Fearrington's own John Keith will be reading from his new book "Canebrake Beach, A Novella and Four Stories at McIntyre's on Friday, August 24 at 2 p.m. Everyone is urged to join him. This latest book is being released in both print form and as an ebook. Remember the date: August 24!

Don't forget to join Forrest Greenslade for the debut of his new book,
Visitations, A Nature-Lovers' Journal. The event takes place on Sunday, August 5 at the Joyful Jewel in Pittsboro. Check out ChathamArtists for more info.

The Hal Story continues:

After thinking about it, I realized that while there was some basis for a relationship, our differences were too great and I felt that we would both be wasting our time and so I cancelled the date.  I am a very active person and Hal is a couch potato minus.  I felt very guilty about it and often thought of the wonderful conversations and the laughs we shared on the telephone.  So I called him to invite him to share my free movie passes one Sunday about six weeks later.  He agreed to go only if we could have some dinner afterwards.  He arrived thirty minutes late, which is a no-no in the dating world and the entire experience was a big disappointment mainly because Hal was grumpy and preoccupied with a family matter.                                                                                                                        Actually, he was depressed and negative about everything in his life and was more than willing to share these disappointments with me.   He was overbearing, moody and just plain obnoxious. He was critical of my outfit and my hair which I thought was totally appropriate and attractive. I drove home after dinner, and while in my car on the way back I was thinking, “What is this all about?”  “What do I need this for?”  I’m the one who should feel depressed after such a date!!!  He later called to try to do “damage control,”  his favorite expression, and I then  realized that my initial instincts were correct and I should have followed them. Hal said words to the effect that the next move was mine.
    Did I take my own advice?  Of course not!  The red flags  often looked green to me. After some months had passed and I was more into the dating scene, I foolishly contacted Hal again because I thought about him as a person  of quality and intelligence after all,  capable of deep feelings. And he was very lonely.  I remembered our overly long and intense conversations, and wanted to re-connect and try again now that I had more experience.  And so I called him and we began to date more intensively and we spent about two months in a more or less monogamous dating situation.  During that time, I noticed or rather chose to ignore the red flags that were again flapping in front of my eyes.                                                                                                                                   
His relationship with his grown professional children was practically nonexistent and even hostile on their parts.  He whined incessantly about their lack of concern for him and the fact that they rarely called. When they came to visit, they spent the minimum amount of time with him and did so at best, just as a courtesy.  His insistence that he was satisfied with the way he was and unwilling to learn new things was another disappointment.  He constantly repeated stories about his previous two marriages and other relationships that were boring me to distraction, to say the least. He was past-oriented while I was present and future-oriented. He lived in a place that was marginal,  (really a dump) and was planning on moving some day. But frankly, I didn’t think he ever would.  It was mortgage-free and cleaning out the mess in order to sell and pack up, would take the services of an arsonist.  But using words, my forte, in an abrasive tone to me when I only wanted to help him, was the proverbial last straw.
    During one of our recent telephone conversations, actually our last, Hal raised his voice to me in temper over a matter about his health, that he knew he had to address, and somehow was unable or unwilling to deal with effectively.  It was frustration on his part, but he dumped the problem in my lap and I didn’t want to contend with verbal outbursts or potentially self-induced serious health issues.  I decided to end the relationship and I knew that this time, I would absolutely not return because he was not right for me. Above all, he derided me constantly for using multi-syllabic words. I needed someone who was more secure, not depressing, and certainly had enough self-esteem to care about his living accommodations, appearance, and health.                                                                      In other words, Hals of this world, use the gym at your condo and stop whining. You know that  French fries have more calories than yoghurt.
 So, this was the end of a short long-term relationship. It was my turn to do the damage control thing by ending it again instead of prolonging the inevitable. This time, I really, really meant it!! There will be no couples counseling, for sure. So, words which are so important to me, used in a verbally abusive way, was the cause of the breakup.
      Ladies, there is a plethora of worthy gentlemen out there.  Make yourself available, take a risk, look out for the red flags, and don’t be the moron part of the oxymoron.  Go for it!!

Maddy
Please visit my website: http://www.beechmast.info

Oxymoron: Having a Short Long-Term Relationship

    Words are my life!  I adore words such as serendipity, plethora, and dearth. I  use them in conversations and I go giddy when I see them in print.  As a retired literacy specialist, I recall the days when I made a respectable living by teaching children and adults to use our language correctly and creatively.  I especially encouraged the use of colorful words.  Why say that something or someone  is “nice” when magnificent, gorgeous, heavenly, etc., could elevate your piece of writing to a more literate level, not to mention  produce a higher grade from your teacher.  A good vocabulary is a sign of  achieving more than just a minimal education.  In my present status as a peppy senior seeking a prince for a LTR (long term relationship) implying exclusive dating, my past training has paid off in many ways.
    After a lot of time spent in the dating world as a result of visiting my two favorite internet dating sites, I encountered more potential datees in addition to some authentic duds.  The word “frugal” comes to mind very often because I find that many of my potential squires are very economical.  They never met a coupon they didn’t like.  One of my dates took me to Sweet Tomatoes on the very first date and was not shy about using his coupons.  For those unfamiliar with the establishment, it is  a salad buffet beyond compare and there are free refills on the soups and desserts.  Basically, this establishment is glutton heaven.  My date proceeded to have five cups of soup,  all of them  of different after consuming two plates overflowing with salad.  Obviously, his pot belly needed stoking.  Adding to his appeal, while he drove a late model luxury gas guzzler and intimated that he was financially secure, he made no apologies and even suggested a walk on the beach in lieu of lunch, even though the rain was pouring down.  Lunch was to be a substitute for a game of tennis and then we planned on going to a movie afterwards.  Of course, after he spent so much time eating, we missed the start of the movie.  We then drove back to our respective homes. End of a “perfect” gluttonous and frugal date. Foolishly, I consented to other dates with Mr. Tomatoes and they were also dictated by his budgetary restrictions.  I am not a gold digger, but puh-leeze, be a sport!   A free movie at your clubhouse? Mr. Tomatoes talked a great deal about his lack of success with the dating scene. Small wonder! And talk about not following your own advice.
    Then there are the guys who recently broke up with their significant others.  Red flag! They date you, but their hearts are longing for a reconciliation with their exes.  They even go so far as to participate in “couples counseling.”  This is not marriage counseling but a new phenomenon.  Usually, I am told, three or four breakups occur, but they continuously go back to a failing, unfulfilling relationship for security and some claptrap about “the devil you know, etc.”   So, they date you  several times, and lead you to believe that you could be the one, and suddenly with no warning.... no more calls. You are left wondering what you did wrong and  in addition, you are consumed by a feeling of low self-esteem. Suddenly, Mr. Wonderful is no longer on the internet dating sites and doesn’t show up at singles groups. Somehow, the word gets out that Mr. Wonderful is indeed back with his ex and extremely happy once again, until the next big blowup, which is destined to occur.   My first question these days therefore is something like, “When did you break up with your girlfriend?”  No point in wasting time. Put faith in your natural instincts and intuition.                                                                                                        
    Be sure, moreover, you place full faith and credit in your innate ability to assess character.  Stick to your guns and take no prisoners. If a guy sends up signals in the form of red flags, don’t plow through hoping they will go away because they just don’t.  I know what I’m talking about because I made my mistakes due to my extreme neediness and a desire for a meaningful relationship.  Hal is a case in point.  I first met him on JDate and after e-mailing back and forth, we finally spoke on the phone.  We discovered we had a lot in common:  backgrounds, age, and a passion for football.  Hal still worked but despite his business deadlines, we arranged a coffee date.  He was far from my ideal but I agreed to a dinner date with him for the following week.
TO BE CONTINUED.......
Madelon Sheff (Maddy)
Please visit my website at: http://www.beechmast.info

Writers Meet Prior To Summer Break

Today we met to talk about the blog. We added a picture of Leader Laura's Grandfather

THE BEACHES

(Published in A Long Story Short as story of the month June 2011

visit their website at: www.alongstoryshort.net)

The motor coach rolls to a stop, edging itself into the end of a line of busses parked in the muddy lot. Off goes the engine. The ensuing quiet belies the group of us scattered in seats in the coach.           

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is now Noon. We will depart promptly at 3 p.m. Please don’t be late,” says Marie, our tour director. Most of us just nod; a few mumble. It is, by now, a familiar routine.

            She walks slowly up the bus aisle, handing out brochures. Before anyone asks, she points out the restrooms, where we can purchase a cup of coffee, and where the gift shop is located. We all move quickly and quietly down the steps of the bus and make our way toward the sidewalk.

The day could not be more fitting. Everyone wears raingear; several of us clutch umbrellas. The fog is so thick it has spread a thin film of moisture on the grass and the trees. Following Marie’s lead, we walk toward a bronze statue the brochure says depicts “the spirit of brave youth ascending from the waves.” Droplets of water hang suspended from the overhanging trees as we stand in front of the bell tower. We just look; no one speaks.

Some of us are here just because. Some have come to visit the fallen and with directories clutched in damp hands, they search for names. Some are history buffs. Others aren’t sure why they are making this trip but know they could not be nearby and not come. You and I hold hands. I feel a lump in the back of my throat. There is beauty here in the relatively undisturbed French countryside. The geography and the few nearby villages remain much as they were.

Some shed tears, some are giving thanks, many pray. We, along with the others, walk among the more than 9,000 who are gone forever. Stars of David and crosses all face toward home. Even in the Garden of the Missing, flowers are laid in appreciation. At the top of the windswept bluff, overlooking the long flat beach, we stand in silent awe. The beach below stretches to the ocean far in the distance. The jagged harbor is visible because it is low tide. We can see vestiges of ships and armaments, green with moss or brown with rust, as they lay embedded in the dark sand. The fog now drips. We walk slowly, stopping to read names and dates, as we make our way to the small chapel. You seem to be searching for something, a long forgotten name, perhaps. I see your eyes fill. You squeeze my hand.

Suddenly the damp air holds a tune. The bells sounding in the tower are mournful as they left a melody to the sky. Hats are removed, hands cover hearts, heads are bowed, and several people drop to their knees. There are no dry eyes as the bells sound taps.

Author: Laura T. Jensen         prosebylaura@gmail.com

Writers Meeting May 19th

Don't forget, we will have our last meeting (before our summer break) on May 19 at 1 p.m. in the Gathering Place. Come one come all. And, bring your latest writing to share. If you want to read aloud to the group, please call or email me so I can put you on the list. See you in May.