Song of the Thorn Bird

Song of the Thorn Bird

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Nadine turned to her half-wit, half-brother, chastising him with voice part sugary, southern kiss and part viper hiss, “Now, Darvis, when Momma told you to keep your eye on the future, she did not mean it literally. Put your goddamn glass eye back into that empty skull of yours. Lord knows you cannot afford to lose another thing up there after the accident. Frankly, that trick has gotten old after 8 years. This Van Gogh sketch is my future, my ticket out of here. Get your greasy fingers and piece of shit prosthetics off of it!”

Who would have thought that their weekly ritual of buying other people’s crap at the crack of dawn would have finally paid off? Who would have thought that a gaudy painting bought for $22 at the estate sale of some decrepit old hermit lady on Mortimer Lane was actually hiding an undiscovered Masterpiece behind it. Nadine may be the daughter of Mac and Merlene Hopkins, white trash Texas royalty, but she knew class and refinement, she knew art when she saw it. Nadine also could recognize a chance to escape “Armpit”, Texas once and for all. Now only if she could get rid of Darvis, her blood and her burden.

Inspired by Magpie Tales and the weekly photo prompt. 
Go on by and join in the fun!

21 comments:

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

you are the first one doing this week?
thank you for leading the way!

Anonymous said...

This is so cool Lisa! I love the whole Magpie Tales thingy and might like to try it in the coming weeks. As usual, I love your writing. xx

Pam (The Reader) said...

You rock and you inspire ME to write! That is not the story I expected from that picture. Awesome!

I loved the line "...voice part sugary, southern kiss and part viper hiss". That tells volumes about your character in a single line! Well done! :D

Helen said...

A Magpie told with emotion ... a very good Magpie indeed. I can feel Armpit Texas and all it's weight.

Catalyst said...

Great vignette, Lisa. And that line: "...voice part sugary, southern kiss and part viper hiss" is a masterpiece!

Sheri said...

oh my goodness...this was hilarious!!! your magpie surely made my day, thanks for the good laugh ;)

R. Burnett Baker said...

Had me laughing from the start.... delightfully twisted!!

Rick

brenda w said...

Nadine and Darvis are priceless.
Love it!

Brian Miller said...

lisa, lisa...so deliciously devilish...part southern kiss, part viper hiss...describes your story in itself...smiles.

Evalinn said...

Well written! :-)

tori said...

you had me laughing! great take on the prompt Lisa!

joanna said...

Writing like that she could escape right into a best seller.

Good Magpie for sure.

Joanny

rel said...

Lisa,
This piece is great. This is so dead on as t be taken for the truth. Nadine from Armpit Texas and I from East BF NY. ;) Very creative girl!!
rel

Lyn said...

More, I want more..great beginning to your novel!! Thanks..

Tess Kincaid said...

I always have my "eye" out for a hidden Van Gogh.

Tumblewords: said...

Delightful tale - has all the elements embedded in stylish writing!

Unspoken said...

This was great:
Nadine may be the daughter of Mac and Merlene Hopkins, white trash Texas royalty, but she knew class and refinement, she knew art when she saw it

Nice!

JeffScape said...

Wait a minute... what happens??? Nadine poke out his other eye? ;)

* said...

Armpit, Texas, love it! (although I've never visited that state yet myself, I can only imagine...)

And this bit just sang,

"Get your greasy fingers and piece of shit prosthetics off of it!"

Great writing, looking forward to reading more of your blog posts!!

xoxo,
Terresa

Anonymous said...

Armpit can fit any place you feel you are going nowhere for sure. That was a brilliant line about the kiss. Loved it.
QMM

Suz said...

well.........keep going!

:) wonderful