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This writing was accepted for publication in the May 1996 issue, v79 of cc&d, and was re-releases in 2019 as a 100 page perfect-bound ISSN# / ISBN# issue/book “Poetry and Prose” cc&d (v79, 2019 re-release)  You can also order this 6"x9" issue as a paperback book:  |
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Order this writing in the book the 2020 flash fiction date book (the 2019 flash fiction and art weekly paperback book) |
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Order this writing in the issue book Among the Debris the cc&d July-Dec. 2019 issues & chapbooks collection book |
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Life in Paria, Utah, was calm and uneventful until Raymond Manning arrived. He played guitar and sang original tunes at night. We burned boards off the sidewalk from the old movie set for our campfire.
His motive for playing music was to capture an audience. He had strong ideas he wanted to convey to people and he realized expressing himself through music was stronger than the written or spoken word.
He was greatly encouraged by his grandmother. She still had her driver’s license but had stopped driving. Raymond driver her to the store and waited in the car as she pushed her shopping cart up and down the aisles, matching coupons with products. He practiced his cord changes while he waited in the car.
She insisted that he serenade her after he unloaded her groceries. She did not want to hear his protest songs. She enjoyed songs like “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Rocky Top”. He tried to introduce her to recent music, especially the late Yardbirds lineup with two lead guitarists: Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. But she rejected that as a devil’s brew.
One day she felt very spunky and wanted to drive herself to the store. Raymond did not consider this a good idea. Before she stopped driving, she had knocked down two mail boxes and almost ran over a lady pushing a perambulator. He felt she was lucky to call it quits before having to file insurance claims or incur extensive medical bills. The idea of her behind the wheel again was frightening. But he knew if he negated her freedom of choice she would be on the road again in half no time.
He encouraged her by changing the oil and filling the tank up with high octane gas. This startled her because she expected resistance. He even suggested she drive at night to avoid traffic.
Raymond secretly had her car set upon blocks. He rounded her up one dark night and offered to accompany her as she drove the car. She was reluctant but he hustled her out to the driveway and helped her into the driver’s seat. She was nervous and didn’t realize the car was propped up. She started the car and shifted it into drive. Raymond directed her.
“Step on it, granny. Stop here. Turn left. Turn right. Look out. You almost hit that kid on a bike.”
After ten minutes of “driving”, she wanted to park it. He directed her back home. He helped her out of the car and into her room. She was a bit shaky after the experience and never talked about driving again. Raymond continued to rib her with comments like: “Hey, granny, let’s make a cross country trip. We can take turns driving.”
