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
Hosted by Denise
Tom and I are writing a Serial Six Sentence Story: ‘…of Heroes and the MisUnderstood‘. (If you’re just starting, this link will provide the whole story.)
(when last we saw Lou Caesare… here)
Prompt word:
SLIDE
“Lou?” The slightest hint of muzak filled the interrogatory void like the nectar of a Venus flytrap, barely masking the clittering of manicured nails dancing over a keyboard somewhere in a highrise office building overlooking Lake Michigan;
“Anya,” a softening of his characteristic growl was Lou’s concession to Diane Tierney who sat across the booth from him, her role shifting from executive to auditor.
“How darling, you’re calling me on a landline,” the woman’s voice was self-confidence personified, with a delicate lilt of humor that put most callers into a lesser state of alert; opposite the owner of the Bottom of the Sea Strip Club and Lounge, Diane leaned across the table in an effort to hear the far-half of the phone conversation;
“And, I’ll bet my private phone number that it’s one of those black desk-phones, from, like those old movies where everyone wore hats and talked too much,” her laughter would bring a smile to babies and nightmares to toddlers.
“What the fuck are you talking about,” Lou remembered why he so enjoyed the old phones, with their solid, dumbbell-shaped handsets so well-suited to slamming into it’s cradle and achieving a satisfying sense of finality; but the discipline and self-will that allowed him to rise in the underworld was never far away; business always came first and was rarely ever personal.
Diane Tierney felt her phone vibrate, followed by an unfamiliar ringtone, a clip from a song by Dove Cameron; staring down at the screen, the hostess of the Bottom of the Sea banished the frown trying to claim her face and, instead, smiled,
“Anya, I must say, you are as impressive as Ian described, but enough about you, my boss has a…request.”
Across the booth, Lou Caesare receded into a cloud of cigar smoke, letting himself slide into his natural persona, that of an apex predator in a world of plenty.
About clarkscottroger
Oh, my gosh what an excellent line:
“…her laughter would bring a smile to babies and nightmares to toddlers.”
Well written, fun, witty scene with 3 of my all time favorite characters. And, can’t say seeing Diane step out of the “shadows” as totally unexpected.
Hell, she might be Lou’s “Anya” for all we know. Only genuinely nice. And not deadly, lol.
who doesn’t enjoy a story when it has Anya Claireaux in it!
“And, I’ll bet my private phone number that it’s one of those black desk-phones, from, like those old movies where everyone wore hats and talked too much.”
Yep. I know exactly what she’s talking about; I have one in my bedroom.
Clever write, Clark. A sound read.
thanks
(we have one on the kitchen wall. extra-long coiled cord, of course!)
French phone in the sunroom, old black rotary in the bedroom, silver wall phone in kitchen with extra-long coiled cord, of course. I’m a collector. This is next, for living room: https://www.amazon.com/OPIS-1921-Cable-Telephone-Functional/dp/B07PBRVQWV/ref=asc_df_B07PBRVQWV/?tag
love the 1921 telephone (link)
I believe the approved technique for loss of signal: hold the main phone like a candlestick and being to hold the ‘ear piece’ in the other hand click the u-shaped receiver (moving about the room is optional, but constrained by length of cord)
I especially liked this line – thank you.
Lou remembered why he so enjoyed the old phones, with their solid, dumbbell-shaped handsets so well-suited to slamming into it’s cradle and achieving a satisfying sense of finality; but the discipline and self-will that allowed him to rise in the underworld was never far away; business always came first and was rarely ever personal.
You bring your characters to life so well
Thank you, Mimi!
Your guitar playing is so prominent in this Six… intricate phrasing, rich, that slowly develope into… silent dance of cigar smoke.
A silence that is only the necessary prelude to eruption as the switch goes to the bridge position with the same downstroke movement.
Six Strings Story of the most Noir quality, master Weaver.
ty, GK
(excellent riff on the music/writing thing! theys fun to write when (to continue the music theme) when you gots such monster hooks as Lou, and Anya!
You never fail to amaze me, Clark. Your gift for setting a scene with layers of tension is astonishing.
Very kind words. Susan.
thank you
Excellent stuff.
Dankie*
* google passing notes in the back of English composition class
Nice phrase: “an apex predator in a world of plenty”. I remember those old desk top phones. You can’t slam a cell phone the way you can slam one of them to end a call.
totall… like, what, push your finger down on the screen extra hard? lol
Those heavy black phones of old…takes me back…definitely a satisfying sound to slam. Today’s cell/mobile phones leave you wondering–was it a dropped call, or “goodbye”?
and…and! don’t forget the cool trick of hitting the lower half of the handset (while in it’s cradle) with your hand causing it to pop up in the ear so you can catch and say, “Hello!” (or “Yellow” or “Talk to Me!”)
This is a beaut – it slips and slides, and then squeals like flesh on a red naugahyde booth, which incidentally is exactly what I pictured in this brilliantly written instalment.