasn’t me.”
A round of throat clearing , and Ennis returned to watching his re-run of “Petticoat Junction.”
Oh, and Ennis, you know some guy name ‘a Joe Aguirre?”
“Alma, I’m tryin’ to watch my show! What’re all these damn questions?”
She stepped into the living room. “Ennis, no call to snap in my face, I just asked do you know some guy name ‘a Joe Aguirre?”
“Yes! He’s the asshole hired me ‘n Jack to herd his sheep up on Brokeback. An idiot. Why?”
“He was at the market today; heard me mention your name to Monroe and asked if I knew Ennis del Mar. I told him we was married. I didn’t like his looks. Anyway, he asked to be remembered to you.”
“That’s a laugh.”
He said somethin’ strange, made no sense to me. He asked me if you was still ridin’ the “Cornhole Express,” then laughed all nasty-like
With her husband at full attention now, she continued, “What’s that mean? Is that like “cornball” or somethin’? I asked Monroe and he said it don’t mean nothin.'
Oh, and when he was leavin,’ he wondered if you and Jack Twist was still friends. I know it’s none ‘a his business, but I told him yes you was, that you renewed your friendship after four years just a month ago.” He shook his head at me funny and said, ‘Lady, you best keep your eye on Twist if you know what’s good for you.”
“Ennis, I don’t like that man!”
“I told you he's an idiot! The man’s a fool, talkin’ trash ‘bout nothin,’ stirrin’ up folks. You pay him never no mind.”
“What’s he mean about watchin’ Jack Twist? Is Jack up to something no good?”
“Hell no! Aguirre’s still mad ‘bout stuff four years ago we had nothin’ to do with ‘n he thinks he’s getting back, spreadin’ lies. I’m telling’ you he’s a fool. Now what’s fer dinner?”
“Your favorite: Tater Tots, peas and Chicken-Fried Steak. I’d like to tell that man to his face to stay away and keep his trash to himself.” Suddenly the doorbell rang.
“Now who could that be?” said Ennis, “I didn’t hear no car out front. You go on ’n start dinner, I’m hungry.”
What he saw through the glass in the door was not a welcome sight. It was Jack, grinning like a pup.
Stepping onto the landing with a glare of disbelief, Ennis choked out, “What the hell you doin’ here, Twist?” as Jack threw loving arms around his man and planted a big Texas-style kiss before Ennis had time to react.
“Oh no, Jack!” he snapped, rearing backwards. “You can’t be doin’ this here. Are you crazy! No! You gotta get out of here ‘fore Alma sees us!” Ennis cringed to see some passerby stopped on the sidewalk out front, staring up at the two of them.
“Hold on Cowboy, park your spurs for a minute. This is how it is: I got to thinking’ real hard down in Childress, ponderin’ how you may never come ‘round, EVER, and well, that just plumb ain’t acceptable; not to me boyfriend, so I decided to jus’ come on up and claim what’s mine!”
“Claim what’s yours? What are you talkin’ about?”
“Well, how’s this for starters,” and with some kind of strange lightning speed, Jack had him full in his mouth with his pants down around his ankles. Helpless to resist, Ennis stared dumbly at the sidewalk gawkers, causing Jack to disengage for a moment and turn around, yelling, “you folks enjoyin’ the show? Well get a load ‘a this, Riverton!” as he resumed his task.
Within seconds Ennis shot a steaming volley down Jack’s throat as the door swung open to reveal Alma, face distorted in shock.
“Oh my God, Ennis! What is goin’ on here?! She started to cry.
What could he say? “Alma!” his head bowed in shame. “ Shit!”
Tears turned to rage as she shouted, “You take your hands off my husband, Jack Twist! You must be insane!”
“No, little lady, I ain’t takin’ my hands or anything else off your HUZZ-band, thank you! This here is MY man, MY meat, and if you wanna share then maybe we can work somethin’ out.”
“ Ennis, what is happening, is this some nightmare?”
“Alma, what can I say?”
Jack, wiping his mouth and chin with the back of his hand, cut in. “Listen Alma, your lovin’ man ain’t never gonna come clean with you, so let me set you straight. Aside from the hot meal your husband just delivered, he has fucked me every which way but sideways and upside down; no wait, we’ve done it sideways and upside-down, several times in fact!…and besides I happen to love him, even though you do too ’cept you didn’t know he was queer. Now I ain’t a bad guy; I won’t take no man from his babies, but you need to know I had a claim on Ennis before you was married, and I ain’t steppin’ aside, woman!”
“Ennis, Ennis, wake up! cried Alma, cradling his head on the bedroom floor. He opened his eyes to see her sleep-addled face peering at him with alarm. “You fell outta bed and was thrashin’ around yellin‘. It’s a miracle the girls ain’t awake. Look at these bedclothes.”
“Oh Lord, thank God, I never was so glad to wake up! What a dream that was.”
“Well, tell me about it in the morning. I’m goin’ back to sleep.”
“I hope to hell I’ve forgotten it by then.”
Alma asked this while unloading groceries in the kitchen so she didn’t see her husband turn white.
“ What…uh, no. Why?”
“That’s what I told Lu Ann when she asked me today.”
“Asked you what? If I’d been to some motel? Now why would I do that? Woman runs her mouth, don’t know what she’s talkin’ about.”
I told her that. She said she thought she saw you at the office of the Siesta Motel a few weeks ago when she was drivin’ by. I know she said it to get a rise outta me.”
“Well it wasn’t me.”
A round of throat clearing , and Ennis returned to watching his re-run of “Petticoat Junction.”
Oh, and Ennis, you know some guy name ‘a Joe Aguirre?”
“Alma, I’m tryin’ to watch my show! What’re all these damn questions?”
She stepped into the living room. “Ennis, no call to snap in my face, I just asked do you know some guy name ‘a Joe Aguirre?”
“Yes! He’s the asshole hired me ‘n Jack to herd his sheep up on Brokeback. An idiot. Why?”
“He was at the market today; heard me mention your name to Monroe and asked if I knew Ennis del Mar. I told him we was married. I didn’t like his looks. Anyway, he asked to be remembered to you.”
“That’s a laugh.”
He said somethin’ strange, made no sense to me. He asked me if you was still ridin’ the “Cornhole Express,” then laughed all nasty-like
With her husband at full attention now, she continued, “What’s that mean? Is that like “cornball” or somethin’? I asked Monroe and he said it don’t mean nothin.'
Oh, and when he was leavin,’ he wondered if you and Jack Twist was still friends. I know it’s none ‘a his business, but I told him yes you was, that you renewed your friendship after four years just a month ago.” He shook his head at me funny and said, ‘Lady, you best keep your eye on Twist if you know what’s good for you.”
“Ennis, I don’t like that man!”
“I told you he's an idiot! The man’s a fool, talkin’ trash ‘bout nothin,’ stirrin’ up folks. You pay him never no mind.”
“What’s he mean about watchin’ Jack Twist? Is Jack up to something no good?”
“Hell no! Aguirre’s still mad ‘bout stuff four years ago we had nothin’ to do with ‘n he thinks he’s getting back, spreadin’ lies. I’m telling’ you he’s a fool. Now what’s fer dinner?”
“Your favorite: Tater Tots, peas and Chicken-Fried Steak. I’d like to tell that man to his face to stay away and keep his trash to himself.” Suddenly the doorbell rang.
“Now who could that be?” said Ennis, “I didn’t hear no car out front. You go on ’n start dinner, I’m hungry.”
What he saw through the glass in the door was not a welcome sight. It was Jack, grinning like a pup.
Stepping onto the landing with a glare of disbelief, Ennis choked out, “What the hell you doin’ here, Twist?” as Jack threw loving arms around his man and planted a big Texas-style kiss before Ennis had time to react.
“Oh no, Jack!” he snapped, rearing backwards. “You can’t be doin’ this here. Are you crazy! No! You gotta get out of here ‘fore Alma sees us!” Ennis cringed to see some passerby stopped on the sidewalk out front, staring up at the two of them.
“Hold on Cowboy, park your spurs for a minute. This is how it is: I got to thinking’ real hard down in Childress, ponderin’ how you may never come ‘round, EVER, and well, that just plumb ain’t acceptable; not to me boyfriend, so I decided to jus’ come on up and claim what’s mine!”
“Claim what’s yours? What are you talkin’ about?”
“Well, how’s this for starters,” and with some kind of strange lightning speed, Jack had him full in his mouth with his pants down around his ankles. Helpless to resist, Ennis stared dumbly at the sidewalk gawkers, causing Jack to disengage for a moment and turn around, yelling, “you folks enjoyin’ the show? Well get a load ‘a this, Riverton!” as he resumed his task.
Within seconds Ennis shot a steaming volley down Jack’s throat as the door swung open to reveal Alma, face distorted in shock.
“Oh my God, Ennis! What is goin’ on here?! She started to cry.
What could he say? “Alma!” his head bowed in shame. “ Shit!”
Tears turned to rage as she shouted, “You take your hands off my husband, Jack Twist! You must be insane!”
“No, little lady, I ain’t takin’ my hands or anything else off your HUZZ-band, thank you! This here is MY man, MY meat, and if you wanna share then maybe we can work somethin’ out.”
“ Ennis, what is happening, is this some nightmare?”
“Alma, what can I say?”
Jack, wiping his mouth and chin with the back of his hand, cut in. “Listen Alma, your lovin’ man ain’t never gonna come clean with you, so let me set you straight. Aside from the hot meal your husband just delivered, he has fucked me every which way but sideways and upside down; no wait, we’ve done it sideways and upside-down, several times in fact!…and besides I happen to love him, even though you do too ’cept you didn’t know he was queer. Now I ain’t a bad guy; I won’t take no man from his babies, but you need to know I had a claim on Ennis before you was married, and I ain’t steppin’ aside, woman!”
“Ennis, Ennis, wake up! cried Alma, cradling his head on the bedroom floor. He opened his eyes to see her sleep-addled face peering at him with alarm. “You fell outta bed and was thrashin’ around yellin‘. It’s a miracle the girls ain’t awake. Look at these bedclothes.”
“Oh Lord, thank God, I never was so glad to wake up! What a dream that was.”
“Well, tell me about it in the morning. I’m goin’ back to sleep.”
“I hope to hell I’ve forgotten it by then.”