As I’m not really working on anything big until NaNoWriMo starts on November 1st, I decided to write a Thanksgiving short story to keep me on my toes and on my daily writing schedule. This will be the story for the next couple of weeks for the Tuesday Tales posts. This week’s word is RAILING.
Be sure to check out the other tales here.
Molly tied the last of the burnt-orange colored ribbon to the railing with a tight square knot. Thanksgiving was the next day and she hadn’t had time to bring out her decorative turkey and cover the columns and rail across her front veranda until this chilly Wednesday evening. She’d been out of town until that morning and even though she needed to be cooking, deep in her soul, she really desired to have her traditional decorations up so she could sit out on the porch and enjoy them.
The five-foot tall turkey was made of wood and each of the slats representing feathers behind its circular body were painted different colors to make for a festive tail for old Tom. Molly and her father made the bird when she was in high school and named him Thomas which she didn’t think was very clever so, in her mind, she always called it Frank. When she moved out of her parents’ house after college, her dad insisted she take the thing with her. It was a piece of home and she loved that critter.
She smiled at the back of the turkey seated in her yard and shivered as a shadowy figure passed in front of it. Clasping her hands around her bare arms and wishing she had her sweater, she called out, “Who’s there?”
“It’s Chip. Chip French.”
Her stomach leapt to her throat. Chip French? She hadn’t seen him in ages. He’d moved to Louisiana when they were in eleventh grade and even though he came back to town to see his grandparents from time to time, she was rarely home when he did. She reckoned she’d last seen him freshman year of college.
Jillian Chantal 
What an enjoyable post!
By: Vicki Locey on October 22, 2013
at 6:00 am
Thanks Vicki.
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By: Jillian Chantal on October 22, 2013
at 7:31 am
What a sweet, enjoyable snippet! I wonder what effect Chip will have on her plans for the holiday. 🙂
By: Sarah Cass on October 22, 2013
at 9:30 am
Thanks Sarah. He does have some twist in store for her. LOL!
By: Jillian Chantal on October 22, 2013
at 9:38 am
Maybe Chip can warm her up. Sounds like he may share a past with her. 🙂
By: davee jones on October 22, 2013
at 10:31 am
Maybe so, Davee. Maybe! 😉
By: Jillian Chantal on October 22, 2013
at 10:45 am
A lovely warm excerpt for a cold day.
By: Sherry Gloag on October 22, 2013
at 2:12 pm
Thanks Sherry
By: Jillian Chantal on October 22, 2013
at 2:17 pm
Interesting Chip shows up now. Wonder what’s going to happen next between them.
By: Lindsay Downs on October 22, 2013
at 4:45 pm
Yep. After all that time, he shows up
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By: Jillian Chantal on October 22, 2013
at 5:11 pm
Nice description and scene painting. Wonder what happened between them in college? Are they going to get together? This is a new story and now I want to know more. Well done!
By: jeanjoachim on October 22, 2013
at 6:26 pm
Thanks Jean. It’s been a fun one to work on. I’m liking their interactions.
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By: Jillian Chantal on October 22, 2013
at 7:25 pm
I love reading “descriptions” of Thanksgiving, as the holiday is so foreign to me. Loved the story and had a giggle that dad insisted she’d take the wood-turkey 🙂
Nice new story … would love to read more and find out about Chip!
By: Iris B on October 24, 2013
at 10:16 pm
Thanks Iris. I’m glad you liked the description. Thanks for the kind words about the story. You will be seeing Chip some more.
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By: Jillian Chantal on October 25, 2013
at 7:30 am
Very nice! Great start to a story. I loved the scene you set with the decorations. And Frank the turkey, perfect touch!
By: trishafaye on October 24, 2013
at 10:45 pm
Thanks Tricia. Since it’s near Halloween, I had Frankenstein in my head, too. Lol.
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By: Jillian Chantal on October 25, 2013
at 7:28 am
loved the description of the wooden turkey
By: Stefan Ellery on October 28, 2013
at 9:52 am
Thanks Stefan!
By: Jillian Chantal on October 28, 2013
at 9:57 am