“Oh my god, is there something wrong with one of the animals?”
“No, no, nothing like that. Are there a lot of ghosts here or where you come from?” asked Frank in a shaky to paranoid to spit the words out .
“No”, she laughs at Frank.
“Well I was at the barn earlier and you might not believe this, but a ghost came up to me and spooked the animals quite badly.”
“A ghost,” she says now more serious and stern in her tones.
“Well, yea.”, Frank replies. She had blonde hair and a blue jean jacket.”
“Hold it, hold it, hold it.” said Patty. “You’re not talking about my mother are you? Look.”
Patty hurries over to the mantle to show the pictures of her mother to Frank.
Frank remembers the pictures and it dawns on him. That was who the lady was. It was the lady in the picture. Patty’s mother. Of course.
“That’s amazing, but yet it doesn’t surprise me”, Patty says. “She loved the farm. It was the best place on earth, she used to say. The ranch was the best place on earth. Did she talk to you? Did she say anything?”
“Uh, kinda, she asked who I was. She really creeped me out Patty.”
“Oh my god. You actually had contact with her?”
“I suppose so. Is that normal?”
“No. Amazing.”
Scott thinks to himself, “I don’t want to tell her where I am from yet. It might be dangerous. Hell, they would probably put me in a loony bin if they’ve ever met one of us.”
“Dang it. I told Aunt Shirley that I would work for her tonight. But after that I will be working more towards noon. At lunch hour, she seems to be the busiest. One of the bartenders just quit on her. I gotta fill in for her for just a little bit while she runs to get more meat down at the butcher shop for her notorious pork chop lunch special tomorrow and the various ones throughout the week.”
Patty goes and unloads the bags of groceries into the fridge and various others onto the shelves above. Then she slowly walks into the living room and sits next to Scott and sits beside him on the leather couch.
I know you’re freaking out, but its my mom. My mom would never hurt me.”
“Ok, I can stay for awhile. It might be interesting.”
“Great! You must be hungry. If you want, I can cook you some food up.”
Frank was thrilled at the notion that Patty would fix another meal before she had to go back into town to work for the night. Patty always had leftovers, so all she really needed to do was warm up some meatloaf real quick from the prior night. She also whipped up some instant mashed potatoes and had the whole thing done when she put some corn out of the can into the microwave and put it on the plate too. Frank picks up the remote and fumbles with it quite a bit before he learns which button turns the damn thing on. After that the rhythm of the channel surfing began and he finally lands like a roulette wheel onto some documentary of the mating rituals of the red headed Missouri animal on the instinct list, the redheaded woodpecker, which was basically no more than a picture of a forest and strange sounds of banging on trees. Knock, knock, knock. Silence. Knock, knock, knock. Silence. Knock, knock, knock and then the knocks strangely turn faster and faster. Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock. Then Frank proceeds to television surf some more. Now as he stops the roulette wheel of entertainment, it lands on the preview to a new show where all the characters are smiley faces on popsicle sticks. Franks not feeling entertained whatsoever, decides to turn the television completely off and set the remote on the coffee table in front of him.
At this time, Patty yells from the kitchen. “Come on in and get you something. The meals already to go.”
Frank hurries into the kitchen, ready for his second helping of happiness. He sits at the long table at the very end, where Patty already had his plate and utensils prepared. It was the prettiest paper plate of food that Frank had ever seen. He was always fascinated with the food they call meatloaf. He thinks of a documentary that meatloaf was made for quick nutritious meals, where a little went a long way to feed many people. Frank kind of thought of himself as a galactical meatloaf in a way. Just adding one more pinch of seasoning and a little sprinkle on top. Frank really proceeds to shovel the food into his mouth this time, hardly taking the time to chew, much less breathe as he inhales every little morsel on the paper plate, then wipes his chin with a paper napkin that was under the spoon and knife, remembering how awkward he felt earlier with the egg matter all over his chin. Patty still kind of looks stunned from Franks eating habits, but he never seemed to care. It was like that was his whole mission in life when the food hit his pallet that first time. But she always shrugged it off and proceeded to cut her meat up with the end of her fork as it slid straight through with ease through the meatloaf substance.
“Frank, you eat funny.”, Patty says.
Frank sits back in the chair and sits straight as an arrow, arms completely folded down, staring straight forward into space at the table. Patty notices and keeps a wondering eye up and down as Frank sits perfectly still.
Patty says to him, “Hello…..hello?”
Frank senses something, but he don’t know what it is. It kind of paralyzes him in the chair. Its like he feels the presence of another danger.
“Frank, there’s something about you,” Patty says. “Its just not quite right. I mean, what planet do you come from anyway?”
Frank looks up straight, from the notion of what Patty just said and Patty backs off a little in shock at this and says, “What? Are you trying to get me to believe that you’re from another planet?”Yes he said back
Franks eyebrow rises a little at the notion.
“Oh really martian man? Tell me more,” as Patty approaches the table, turns the chair around and sits positioned in front of Frank.
“Well, ok.” Frank says. “I’m from the moon.”
“The moon?” she replies. “First you see a ghost, now you’re trying to tell me you’re from the moon? I mean couldn’t you come up with something better than that? I mean, the moon. There ain’t nothing up there. What about Mars or Saturn or a completely different universe? The moon? Come on now, Frank.”
“Oh, it’s true. I come from the moon.”
“Well, if that’s true, where’s your spaceship, big boy?”, Patty asks sarcastically.
“We kind of teleport down off light during the full moon, if you really need to know. We don’t own any spaceships.”
“What? Like you just appear? How is that even physically possible? You can’t do that.”
“Our structure is different on that plain. It’s very different there. Let’s just say that, okay?”
“Alright, mister moody moon man.” Patty replies, then laughs.
Patty’s heart flutters a little towards the quick imagination of the new found friend, because he seems so innocent and naïve in everything that happens. Like the way he eats, or walks up the stairs funny, she notices. Like he’s doing everything for the very first time. She can’t explain it. Is he just a little kooky? Is he playing me? Is he trying to catch me off guard with some act he’s rehearsing to get in my pants or something? Oh now, I’m thinking he’s wanting to get in my pants. Oh, shit. Patty you’re not falling for the kook ball, she says silently to herself again a little louder than before. Frank just looks back grinning.
“Well look, goober,” Patty says out loud now, “I’m gonna have to go down to Shirley’s and cover for awhile. I’ll be back as soon as I can.It’s hot If you can go out and check and make sure the animals have water and food before it gets too dark, that would be great. Take care of yourself, okay Frank? And don’t invite any of your moon friends over to have a big old moon blast out, okay?” Patty yells at Frank, giggling a little. She grabs her keys off the counter as she enters the kitchen, turns, gives Frank a nice big wave, then a wink. In a strange voice, she says, “I’ll see you later, gator.” Then she slams the door. Frank hears the truck engine purr as it starts and the gravel flies as Patt
y commences on down the gravel road and a heap of dust is all that Frank sees from the girls departure.
Aunt Shirley’s place always had people in it, but never quite a lot other than dinner time or lunch or breakfast. After that it was pretty much a ghost town of sorts. People would wander in and out getting whatever they needed to get before they went home and didn’t want to go all the way back into town. Her place was a truck stop for the working man. It’s where the community went for a taste of Shirley’s cooking. Everybody greeted Patty, when she walked in through the screen door to the establishment, all the way from across the room. She knew all their names from working on and off for her kind aunt.
“Hi guys!”, Patty replies as she hustles around the counter to greet Shirley behind the bar.
“You’re late”, Shirley says with a hard tone in her voice.
Aunt Shirley was one you didn’t want to get riled up, she always said. Although later on in age, she was tough. She had an old time beehive hairstyle on the top of her head that made her unique in this time and age. With a strong voice, but kind eyes and smile, she was always willing to let a meal slide here and there if there was financial difficulties in the family of her customers that were loyal to her. Some she just fed almost all their meals, like her food had some kind of wicked addiction to it or it was just that good.
Shirley says to Patty, “I’ll be back soon. Keep the savages happy.” She grabs her purse and bolts for the door.
One of the men say, “Patty, how have you been?”
“Oh pretty good. Trying to get the old ranch together. You know, full time job and then some.”
“Aye.”, the man says in a pirate like voice. “You might want to watch those animals. I heard some coyotes or something last night. They kind of sounded like they were heading your way.”
“I’ll get out the old shotgun and spotlight. Maybe I can take care of that before it gets too hairy.”, replies Patty. “I finally got me a hand at the ranch now too. That’ll be a lot easier after things get rolling around with the harvest coming and all.”
“Yep yep”, the man replies. “My boy is out plowing right now.”
A white truck pulls in frantically and parks in the gravel drive, dust filling the air as it stops to its final descent. Then a mans shadow emerges towards the entrance of the bar and opens the door and walks in. Everyone turns their heads to look at the new potential customer and yells, “Hi Joe, “ all simultaneously. It’s a game the five men always did when someone entered into the bar. They loved to greet their new found drinking buddies with a cheery grin. Joe walks up to the bar and quickly orders a shot and a beer.
“Bottle, can or draft?”, asks Patty. “The special today is all drafts for 2 bucks. Want one of those?”
The man happily says, “Yes.”and a shot of Jack.
Joe downs the shot as quick as its poured and then drinks half the beer all at once. He sits down, arm shaking just a touch. Ted, a man sitting next to Joe, notices the shaking.
“You alright, Joe?” he asks.
“I just got the shit scared out of me when I was out in the barn working on the truck.”
Ted stares at a red gash on Joe’s head.
Ted asks, “What the hell happened?”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you”, Joe says. “I was under my truck working on the brake line. I heard someone and then they said hello. I got startled and hit my head on the truck. Well, now I’m pissed and I slide out from under there ready to give somebody a fucking talking to and there’s this wolf. There’s a black wolf staring straight at me and I freak, man. I mean I just freak and I went to get my gun and I was gonna shoot the little bastard. What the hell is a wolf doing around here anyway? I aint never seen no wolf in these parts.”
Ted says, “I don’t know. There aint never been a wolf around here ever that I know of, but I did hear some coyotes last night too guys and let me tell ya, it didn’t sound right. Maybe there are some wolves out there. I don’t know.”
“Stranger things have happened.”, replies an older man sitting in the corner.
“Don’t start talking about your Bigfoot again, Dan.”
“Its real, I tell ya. I seen it. Up there in the mountain. It stared right at me. I couldn’t move. I had my gun and everything and I just couldn’t move. I even tried. I remember, I tried to lift my arms and nothing happened. Like I was bound with invisible rope or something. I just couldn’t move and then it just vanished before my very eyes. I freaked out, I did. Then when it was gone, I could move my arms and legs and I got the fuck outta there and I aint ever been back. I don’t go back in there. Nope, not for a million dollars would I go back in there.” He stares into Patty’s eyes and says, “It’s evil. Can I get another beer?”
“Yea, then lockness came out of the Mississippi river and ate him up, right?” and all the men and Patty laughed, except for Joe and the older man.
“I’ll get his drink”, Joe says. “And get the other guys one too. You know, if you guys aint busy later, maybe we can all go out there and try to hunt it down. I’m guessing if there’s one, there’s more than one. There’s probably a whole pack out there. Them bluff’s are littered with shafts and caves. Maybe if we surrounded them we could entrap them down there at the quarry. We’ll just fan out and get ‘em all at once.”
“Worth a try.”, one of the men say. “We need a few more boys. You think you could get your kids out there too?”
“Nope. Gotta have them boys fresh for in the morning. You interested, Patty?”
“I kinda got my own dilemmas at home, but if I hear any wolves out there, I’ll grab my shotgun and meet ya outside for sure. Good luck boys and be careful. If we’re lucky, maybe we can all get one of those wolves stuffed.”
The old man says, “I’m in, but I’m staying the fuck away from that mountain. You can put me on this side of it, thank you very much.”
“I might be able to round up some guys.”, Joe says. “Pour me another one of those shots of liquid courage. I’m gonna need it, Patty. Guys, there was something wrong with that thing, I’m telling ya. He just looked different. I can’t place what it is. And I ain’t too familiar with them damn wolves anyway but there’s something different about that one. For one, it was all black. Have you ever seen a black wolf?”
“Well I would imagine they come in all shapes, sizes and colors.”, says one of the other men. “Just like any other species.”
“Yea maybe but his eyes. I mean that wolves eyes were dark. Aren’t they supposed to be like husky eyes and shiny and shit?” asked Joe.
“Maybe they were just real dark brown.”, someone mutters from the crowd.
“Naw, they were black, I’m telling ya. It wasn’t right. No pupils, no nothing. Just black. Like some kinda horror movie. I looked around the corner of the barn where I shot at it. I don’t think I hit it. I didn’t see no blood trail. Man, I tore the shit out of that corner of the barn tho. It had to be pretty hungry to come down into the barn like that. That or it just don’t know what humans are all about.”
“Maybe you outta go in the morning.” Patty says. “You’re not gonna be able to see a damn thing out there tonight.”
“Aw, nonsense.”, Joe says. “The moons shining down. Shouldn’t be too bad. You’d be surprised how much light that thing puts out. Especially if we get it out in the open there. Get a couple guys at the edge of that bluff. Hell, it would be like shooting pigs in a barrel. It’s settled then. You guys meet up at the barn and we’ll track em and pack em.”
“I got about four walkies and some flares, if there’s any trouble.”, says the old man in the corner.
“We all load up all our four wheelers. We could track all kinds of ground.”, speaks a younger guy at the end of the bar.
“What’s the problem that you can’t go out and have some fun, Patty?”, Dan interrupts.
“Well, Frank, the new guy I got helping out around the ranch said that he saw my mom.”
“What a ghost or something?
”, asked Dan.
“Yea, I know.” Patty answers. “That’s what he said though. He saw her in the barn and again in the house asking who he was.”
The old man looks up startled at this as well. “I could see that happening.”, he replies as he pulls on the frosty mug before him and takes a big swig, then wiping the foam of the beer off his chin with a wipe of his sleeve. “If anyone was gonna haunt that damn ranch of yours, it would be your mother. She had that plot of ground picked out since she was ten years old. She would sit in that very seat you’re sitting in now, Patty, working for your aunt. Fifteen years later, building the home of her dreams on that very same plot of land. Have I ever told you that?”
“Why, no, I don’t believe you ever had.”, Patty says.
“Well, that’s not very surprising. You were probably no more than two years old at the time.” “Let’s load up, boys.”, Joe says. They all quickly down there beers before they head for the door.
“It’s gonna be a long one. Come on by at nine sharp.”, he tells the men before he gets into his truck to take out back to the farm. The other men prepare to do the same. The gravel dust appears again as the men leave the parking lot simultaneously from the small bar and grill to their homes and farms.
Now not a soul is left in the bar but Patty and she tends to washing up the scattered beer mugs and dirty ashtrays and wiping down the counters of the corner of the bar where the activity was more profound. “I hope Frank will be okay at the ranch all by himself.”, she thinks.
Twenty minutes later, Aunt Shirley returns with a car full of supplies. Patty helps her quickly put them away into the walk in freezer in the back. Shirley thanks her for her help and asks her if she wants to work the lunch hours with her tomorrow. Patty agrees. Then Shirley opens the register and pays Patty fifty bucks for watching the bar. Patty gives Shirley a big hug and leaves to go check on Frank back at the ranch. Patty finds herself surprised at how anxious she is to return home to meet back up with Frank. “He’s so different.”, she thinks to herself. “And honestly, he fills those jeans out pretty darn good.” Her heart flutters a little with the thought. “See ya tomorrow, love ya.” Patty tells Shirley as she slowly turns her head before she exit’s the screen door and rapidly returns home.
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