A note from Teresa Quill
A couple of my characters have a snippet to share. I’ve been sitting on my next Skeeterville story through some challenges, but the characters are still busy at the Friendly Arms Apartments. I hope you enjoy them. (This is Romeo, Desi’s dog. He’s not in this but he will be in the next installment from Skeeterville.)
Desi Olivario tells about Wilber
I have angora goats on my farm, it’s much smaller than many years ago. The farm supports itself with a bit extra besides. I don’t keep the farm for the money now, it’s just all I’ve ever known. Last year, my neighbor knocked on the door holding the most pathetic little fella. The poor goat was covered in so much mud, it was hard to tell his color. A young family in town thought it’d be easy to have a pet goat, but Wilber was an escape artist. So, they gave up and brought him to me that day. I have great fences. Wilber is a Dwarf Nigerian werther. He’s mostly salt and pepper with black stockings and a black face.
Wilber hangs out with my angoras, but given the opportunity, he’ll take off past the hayfield to Deputy Tom’s house. I don’t know if it’s the treats he gives him, or because he’ll tie Wilber in the back of his pick up to bring him home. The goat hangs his head over the side of the truck and lets the breeze blow in his face like a dog. Last week, Wilber had an adventure, but I’ll let my friend Clara Sue tell you about that.
Clara Sue tells the story
I met Wilber soon after he arrived at Desi’s farm. That’s why I knew his name. At the Friendly Arms Apartments where I live, we have seven dachshunds. Residents who have dachshunds or wanted to join us were invited to a picnic that day. We had tables with paper tablecloths decorated with those blue doilies that Betty makes. One of the tables had some of our goodies and some came from the big kitchen. We also invited the pastor and deputy Tom to join us. The senior news reporter from our community paper came, too. The pastor had just blessed the meal when Tom drove up in his pickup.
Our tables were set on the side of the apartments by the park. Our church is on the other side of the park. Tom stopped in the church parking lot. He’s a handsome young man even when he’s not in his uniform. When he walked across the park, we didn’t notice Wilber leaping from the bed of his pickup, but the dachshunds did. They raised quite a ruckus and four of them took off after the goat, leashes dragging behind. They followed Wilber’s progress to the tables but stayed at least 5 feet away while they barked. The goat seemed to think it was great fun and jumped around until he got to Tom. He nudged Tom’s leg a few times then darted under the table. One of the ladies slid off of her chair in an effort to escape the “rampaging beast” as she called him. Wilber ripped a bit of tablecloth to chew as he continued toward the food table.
Irene Weatherspoon handed her doxie off and blocked Wilber with her sweatshirt like a matador. Tom chased from behind. At the last second, Wilber jumped to the right and Irene clamped her sweatshirt over Tom’s head as he fell. Meanwhile, Wilber discovered the blue doilies that decorated the food table. Irene and Tom approached from opposite sides, a few others joined to help corner the goat who munched and pulled doilies off of the table along with some of the food. Tom had the sweatshirt.
Wilber pulled the doily holding the red velvet cake that our cook made. Irene leapt to save it and Tom captured Wilber. Well, Irene saved most of the cake, a lot of the icing was on her shirt. The dachshunds had forgotten all about the goat and were happily chowing down on the food falling from above.
Tom picked up the little goat, holding his collar securely. The dachshunds paused long enough to bark at their departure. When Tom returned later there was still plenty of food and cake. I think it was quite an adventure for the dogs and the goat. Oh yes, we made the paper, too. The reporter had her cell phone and took pictures. Goodness knows what will happen next around here!
Did you ever have one of those years? 2016 turned out to be a sabbatical from my writing. I have excuses, but other writers manage to write through life problems. I admire them. So, I could give you the litany of woes, but I won’t. Except for 6 weeks in a sling after shoulder surgery, I could have been typing around all the life events that hit me.
for sticking with me. 2015 was an amazing year. I barely had time to catch my breath we were so busy at my house. I traveled to San Diego to write, Jamaica for our 40th, and NYC for the RWA convention. That doesn’t count the trips to see my six beautiful grandkids or the six weeks in the summer they were here. I was singing Willie Nelson’s song ‘On the Road Again’ a good bit. In November we got a new puppy to keep my 7yo doxie boy company. So, I’m potty training in the cold. Yes, I chose this. No, I don’t like the cold. Ah, the things we do for love.
My main character Irene Weatherspoon was here she would bonk me on the head with a newspaper if I stopped in the middle of this story. It’s a sweet story about two devoted friends aging together. Plus a few unexplained deaths.
Teresa Quill - Author 