"mr. pendergast's daughter" by lex williford
Leann and I were driving to her father's new A-frame on Lake Nacogdoches, and I was nervous about meeting her folks for the first time.
Relax, Leann said. Drink a few Old Mils with Dad, maybe catch a large mouth or two off the dock Saturday. When I got the nerve Sunday, she said, I could spring the news on the old man about wanting to marry his little girl. Then the two of us could get the hell out, head on back to Dallas. Lighten up, she kept saying.
When we got there her kid brother ran to my car, flinging his arms all around. An acre lot across the little inlet was being cleared, flat red clay and loblollies tied with red ribbons. A bulldozer was ramming one of the pines without much luck. Hurry, Leann's brother said.
The lake house was all glass in front so from the gravel drive we could see Mrs. Pendergast inside, slapping the old man's face. Once, twice, then again. She shouted something about him not having any god damn imagination, about some girl, twenty-six years old, young enough to be his god damn daughter. He took her flat palms rigid-faced, just stood there blinking at her. Then his face fell apart, and he hit her in the sternum with his fist. She staggered back through the open door and up to the balcony rail as he hit her over and over again.
Do something, Leann shouted at me. But I just stood there. I just watched till the old man pushed his wife over the rail.
At the hospital in Lufkin I told Leann, I don't know what the hell happened to me. But then an intern came into the waiting room and said her mom would be all right, just some stitches, some bruised ribs.
Next week I must have left a hundred messages on Leann's answering machine. I'm sorry, they said, you got to believe me.
I remember we used to shower together every morning I stayed at her garage apartment in University Park. I'd slick her taut brown shoulders with Zest and I'd think, Jesus, this is good.
Edited by: fygmynt at: 10/4/01 11:41:02 pm
jedijetboy Registered User
Posts: 67
(10/8/01 1:13 pm) Reply
Glad I read that
Very good twist. I liked that it communicated so much with very little, a talent I wasn't born with. I'd consider adapting it if I didn't already have a couple other projects on tap (and if there was more to work with...I'd have to create so much of the back story...eh, it's no big deal). Thanks.
"Lose me, hate me, smash me, erase me." - Nine Inch Nails, Eraser
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