Welcome to Tuesday Tales, a weekly blog featuring authors posting excerpts from works in progress based on word and picture prompts. I’m pleased you stopped by today. This week’s word prompt is great. Enjoy the other talented authors of Tuesday Tales.
After a few blocks, I was beginning to wish I’d waited until Sandra returned with the car. This brisk evening walk in the dark was not doing it for me. Away from the town proper, street lights were spread thin. I looked up at the sky. No moon or stars. Low, menacing clouds billowed in from the west. The heated air pressed on my skin, and I peeled off my over blouse. So much for dressing like “company.” If I hadn’t told Dulcy I’d be there with the cemetery proofs tonight, my feet would head back toward town.
Finally, only two more blocks to go. Dulcy and her husband lived on a corner, with empty lots around their house. As I approached, voices carried out into the night. She and Earl must be on the front porch.
Dulcy’s grating voice was unmistakable. “If she shows up at the meeting tomorrow, she can sashay right out of there.”
Wondering who had gotten on Dulcy’s bad side now, I automatically stopped short and listened.
Earl replied with a labored sigh, as if the conversation had been going on for some time. She didn’t say she was, did she?”
“Not in so many words, but she’s a sly cat. It would be just like her to barge in unwanted.”
Words were definitely slurred in that last pronouncement. They must be having a nighttime tipple. Geez—awkward! Was it too late to cough and warn them their guest had arrived?
“Now, Dulcimer, you’re getting all het up for nothing. Miss Hart will be here soon, and you all red-faced.”
“Miss Hart. There’s another fine specimen. Besides we’ll hear the car coming. Pour me another drop, Earl.” Her voice raised a notch. “Believe me, if Opal Lightner thinks the group will follow her orders again this year, she is sadly mistaken. She’s not the be-all and end-all. How do you think she inherited that big house? While my Great Grandfather was working to put this county on the map, hers was running a jug train to supply gin to private Locker Clubs. He made so much money, pretty soon he was a member himself. Just a banty rooster parading around in big britches.”
I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the word prompt great. Thanks for stopping by. Read the other amazing excerpts at Tuesday Tales.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Spirited Stories
All rights reserved, copyright @ 2020 Flossie Benton Rogers
Loved the last dialogue paragraph. Such colorful language!
I’m glad you like the dialogue. Thanks, Mae!
Loved every sentence of it. The dialogue really made them come alive. Well done.
Thanks for praising the dialogue, Susanne!
The description pulled right into the story: street lights spread thin (enhances the mystery). Looking forward to more.
I’m glad the description pulled you in, Loretta. Thanks!
As usual, your descriptions are spot on!! I love the “banty rooster in big britches” line. And yes, haven’t we all be in situations where we’ve overheard mor than we wanted to? Great snippet. Looking forward to more.
I’m glad you like the descriptions and banty rooster line. Thanks, Jean!
I loved the little conversations! Great snippet as always.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Cathy.
So well deserved! Thank you for the feedback, Cathy.
Uh oh. Dulcy’s about to be very embarrassed when she finds out her guest is already there. I can’t see where this is about to go now that her feelings are out in the air. Great job!
Thanks, Tricia!
Wonderful post filled with amazing dialog!
Thanks, Vicki, glad you liked the dialogue!
Love it. We had a senator here back in the day- I was friends with his daughter and our families car-pooled to school. He was called the Banty Rooster. Made me think of him. LOL and I love the dialogue and the sashay. One of my fav words. 🙂 Jillian
One of my fave words, too– and I love the banty rooster senator image lol.