Dime a Dance: The Saga of Frankie and Tess

By Dustybear

This is where it all startedthe adventures of Dustybear and that rag-taggle bunch of sillies nicknamed The Redneck Mafia. There he was, quietly minding his own business, when suddenly into his homeand his lifecame Frankie and Tess. Little did he know at that point that by merely listening to their story (and maybe getting a book out of it) that he would find himself drawn smack dab into the middle of one of the most bizarreand dangerousadventures he could have ever imagined

Ahhh, but he was.

Little did he know that he would find himself in so much danger...along with Frankie, Tess, and

Ahhh, but pretty quick, he was.

Little did he know that this large and very disparate group of people would become such an integral part of his futureand his life. That they would become as much a part of him almost as life itselfand that he, his safety and security, and his very life would become totally dependent on them.

Ahhh, but

Just exactly how did our hapless author, our trusty Dustybear, get so caught up in all that mystery and intrigue.

Caught upIN MURDER? GASP!

For that matter, how does sweet and innocent Tess come to be so caught up in organized crime, while dragging Frankie along with her? Then Bear? Then

Ahhh, but Tess is where it all starts. But how? Why?

Youll just have to read Dime A Dance to find out. Meanie, arent I.

Dime A Dance. Book I, Part I The Dance is where it all starts, telling the story of Tess beginnings. Tess and Frankies beginnings.

How they meet, and how they find themselves ultimately on the run from the Mafiaafter they fall in love, of course. It also introduces the rest of the group, including Dustybear. It sets the stage for all that is to follow, and a wild ride it is.

Dime A Dance. Book I, Part II The Plan sees Frankie, Tess, Bear, and The Redneck Mafia going undercover and infiltrating one of the most powerful organized crime families in the country headed by Antonio Catalafanowith no one in that family the wiser as to their true identitiesor so they think. Then what happens?

Ahhh, therein lies the mystery.

With more twists and turns than a San Francisco street and more thrills than a roller coaster at full throttle, Dime A Dance will keep you on the edge of your seat, and keep you rooting for the good guys

IF

you can figure out just exactly who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.

The lines get blurred, and frequently even Dustybear isnt too sureand maybe life just isnt always all that simple. Good vs evil. Black and white. Nope. It definitely isnt.

Not for Frankie and Tess. Not certainly for Dustybear. Not for Rose and Billy. For Ofelia. Toneboi, Ryan, Derek, Eric, Brenda, Elkeand the rest.

Its a real pandoras box. Bear opens that night when he opens the front door of his home in southern Louisiana. He opens it to Frankie, Tess, and

Ahhh. But, therein lies the storydoesnt it.

So, why dont you come along with Bear as he spins a tale of mystery, intrigue, sex and violence, and of courselove. I think you will find that you will get as caught up in the story, and the characters, and all the restas I did, when I wrote

DIME A DANCETHE SAGA OF FRANKIE AND TESS BOOK 1 Parts 1 and 2, and BOOK 2

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 3, 2007
• ISBN: 9781462842506

Book preview

35475-FOLK-layout.pdf

The Prologue

FRANKIE BEGINS . . .

I had gotten in the habit of going to this tavern.

Nothing special . . . just a typical river town bar.

Dark, dingy, very dimly lit, and always . . . smoke clinging to the musky air.

Just kind of hanging there.

Always, the same people.

The place is definitely not a class act . . . or at least it wasn’t until this one night.

I was sitting on my usual stool at the bar,

at the point nearest the dance floor.

The music was going good, and of course

it was loud!

The bar was probably about half full,

with everybody as usual getting good and rip-roaring drunk.

Loud music,

loud boisterous crowd.

Actually, I wasn’t paying much attention to any of it.

I usually don’t talk to anyone much, either . . . not there for that.

It’s just a place to be, you know?

I’m a loner anyway.

I’ve found it’s easier that way.

No entanglements.

No . . . nothing.

Nope. Just sitting there quietly and enjoying a brew.

That’s pretty much it.

So there I was, that night, that fateful night.

Yep, just sitting, sipping my drink, as usual,

when . . . something.

Something . . . caught my attention.

From out of the corner of my eye,

and not too far from where I was sitting,

There.

standing . . . not on the dance floor, but kinda at the edge of it,

I saw . . . this . . . amazing . . . creature.

Now, right off the bat, I remember thinking

how out of place she looked.

Definitely way too classy to be in a dump

like this . . .

and she was, just kinda, lazily moving to the music.

Just kinda standing in one spot, and just sorta letting her body

move . . .

to the rhythms.

I almost fell off my stool.

God damn!

How that girl could move.

That kinda just incredibly sexy without even trying.

You know, that not really dancing but sure as hell not not dancing,

kinda thing.

That girl just sorta oozed.

That . . . sorta moving. You know the kind . . . and there I was, just sitting there,

Just . . . kinda . . . looking at . . . her, and then I began to almost . . .

Whoo.

Too close for comfort, boy.

God . . . damn!

She definitely took my breath away, and at that point I was real, real close to getting up and going and asking her to dance.

[Not that I’m any great shakes as a dancer, mind you, but I can move it pretty good if I try . . . although I seldom feel the urge.]

But just something about that girl.

Well, let’s just say, right about now, I definitely had the urge . . . big-time.

So, I began to stand up off the stool, when . . .

damn!

Somebody else beat me to it.

Damn!

Well, nothing to do at this point but sit and watch,

and I did.

I sat transfixed as she moved with this guy onto the dance floor.

Whoever this dude was, he evidently felt the same as I did, and as they got out on the floor, he kinda moved right into her.

I looked at them . . . I looked at him.

He was just one of a million guys exactly like him. They are all over this bar. Every night. Always.

Quite tall, slender, wide hipped,

with a big . . . ummmm.

Well,

let’s just say, the boy was sprouting interest.

Way I figure it, he probably works one of the boats that come up and down the Mississippi River from spring to fall.

Some are foreign freighters, others are domestics.

You never really know where any of these dudes are from, least until they open their mouth.

Most of them seem to be alike, both in looks and in need.

They always seem to be mostly about their need to drink, too.

Then of course, there is the matter of their hormones obviously raging which means the need to get laid is also pretty apparent.

My guess would be that they usually do. Tonight!

Then tomorrow night, they start the process all over again.

Or, of course, maybe that particular group has moved on, and so then it will be another group looking exactly like the last bunch.

Yep.

Just a seemingly endless cycle. Same crap, different dudes.

They seem to have a uniform too. They’re always wearing fairly skintight denim jeans, usually pretty worn-looking at that, and of course the requisite tees or tank tops, or body shirts.

Lotta them are tall, some shorter.

Most pretty lean, but some are heavier.

But most of these dudes are always in really great shape, which I suspect is because of the work they do . . . and regardless of anything else, all of them, always . . . always . . . have a hungry look in the eyes.

So do the town girls, the townies, who every night seem to come for the action, and the show, and I suspect too, for whatever else they can get, from a dance to a romp.

Sad to watch this, in a way . . . but watch I do,

just like tonight, on the same stool . . . as always,

and tonight, watching this girl . . .

This . . . incredible. Whoa! And this riverboat dude, dancing, and I found myself, wishing.

I sat and watched them dance.

This vision, and this riverboat dude,

and while I had to admit he was a pretty good dancer,

this . . . girl.

Oh my God!

She definitely . . . had some action going on.

The outfit she was wearing was skintight, and not a ripple or a bulge anywhere that I could see.

Damn.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Then the music stopped, and the guy went on his way,

and from the quick conversation, and the look on his face,

I gathered it wasn’t his idea to move on.

No score, buddy . . . sorry.

Sorry. Yeh right.

Like hell . . . I was sorry.

Then, that girl?

She . . . just kinda . . . moved . . . back . . . to the same spot she had been in when I first saw her, and the entire time . . .

she . . . just . . . never . . . stopped . . . moving.

Just . . . never . . . stopped . . . moving.

Her hips, her pelvis, her arms, her very being it seemed.

She just . . . sorta . . . flowed.

I was bound and determined to dance with this . . . person, and before anyone else could get the drop on me, I stood up and began to move toward her.

She had turned now and saw me coming.

There was . . . just . . . whoo.

Just something . . . about her.

Something.

Sigh.

I don’t know.

Just . . . something.

As I got close, she opened her mouth, and I could see her staring straight at me, and then . . .

very, very softly, sooo soft that the little hairs on my arms began to tingle . . .

and then she said . . .

Well . . . you know?

She didn’t so much . . . say as breathe . . . you know.

Kinda just let the words . . . kinda . . . slip out.

She looked at me, intensely, and said,

"Ooo!

Hey, baby.

Yeh.

You.

You wanna dance?"

Sigh.

Hot damn. Did I!

Whoo hoooooo!

Okay, gotta tell yah.

There for a minute, my body lost its ability to breathe,

and when she looked at me?

It was like she looked . . . straight through me. Oh yeh!

That girl looked . . . deep . . . into the core of my being,

where this little voice was going.

Ohhh baby.

And . . .

so . . .

we danced . . .

and danced . . .

and danced.

((((((((((

Finally, I had to go to the bathroom,

and when I got back,

she was . . .

gone.

Damn!

((((((((((

I had found out her name,

Tess.

Yeh, her name was . . . Tess, and when she had said it,

my heart just sorta . . . stopped!

This contralto breathy voice, and the words?

They just kinda flowed out, from somewhere deep inside her.

God.

She is pretty.

All I could do is just keep thinking that.

That, and knowing that I desperately wanted to know more.

But that was it. That was all I knew.

Just her name.

I didn’t know one other thing about her.

and I wanted to.

Bad . . . oh yeh!

Bad.

Big-time bad!

And, all the while we were dancing,

she had me so tied up in knots, that I couldn’t talk.

I felt almost like a little kid,

wanting to not get caught in the cookie jar,

but . . .

Oh damn, how you wanted that cookie!

You knew you did.

You hungered for it.

You.

You.

(breathless)

You couldn’t think.

You . . . just . . . had . . . to have

that damn cookie.

It became your focus.

The center of the universe.

Yes. It was everything now!

In point of fact, it had become.

Your very world.

Your very being.

Your very existence,

at that moment revolved around

that cookie!

You couldn’t think about anything else.

Your breathing got more rapid.

Your heart kept beating faster and faster,

as you looked up at the cookie jar,

so, so, so way up high on that kitchen counter,

seemingly, almost out of reach.

Damn.

You needed . . . that . . . cookie.

Oh, how you longed . . . for that . . . precious morsel.

It was literally eating you alive, that cookie was.

Until . . . finally . . .

you were willing to chance it.

So, you began the slow agonizing process of getting the nearby step stool, and . . .

(the dog would run scout).

((((((((((

Well, that’s how I felt about Tess now.

There was something about her.

I couldn’t put my finger on it. Just something.

I knew I might get caught.

Ponder!

Oh hell, I had to chance it,

’cause I could almost . . . taste . . . that cookie,

and I just knew . . .

it was gonna taste . . . so, so good!

But then that cookie had left.

The damn cookie jar was empty.

After that arduous climb.

Empty!

Damn!

She had left,

Tess had left, and shortly after, so did I

I walked back to my boat all dejected,

disquieted, and . . . I didn’t exactly know why.

((((((((((

But, the next night,

there she was again.

Funny,

I had never seen her before,

but here she was . . . two nights in a row.

I wanted to dance with her,

but I also wanted to find out her story.

But, that night . . . and then . . . every night.

We just danced and danced and danced.

And ohhhhh baby . . .

damn!

That girl could . . .

ohhhhhhhh baby.

((((((((((

For over a week this went on, and each night,

I got more and more . . . nuts.

"God!

Frankie boy . . .

what’s happening to you?"

I would ask myself, over and over and over,

until finally this one night . . .

well,

oh, baby . . . oh yeh . . . oh yeh.

See, it all really started . . . that one night.

Yeh.

Everything.

Everything really started, that one night.

Funny that it all seems so long ago now.

Really isn’t I guess, but . . .

she was just

so . . .

oh, baby . . .

(and every time she looked at me, and said . . .

"Oh, baby . . . you good, boi . . .

yep, you one . . . fine . . . dancer, baby boi" ),

I melted,

and I just know . . . I blushed so hard.

It’s hard not to laugh at myself, thinking back,

but, yeh, I blushed, and my knees went all squishy.

Oh, baby . . .

((((((((((

And we will sway . . .

and be so gay . . .

and heyyyy . . . baby.

You wanna dance . . . with me?

Cant you see?

How it is . . .

with me?

Baaaaby . . . I got it bad.

I think I’m going mad

and that is oh

so not good

so if you would.

Ohhhhhh, baby . . .

Would you dance

with me?

I wanna dance

you see

just you and me.

Yeh, just you and me.

You will seeeeeeee.

Come on . . .

baby.

Let the music soar

and we will dance some more

and we will do it

right there on the floor

Come on . . . baby.

I wanna dance

take a chance

do it free lance

but

ohhhhh . . . baby,

I wanna dance

with you.

And we did.

The music pounding into our heads.

Her pounding into my heart,

and yep.

We did start something that night.

Oh yeh, we definitely did . . . start something . . . that night.

So,

let me tell you how it all started.

You may not believe it,

but its all true!

I can scarcely believe it myself sometimes, but . . .

there she was.

The music.

The smoke.

The dimly lit bar . . . and me . . .

ohhh baaaaaby!

((((((((((

And, the saga begins.

35475-FOLK-layout.pdf

Chapter 1

The Dance Begins

Oooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh baby.

I wanna slooooooooooooow dance

slow dance

As if in a trance

take a chance

C’mere, boi

Gimme your joy

I soo wanna dance

Dance real slow

slow and tight and classy

and sassy

I’ll be your lassie

It will be so gassy

with you

Slow

Easy

Gentle

Warm

Tight

Fight . . .

the impulse

to fly

but slow

Dance

Ahh . . . I can feel your romance

Ahh

I can feel your body slide

And

Oh boi

Ride me like a bronc

while our feet touch

so much there

Love, oh baby

When we dance

real real slow

Go

No

Wait

Fate

Please

Be kind

Yeh, stay

Dance with me, boi

Bring me your joy

and dance with me

Let your move

find my groove

Let your lips

find my skin

Wrap yourself

around this thin boi you found,

out here on the floor

More, more, more

Oh yeh, boi

More

Gimme more, boi

Gimme your joy

while we dance

I’m in a trance

I’m mesmerized

and hypnotized

You feel so good

Knock on wood

This dance

This real slow dance

Ain’t, no it ain’t ever

gonna end

You bend me like a branch

We own this ranch

We own this song . . . this floor.

Gimme more, boi

Your feet move so slow, and you know mine are meant to follow

Your body has found my hollow

and I wallow

in the feeling I have found

with you around

when we dance

Dance

Dance

Dance

Reeeeeeeal slow

Oh

God

I love the way your body clings

Boi

It . . . sings

to mine

You are oh so fine

when we dance

By chance

Could we dance the next one too?

and maybe the one after that?

Fat chance I will not say yes

and I guess

from the feel of things

The feel of you . . .

you won’t too

Oh you, you

Dance

Soo good

Our bodies

warm and wet

with the sweat

of the dance

Your musky scent

God . . .

I’m hell-bent

on loving that smell

The smell of you

the smell of us

when we dance

Dance . . . real slow, boi

Oh please

Let your body move

Let it groove

to the music they are playin’

What is that you sayin’?

Oh . . . kewl

Fool . . . boi

Oh yes that feels so good

You do

Hollow laugh

rang in the air . . .

where the music played and it stayed . . .

when we dance.

Can you feel our bodies sway

like they wanna say to each other.

Oh brother

You feel so damn good

Would you move in a little tighter?

I’m a lover, not a fighter

and now I’ m really and truly

a movin’ lovin’

grindin’ writhin’

take me, break me

just please don’t ever leave me . . .

dance machine

You . . . are . . . the dream

I have dreamed

every time before that I have ever ever danced

You make my body move

to the music

Make’n love to the music . . .

to the dance, and

There’s a real good chance

I’m in a trance

Check my stance

So gonna ease on down the floor

and beg that Mr. DJ man for more

’til we fall down through the floor . . .

or on out through the door . . .

exhausted from the dance

and boi . . . there just ain’t . . .

no chance

I will ever ever ever move away

Sway . . . yes

Easy day

Make it tight the way

You know

I love for you to do

Oooooooooooo

Boi

You got a groove thing going on

way out here on this floor

Gimme more, boi . . .

gimme please!

Just don’t tease . . . me . . . with your joy.

Just . . . please

One

More

Dance

and if, by chance,

you feel it too?

Then we could do another

One . . . or two

or three

You feelin’ free . . . too?

Oooooooooooo

Com’on, boi

Let’s dance the whole damn night

and then maybe take to flight

and go on up to the moon

where we can spoon

and dance Ooooooo baby . . .

dance some more

and listen to the music

we gonna make.

So

Take me

Hold me close

and gimme another dose

of

your

Red!

Hot!

Dance!

I’m gonna take a chance

and dance the night with you

So slow

Ooo yes . . . I confess

Boi, you definitely got a slow dance

thing in your genes . . . and in your jeans

and the means to make this dance

the best that ever ever was

’Cause

You my boi

So

Come on, boi

Com’on out here on this floor

and dance with me

and dude?

You will see

I can dance real fine too

Yep

Just me and you and the

Dance

Pssst!

What did you say your name was again?

Ahh . . .

never mind . . . just move in tight.

and don’t fight the feelin’

’Cause you stealin’ my heart, baby

You know you’re a fox?

and as long as you keep stoking that jukebox . . .

and me . . .

we can dance as lonng as you want

You’re kinda cute, you know that, boi?

C’mon, sweet boi . . . bring me some joy

Yeh . . . let’s dance

Hey!

Haven’t I seen you in here before?

((((((((((

The music droned on.

The cigarette smoke hanging heavy in the air.

The lights so low,

casting an eerie glow over the whole . . . damn . . . scene.

Just something mean about it all.

Like a thief.

Like a boat stuck on a reef.

A few lonely souls,

stuck in a dusky pointless . . .

murky . . . endless . . . sigh.

The night went on,

like any other night for Tess, it seemed.

It’s a wonder she could dance.

Hell, even stand.

That drink never left her hand . . .

and I must confess, as I saw her doing her nightly thing,

I almost could feel it bring me a tear,

for I feared that this was the only life that girl knew.

At least any more.

Just something about it all, made me sore.

Sore as hell.

God.

Night after night, after night after endless . . .

fucking,

night.

((((((((((

With a lump in my throat, I headed back to my boat,

and away from the damned bar.

((((((((((

"Why do I go there anyway?

What draws me there, too,"

I kept asking myself.

I heaved a sigh.

Why?

For an hour or three,

Tess, I could see every night,

was the star of her own show . . .

but, you know?

What else?

What else?

What else . . . did that girl, really have?

What was there to be the salve for her hurt?

For the pain I could see when I looked

deep into her eyes.

Maybe, just too goddamn many dances.

Too many nights, and too many dudes.

Too many crude and empty and meaningless damn . . .

nights.

Fights in the bar.

Fights over her, maybe?

Her star fading.

Cascading, like tearstained mascara,

Running . . .

running seemingly endlessly into the cold dead night.

I heaved another sigh as I walked.

Why?

How?

How could someone I could easily see had been incredibly pretty,

end up like this?

With no fizz anymore.

Tess seemed to be like on auto pilot.

Night after night,

a sad sight . . . to my eyes, and it was plain.

The surprise of life was gone from hers.

She looked numb, and yet . . . go figger.

I felt like a crumb in her presence, and she the cake.

What would it take?

What?

I wonder, to make those eyes . . . truly light up again?

Sparkle . . . again?

Gleam?

Would it be like that?

Maybe forever? Would it stay like that?

Until the hearse came and she danced

the last dance?

Or . . .

would by chance something,

maybe someone,

come and strum the strings of her heart

and let her begin to feel . . . finally once more.

Perhaps?

For a moment,

I lowered my head

and my eyes as if to pray,

and who knows . . .

maybe something inside me did.

I hid my tear

(and my fear)

and walked on.

On,

on into the night, for after all.

Was my life really that much better than that of Tess?

Did she really have less?

Or, was I maybe kidding myself, too.

I walked on . . .

the sound of my footsteps on the gravel, the only sound

in the night, ’cept for some stray dog . . . howling off in the distance, baying at the moon.

June . . . warm June night.

Muggy,

stifling,

’bout like this sorry ass Mississippi River town.

You hear that town?

Sorry ass m—f—little town?

Dead,

and just too dumbass to lie down . . .

and, the life of that poor girl?

Maybe, and maybe mine too!

Name that tune.

Full moon

Yeh, that’s it

Full moon

Strange things . . . weird things . . . almost

Craziness

Insanity

Aroooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Aroooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

I bayed . . . too, just like that forlorn dog, howling into the oncoming fog . . . into the dark silent night, as I walked on . . .

and on . . . yeh!

Full moon

Full of it moon

hahahaha

Full of shit . . . Juney moon!

I guess.

Step step

Tromp Tromp

Beat beat

Tick tock

I heard the clock on the courthouse steeple downtown . . .

and walked a little faster.

I gotta get out of this town,

I thought to myself . . . one more time.

"This deadass empty town.

This empty life that cuts like a knife,

but, to where?"

Soooo lost in thought I was as I walked on,

not seeing . . . and yet, I thought.

"I gotta stop dancing with Tess.

Just ain’t no good for me."

I walked.

I walked on . . . back toward my boat,

so lost in thought I never heard the truck.

It was coming round the corner . . . fast

No lights,

and the last thing I remember was,

I gotta find a way outta this town.

Oh, yes.

I do remember not being able to feel the ground under my feet as I flew around, and over that truck.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

((((((((((

I looked down.

Frown.

I could see Tess standing over something.

I heard her mumbling . . . some . . . thing.

It was kind of fuzzy, but . . .

then I saw the tear . . .

the tears . . . trickling down her face.

The mascara in blotches on her cheek.

How sleek she is, I thought, and yet . . .

"But . . . why?

Why?

Why was she crying?"

I strained to see, and suddenly . . .

oh shit!

It’s . . .

it’s me . . . lying there . . .

so . . .

so . . . soo . . . still . . .

so . . .

lifeless looking.

I looked around

God.

Tess.

She was the only one there.

Well, I have always been a loner.

But . . . why?

"Why is Tess here?

Queer," I thought.

Then, suddenly . . . this overwhelming desire to . . .

I wanted to scream . . .

yell . . .

holler . . .

at her.

Tess . . .

for God’s sake, wake up, girl.

Please Tess . . .

don’t wind up like . . .

don’t . . . wind up . . . like . . . me . . .

Tesssss. But, I knew . . .

Tess couldn’t hear me.

They never can.

They never do, until its too late, you know . . . like me.

Tess . . .

can you see?

Sigh.

Why?

Why?

Sure wish I had stayed . . . last night . . .

really . . . last . . . night.

Sure wish I had . . . held her longer, stronger, tighter.

Told her . . .

Told her how pretty she is.

Made her feel . . .

made her feel, you know . . .

wanted.

Like, maybe,

I . . . wanted . . . to be,

down deep inside.

((((((((((

She cried, Tess did,

and, in a strange way, so did I.

Go on, Tess, I wanted to scream.

"Change that endless nothing life.

Don’t let the knife of despair . . . cut you in two,

impair your judgment, and doom you to my fate.

It’s not too late, girl."

But she couldn’t hear.

Would she ever?

I guess I’ll never know,

and so . . .

I must go.

But as I looked back,

I thought I saw a change in her eyes.

Maybe she gets it.

Maybe,

maybe . . .

ohhhhh . . . Tesssssssssssssssss!

35475-FOLK-layout.pdf

Chapter 2

The AwakeningPart 1

Suddenly . . .

sweat-drenched.

Damp.

Damn!

I felt for the bed clothes.

I felt like someone had turned a hose on me . . .

it felt clammy in the early morning air.

What?

God!

Where . . . ?

Oh . . .

Yeh.

Oh God!

Was that?

All a dream?

I felt the sheets.

They were . . . hell . . . soaked.

Warm sticky sheets.

I lay there, trying to think . . . trying to listen.

Trying to make sense of . . .

I heard the sound of the mist in the air,

sagging against the hull of the boat.

I raised up on one arm and peeked out into the barely

predawn light.

I ached . . .

felt like I had been in another fight.

So tired . . . sore . . . and so much more.

What?

I didn’t know, but oh.

That vision of what I had seen, came back to me.

It suddenly seemed burned in my mind.

Maybe . . .

maybe, my heart . . .

Tess.

Wow!

((((((((((

I jumped up . . .

anxious to find out . . .

if I could . . .

if I could.

Thinking back, God . . . it had seemed so real!

I could almost feel the metal of that truck.

F—k!

Why do I get that drunk?

Stupid shithead.

Like a skunk.

Hell . . .

Lack of right good sense, I guess.

Good a reason as any.

I stripped and showered as fast as I could,

slipping back into my trusty old jeans.

Then,

no.

For some weird reason, known only to my heart I suppose, I wanted to look a little more.

Well . . .

just

more.

I slipped on a pair of brand-new jeans, then a pullover.

Then, I turned on my heel, barreling out of the bedroom.

I tore up the stairs, taking them two and three at a time. Across the Grande Salon I went, and out . . . almost tearing the door off the hinges.

Racing down the gangway, and off the boat,

I knew I could almost float, so relieved I felt.

Something made me want to . . . almost . . .

I stopped!

In my mind, I knelt for a second . . .

and then my feet were flying down the pier.

I ran . . . hard . . .

back toward the bar, hearing that stupid dog still baying.

What was he saying?

And to who?

Like me, crying out . . . maybe,

to some unknown unseen . . .

or . . .

I shook myself.

More nuttiness.

"Geez.

Please.

Gotta find?"

I wasn’t sure.

I just knew I had to.

((((((((((

Suddenly,

as I rounded the corner down at Water Street and Third,

well . . .

hellllll . . .

damn!

Suddenly I was sprawled on the street,

but . . .

hmm . . .

not alone.

As I strained in the dim light to see who,

my heart did a flip.

Destiny, surely . . .

that little slip of a girl.

God!

There she was, all sprawled out under me,

and as I tried to move,

I could feel that old familiar groove . . . start.

Damn . . . heart!

Are you okay? I heard myself say.

Stupid.

I thought to myself,

wondering if that sounded as nuts to her as it did to me,

but Tess, oh Tess.

She just smiled

"Ohhhhhhh, baby,

haven’t I seen you somewhere before?"

Score one for insanity.

I reached over to straighten out her vanity,

and as I did, I felt her arms come up around me.

Suddenly, her lips were on mine . . . and, oh my God.

I felt myself virtually crash into something.

Something I never . . .

didn’t . . .

What?

What is this?

Sooooo fine.

((((((((((

I often wonder how long we lay there like that?

Fat chance I care,

but I still get a lump when I pass that spot.

Hot flash.

Geez . . .

what a dope . . .

pass me the rope . . .

might as well put myself out of my misery,

but, hell . . .

there I was . . . as sure as a bee drawn to honey.

Next thing I knew, we were sitting down by my boat . . .

watching God knows what float along the water,

and while I knew I oughta run.

Run for cover? My life? Like hell?

Damn!

I couldn’t make myself leave her, and trust me . . .

I was completely sure of my insanity by now.

Oh yes.

Completely around the bend somewhere beyond reason,

far down the road of craziness and past the intersection of right good sense and whatever the hell the opposite of that is.

I laid with my arm around her slightly shaking shoulder.

My heart like a boulder in my chest, and her head lay at rest on mine.

So fine.

So completely insane.

I think I heaved a sigh.

I think I should have heaved myself . . . over a cliff.

"Why?

Frankie boi,"

I kept thinking.

"Frankie, you idiot.

Don’t be a sap . . .

love.

What is that crap anyway?"

Hell, I startled myself even thinking that word.

That word hadn’t entered my head until that moment.

"Love?

Oh Frankie . . . you truly are a . . .

no . . .

can’t,

won’t,

don’t ever let myself get caught up in that bullshit."

Unless . . .

another sigh.

"Why?

Ohhh God . . . what do I do now?

Huh? Fool?

What the hell do I do now?"

35475-FOLK-layout.pdf

Chapter 3

The Awakening Part II

God . . . how long had I lay there?

Don’t know.

Room . . . so dark.

Stark contrast to the glimpse of light I could see,

through the darkened window of the boat.

I could hear,

I could feel the gentle . . . lap lap lap . . .

keeping its own time like a watery metronome,

against the bow.

How long?

Tess lay . . . silent in the dark.

Still asleep, I guess.

Gotta confess.

I don’t even remember how we got down here.

((((((((((

For fear of waking Tess,

I eased as gently as possible my arm

out from under and got my feet to the floor.

I . . .

tried to float,

hahaha,

to the bathroom.

Not bad!

I only stumbled one time, idiot that I am.

I tried to climb the two steps up without that

god-awful creak, like a mouse squeak on steroids.

I finished what I had to do, pretty quickly,

and once more made my way back down,

crossing silently to the door.

I looked back once more,

at once both dismayed and delighted at the sight of Tess sleeping quietly . . . the soft, steady, even rhythm of her breathing being the only clue that anyone was there.

Coffee . . .

oh God, yes.

I need some . . . worse than anything.

I made my way up to the galley, and before I knew it, I heard the hum of my coffeemaker doing its thing.

Why did I feel like I wanted to sing?

What was . . . what were . . . what are?

All these feelings?

I now seemed to be inundated with . . .

filling me with more questions than answers,

and more doubts than I can ever remember having before . . .

more than doubts.

Fear . . .

so queer.

Now, I am here to tell you that I’m not usually given to bouts of strong emotion.

Not hardly, I thought to myself.

Nope.

Life . . . just . . . is . . . for me.

I look, I see. That’s pretty much it.

Bit of a cowboy I suppose, or so I am told.

Lean and a little weathered even at my age . . .

and a bit of a sage too, I suspect, and as I reflect on it, rightly so.

I have seen quite a lot in my time, as short as it’s been.

I have had good times and bad,

happy and sad, but through it all, you can damn well bet . . .

I take it pretty much as it comes.

Ahhh . . . I hear it . . . the coffee maker hums.

I love that sound.

"Hahaha!

Such a brouhaha you’re making, Frankie," I told myself.

"Tess? C’mon, boy. Tess is just some silly twit.

A slip of a thing, who drinks too much, and wastes life,

and so what?

What is it to you?

What is . . . Tess to you?"

But no . . . I can’t answer it, ’cause to do so, I would have to . . . think . . . about it,

and . . .

no,

no.

((((((((((

Moments later, sitting in a deck chair,

with the steam from that deeply wonderful hot black

elixir for my soul winding around my nose,

my lips over the edge of the mug, I felt a tug,

and almost dropped it, as I turned to see . . . what?

And came nose to nose with Tess.

I have to say . . . sleep had done Tess good.

She looked a lot brighter now.

The eyes, and to my surprise, even her skin looked clearer.

Tess moved nearer and I froze, as I felt my nose tingle at the touch.

"No!

I screamed, although only to myself.

This is getting dangerously close to . . .

what?

I wish I knew.

Oh God . . .

I wish I knew, for in that moment, as much as I wanted

to run screaming off that boat, and as far away from . . .

what?

Runnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

But I couldn’t move.

Move hell.

I couldn’t breathe . . .

I couldn’t do . . . anything!

Oh my God!

What is happening?

I’m suffocating,

but . . . in a way, it’s intoxicating too!

For what seemed like an eternity, there we sat.

These two . . . strangers,

flirting with dangers I couldn’t even imagine, or judge,

and I couldn’t force myself to budge from the scene, either.

Suddenly, like a heaven-sent missile, a seagull landed on the deck right beside us, making some sort of fuss,

and I could have . . . kissed that sucker!

Him or her, or it?

Who knows with waterfowl.

But he quickly set about his bird duties, and then I was left to tend

to . . .

sigh.

Right then and there, my heart was racing in my chest . . . and I thought it best to move a bit away from Tess.

I couldn’t say a word.

I had just began to rise, and to my surprise, so did Tess.

Funny . . .

I suddenly began to realize something.

Tess . . . is . . . shy.

Geez . . .

Tess is really shy.

I mulled that thought over for a second.

Hell. We really hadn’t said much . . . from what I could remember. Not that that was surprising. My not remembering I mean. Geez. So tired from the night before, all the booze, and of course the dream.

’Course, when it comes to talkin’, I’m the dean of quiet types anyway. Most days at least. Okay, every day . . . haha!’

((((((((((

Sitting on a stool in the galley,

Tess moved onto the next one,

and just sat there looking at me.

I felt strangely uneasy.

Even a bit queasy.

What have I started here?

Why am I so uneasy to have Tess sitting so near?

Why do I feel . . .

maybe,

fear?

I knew Tess and I were going to have to talk soon,

but

How soon?

I wasn’t sure.

Yep.

Pure unadulterated fear.

I could feel it.

Almost tangible.

I could feel the sweat begin to bead on my upper lip.

Damn, how I hate that.

I swatted it like an unwanted gnat,

suddenly angry . . . then feeling . . . foolish.

Then, shy?

Me?

Shy?

Why?

What in the fuck is happening to me?

See?

This . . .

isn’t . . .

ol’ Frankie.

No . . . it definitely isn’t, I think, maybe.

Where have I gone to?

Where is the me in here?

Who . . . is . . . this person who has taken residence where,

I belong?

I don’t feel strong somehow, anymore.

Wow!

What a . . . dope!

Hahahahhaha!

"Wait . . . crap!

I can cope.

Hell yes.

This is just some stupid ‘time of the month’ thing,"

I laughed to myself, and almost out loud.

"Sure, goofus.

Momentary lapse of right good sense.

Hell!

Men must have that time of the month crap too.

I . . . just . . . never thought about it before,

but I figure . . .

now is a really good time to do so.

So . . .

I don’t have to think about . . .

rats!

Frankie, you’re just plain bats, boi.

Geez.

Bats in the belfry.

Gone, boi.

In the belfry batty.

Your brain is goo, you dumb stupid fool.

You’re being sooo unkewl,

and that just won’t do.

Nope!

That sure as hell . . . won’t do . . .

won’t do at all.

I . . . "

((((((((((

Shit!

Okay!

How did I manage to fall off the damn stool?

Yep.

Big as life, damn stupid shithead!

Suddenly there I was . . . all sprawled on the floor!

How charming.

How disarming.

How nuts!

Hahahahhaha!

God, I am . . . such a loon.

If I could croon, I would,

or perhaps, just lie here and die.

Oh fuck!

Get a hold of yourself, boi.

For God’s sake, man . . . shit!

Then there was Tess, right down there beside me now, and

looking worried and forlorn,

and,

and,

So goddamn pretty.

Geez.

Noooooooooooooo!

Stop that!

Stop!

Please . . . stop . . .

stroking my forehead,

asking,

Are you okay, honey boi?

Why did Tess have to call me that?

Fat chance I knew.

Tess slipped down on the floor beside me,

taking my hands.

Strands of . . . long . . . soft . . . golden hair,

falling gently on my neck,

and face.

It tickled,

and I could feel my heart begin to race,

ever,

ever faster.

You . . . bastard . . . Frankie.

Get out!

Get yourself out of this.

Don’t let this.

((((((((((

But, sigh.

Too late.

Damn . . . fate is . . . so . . . not my friend, I fear.

I felt the lips,

I felt the arms,

I felt my charms,

heating up.

Oh God!

Oh God!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Oh God!

That . . .

feels . . .

ohhh soooo good.

Tess,

suddenly pressed tight against me,

and