Flowing Thoughts: A Collection of Short Stories

By Clifton Fomby

A collection of short stories that let you glimpse into different views of those who surround you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clifton Fomby
• Release date: Oct 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533737243

Book preview

Dedication

To all who have believed in me.

To all who have encouraged me.

To all who have ever doubted me.

This is for you, and for me.

To the souls that have come before and those who will follow

Preface

This is my first attempt at putting my work out for public consumption.  I chose the word consumption because I not only want people to buy my works, but I want my works to consume them and let them get lost in them.  One of the greatest pleasures for me is getting lost in a poem, short story, book or anything else that allows me to escape from the reality of responsibility even for a short time.  Everyone needs a break, everyone needs to feel a relationship, and everyone needs to know they are not alone.  It is my deepest desire that you, the reader, will find some solace in what I present to you, which is my very essence of being.

Some works flow as if I am but an instrument for a greater being, some are thought out and rewritten several times, and then there are the ‘prompts’ of which at least two are included in this compilation.

Accidental Traveler

I woke up in a field in the middle of I have no idea near the border of drunken haziness. I knew I had a few drinks at the bar last night, but there was no way I should feel like this.  It was not uncommon for me to close out a bar, then hit the quickie mart on the way home, grab a case and keep the party going.  This would go on for days at a time and while I know I was getting older, this still should not have happened. 

While I tried to gather my thoughts, not to mention my bearings, it became apparent that I seemed to be lacking something rather important... my pants. 

What the hell had happened to me last night? At least I still had my boots on, that would make the walk home a bit easier on my feet.  I took my overshirt off and tied the sleeves together around my waist like I used to do in high school to make it look like I was wearing shorts as I looked up into the sky to try to figure out which way I needed to go.  If I could find the big dipper, or some other constellation, I should figure out which way to go. 

It was odd, but the stars seemed to be moving a bit faster and feeling of vertigo came over me.  I watched the stars circle above me and watched as they disappeared into the breaking blue sky until I saw the sun come up over the horizon.  Had I really just sat and stared into the sky into sunrise? At least I could get my bearings, the sun came up from my left, that meant I was facing south.  I could see he outline of the water tower ahead of me, it looked a little different, but there it was and that was a good thing.  If I could make it to the water tower, I knew I could get back to the bar and hopefully find my car, maybe find out what happened to me last night, and get back to my house. 

As I was made my way through the field, something wasn't right.  Normally there was a lot of traffic through town, no matter the day, people were going back and forth to the city for work or play, but they were always going.  My grandfather used to joke that no one ever worked in this town, they just drove back and forth.  I finally made it to a pathway, most likely a trail cut by the farmer to move equipment, and picked up the pace now that I didn't have to worry about tripping over the 'rows' which was nice since I still felt dizzy. 

Taking in what would normally be a beautiful sunrise in different conditions, I was brought back to reality by the rhythm of a trotting horse from behind. 

Maybe I could get a lift to the edge of town, or at least to the edge of this field that seemed to be going on forever.  Stepping to the side to let the horse come up beside me, I turned around to meet the wrong end of a double barrel shotgun at my face.  Immediately my hands went up in the air, 'whoa old timer! I just need a ride, I'm not trying to poach, steal or whatever you're thinking, I just had a little too much to drink and I wanna get back to my car"  Last thing I remember was the pain of something striking the back of my head.

I woke up, again in a haze but I knew why this time, in a small room with bars for a wall lying on a cot.  When I tried to get up, this time I was held tight by a circle of iron that held my left arm to the wall.  Talk about a bad night, I was having a bad couple days.  First I wake up hung over in a field, now I am in jail, what else could happen? 

Hello? I muttered, Anyone out there?  Kind of stupid to ask, since I could see straight through the bars to the desk, the old style cabinets and the door.  Yup, I was a dumb ass.  After trying to move around and get my bearings, I noticed that if I turned a certain way, I could actually stand up and peer out the small window, if you want to call a hole with two bars in it a window, and see outside.  Joy! I yelled sarcastically.  Looking out, the only thing I could see was that same damn field, or one like it, that I woke up in. 

As I stared out the window, I felt the sense of dizziness come over me again while I watched the sky turn from a peaceful blue, to a deep cold black sky with stars beginning to litter the skies.  Just as before, they seemed to move faster than normal, then suddenly they stopped.

Maybe I was ill, and was blanking out.  It had happened before, and many a friends had told me that I would sit there with my eyes open and just zone out.  Was that what was happening here?  I turned around and sit back on my cot and waited.  Hopefully wherever this place was, someone would be back soon to either explain to me what charges I may be facing, or tell me it was a joke gone wrong.  Instinctively I pulled my arm up to look at the time, and realized not only was I without pants, but evidently my watch was gone.  Now I was pissed.  This watch, while it didn't look like much, had been passed down to me by a person who stepped in after my father had died, and he had received it from their father.  This watch meant the world to me, and now it was gone.  As I held my head in my hands trying to figure out what to do now that the only link to my past was gone, I looked up and saw him standing there.  He had to be at least 6 foot 3 and looked like he just stepped out of the old west.  Complete with a 10 gallon hat, a leather vest with a big shiny star on it, rugged denim pants, and most importantly a large revolver hanging from his hip.  This man was not to be messed with.  Well son, would you like to tell me why you sat there like a bump on a log all damn day? he asked.  huh? I said while shrugging my shoulders, realizing that it was bright as hell and seemed to be middle of the day.  Boy, I ain't got time for this today, the magistrate is coming in and you been holdin me up sitting in my jail for the past two days. he paused just long enough to spit a stream of tobacco juice in the corner of my cell, and now you want to say 'huh' to me?  Again I shrugged, looked down at the puddle of spit and was amazed to see it dry up and stain right in front of my eyes. 

As I looked back to face the lawman, he was gone.  This was insane, maybe I was insane. Was I going crazy, was I hallucinating? Was this some sort of psychotic break? 

Hey you! was all I heard being yelled at in my ear by the lawman standing next to me. Don't you start that shrugging again, I am sick and tired of your crap he said as he splashed a pail of water in my face.  Wha-a-a-t the hell man I yelled.  Listen up stranger, he said again, I am going to say this one last time.  Get yer sorry ass up, get dressed, and get the hell out of my town But Sheriff, I think that's what you go by since you have never told me who you are, I tried to finish the sentence, but it was interrupted with a slap to the face. Listen boy, get yer damn clothes back on and get out  "You are a free man, just leave, don't come back, take whatever the hell evil you brought with you and