Monday, October 3, 2011

The Harrowing Tale of a Lost Lumberjack - Part 2


Hello Monday! Today is a gray and soppy wet one so it seems the perfect sort of morning to continue on with the story of our dear Lumberjack. If you recall our last installation, we left the poor LJ trudging through the bush looking for a peopled town and breakfast. If you would like to settle in and get comfy, I shall go on.
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After wandering for what seemed a very long time indeed, The Lumberjack finally came to a very small town, the name of which has slipped his memory. He tells me that he followed a narrow lane that led into town and there spied a gathering of sturdy towns folk having their afternoon chat in front of the general store. He was quite a sight, dirtied and scraped from head to toe. The towns folk heard his story and offered him a steaming mug of coffee and a cheese sandwich.

As he had no money on him, just a bit of canvas and string, he was offered a job at the local rock quarry so that he might earn enough to purchase a bus ticket in the general direction of home.

He was hired on as a dump truck driver, he was a hard worker and gained the respect of the locals. He was given a place to bed down in the back of the feed store in exchange for custodial duties. Since the towns folk were mostly a stoic bunch not prone to gossip, they never asked much about The Lumberjack's life before stumbling into their little township. The Lumberjack found this quite agreeable as he had no desire to make himself too comfortable since he was just passing through.

After earning enough to pay for a bus ticket down the road, he packed up his canvas and string, said his goodbyes to the kind folks of Anytown USA and boarded the Greyhound West.

It is at this point in the story that things take a bit of a hazy turn; something about a rest stop break, a gang of thugs in the parking lot of a 7-11, a scuffle that resulted in a sound pounding, and a bruised and confused Lumberjack helplessly watching as the bus pulled away leaving him behind.

Now you might think that this was just the limit for poor LJ, but as the cosmic wheels turned, another opportunity would avail itself to him. A pretty young farm forewoman happened to witness the events as she was purchasing a packet of red licorice from the convenience store. She bolted from the shop and ran to his aid. That was how he landed a job as a farm hand. He worked with the horses mostly; mucking out stalls, grooming the fine animals, tidying the tack, and fixing fences. His bruises faded and his wounds healed quickly under the attentive care of the young forewoman. Though I pressed, LJ was not forthcoming about the extent of his relationship with the lovely lady who looked after him. He did finally tell me her name after a bit of cajoling. Her name was Farrah.

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By this time you may be understanding that this is a tale that must be told in serial, bits at a time - epic as it is and long. Remember though, The Lumberjack was lost for the better part of a year, certainly you can understand that to tell it quickly, to be chincy with the details would be most unfair. So, I am thinking that the remainder of this story should be told in weekly installments. Monday mornings seem just right, a tale of adventure to start out the week! Oh yes, I do like that don't you? It's settled then, Part 3 will begin in a week's time, wherein LJ takes leave of the farm, moves on down the road and falls in with a commune!

8 comments:

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Looking forward to the next instalment!
He does look very much at home tending the horses though.
Vivienne x

Sherri B. said...

I wouldn't want you to leave one little bit out, so we will be patient and wait for Mondays and the next installment of the LJ story...I don't see him as the commune type so this should be interesting.

andrea creates said...

anxiously awaiting part 3! ;)
thanks for stopping by :)

june at noon said...

My, I'm amazed he could take any more. Thank goodness for Farrah the farmwoman!:)

Tas said...

This is certaonly one gap year that needs filling in.

Ooooh, a commune? Noting next Monday in my diary...

Flaming Nora said...

Those rugged, chiselled looks, the dump truck wrangling, a man who is handy with a bit of string and some canvas, never mind the latent horse whispering ability, poor Farrah she didn't stand a chance!
Either that or she knew a good thing when it fell in her lap!

Susan J Barker said...

let us know when you have sold the movie rights to the story, I'm votin' Viggo Mortensen for the part of LJ!

Mom L said...

Ahhhh, I'm sorry I missed this yesterday, but I'm so glad to have caught this part of his story today. What a guy! What an adventure! Can't wait for the next installment!

Nancy in Iowa