Quiver

By Ed Merwede

An archer, just like any other marksman, takes pride in his ability, always trying to extend the limit of his targets, many times becoming an obsession. This is the story of an archer. And I am sure it will make you quiver!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984512024

Ed Merwede

ED MERWEDE, also the author of “DONE!” started his career with Yale University Press. After eleven years as plant superintendent, he went on to manage three other printing companies before starting his own business with his wife, Ellen. That business, PrintAbility, operated for fourteen successful years, before the couple retired to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In the late 1990s, the author was diagnosed with syringomyelia, caused by a very severe crash while serving on a US Naval Air Station. Ed is listed as 100 percent disabled with the Veterans Affairs Office. His wife of thirty-five years, Ellen, died in November of 2014. He is now living in an assisted living facility on Cape Cod.

Book preview

QUIVER

A New Book

Ed Merwede

Copyright © 2018 by Ed Merwede.

Library of Congress Control Number:            2018902609

ISBN:                Hardcover                     978-1-9845-1200-0

                           Softcover                      978-1-9845-1201-7

                           eBook                           978-1-9845-1202-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 03/26/2018

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

775201

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Dedicating a book, I believe, is

a tribute to the person you name.

This book is dedicated to the man

I hold high at the top of my heart whom

I’m proud to call my son,

Gary.

He withstood tragedy in his early

marriage, and with his inner strength,

he not only overcame that disaster

but also put his life together with

Cheryl, who also needed what he needed—

happiness.

An archer, just like any other

Marksman, takes pride in his ability,

Always trying to extend the limit of his targets,

Many times becoming an obsession.

This is the story of an archer,

And I am sure it will make you

Quiver!

Chapter One

Larry Watkins was a very average young man. Going through high school was not all that pleasant for him, but he made it and graduated. He wasn’t big enough for the football team and wasn’t quite talented to make it to the baseball team. Forget tennis—he had no ability at all.

He was likable, but he only had a few friends. He excelled in all regular classroom subjects, but he felt unfulfilled. He just didn’t fit in with all the cliques surrounding him.

One day, he attended a carnival and approached a counter with a man trying to talk people into taking a chance with a bow and arrow. Spotting Larry, the carny motioned him over to give it a try. Larry paid a dollar for three shots. The equipment certainly wasn’t first-class, but Larry decided to give it a try. The targets were about fifty feet away, with a balloon at the center of each target. People had gathered around, which pleased the carny, and he handed Larry a bow. He then laid three arrows in front of him.

Before starting, Larry rolled the arrows over and asked the carny for two new ones. The carny started to laugh and yelled, Come close, we have Robin Hood about to show his ability.

Larry’s face turned red, but he waited for the new arrows. Trying to retain control of the gathering crowd, the carny brought out two new arrows. Larry rolled them over a couple of times and then said, They’re still warped, but if you give me one free shot, I’ll continue.

The carny said, Fine, but let me put up a target with no balloons. He did, and Larry took a shot, which hit high and left of the target. The carny said, OK, you ready?

By now, the crowd had increased. Larry took the bow, and one after another, he broke all three balloons. The crowd went wild, and the carny took the bow out of Larry’s hands and said, What prize would you like?

Larry looked around and spotted a little girl watching. He beckoned her over and said, The prize is yours, just pick one out. The little girl started jumping and laughing, and she picked one.

The carny, happy, started to get it when Larry said, No, sweetheart, pick from the top row.

The carny wished this guy never showed up but smiled and waited. Finally, the little girl picked the largest teddy bear on the top row. She was delighted and did what her father asked. She went over and thanked Larry for her gift.

Larry walked close to the carny and said, You cheat! Can I have another turn? If not, I will tell all the people gathered ’round how you cheated.

The carny, angry as hell, said to the audience, What do you say we give Robin Hood another chance?

Larry held up his hand and said, Thank you for asking, but there are others wanting to try. I made one little girl happy tonight, and that’s plenty for me. Come on, next person. Give it a try. The carny was amazed and thankful. It increased his amount of players.

Larry had discovered a talent he didn’t know he possessed. The next day after work, he found an archery range just on the outskirts of town. He approached the owner and asked, How much for lessons?

The owner and instructor smiled and said, Ten dollars an hour.

Larry said, OK, sign me up for three nights a week. Is that OK?

The owner and instructor almost fell over. His business was just hanging on. He said, That’s great. Let’s work out a time.

Larry said, How about five in the afternoon every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Does that work for you?

Almost salivating, he smiled and said, I’m sure I can fit you in to those times.

Larry was beside himself with anticipation of his first lesson. He arrived right on time, and the instructor was pleased that he even returned. The whole place was a little bit in disrepair, but that didn’t bother Larry, as long as the instructor was good.

The instructor had already set up two targets—one at fifty yards and the other at seventy-five yards. He explained that those were the two ranges a beginner had to conquer. Shall we begin? he asked Larry.

Oh yes, please.

The instructor gave Larry a leather forearm protector, which was strange to Larry.

What’s this for? he asked.

The instructor said, It’s protection from the bowstring. Many people get hit in the forearm by the bowstring after release. Usually, I let people do that, and then they understand immediately.

Larry said, Thanks. I can do without the pain. If there is a charge for one of these, I’ll be glad to pay.

Larry was a natural in archery and never knew it. He could calculate the trajectory of the arrow after the first shot, readjust, and hit very close to the bull’s-eye on the second shot.

The instructor was amazed at the proficiency of his pupil. After hitting the target all around the bull’s-eye, he suggested to move to the seventy-five-yard