year. I’m friends with a lot of girls. Always have been. I’ve never gotten why my friends think they are so hard to talk to or understand. Maybe that comes from having four sisters. Who knows, but girls are easy. Well, for the most part. I’m sure there’s still a hell of a lot to learn.
Shit! I’m more like the heroines in those damn romances novels than the rakes. Guys like me never win the girl in the end, which is probably why I have so many girl friends instead of a girlfriend. Shit! If I don’t up my game, I might lose Jacqueline. Not that I actually have her. Then again, it was upped on Sunday. Probably the best conversation of my life. So, there’s something there. I just wish I know what exactly.
As much as I hate to admit it, I read three of those novels over the past week. I get why women escape into them, but it makes it damn hard for the real, living, mortal men in the world. How can any of us stack up against those perfect lords?
Maybe that’s why Mom got disenchanted with Dad. Sure, he was gone, a lot. Often working double shifts to put food on the table, gone in the evening a lot of the time, working thirds as his regular shift, sleeping while she was at work. I used to hear them talk about going out and doing something. He was always too tired, or worried about money. Was she comparing the fictional heroes to Dad? Is that why she drew further and further away from him? From all of us?
I do remember specifically one event mom wanted to attend that dad didn’t want to go to. Some historical society was having a ball. Jane Austen style. She wanted to go so bad. Get a sitter for the kids and just do something for the weekend. Dad said it would cost too much. She tried to hide her disappointment, but it was in her eyes. That’s when she started doing stuff on her own. Without Dad.
I could try and psychoanalyze her depression for the rest of my life and might never come up with an answer and it served no purpose to dwell on it. The past is behind me. But, Mom’s desire to go to a ball and knowing she and Jacqueline have the same taste in books did put me on a quest. But, for now, I have a date waiting.
I turn the engine off and get out of the car.
“Hey you,” Jacqueline calls, coming from the camp area. She’s wearing a pair of jeans and a red and white shirt. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes against the sun, pulling it up enough to see her flat belly. Nice!
“Nice car! Yours?”
“No.” I shake my head. “Uncle Quinn inherited from his dad. He kept it in storage until they moved here last spring.” I look back at the 1966 Blue Pontiac LeMans. “He thought it needed to get out of the garage now that the weather’s decent.” I really couldn’t believe he actually offered it up after I told him where I was taking Jacqueline. He said a classic date needed a classic car. I didn’t argue because I’ve wanted to drive this car.
“So, what are the plans?”
She’s got her hands shoved in the front pocket of her jeans, shoulders up, looking hot.
“Fishing?”
Her smile dims. “Okay.”
“Rock climbing?”
“Um, if you want.”
“Hiking into the mountains.”
An eyebrow arches. “Really, Boy Scout?”
I have a number of things I can list, but she’ll bolt into the house with an excuse to call me later, and I’ll never hear from her again. “Nah. I was thinking chili dogs.”
Her grin‘s back. “Whew. I was getting a little worried.”
I go around to the passenger side of the car and open the door for her.
After I’m back in my seat and buckled in, I glance over at her. “I do want to do those things, sometime, but I figured I’d better mention it ahead of time instead of just springing it on you.”
“Want to make a Girl Scout out of me?” she asks with a laugh.
“Wilderness Girl.” Being out in the wilderness with just Jacqueline holds a bunch of appeal. I was joking about the fishing, climbing and hiking, just to see her reaction, but the more I
Shit! I’m more like the heroines in those damn romances novels than the rakes. Guys like me never win the girl in the end, which is probably why I have so many girl friends instead of a girlfriend. Shit! If I don’t up my game, I might lose Jacqueline. Not that I actually have her. Then again, it was upped on Sunday. Probably the best conversation of my life. So, there’s something there. I just wish I know what exactly.
As much as I hate to admit it, I read three of those novels over the past week. I get why women escape into them, but it makes it damn hard for the real, living, mortal men in the world. How can any of us stack up against those perfect lords?
Maybe that’s why Mom got disenchanted with Dad. Sure, he was gone, a lot. Often working double shifts to put food on the table, gone in the evening a lot of the time, working thirds as his regular shift, sleeping while she was at work. I used to hear them talk about going out and doing something. He was always too tired, or worried about money. Was she comparing the fictional heroes to Dad? Is that why she drew further and further away from him? From all of us?
I do remember specifically one event mom wanted to attend that dad didn’t want to go to. Some historical society was having a ball. Jane Austen style. She wanted to go so bad. Get a sitter for the kids and just do something for the weekend. Dad said it would cost too much. She tried to hide her disappointment, but it was in her eyes. That’s when she started doing stuff on her own. Without Dad.
I could try and psychoanalyze her depression for the rest of my life and might never come up with an answer and it served no purpose to dwell on it. The past is behind me. But, Mom’s desire to go to a ball and knowing she and Jacqueline have the same taste in books did put me on a quest. But, for now, I have a date waiting.
I turn the engine off and get out of the car.
“Hey you,” Jacqueline calls, coming from the camp area. She’s wearing a pair of jeans and a red and white shirt. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes against the sun, pulling it up enough to see her flat belly. Nice!
“Nice car! Yours?”
“No.” I shake my head. “Uncle Quinn inherited from his dad. He kept it in storage until they moved here last spring.” I look back at the 1966 Blue Pontiac LeMans. “He thought it needed to get out of the garage now that the weather’s decent.” I really couldn’t believe he actually offered it up after I told him where I was taking Jacqueline. He said a classic date needed a classic car. I didn’t argue because I’ve wanted to drive this car.
“So, what are the plans?”
She’s got her hands shoved in the front pocket of her jeans, shoulders up, looking hot.
“Fishing?”
Her smile dims. “Okay.”
“Rock climbing?”
“Um, if you want.”
“Hiking into the mountains.”
An eyebrow arches. “Really, Boy Scout?”
I have a number of things I can list, but she’ll bolt into the house with an excuse to call me later, and I’ll never hear from her again. “Nah. I was thinking chili dogs.”
Her grin‘s back. “Whew. I was getting a little worried.”
I go around to the passenger side of the car and open the door for her.
After I’m back in my seat and buckled in, I glance over at her. “I do want to do those things, sometime, but I figured I’d better mention it ahead of time instead of just springing it on you.”
“Want to make a Girl Scout out of me?” she asks with a laugh.
“Wilderness Girl.” Being out in the wilderness with just Jacqueline holds a bunch of appeal. I was joking about the fishing, climbing and hiking, just to see her reaction, but the more I
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