Parker Owens
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Everything posted by Parker Owens
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Ben Franklin was never more right: we must hang together, or we will surely be hung separately. Thank you for reading this.
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Thank you for reading this. I too fear what the coming weeks and months might bring.
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Can gullibility and ignorance prove stronger than the storied armored hosts which, like the ancient rat-borne pestilence, left all the world too well supplied with ghosts? And will unbridled avarice bring down that liberty once promised in the seed to everyone, regardless of renown, or color, gender, origin or creed? Can we not make a stand that’s no less brave than by embattled heroes long extolled, who matchless measures for our freedom g
- 18 comments
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I’m grateful for your poetry and for your work. Thank you.
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I liked the proverb that prefaced the chapter. You showed it at work over and over. Boone and Coy sharpen and refine each other, impel each other to do right. These are good men; it’s a pity they must split up.
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Rita has that hard-driving, boundary-pushing personality that possibly makes her an excellent salesperson. It might not endear her to Rick, however. Happiness may not be something Rick truly believes in, wherever it may be thought to be. I’m grateful for your comments and thoughts.
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Rick’s attempts at burying that experience have met with mixed success, as you have said. Rita appears to be in quite a hurry - too much so to listen to Rick. Thank you again for reading, and for your comments.
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Willy Kohler exerted a pull no less strong and no less sinister than, say, a black hole. Poor Rick seemed swept along. Now it’s years later, but the scars remain. You’re right to wonder what happened to Willy. Thanks so very much for reading and for your thoughts.
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You’re most kind, and very welcome. I’m grateful you are reading this story. I hope you find it enjoyable. I hope the characters connect with you. I’ll look forward to seeing what you think. Thanks again.
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Rick's road has been more pothole than pavement. He’s spent a lot of time traveling inwardly. Thank you for reading this and for your thoughts.
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Thank you, tim. You’re very kind.
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I felt so much in this poem as I read it. The images were amazing. Time running down my face... Puddles of the past... tottering on crystal legs... smooth walks where only the ghosts can see me... each of these made me feel out of place, unbalanced and alone. My heart is with you.
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Thank you, tim. I’m glad you liked this so far. I’m thinking of you.
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Rita isn’t leaving town, no. No matter how much we might want her to, she’s not pulling up stakes and moving to Florida. Like you, I’ve enjoyed the comments on this chapter, including yours. Thanks.
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You’re quite right about the owner/landlord/agent’s responsibility. However, those same parties will seek to extract those charges (and then some) from the renters in one way or another. Magda Takács is canny by taking care of the matter directly, thus sparing herself an inevitable markup. Rita would charge her five or ten times Rick’s quote in some vague line against the security deposit, I imagine. Perhaps Rick hopes something major goes wrong that Rita couldn’t wriggle out of paying for. Thanks for reading this story, and for your thoughts.
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You have delved my mind and divined my intention in your comments. Willy and his family were ‘golden ones’ who could do no wrong; Rick was left to gather up his own pieces afterwards. As for your excellent question, perhaps it is best if I let things play out and let you tell me what you think. In any case, I’m very grateful for your insights and interest. Thank you.
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Rick can’t forget that day, anymore than he can erase the indelible marks of his upbringing or the ties to Heinrich Sr and Eagle Lake. I suspect you may be right about Willy Kohler, too. I appreciate your comments and am grateful you read this chapter.
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Oh, how very well said: She smoozes people to get what she wants and takes advantage. If Rick were less gentle, he might react with more than sullen annoyance. But then, he wouldn’t be himself, either. Sadly, he wouldn’t be who he is without his self-hatred, too. I’m glad you liked Marta. She brightened my writing in this chapter. Thank you very much for reading this and for your thoughts.
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I tried to think of the most annoying possible nickname she could devise. I guess it worked. Rick is gentler than either you or I might be. But she certainly knows how to grate on Rick’s nerves! Thanks for your thoughts and for reading!
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Thank you very much for your insights and thoughts. I’m glad you continue to read this story. Rick’s fee was low, certainly. Maybe he just knew that kind of furnace well. If he comes to your door, it helps if he knows your plumbing, I guess. Again, thank you.
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Thank you for taking up this story, and for your very kind reflections. Rick and Jerry have been friends for years, and I’m glad I could show that convincingly. They are fun to write.
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You’re most kind in your comments. I’m very grateful you read this chapter. Rick hasn’t had it easy. His current existence is the place where the path of least resistance led. I’m glad you’re interested in his story.
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The old lodge seemed friendlier on this occasion. It helped that there was an interested teen and a friendly smile. And yes, Rick is a pushover - just a token charge for a few minutes’ work. Thanks so much for reading, and for your comments .
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No, Rick hasn’t been celibate. But it’s also true he’s never formed any attachments. Until Marshall, Rick found sex to be more pain than pleasure. I’m very glad you liked this chapter. Thank you very much for reading!
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Thank you for your thoughts. Jerry is probably just blind to how his comments might feel to someone who has been a fixture in his life for decades. When they’ve been trading jokes and zingers for that long, they might forget how much a badly aimed arrow can hurt. I’m so glad you read this chapter, still more happy you took time to comment.
