Once a year, when a beautiful Indian summer day arrives, I grab my gold pan and head for Brushy Fork Creek. The gold that I find there is always high quality but there is never enough to justifies the work. At the end of the day, my typical reward is a handful of lead buckshot, some fools gold, a few rough garnets, and yes, a few flakes of real gold. The solitude, crystal clear water, and colorful leaves, are the real riches found on these days.
I was up with the sunrise, and after stuffing my pack with some snacks and supplies, I was out the door. On the way to the creek, I stopped for breakfast at the local Burger King. The Sunday morning church crowd doesn’t show up until later so the restaurant was fairly empty.
I occasionally write short stories and have fun trying to get them published. Today I had the Writer’s Guide on the table next to me hoping to find a new outlet for my work. I was making a few notes for my next story as I was wolfed down my sausage and biscuit sandwich.
I really wasn’t paying attention to the people passing by until I heard the voice of a women ask, “Are you a writer?”
I looked up and briefly studied the young woman standing at the end of my table. “I write occasionally, but lately, I have been learning to thrive on rejection letters,” I said jokingly.
She continued to linger at the end of my table as if there was something else that she wanted to say; finally she asked, “What type of writing do you do?”
Now was my opportunity to scare her away so I looked her in the eye and boldly said, “Currently, I have been writing erotica.”
Something changed in her expression and after a moment she dropped her eyes and said, “Sometimes I write stories too.”
Well, I hadn’t scared her away so I extended an invitation, “You are welcome to have a seat if you like.”
She set her coffee on the table and slid into the seat across from me. I put out my hand and said, “ My name is Josh.”
She shook my hand and replied, “I’m Ann, nice to meet you Josh.”
She was about five and a half feet tall. Her auburn hair was cut just above the shoulder; she had a nice smile, lush lips, and green eyes. Even though she carried a few extra pounds, she had chosen tight fitting clothing to accent her waist.
“Well Ann, tell me about your stories.”
She shyly looked down and said, “They are romance stories,” and then added, “I don’t think they’re too good.”
While I wrote my e-mail address on a napkin, I said, “Maybe you can share one with me sometime.” Ann smiled and accepted the napkin when I handed it to her.
I try to be a good listener and from the mouths of very ordinary people I have heard some truly amazing stories. Ann seemed like she wanted to talk, and I thought she might have a good story if I could coax it from her, so I asked a few leading questions. “Do you live around here?
She replied, “Yes, I live about 15 minutes from here.”
I was looking at her wedding ring as I asked, “What do you like to do for fun?”
She said, “Not too much these days.”
There was a moment of silence and then as I had hoped, she began to open up. “I was raised on a farm in a conservative and very religious family. All of the women in our community wear ankle length skirts and conservative blouses. None of the women cut their hair. Dancing, alcohol, smoking, and even caffeine are prohibited. I have never tried cigarettes or alcohol.”
She began digging around in her purse as she continued her story. “When I was twenty-five I met my husband, John. He was a young preacher, a couple of years older than I was, and of the same faith as my family. He often had dinner with my family and my parents were elated that a preacher had taken an interest in their daughter. My parents arranged my marriage to John and within four months we were married. Since birth control is prohibited by our faith, three children came along quickly.
As long as I have known my husband, he has been consumed with doing the Lord’s work. He is always busy coordinating activities for the youth group, organizing missionary fund raising events, and attending to the general business of the church.
Now seven years have passed, I am thirty-two and it seems that there is even less time for my husband and me. The kids keep me busy night and day.”
Finally, she pulled a creased photo from her purse and laid it on the table. It was a photo of an overweight woman with long hair and an ankle-length skirt. She was hanging clothes on a clothesline and had three small children at her feet.
“This is my picture from a year ago,” she said.