A Slight Miscalculation

[Michael Brown]

“D’ja ever wonder what’d be like, the three of us just take off runnin’ and leave this jackdump behind us in the dust,” Cooney asked, pushing dirt with his left foot, the good one, and then tossed his empty Manhattan Special bottle toward the highest point of the scrap heap, where it struck something metallic then rolled down toward the water’s edge.

Jimmy Dodd glanced sideways at Mallory, who was pulling lint from her skirt, but returned his glance when she felt his eyes on her, and they communicated to each other that they had indeed considered something along those lines often enough.

Mal was looking quite mature, now that she no longer came to hang out in a jumper, even though she still wore socks with her saddle shoes, but Jimmy would bet most people didn’t notice her feet anyways. With a tinge of audible regret in her Patti Page voice, she announced, “I doubt we’ll all get out of here alive together,” and here she returned with intensity to her lint-picking.

“S’pose you’re right,” Cooney, the youngest of the three, said, seeming to calculate the advantage of retrieving the bottle to get it properly situated on the top of the pile as if that act alone might correct more than his aim.

“I’m betting a couple of us will,” said Jimmy toward Mal, who did not look up again, and he could have sworn she was deliberately avoiding confirming his count, but he was always misreading his cues, stepping on her lines, and had been since their days together in Our Town.

[Norman Ublies]

I did the same as Teresa. I read Misapprehension first. I think there may be some insisght to be gained from looking first to the future then to the past, but I wonder sometimes if we would do anything differently if we had the chance. The future is so vast and daunting. I think we'd just as soon as play the cards we've been dealt.

[Teresa]

I read Misapprehension first so I'm working my way backwards.  It's like a ghost sighting and I want to know what happened to poor Jimmy.  I hope this becomes a lengthy series as there are many avenues to explore. 

[Bill Floyd]

Recognizable in its relationship dynamics, love the evocation of Our Town.  

[Angela]

I like the way the three of these think they are elegant in their plans to include/exclude/be included.  This is psychologically very believable.  A fourth person would shake it all up beyond recognition.  So many possibilities.  Hoping to see more soon.

[Mike Handley]

I'm not familiar with Our Town, but you've offered a great taste of the coming realignment of gears.

[Gita]

I like the digression about the bottle. Little physical details like that help to give the piece a strong visual. Three people forming a bond is better than two, in my opinion, for survival. If someone sprains an ankle, the other two can get on either side and help him/her keep going. I hope there will be more installments.

[Robert Crisman]

Just seems to me like it's three kids lost in their own hometown, one of whom is coming to womanhood, who Jimmy has wanted to get with since they acted together in Our Town and has never known the first right step to take, or even if there is one. Good job showing early teen angst, especially the last line.

[Stephen Torelli]

Mallory seems to be the crutch or like Jamie says, the "sandwich."

[Kristine_ES]

strong characters and this one is ready to go. i sure want to know what cooney's up to!

[Jamie Hogan]

I recall hearing a story once that inmates planning an escape from very remote prisons will sometimes involve a weakling in their plans. The weakling of course is all-in, smelling freedom, but what he does not know is that the two stronger men plan to use him for food along their lengthy journey to civilization. They call it a "sandwich." I think I'm hearing something equally sinister here from Jimmy, and it crawls my skin a bit. In my absences, I have very much missed your understated brilliance. It is nice to return to an MB piece and realize you've still got "it."