Friday, May 20, 2011

Flash in the Pan at the Piedmont Grille

On Today's Menu -- Another little flash

Last week, I posted a piece of what I call 'flash fiction'. (Which I can't link to because the title is the same so if you want, you can scroll down.) I don't really know if that's what it is, I tend to make up my own rules -- this is my blog after all.

But because you liked it, and I hate to leave you all hanging, I decided to post another little blurby thing from this book. (Yes, it is a book, although not something I'm dedicating myself to really writing just yet.)

Rating PG (Although the content might be a little edgy for some)

*******

He sat at the bar, scraping the peel off his Bud bottle. The members of his crew had gone off in search of local delights, and if none were forthcoming, they’d mentioned they’d go to the cathouse across the railroad tracks. Danny’d asked him to go out of courtesy, he was the boss, but he was not particularly keen on the idea. He had nothing against the profession, or the girls, he just didn’t like to pay for what he had always gotten free.

Love had never entered into the equation. After Maria, he’d stopped believing in it. He didn’t need it, didn’t want it, his job wouldn’t allow it. He was on the road forty-eight weeks of the year, and he liked it that way. One-night stands were his specialty.

He didn’t know why he’d asked the girl at the pizza joint for a drink. The invitation had nothing to do with sex. He knew he wouldn’t sleep with her. He just wanted to talk to her for a reason he couldn’t name. He liked the look of her. Sun-drenched, beachy, she smelled like Coppertone. They were a day and half from the Pacific coast, but he could tell her tan wasn’t store-bought.

Long legged, brunette, with a rack that held more than a mouthful, she wasn’t especially his type. He liked his women, short, petite, blonde. But the girl had that East Coast accent and even if he didn’t know her, she seemed familiar. She lived in the places he had for a time, and that made her different. He was curious to know how she’d ended up here, in this God-forsaken place.

The bartender nodded in his direction. He shook his head no. Five came early in the morning and it was near on ten. He glanced at his watch – 9:52. Yeah, he’d call it a night. He and Stash had driven the better part of four-hundred miles that day and he was exhausted. Set-up at the site tomorrow would be a bitch. Supposed to be in the high 90’s, and if they didn’t find a coil of snakes drilling, it would be a first. He edged off the stool, sucked the last of his beer, and placed the empty bottle on the coaster. Fingering his money, he left three dollars on the bar for a tip.

“Hi,” she said. “Sorry I’m so late. Last minute order right when I was closing.”

19 comments:

Laura Pauling said...

Great internals and delving into the character! Thanks for sharing.

Anne Gallagher said...

Laura -- Thanks. Now you can say you've read something of mine.

Al said...

Great the way you had us seeing the world from his POV.
I enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing!

Linda G. said...

I like it! Thanks for giving us another peek. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Obviously his night isn't ending yet!

Anne Gallagher said...

Al -- Thanks. I do love writing from a man's POV.

Linda -- Thanks. :))

Alex -- Actually, it is.

Lydia Kang said...

That was a great read. Thanks Anne!

Stina said...

Great job, Anne! You do a great job in the guy's POV. :D

Bossy Betty said...

I liked this! You really did a great job on capturing his inner voice.

notesfromnadir said...

You've established that he's down-to-earth as he drinks Bud. I also liked that line about her tan not being store bought.

JournoMich said...

hey, stranger! love the way you develop this guy. something is changing for him and i hope we find out what it is!

Michele

Anne Gallagher said...

Lydia, Stina, Betty -- Thanks you guys. I appreciate it.

Lisa -- Was almost going to let him drink Coors Lite but thought that was kind of woosy. Yeah, the tan.

Michele -- Hey, stranger yourself!!! Something is changing for him. But he's not high on my list of priorities at the moment. He does have his own folder with notes though.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Terrific work, Anne. Don't leave him in that folder too long.

Jennifer Hillier said...

Ditto loving the guy's POV!

I hope you keep posting the next bits of this... I need to find out what happens!

Unspoken said...

Ah hah! Perhaps the night is younger than he thought after all :).

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Quite a departure from Masquerade! Are you sure this isn't more your genre LOL? Well done! I was sucked in from the beginning.

Anne Gallagher said...

Susan -- You're not the first person to say so. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do with him.

Jennifer -- Maybe not for awhile yet. His story is not fully formed. But I'll let you know.

Amy -- No, not really. He's tired and I think he makes another date. I think. We'll see.

Karen -- Wow, you remember Masquerade? Thanks for that! And thanks for the compliment. I'm not sure what I'm doing anymore for genre. Too many stories, absolutely no time!

B. WHITTINGTON said...

Anne,
Thanks for stopping by the the memorial day piece.
I've been scarce lately reading and commenting on blogs as one thing after another there - but I think I'm back.
Love the story I just read. You must be published somewhere. So where? Let me know.
And if not, you will be. From one writer to another. Good luck and God bless. Barb

Liza said...

Awesome! I had to go back and reread the first installment. More, more, more, please? Soon?