Tag: Fiction

The Circle

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Excerpt

with Hakim the next morning or early afternoon. The Admiral, who is also ready
to go, stands up. Matthew escorts them to their limo, which has been parked in
the street, and shakes hands with Ibrahim.
“Thank you very much for coming over. I hope everything turns out well
with your tests. I look forward to seeing you again soon.” Then turning to the
Admiral, he adds, “I’ll see you Monday, Bevan. Thank you for coming over.”
“See you on Monday, Matt. Thanks for everything.”
Night arrives with her dark colors to replace the light of day and to inspire
the poet’s stanzas once again. Helena wants to go; she has a few things to do
before going out on Saturday night, and she wants Talal to take her home.
Peter and Rose have already gone. Hakim would like to go as well; however,
Jennifer keeps him for a while as her mom starts cleaning up from the party.
Matthew is eager to talk to Emily again about Hakim and he can’t wait until
everyone is gone. Talal has enjoyed the commotion of the party and exchanges
looks with Emily, who is still in seventh heaven just having him around her all
afternoon and evening.
Talal sits next to Hakim for a while in the living room when Hakim says to him,
“You won’t believe what my uncle told me.”
“What?”
“You know the company I work for. A year and a half ago he put up the
money and we bought shares when the company did a small financing. The
shares trade these days at more than ten times the investment. When I
mentioned the value of the stock to him, he said I can do whatever I want with
the money. He says all the money is mine. He wants me to keep it for myself.”
Talal looks deep in Hakim’s eyes and says, “You don’t even know half of what
Uncle Ibrahim has for you. I have a small number of the same shares and
Ibrahim paid for them as well. How do you think I pay my bills without a job? I
sell shares here and there to get by.”
It’s not that Hakim has never thought of what would happen to Ibrahim’s
money when he dies. He has thought of it a number of times because he knows
Ibrahim and Auntie Mara have no children of their own. He knows his uncle is
worth a lot of money, and now he has confirmation even from his buddy, Talal.
But today’s news has still caught him by surprise, and suddenly he realizes he’s
not a poor man anymore, but a millionaire.
“What else does Ibrahim have; what do you mean?”
“What is important is that you take care of yourself here in the United States
and make sure you get ready to take over for him when the time comes. Never
forget where we come from and where our loyalty lies—to Ibrahim, to our
homeland, to our people, to our future. Everything will fall into place sooner or

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0978186524

Arrows

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Excerpt

“I’ll talk because the time for our farewells is near,” I said, “and I
don’t want us parting like this.”
“Try me.”
He turned to look at the ship. His aftershave aroma of lavender
and storax, mixed with our sweat, filled my nostrils and sharpened
my senses. Watching him reminded me of my own looks, a sort of
discovery. Over the years, although he was four years older,
Bartolomé and I had become more alike, despite the inequality in
weight and his hooked nose. The main difference was the ripple of
his strong muscles visible under his shirt. Sometimes it was like
watching the movements of a powerful horse.
When I had come to board the ship, we were shocked to see each
other again. We always wrote and knew everything about the other,
but six years had passed since our last encounter. He took me by the
shoulders and looked me over from head to toe. Apparently
satisfied with my growing into manhood, he patted me on the
shoulder and grabbed my tonsure, shaking me softly before
squashing me in a bear hug.
Now we would soon be taking our leave of each other, and only
God knew when we would be reunited. I realized I was staring at
him and turned to face the sea.
Illuminated by the rising moon, the ship swayed, two lanterns
glowing on the castle decks. I watched the white spume of the waves
breaking, their hissing claim on the beach. The breeze carried the
voices of the men still sitting around the fire.
“Why the hell did you flog yourself?” Bartolomé asked.
“To purify my heart.”
“Purify your heart? Salvador, you haven’t done a bad thing in
your life!”
I snorted, shaking my head and reaching back to pull at my habit
and detach it from my wounds.
“I beat him,” I said. “I beat Pánfilo. He was having his way with a
girl. She wanted to resist. I don’t know what came over me. I
couldn’t believe my eyes, and before I knew it I was beating him up.
I didn’t mean to.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073522

He Rode Tall

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Excerpt

In fact, Joel remembered his mother had told him the story in
one of her few but precious letters he received shortly before she
passed away. From time to time, Joel’s dad would have to find
temporary work off of the ranch to make a go of things. It was
always tough to squeeze a living out of the Circle H and the family
had to continually live hand-to-mouth from the meager checks his
dad would mail them. One time, as the story goes, his dad had
been owed some money for work he did on an oil drilling crew
down in the panhandle—the wells came up dry and so did the paychecks.
Joel could remember his mother’s letter saying that after
being away for a month or so, his dad showed up late one day and
left the next. Apparently, he had come home for his rifle. It was a
long drive for weaponry, but I guess if you are going to take the law
into your own hands you may as well use your own weapon. His
mother had said that it was nearly two weeks before his dad
returned, and this time he had two fillies with him—one was a
flashy little palomino and the other was a petite bay.
That must be her, Joel thought. The flashy little palomino
grew up to become the old blonde mare.
The next morning Joel and Harry were ready to roll. And that
was exactly what they were doing; rolling down the highway leading
into the thriving mini-metropolis of Great Falls.
It was still early when they arrived at the livestock yards. The
sale wasn’t scheduled to begin until noon. Given that it was so
early in the morning, Joel pulled the old half-ton over to the side
of the parking lot at the stockyard and backed the trailer next to
the corrals. A quick reconnoiter confirmed that there was no one
around so Joel and Harry proceeded to catch a few z’s as they
waited for the office to open.
“What do you mean?” Joel yelled. He had been woken from his
sleep as the first trucks started to pull into the parking lot, and
after a few stretches,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980897955

Swamped

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Excerpt

“Okay.” He glanced back at his cooling sauce. “Are you fine with
penne, or would you prefer spaghetti?”
“Penne, please.”
“Penne it is.” Eteo smiled at his son, who was already heading
upstairs again. “Dinner at seven, okay?”
“Yes, Dad,” Alex called from the floor above.
Eteo went back to his chair. He absentmindedly scanned the
space around him, registering the familiar, steady sounds of the
house. Normally they were like the heartbeats of a healthy person,
regular, unhurried, relaxed, almost unnoticeable, but now, with Eteo’s
attention focused on them, they began to sound more like loudspeakers
in a plaza. The map of the earth on the far wall, made of sheets of
copper, was still as shiny as it had been earlier today and the fireplace
sat ready to be lit whenever he wanted that cozy ambience. He
thought about what he needed to do to organize those he wanted to
get involved in Herb’s deal. It looked like a winner, and Eteo knew
that when you have a winner you take care of clients who haven’t
done so well lately. Spiro and Michael, and Angelo too. They had lost
a bit of money on Eteo’s last recommendation, so he owed them a
piece of the action on this one. He also had to work in some of his
personal accounts. Yanni would buy anything Eteo recommended,
as would Nick the hairdresser and Kenny Wong and his friends. The
market, Eteo had learned, was a beast that no one knew how to tame.
Investing in penny stocks wasn’t much different than betting on
horses, except that at least you could look at the horses and, if you
knew horses, separate the strong ones from the weak. Penny stocks
all looked alike, yet each ran on its own terms and no two ever got
exactly the same results. All the more reason why when you get a
loser for a client you better find a winner soon. Yes, he had to include
Spiro and Michael and Angelo in this one.
Logan arrived home while Eteo was still on the phone organizing
his first three clients and explaining to them what he had in mind for
the next few days. Logan, who stood almost six feet, smiled down at
him. He knew who his father was talking to and exactly what he was
doing. Apart from his height, Logan looked a lot like his father.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WP3LMPX

The Circle

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Excerpt

He gets the Admiral a beer and, for Ibrahim, a glass of water as he requested.
Emily is obviously surprised with the arrival of Hakim’s uncle, as she had
thought only Bevan was coming. Bevan’s was the first invitation she sent out.
“I decided to surprise you with an extra guest. This is a very good friend of
mine from the old days. I met Ibrahim in Baghdad many years ago,” Bevan says
to Emily.
Hakim takes his uncle aside because he needs to be with him for a few
minutes alone. Jennifer catches them as they walk away.
“Hi honey, are you going to introduce me to your uncle?” she asks.
Hakim smiles and introduces them. His uncle takes Jennifer’s hand and, the
same as with her mother, kisses it politely.
“I’m quite happy to meet you, Jennifer. I see my nephew has made a very
good choice.”
“I’m very happy to meet you, too, sir,” she replies. Her cheeks blush.
The three stroll around the yard for a few minutes. Hakim is eager to
know more about his uncle’s health, but he knows it will be hard to find out
surrounded by people at a party, that will carry on for the next few hours. He
goes along with the old man who wants to sit down for a while. Jennifer
brings a chair for him from inside the house and places it in the shade of the
big maple.
Ibrahim smiles at her and Hakim, and says, “Young lady, you are an angel,
thank you kindly.”
She smiles back at him and takes Hakim’s hand. He doesn’t object and all
three sit by the big maple tree talking about the non-serious things that keep
this world going around without getting bored. The ever-watchful eyes of the
maple keep them company, and before the feelings of revenge that enter and
exit Hakim’s mind became a thorn on the stem of a beautiful rose, the
watchful eyes of the maple turn and the tender sight of Ibrahim softens his
thoughts. The pleasant, warm afternoon, and a light breeze coming from the
Southeastern horizon, along with the flowers’ scent from the beds of the
garden complements the area around the guests with the fragrance of lilac and
honeysuckle.
Ibrahim turns to Hakim.
“How is your work going, my son? Are you happy here? Would you like to try
something different? There are ways, you know.”
For the second time, he’s caught unprepared for this questioning, as if his
uncle knows things that are happening or are about to happen, of which Hakim is
not yet aware.
“Why are you asking me this, my uncle?”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0978186524

Ken Kirkby, A Painter’s Quest for Canada

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“Grab a coffee and shut the door,” the manager said. When he was sure
no one could hear, he said, “I’ll hire you.”
“Sure,” Ken said. “That’s fine, but let’s sort this out first. I’ll keep your
offer as an ace in the hole.”
Later that day a small plane landed at the airstrip, disgorging the owner
of the company and his entourage, who commandeered an office and
closed the door. Ken slammed the door open and strode into the room.
One man jumped to his feet and tried to usher Ken out. “No,” he said,
shaking the man off. “If this is about me, I’m going to have my say. You
don’t hire an engineer. You don’t have one on the job, but you expect the
job to get done. I’ve learned how to do it. I’m doing it and what’s more,
ask yourself, is there any single thing wrong in the information provided?
Show me one thing that is incorrect – just one! I know you can’t. The
other question I have, is why am I doing the job of four to five men and
getting paid for one? I’m glad I’m fired. It feels good. Have a nice time!”
Ken slammed out of the room, as boldly as he had entered, got in the
truck, and drove back to Jessica’s house. He was nearing the gate when
he spotted the camp manager in his rear view mirror. Ken stopped and
waited for him to pull alongside.
“Are you fired?” he asked.
“I haven’t a damned clue and I don’t care. I’m having a good time.”
“Let me know immediately,” he said. “I’ll get you on the payroll right
away.”
“How much?” Ken asked.
“What are you making now?”
“That’s got nothing to do with it.”
“Well what do you want?”
“When I know what I want I’ll tell you. Right now I don’t want anything.”
Late that evening John came to the log house with the news that the
entire issue had been smoothed over. He had told the owner that he was
the one who had taught Ken how to use a slide rule, and that everything
had been done correctly. They had screwed up in head office, not Ken.
The camp manager had also spoken on his behalf. In fact, John said, it
was a lovefest. “Everyone’s in love with you. And the owner of the company
looks like a dummy. Of course, he’s not – he’s a smart guy but he had
no idea what was going on. He has a lot of other companies to look after.
But this is a big project with a lot of contracts. No one wants to look like
an idiot. But, everybody’s happy now!”
“Well, isn’t that wonderful!” Ken said. “I’m not happy!”
“But it’s okay – you’re supposed to come back,” John said.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Ken said. “I’ve been fired.”
“So what do we do?”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073573

Arrows

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Bartolomé let him go, patting him on the shoulder. Pánfilo bent over
and coughed, hand on his throat as though choked instead of rattled.
I crouched beside Antonio and tilted the flask. I wasn’t sure how
much would suffice; a few drops would have to do as more would
kill him. I concentrated on balancing against the movements of the
ship and tilted the flask just a little more until a few droplets fell into
Antonio’s limp mouth. The potion squirted between Antonio’s lips.
He coughed from the bitterness and tried to sit up.
I gasped and tried to clean the excess with a rag, but it was too
late. Antonio had swallowed it all. I uttered unconfessable
commentaries under my breath and glanced at Bartolomé. He
looked at me, and I shrugged helplessly. We took our positions in
silence. I buried my nostrils in my armpit while positioning my
hands on Antonio’s chest, bewildered by the stench.
Benjamin knelt beside me, arms straight down, squashing
Antonio’s good leg. I was sweating, we all were.
Bartolomé produced a leather bundle and carefully spread it on
the floor, revealing a number of surgical instruments. Rag strips
were neatly folded in a small pocket. In the monastery, Fray
Bernardo had taught us to cure wounds. A few times we saved the
life of one of the animals by cutting an infected limb. We had always
proceeded faster when we placed a board underneath for support. I
found one and put it under the leg with a subtle nod to my brother.
He acknowledged with the sharp knife, ready to cut.
“Lord, have mercy.” I said.
In the uncertain light given off by two candles, Bartolomé crossed
himself and began cutting with long swift movements. Antonio’s
drunkenness and my potion failed to stop him from becoming a
struggling, swearing beast, but finally he passed out when
Bartolomé began sawing the bone.
We loosened our grip. Pánfilo gawked at the wound. Better he
keep his mouth shut for, whenever he talked or breathed, the foul
odor of his remaining teeth made me want to vomit.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073522

He Rode Tall

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The land, the buildings, all of that old
equipment, and the horses. Heck, you wouldn’t even have to
unpack. I’ll write you the check right now and you can cash it at the
bank on the way through town as you head back to the city.”
Joel could have very easily taken the money. Heaven knows he
could use it. He really didn’t have anything that was stopping him
from accepting the offer. And 60,000 dollars could go a long ways
in Costa Rica, or wherever he ended up. Maybe he could even buy
a nice little bar on a sandy beach to keep himself occupied. He
could see himself passing out cool cervezas and renting out
sea-doos to tourists. Or maybe just passing out. That sure would
have been his preferred behavior in the past. But there were a few
things bothering him about the offer. First of all, he just didn’t like
Buck Smith. Secondly, from what Smith had to say, there probably
wouldn’t be a place for Harry in the Buck Smith Ranch Corporation.
Thirdly, the offer just came too easy, and if Joel was any judge
of character, the offer was probably significantly below market
value. Joel was feeling confused. He knew that life was all about
the choices we make, and right now, it seemed as if he was faced
with a big choice. He could either sell the Circle H to Buck Smith
for 60,000 dollars or he could be a stubborn son-of-a-gun and try to
make a go of it in this god-forsaken country.
The consequences were obvious. On the one hand, he could
have the bar on the beach in Costa Rica with the scantily dressed
babes, and on the other hand, he could have a grizzled-up old
ranch-hand and a bunch of horses. What the hell was he thinking?
One thing he knew for sure—right now, standing in the
sparse and desolate yard of the rundown Circle H, there was a
battle going on inside of him between his head and his heart. And
he didn’t know which was winning.
“Let me think it over,” Joel said.
“Think it over. Hell, man. What is there to think over? This is a
good offer and there just aren’t any other buyers for a small
standalone place like this. Besides that, your dad and I had it all
arranged.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980897955

The Circle

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he hugs each one and says, “Hi”. Hakim kisses her and says, “Well, today
is the day. Today, I’ll meet your father.”
“I know, honey. Come, I’ll introduce you to him.”
She takes them to the backyard, where some people have already gathered.
She finds her father and says, “Dad, this is Hakim.”
Matthew looks at Hakim as if inspecting him, and with a broad smile on his
face, says pleasantly, “Well, well! I finally get to meet you, Hakim. It’s my
pleasure. I have heard quite a lot about you.”
Hakim looks at him and responds, “Thank you, Mr. Roberts. The pleasure is
mine, and happy birthday.”
“Oh, no need for formality. Matthew, is good enough.” Matthew says.
Jennifer introduces Talal to her father as well. They shake hands, and
Matthew turns and hugs Helena, waiting patiently for her turn.
“Happy birthday, Matt,” she says.
“Thank you very much, Helena. Thank you, all. Please, feel free, and have a
drink. Enjoy the party.”
Talal turns and walks away toward the house, hoping to find Emily among all
the other people, but he can’t see her anywhere in the backyard. Seeing Matthew
for the first time, he sees a person very committed to his work, and Talal
appreciates this in any man. But, from Emily’s comments, Talal gathers that this
man thinks of work, work, and nothing else. He goes inside and finds Emily in
the kitchen talking to a friend. She looks so pretty, to him. She sees him and calls
him over.
“Cathy, this is Talal, a good friend of Jennifer’s and a good friend of
Hakim’s. They came together from Iraq to study here and have done very well.”
Talal takes Cathy’s hand and kisses it, as is his custom.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Cathy.”
“You, too, Talal.”
Emily follows him toward the kitchen sink and says, “Oh, Cathy, dear, could
you please take this platter outside and place it with the rest of the food?”
showing her friend the last cheese platter.
Cathy takes the platter and steps outside, while Talal goes to Emily’s side
in the kitchen and touches her buttocks as he passes, making her feel a shiver
through her spine. She gives him a beautiful smile and blows a kiss toward
him, and he smiles back, winks, sends her a kiss through the air, and goes
outside.
Emily is left there, overpowered by her emotions, and so excited she feels that
she wants him, now. Yet, she knows that cannot happen, not now, not today. Is
she ever going to enjoy him the same way she enjoyed him the other day?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0978186524

Water in the Wilderness

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Tyne did not feel like giving her a civil answer. She did not feel like answering at all. But she glanced at Miss Larson, and saw both compassion and encouragement in her eyes. So she spoke as kindly as she could. “No, we’re going to wait until I get home. And, if it makes you feel better, my mother is with the children while I’m at work.”
Ruby did not reply. She took the coffee mug and drank thirstily, then put it down and stood up. “I gotta get outta here, I need a smoke.” At the door she paused. “I’ll speak to my husband and we’ll make other arrangements for the kids,” she said haughtily, then left the room without asking again to see her sister.
It’s just as well, Tyne thought, because she knew that Lydia’s body had been removed to the funeral home earlier that morning.
Miss Larson looked at her nurse whose eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m sorry, Tyne. That was rough. She had no cause to say what she did.”
Tyne sniffed and lifted her shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. “Well, she’s upset. I don’t care what she thinks about me, but it sure hurts when people say unkind things about Morley. He’s a good man, Miss Larson. He lives his faith, that’s why people call him a Bible… a ….” She could not finish. Two tears slid down her cheeks, and she brushed them away roughly with her hand.
“This is the tough part of our job, Tyne, having to deal with bereaved relatives. We never really get used to it.”
Tyne nodded and reached into the pocket of her uniform for a tissue. “In the OR I didn’t have to deal with family, no matter what happened. I suppose I was insulated from the real world. I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“You will, Tyne. When you’re called upon to do it, you will. But, as I said, it isn’t easy.”
On the Cresswell farm, Rachael stood beside the fence and watched Morley herd the milk cows out to the lush green pasture. She didn’t know what was wrong with her today; she felt listless and lonely.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/192676319X