Jack pointed the pickup south, heard no discouraging word from Ennis, and kept on going ‘til dark while the silence solidified like a cab-full of wet cement.  Orange and green neon of a package store painted a garish path across wet pavement to a motel on the other side, and Ennis said, this’ll do.  In a blink, they were behind closed doors, ( Read more... )

Alma got Ennis off alone first chance she got, pulling him into the storeroom for a meeting of the minds.  Told him she’d seen what she’d seen and couldn’t never unsee it and he mumbled that she was crazy, but his voice lacked conviction and wasn’t long before he caved, turned his back and tried to walk away from it.  “Where ya goin’, Ennis?” ( Read more... )

By Friday, Alma’s rope was all paid out.  November the twenty-second and Ennis still hadn’t stopped by the doc’s for a check-up.  No check-up meant no life insurance, and he’d promised he’d take care of it.  Her daddy sold policies on the side, swore by monthly premiums, and was not about to let his son-in-law walk around without coverage.  By ( Read more... )

Jack Twist shook hands with Alma’s ailing daddy and was drawn in to a new life like a man dragged into a whirlpool.  By dinnertime, Riverton’s newest pump jockey had the keys to the cash register and all the doors and had filled his first two tanks.  Ennis went directly to the garage to tinker and it was easy to see how smooth it could go with ( Read more... )

A tribute to Brokeback Mountain, the book and the Oscar-worthy film

Jack Twist, still shy of twenty years and fewer miles down the road from Signal to Lightnin’ Flat, slammed on brakes, pounding the wheel, cussing a blue streak across the bleached out day.  He did a one-eighty and before too long came up on a tractor-trailer.  Her stacks ( Read more... )

Pins and Needles

A short tribute to Brokeback Mountain, the book and the Oscar-worthy film.

Buck up, girl.  Put one foot in front of the other.  Your entire body’s numb like your jaw after a trip ta the dentist, but ya cain’t let the kids see ya like this.  They’ll want a know what’s wrong with mama.  You’ll have ta make somethin’ up and lyin’s ( Read more... )

Liar

A short tribute to Brokeback Mountain the book and the Oscar-worthy film.

I ain’t queer.  Don’t know why I done what I done.  Was drunk and half-asleep.  He put my hand on his pecker.  He wanted it.  Told me he ain’t queer neither, but he sure ‘nough wanted it.  Let be.  Good supper tonight.  Like the way he fries up the spuds all crispy ‘ ( Read more... )

Change Partners: A short tribute to Brokeback Mountain the book and Oscar-worthy film

He sure is a nervy cuss, not the kind a fellah I expected to find in Childress, Texas.  I kicked up some sand when LaShawn told me we were goin’ to get out and meet some a the folks ‘round here.  I ain’t much for socializin’.  One a the reasons I took to a ( Read more... )

His Point of View

Whut in the hell is that piece a shit pickup doin’ parked in my lot?  I don’t believe my fuckin’ eyes!  Jack Twist, king a the fuckups.  I cain’t believe the government sent that pissant back here after the mess he made a things last year.  Lazy little mama’s boy.  You’d think he was a nut-cut calf the way he bitched and ( Read more... )

Whiskey Dream

I cain’t believe this’s really happenin’.  Got a be a dream.  All I wanted was ta feel his hand on my pecker just once while I wrang it out under the blanket.  Hopin’ so hard he wouldn’t wake up.  Knowin’ the risk I took.  Thought he’d whup me for sure when he jumped up all growly, but he just kind a squinted at me, all sleepy- ( Read more... )