Times of Uncle Ernest - Chesapeake City and Beyond – Ellie, Chapter 4

Times of Uncle Ernest -

Chesapeake City and Beyond – Ellie, Chapter 4

Later that week, as McNatt worked our South Field with his mules, that old screen door slammed, and a happy uncle sat down, elbowed me, took a nice long swig, and settled back with a sigh of comfort. "Tell me about the big, final race that you entered, Unk. What happened? Did you win?"

"Take it easy, Moose; you'd better believe I did, but it wasn't easy. But I had Ellen's pink scarf for luck; I was inspired, for sure. I got off to a slow start, though, because I was used to a gun going off, not somebody yelling 'Go!' I caught up to the pack in no time, though, Moose, pumping my bare feet down that track to beat the band. I won by about half a foot, thrusting my chest to break the tape. Then everybody went nuts. I was the country's champion, and before I knew it about two dozen gorgeous gals—vestry virgins they called them—started hugging me and tossing flowers on me.

       "Then the country's king, a guy named Aggie, wrapped some kind of weed around my head. He called it laurel, and said I could wear it for a year if I wanted to. He gave a big speech, saying that I didn't have to pay any taxes for a year. He said that the sporting event—which he called the 'Limpic Games'—had become so popular that in the future many more events would be added, such as jumping, throwing, wrestling, and so forth.

       "So, Moose, the main thing I got out of it was hearing Ellen and Mendy cheer me on. Believe me, Ellen was prettier than any of those white-clad virgins. As beautiful as they were, she made them look like crows. She let me keep wearing her pink scarf and …" Then Uncle Ernest paused mid-speech and, reaching both hands behind his neck, untied and waved a faded, threadbare piece of cloth before my eyes. Geez, Nina, but it was a sorry-looking thing. "I wear it always, Moose, in memory of Ellie and for good luck. So, anyway, soon we were rolling down the road again in Mendy's chariot, headed for Ellen's house."

       "Hold on a minute, Unk! What was that you said about the Limpic Games? What does that mean?"

       "You got me there, Moose. But now that I think about it I guess they called it that because so many runners pulled up lame. I must have seen ten or more guys limp off the field that day. Anyway, Moose, I have to tell you what happened on the way back from the races. As you know, Mendy really had the hots for Ellen, but I could tell that she liked him only as a friend. At any rate, as we rode, I was in the back seat and Mendy and Ellen were in the front. Mendy had his free arm draped around Ellen, who seemed cool to the idea. Every now and then she would glance back at me, and I would return her glance with a smile and a wink. So staggered was I by her beauty that I felt a weakness saturate my body; I feel the weakness now, just thinking about it.

“Anyhow, I don't know what came over me, but I put my hand gently on her shoulder and slid it slowly down her upper arm. She didn't respond at all—sort of froze. Then I moved my hand farther down until it reached hers. I held it gently, palm in palm and then intertwined our fingers. No response, Moose, and I thought, 'Geez, I've gone too far.' But then, as a sort of final effort, I gave her hand a soft squeeze and stroked her fingers with mine—ever so gently. Still no reaction.

“So, with my index finger, I grazed with a touch so light as to be barely perceptible. Then … it happened. With a light squeeze she replied, and soon her fingers began stroking the back of my hand, from fingertips to knuckles. I knew then, Moose, how things would be. Her hand was warm and I continued to caress it softly. We must have traveled several miles this way, articulating our affections with that most delicate sense, oblivious to those unnecessary, crude perceptions of sight, sound, taste, and smell."

       "This is awful crap. I'm leaving, Unk!"

       "Hold on, Moose. I don't want to leave anything out. Bear with me a minute. After a while Ellen turned, faced me, and offered her other hand. Slowly, ever so gently I pulled her towards me, so that soon that whole elegant body came sliding over the back of the front seat into my arms. Poor Mendy didn't even slow down, or ever look back. He knew what had happened, and he must have been heartsick. If you've ever felt good and bad at the same time, Moose, you'll know how I felt. I felt awful for my friend, Mendy, yet my love for Ellen was overwhelming. I wanted her so badly that evening, and I have to say, Moose, my success in accomplishing that made me feel great.

“Getting her as my girlfriend that evening made me feel as if I could do anything, anything in the world. Be that as it may, the smooching we did in the back of that bouncing chariot was pretty lame. I tapped Mendy on the back and asked him to drop himself off at his house so I could take Ellen home. He did it, but I could tell he was boiling inside. He hardly said anything when I said I was sorry. I felt awful, Moose.

       "But I had Ellen for the evening and, as we headed for a quiet place to park, an observer would see but one figure in the chariot. Ellen directed me to a spot where we could watch the sunset between two mountain peaks. As the red-rich sphere descended between the colossal, jagged columns, an aura of mystical beauty enveloped us. Moose, those were moments of supreme serenity, moments that make the joke of life endurable, moments that can be savored for a lifetime"

       "So what?" What happened next? That crap doesn't mean a thing."

       "Someday it will, Moose. Mark my words. So then, as we enjoyed that remarkable view, I brought Ellen across my body, so that she faced me fully—sideways across my lap that is. Tears in her eyes enhanced her beauty, and as we embraced—one being incarnate—this is what I whispered:

 Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight,

 For I never saw true beauty till this night.

       "Then later, as the night progressed, I looked at the silver moon and then at her and said, 'Oh, Ellie, you do teach the torches to burn bright. Your eyes, my love, if they were in the darkened sky, would through the airy regions stream so bright, that birds would sing as though it were not night.' "

       "I'm leaving, Unk; I can't stand it."

       "OK, Moose, but you'll miss the fighting."

       "What fighting? Are you going to break up with Ellen?"

       "Oh, no, not that. Some awful things happened, things I never expected. After several hours of bliss, with almost unbearable reluctance and anguish, I dropped Ellie off at her house and returned to Mendy's to turn in and dream of her. Well, I was sleeping-in the next morning because of such a long night, when I felt Mendy shaking the dickens out of me. 'What's the matter?' I asked sleepily. 'Get up!' he yelled. 'There's big trouble; Ellen has been kidnapped.' Now, Moose, I'll tell you, I was stunned, and ready to kill whoever abducted her."

     "Geez, Unk, you mean somebody nabbed her the same night you dropped her off?"

     "You got it, Moose, and when I return you'll find out what we did about it." [To be continued Friday, 6/08/2012]