Moving to the secluded area out by the lake four states away from both our fucked up families was the best thing we could've done for ourselves. The toxicity had gotten overwhelming, the family drama nauseating. We knew no one would ever visit, and that's how we liked it. We were happy in our own little world out here. Nothing lasts forever, though. Sure, we'd joked about it aplenty. "You know, I could chop you up and bury you out here and no one would ever find you," I'd jokingly said more than once. She'd just laugh and agree, and everything would be okay. I picked up work pretty easily when we relocated, and we decided she'd stay home and take care of pretty much everything. First, she tried to respond with, "well I could do the same to you." Then, "I guess your boss would wonder where you were, though." Now, I know for most people, "jokes" like this would make one question the relationship, but we were, well, a little different. You know, saw things with a twist. One of the things we noticed when we first met was our shared off-kilter sense of humor.
We kept to ourselves, didn't care to meet any neighbors or make friends, and life went on. At first everything was good, we managed to put a bit in savings, and we'd settled into a nice quiet existence. Then I got careless while moving some equipment, you know, trying to be all macho in front of the younger co-workers and all. Then the baby came along. Ordinarily that'd be fine, but with the mounting out-of-pocket shit, my physical therapy and whatnot, and being out of work for so many weeks well, things just kind of piled up.
Things do pile up and change in ways we never expect.
ReplyDeleteThat humor is very much like what is said in our home. I hate the "pile up" Sucks. I've had too many of those.
ReplyDeleteThe pile up I think so many of us can relate to. Your Fictional short stories always have me wondering if they're Non-Fiction, 'til I get to the end and find out in your Labels. *winks*
ReplyDeleteI really like your writing. I'm glad I now see the labels on these stories.
ReplyDeleteI want more. That's a sign of good writing. Encore, please!
ReplyDeleteGood stuff. I look forward to part 2. Thanks for sharing, balanced.
ReplyDeleteBathwater, Margaret, Dawn, Mary, Robyn and good ol' Mr. Shife: This self confidence-lacking blogger thanks you all for your very kind and extremely affirming comments. I promise part II is forthcoming, however, I've been quite busy and it may take a while. I will be back. Thank you all many times over.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is a good kind of busy. We will patiently wait, balanced.
DeleteMany thanks for your patience,Mr. Shife. Just work busy, mostly, plus my brain's only capable of so much creativity and other projects are sapping some of that.
DeleteHi, b.a.f.!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for visiting my neck of the woods this morning. I'm glad I didn't miss Part 1 of your new story "Ashes Ashes." I can relate to wanting to move far away from family, both his and hers. Here at "ground zero," Mrs. Shady and I have family members hitting on us to borrow $$$ on a regular basis, and the family drama is neverending.
I can picture one of James Spader's demented characters as the male lead in your story. I highly recommend his 1996 psycho thriller film Crash co-starring Holly Hunter, about a group of symphorophiliacs who are sexually aroused by car crashes; and Spader's 2002 erotic black comedy film Secretary starring Maggie Gyllenhaal about a dominant boss and his submissive secretary who engage in various BDSM activities.
Yes, when it rains, it pours, and problems do have a way of piling up, I am eager to read Part 2. Have a great week, b.a.f.!
I just thought of another favorite film that is even more on target - Punch Drunk Love (2002) starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson as quirky lovers who exchange dark fantasies:
DeleteBarry: I'm lookin' at your face and I just wanna smash it. I just wanna fuckin' smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze it. You're so pretty.
Lena: I want to chew your face, and I want to scoop out your eyes and I want to eat them and chew them and suck on them.
[pause]
Barry: OK. This is funny. This is nice.
Thanks Shady. I've had the pleasure of seeing both Spader flicks, but have not seen Punch Drunk Love. The family/money thing was never an issue fur us because, well, we just don't have it. What was more damaging was the drama around every turn. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI sense terrible things ahead for this family. Eek!
ReplyDeleteJeez, not sure what gives you that idea, Miss Darla. Thanks for taking the time to come by again. Looks like you've been quite busy, too.
ReplyDelete