Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Wakefield Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Denise is the host.
Previously (in our serial story ) to which Nick has added
Betcha you’re right up to speed in our story thus far.
This week’s prompt word is:
SURPRISE
“All done in the kitchen, Tom will be pleasantly surprised when he gets back from his culinary safari.”
The tall, thin man stepped towards the woman at the bar, the double swinging doors whispering shut behind him, like a modern-day CS Lewis wardrobe, restoring the appearance of uninterrupted rows of liquor bottles standing in prismatic defiance of the half-dark Bistro; a sash of white linen aproned his waist, a nod of respect for the vest and trousers of the Dege & Skinner suit; the woman sat on the customer-side of the bar, jotting on a yellow, top-spiral notepad with a chewed-cap Bic.
“Thank you, cher,” Mimi smiled at the cup of tea and, on a china bread-plate precisely at two o’clock from the saucer, two Hostess Cupcakes, “if your work as the pro tem manager of our little Bistro becomes a chore, you could make out like a bandit in the household management business; I have friends in the business.”
From behind her, where the chaotic prism of light from the bar washed against the reefs of lacquer-and-wood tables, came the sound of laughter, in the key of three; one basso and confident, another soprano and affectionately-challenging and the third, seemingly the most minor, a contralto that deferred to the other two in a manner that reminded Mimi of her trip to Botswana and the sight of a pride’s dominant lioness in the branches of an acacia tree looking asleep.
“They like her,” the man frowned;
“And you do not,” not a question, rather an invitation to share, “the Gate Keeper and the Bar Tender, bless their hearts, are not nearly as scarred and jaded as you”.
“Nor as perceptive and wise as you, M”, the tall, thin man shrugged into his suit-coat,
“So, do you really think I could get work as a gentleman’s gentleman?”
*
About clarkscottroger
A well painted picture peopled with intriguing (and oddly familiar) characters!
Keep ’em coming.
thankee
If needed, you could.
(phew)
I like how the lioness in the branches was only looking asleep.
thats an image I’ve been drawn to since I started this blog (in part because it serves as a useful visual metaphor of the scottian female personality type)
Botswana… so special.
(I will repeat my comment to Mimi… phew!)
Full Disclosure: I have not ever been to Botswana in a physical form, at any rate
So, it would be a place that one, if one were so inclined, go to see lions in their natural habitat?
how about acacia trees (they’re essential to the imagery I was reaching for) they gots acacia with lionesseses in them, in Botswana?
Wonderful imagery, like a fantasy novel.
Thank you
This tale, full of intrigue and subtle undercurrents of tension, peaks curiosity, especially because the personae, the setting, are so well drawn. May the New Year bring you more inspiration and us more of this tale, Clark! Happy New Year! 🙂
Same to you Dora
Because dear friend,
There is more to this story.
tru dat
Choral laughter, the sound of it appeals to me!
excellent*
* and, if I may presume, thank you for the compliment
A CS Lewis wardrobe that leads, not Turkish Delight, but the bite of alcohols blended…sounds like great place to visit. But there are always hazards, anywhere one ventures, no?
Always vivid!
hopefully
thanks!