Volume One contains Six Short Stories
1. Butterflies scream to communicate.
2. A man tells his parents he is getting divorced.
3. A surprise gift at an arranged birthday party. Oops!
4. An unfortunate kidnapping and the final wedding vow.
5. A girl on the poor side of town advances greatly in life.
6. A hopeless sister shows up at an inappropriate time.
Excerpt:
Roberto Clements pulled his older Honda into a parking spot at the end of a long, left driveway and stopped the engine. He stepped from the vehicle, shoved his $160 sunglasses into his dark-brown hair, and paused to survey his surroundings.
When he spoke, it was a reverent whisper. “This is a quiet neighborhood. It’s a nice place to visit if you don’t want noise, but I’d not want to live here.”
He turned to face the entrance, set off with a swift and firm stride, and stopped after counting 12 lots on his right side. He turned to his right, stepped off the gravel and into the grass, and advanced a few feet to stare at the two fresh mounds of dirt. He shook his head and cleared his throat as he made the Sign of the Cross.
“Hi, mom. Hi, dad, Fancy meeting you here in this place. I don’t know why I’m here and you there. You’ve told me so many times. I’m reckless, juvenile, silly; I don’t act like a Clements. I guess you’re right about some things, huh?”
He moved between the foot of the graves, sat resting his back against someone else’s tombstone, and sighed out his momentary misery.
“And by the way, thanks for your advice on buying cars. You gag when I buy a 2005 Honda. I’ll be sorry. I need a real car. Buy a Rolls Royce, son. They’re strong and safe cars. They give you better protection than the President.”
He raised a hand as he saluted with a drink. “Hah! You sure nailed that one, Dad. Your loser son congratulates you on your choice of cars. The Rolls protected you, didn’t it? It saved both you and mom, didn’t it? Stupid! Stupid damned crash scene investigator. ‘They had excellent protection, son. It was just their time to go.’ Whoopee! You lived maybe a whole 9 seconds before your bodies got smashed into a thousand plus pieces! And for what? A delight? Do you know the thrilling reputation you left for me? Huh? I guess you don’t and don’t care much now, but I can’t escape it. It’s everywhere I turn.
“I get a hug and kiss from some beauty queen and an invitation for romance. ‘Come on, Roberto. Let’s go park on the tracks down by the river and hit the back seat when the train is coming. I want to see if it thrills me like it must have thrilled your mother.’ Thanks, a flipping lot!
He wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeves and continued his monolog.
“Thanks again when I saw Mary this morning. She stopped by the locker, leaned against me all dreamy, and then the locker next to mine. ‘Come on, Roberto. Let’s go and share some train sex. I got a schedule. Pick me up at 8:15 tonight, and let’s get it on, down by the river, when the coal train is due.’”
“Damn it all! There are some things you don’t do in life. Challenge a bear that’s pissed off. Challenge a 100-car coal train with four engines in front. You know, stupid things like that. What were you thinking? Or did you think at all? Was it for a sexual thrill as people won’t stop talking about? Or did you want to escape life because you thought I was a failure when I wouldn’t follow 100% of your advice? Did I piss you off that much to take that gruesome action to end it all so I’d be left to suffer perpetual humiliation and agony?
“I wish I could slap both of you until you told me the truth. Of course, the world out there will never listen unless I confess your wild sexual activities for the Internet posting, but I’d like to know. It might make my miserable life just a tad more palatable. However, going out your way eliminates knowing the truth, doesn’t it? You’re both cowards!”
He wiped his eyes again and took out his handkerchief to clear his nose.
“Sorry. I know that crying is childish and weak, but I never thought I would. I didn’t know it would hurt so much with both of you leaving in a flash of grinding metal.”
He watched a butterfly move in from the left and land on the ground by what he believed to be his father’s head.
“Go away! Get out! We don’t need you here! He doesn’t like insects like you hanging around. They all give him allergies. Go!”
He picked up a small stone and drew his hand back to fling it at the butterfly that did not move. Before he could bring the hand forward, he felt something grasp it, and with it, a demanding feminine voice.
“What are you doing? Stop it now!”
“Stop what? It’s only a stupid butterfly, and I don’t like them hanging around! Neither does my dad! Okay?”
“No, it’s not okay! They’re defenseless creatures and have no method of communication that you would understand. They can’t talk or answer you, not in any human way. They do know love, and they do know fear, but that’s about all. They live on instinct, not human advice or rules. So, leave it alone.”
“And if I don’t? What are you going to do?”
“I’ll wander back to your car and kill some headlights and taillights. That should be a good payment for the death of a butterfly that’s done nothing wrong.”
He jerked his hand free, dropped the stone, and stood to see who had sneaked up on him in his grief.
She was far from pretty, and her face and uncovered arms were dirty. In addition, her whole clothing outfit was thin, drab, and covered with dirt.
“Where did you come from? Did someone err and bury you alive?”
“Thanks for your human concern and kindness. Just treat me like the butterfly and kill me now if that’s what you think at first glance.”
He turned his back to her and noticed the butterfly had moved to the head of his mother’s grave.
“My dad was allergic to many insects. He had a difficult life with their natural instincts to pester people. So I just didn’t like it landing on his head. You know?”
“I don’t know. I do know that your father will not mind them anymore. I can guarantee that much in life.”
“That’s stupid but truthful. Who could argue that point?”
“Given time, I’m sure you would.” She held her right forefinger before her face and made a whistling and clicking noise with her mouth.
The butterfly launched from his mother’s grave flew in a large circle past his head to land on the girl’s finger and settle into what seemed like a comfortable position.
“Hey, buddy. What’s going on? Did this large man scare you? I’m sorry. No. You’re okay now. You’re out of danger. He won’t bother you. He worried you’d bother his dad. I know, but that’s his way of respecting him. You got it, buddy. You know I’d love to be everywhere at once and save all of you, but I can’t. I do have my limitations, but you’re safe. Enjoy the rest of your day and life.”
She puffed a gentle breath across the butterfly, which launched and landed on the tip of her nose. Then it fluttered out of sight toward the entrance.
“That was a butterfly kiss, in case you don’t know. They smell and taste with their feet, so the nose is a wonderful place to land and understand a human that doesn’t want to kill it for any reason. Their kisses are light, fluffy, and rather tingly.”
“I’ll take your word for it. Sorry. I didn’t want it to die. Just go away.”
“That’s fine, dude. I’m over it already, and so is the butterfly. So what are you doing here? Did someone die on you too soon in life?”
He turned to the graves. “Yes. My mom and dad both died at the same time, and my world is not the same now.”
She moved and stood beside him. ‘Where’s their tombstone?”
“It should be here tomorrow. It’s not been that long, and I’ve not had a lot of help from my family. Some made phone calls to cry and sympathize, but none came forward to offer any real assistance. It’s like their death was my fault. Like I’m responsible for killing them. It was an accident, family! Get over it!”
She put an arm around his waist and hugged him. “I’m sorry for your loss. How did they die? Has anyone let you talk about it? It helps.”
“No, they haven’t. Like I said, it’s like they blamed me for it happening.”
“That’s wrong. How did they die? Do you have a name?”
“I’m Roberto Clements. They died in a train accident down by Lubbock River. The car sat across the tracks and never even tried to move. The train hit them at full speed, 68 miles per hour, and that was it. It tore up their car and the bodies, and it took 10 hours to gather all the parts. What a mess!”
She winced and hugged him again.
“Oh, yes. I remember that now. I was there. It was a shame they didn’t make it out. And trains are not forgiving things.”
“What? Were you there? Did you see it happen?”
“Yes, excited boy. Several homeless live in that area of the river. It might be a lover’s lane for many teenagers, but it’s home for many homeless. And it’s a bathhouse if you ever care to take one. The permanent residents charge a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of wine to use the little pond fed by the river near the train bridge.”
“I guess you don’t believe in paying your way to do that, huh?”
She moved her arm, turned sideways, and slapped him.
