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Saturday, April 23, 2011

BLUE MONTANA

Poetry Potluck
One Shot Wednesday

Marie sits in a bar called Blue Montana and plays a song on the jukebox titled "Tomorrow Is Just Another Ache In My Heart." Cowboys amble over like the lazy August wind and ask her to dance. She looks each of them hard in the eye--but only for a moment until she is sure--then politely declines.

Lately, when they hit on her, she takes a new tack. "I'M NOT OF THIS WORLD," she says, with no further explanation. Most of them will stand there for a moment, as if trying to grasp the significance of such a statement, then totter away.

Jimmy, the owner, stands watch over her and tells tales of bygone days up north, where the sky follows along like a gun riding on your hip. Above the bar sits a picture of a horse. A roan mare named Sunshine. Jimmy's one true love. She wandered off one big sky morning, and though he searched for days, it was like some giant spaceship had come along and spirited her away. In his dreams he still sees her, running free beside a rippling stream, and he wonders if it's just possible...

But it's been years now.

Jimmy doesn't have a lot to do with women anymore. Says they're as fickle as that mare, maybe more so...'cept for Marie, of course. Talk gets around. The cowboys think she's a little tetched, so they mostly leave her alone now. Which is fine with Jimmy. He's the only one who knows her real story. Eastern city gal who came out west and fell for a drifter who let her down hard. Now she sits in Blue Montana , playing the sad songs and bending his sympathetic ear.

They are together...and they are alone. As those who grieve are alone together.

But she likes watching Jimmy move, and sometimes a primitive kind of feeling comes over her and she gets the urge to nuzzle...but why does she think of it that way? That word.

And though she will not yet fess up to it, Jimmy feels that she is slowly becoming of THIS world. His world. And he will tame her--slowly building her trust until she is eating out of his palm. Someday, she will shed the blanket of her pain and come out whole again.

And he will be there.

But now, the sun is dropping and she is headed home. She stops in the doorway--her chestnut mane suffused with the soft fire of twilight, and says, "Tomorrow...is just another ache in my heart."

36 comments:

  1. Oh, I am beginning to love my time here, Tim....i so love when writings stir my imagination,

    Tomorrow- an ache...something novel about it....i always thought the ache in the heart was the past, that's a bit difficult to get rid off, not impossible though,

    anyway, very enjoyable read, Tim :)

    wishes,
    devika

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  2. ~~They are together...and they are alone. As those who grieve are alone together.~~

    Perfectly poetic and a real stirring yarn Tim. Surely there will be more to this story...I'm really hoping so :)

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  3. DEVIKA,
    Sometimes things are just "channeled" to me--I don't know where they came from, and this is one of those :)

    GYPSY,
    I'm so glad you like that line--it's kind of at the crux of the story. There IS more to the story...the characters just haven't written it yet! :)

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  4. I know that state, Tim...and that line is a beauty of this piece...writings with such 'channelisations' stand a class apart :)

    wishes,
    devika

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  5. My heart broke for a second, a magical story or a precious Western, or a country song, mystical and so, so precious

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  6. DEVIKA, LORRAINE:
    There are elements of this story that remain mysterious to ME, such as who Marie REALLY is, and is there some connection between her and the horse?
    What do YOU think?

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  7. ha! that's interesting....as a reader, i think the mystery should prevail :)

    But, If I let my old Indian mind speak- it could be way lives-after-death are connected.....spirit/soul connects in the most irrational of ways, as the way our myths and scriptures say...

    Marie-- to me, she is the most ordinary of women, THE woman within every women....I don't think any woman would fall short of identifying with Marie, at the core of herself,

    don't know if I made some sense, Tim....i am known in my circle for talking 'nonsense' :))

    wishes,
    devika

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  8. Marie's Guardian is the Horse..He is privy to her thoughts yearning and secrets. She can only absorb his yearning for freedom being limited by human flesh. I am totally inspired by your writing...

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  9. DEVIKA,
    Yes, I'm torn between letting the mystery prevail and getting your opinions because the story is open to interpretation--and it's so interesting to hear what those interpretations might be :)

    LORRAINE,
    Thanks so much for that...your idea makes an intriguing twist--I'd say you are definitely on to something there!

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  10. I like this, Tim :D What a wonderful story, and somehow, I believe there is much more to it than meets the eyes or ears of your readers. Beautiful words...I would love to hear more.
    I especially like "They are together...and they are alone. As those who grieve are alone together." Very poignant words and so very true. I have experienced that feeling in my life before....so well said.
    Hope you are having a wonderful day!

    PS: I would love to hear some of your stories about your island travels too :D

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  11. KELLY,
    Okay...you light the fire and I'll pour us a drink :)

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  12. Thanks so much for visiting me! And I'm so glad you did, or I might never have found you ... what a beautiful blog! I look forward to backtracking to see what you're all about.

    To answer your question, animal control here sucks big. The only "law" they have is that you have to pick up poop ... but that hardly applies if the dog is out back where animal control can't see! I had complained repeatedly about my neighors and their three tied up dogs living under horrific conditions, but AC said they couldn't do anything if they were being fed and restrained! So eventually I took control myself. Well, don't get me started ... I actually plan on doing a post about all my neighbors and how they take care of their animals - like one lady who puts the food over the fence so her one year old dog (who's by itself all day and night outside) doesn't jump on her, and not even a pat on the head.

    Ok, I'm done. Love your writing ...

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  13. Oh, one more thing. I can't believe anyone would have Last Tango in Paris on their favorite movies list! That's the only movie I've ever walked out of in my 61 years! Well, that and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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  14. LINDA,
    Thanks for your response...sounds like you've got some pretty "unenlightened" animal laws there. Your legislators need a wake up call and someone like you to be the alarm clock!

    Taste in movies is something even people who agree on most OTHER things might not see eye to eye on...but I noticed Midnight Cowboy and On Golden Pond on your list, and those are two of my favorites! And I'm currently reading Beach Music by Pat Conroy--so there! (Smiles)

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  15. This is fantastic! I have two mares and they are truly all female and sometimes difficult to tame. They say you can only negotiate with a mare. I agree. Just like a woman you need to make things her idea. Then she has no problem coming along for the ride.

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  16. Interesting! This is great, I really enjoyed reading the story... There is a continuation, no? Looking forward to it.

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  17. JEN,
    Thanks for that insight into the female mind!

    EVILSQUIRREL,
    There's no continuation at present, but you guys may force me to write one! :)

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  18. I'M NOT OF THIS WORLD - i should try that line lol
    thanks for dropping by my blog ^^

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  19. MANJU,
    I enjoyed it--you have great taste in literature!

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  20. You got me with wonderful song title - 'Tomorrow is just another ache in my heart.' This was so well written. Loved the tone and imagery. I also vote for a continuation!

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  21. So,The Dude Abides

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  22. Pat Conroy, love him.

    Midnight Cowboy. Fabulous. You have good taste, Timoteo.

    Rurrrrrawwwwrrrrrrggghhhh

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  23. Can't fool me I loved this piece so much i knew immediatly it was a repeat, and very worth it

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  24. A++

    Glad to see write a prose for relaxation..love the title..

    keep it up.

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  25. i love that as the writer you do not have all the answers...yes i was reading comments as well...fascinating tale and i love how you leave it...and let our minds roll from there..

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  26. I like the cowboy way. Not of it, just like your heroine, but something in it has a below the skin appeal--like country music when you're drunk and down--(the old country, not this new pop garbage.) A good story, with a lot of human insight. And I wish I'd thought of that comeback to all the pick-up lines--I know I've definitely felt 'not of this world' and looking for another one.

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  27. Great story like only you can tell it. :)

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  28. aah...very very bridges here tim...utterly enjoyable read

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  29. As a native of the West, this touches me. I've been that woman, once upon many dreams-- on that trail of tears. I love these lines:

    They are together...and they are alone. As those who grieve are alone together.
    xxj

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  30. So, she's a reincarnated horse? I'm confused.

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  31. maybe you are the first man to realize that women have to be tamed...smiles - good write timoteo - really liked it

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  32. BRIAN,
    Yes, the writer must a conduit, and allow what is coming through to come through...the fun of it is to speculate along with everyone else as to what the meaning may be.

    JOY,
    I'm not of this world either, but I pretend otherwise !

    RIVER,
    Thank you my dahlink!

    JEN,
    Thanks...yes, you understand that line if you've been there :)

    BUBBA,
    Don't know, but she loves to hit the hay !!!

    CLAUDIA,
    I've got something delicious in my hand...

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  33. JINGLE,
    Thanks for being there !

    LORRAINE,
    And I loved your original take on this!

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  34. "They are together...and they are alone. As those who grieve are alone together." ....my favorite line...beautiful story telling here!

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  35. I knew you were a romantic under all of that machoism!!! Seriously, I thought this story was magnificent.

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  36. LAURA,
    Much appreciated !

    SHEILA,
    Yes, you've seen through me...more like a nachos guy than a macho guy !

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