Saturday Writer's Group - Story called HOW DID THEY DIE - Officer Comes After Your Little Ruthie

The story was loosely based on the recent death of my first cousin Chez Ray of the restaurant biz in Eugene Oregon and then his daughter Shine aka Jennifer.

I thought the story would be difficult to write but it wasn't.

Good turnout at B's house.


HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

Are you stuffed from the BBQ you just finished?
We ate on the new deck still smelling of fresh lumber.
The Weber grill is a shiny black, filled with hot red coals.
Wrapped in foil are potatoes and corn on the cob. Cauliflower, flavored with turmeric and pepper, and sweet baked beans balance like tightrope walkers on the stainless steel grate.

While we relax and chat, birds fly overhead. A blue jay jabbers and we hear the drumming of a woodpecker in the distance. Rap music pours from a car speeding down the road.

What we don't hear on this day that honors fallen warriors in Arlington or Arles are explosions in faroff countries. Thou shalt not kill, reads the first commandment. Once you get started, you can never turn back.

Unless...

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COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

A Hawaii woman has been found alive in a forest on Maui island Friday after going missing for 17 days.

Amanda Eller, 35, was found injured in the Makawao Forest Reserve, the Maui News reported Friday. News of her discovery was announced on social media.

 Amanda was found by a helicopter searching out of the general area. She spotted them and waved them down.

She was deep in a crevice between two waterfalls. Amanda is doing great and spoke to her father from an air evacuation helicopter.

Her leg was broken, since she fell over a cliff, and she had a torn miniscus. Unable to move, she ate whatever came her way, such as moths.

The physical therapist and yoga instructor from the Maui town of Haiku went missing on May 8. Her white Toyota RAV4 was discovered in the forest parking lot with her phone and wallet inside. Her boyfriend reported her missing on May 9, Hawaii News Now reported.

Use this long weekend as an opportunity to visit friends and relatives you haven't seen in a while, esp. if they're in a nursing home, and to read your favorite books.

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Wrote this to my writing group.

First I stopped at the CVS and picked up my prescriptions. AND I bought two frozen Amy's Mexican Dinners there.

Then I drove to the Upper Moreland Library to pick up my books, which were The Flicker of Old Dreams by Susan Henderson and Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan.

Figured I'd read em over the long Memorial Day Weekend.

Parked in the 15-minute parking zone and left my door wide open, as  I do upon occasion.

Went inside, got my books plus some stickers for my two grandchildren, whom I'll see on Monday, and entered the library.

As I was leaving an UPPER MORELAND POLICE OFFICER was coming in.

I knew he was for me.

Are you Ruth? he asked.

Yes, I said. How did you know my name?

I did my research, he said.

We walked out together.

You left your door wide open, he said.

I jangled my car keys.

If they want to hot wire your car, you just gave them the idea.

Officer, I said - and he was parked right behind me - you can be sure I will never do that again!!! 


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Reading time!!!