Bus Stop Stories: Two Girls and a Lesson in Shame.

Ronovan Fiction , , , , , ,

He half dragged himself across the street, shoulders sagging under the long coat. Two girls moved several steps away.

We exchanged nods and closed-mouthed smiles as he glanced my way. The bench shook slightly as he let himself drop. “It’s been a long day.” His voice sounded like it. “But we made it through.”

I nodded in agreement.

He saw the girls, phones out. One had a finger poised on her phone screen, the other talking to someone. They both kept glancing our way. He ran a hand over his head of short, tight curls. Nails perfectly trimmed, the skin smooth, smoother than mine even.

“You know what I need?”

I looked at him.

“I need me a woman. A young one.”

I could see the muscles around his mouth twitching. Looking forward, I could see the two girls out of the corner of my eye huddled together. I nodded my head in reply.

“Nothing like finding a young one. Sweeping them away. Training them up the way you want them.” He stared at the street.

The girls moved away. “Dr. Farra!” We both looked at the woman in floral printed scrubs racing across the street.

“Nancy?”

“Jerry is getting a taxi now. Get to the hospital. An elderly lady fell and hit her head and they called for you.”

Dr. Farra was no longer tired as he ran across the street.

The girls glanced at me and I smiled back. They turned away, ashamed at their thoughts. Shame can be a great lesson.

© 2014-2020 Ronovan Hester Copyright reserved. The author asserts his moral and legal rights over this work.

Bus Stop Stories: Rebecca’s Red Face-Conclusion Jumping

Ronovan Fiction , ,

“I’m so glad you stayed last night.” Sheryl hooked her arm through the other woman’s.

“I would more often if your apartment was warmer. My bones can’t handle it.”

“The blankets made it okay though. It was such a surprise when you showed up with them.”

I saw Rebecca and Tony eying the two with raised eyebrows. Rebecca with a disapproving look, Tony one of interest.

“Yes, they did. But you really need to ask about it. That cold seems to seep through my skin more now. A few years ago and I would not have needed a blanket at all. Just your smile would have been enough. You need a younger friend.” There was obvious love in the woman’s eyes as she looked at Sheryl.

Sheryl returned the look and smiled. “Next time I’ll come uptown.”

“Deal.” The lady kissed Sheryl on the cheek. “And here’s my bus. Now be careful and if you have any trouble with the super about the heat, give your Dad and me a call. No one freezes our baby girl and gets away with it.” She pulled Sheryl’s coat lapels together.

“Mom, I can handle it. You be careful on the subway. You still have bruises on your butt from the last time when that guy pinched you.”

“Well, I can’t blame the guy for wanting to, just for doing it.”

“Mom!”

Glancing at Rebecca and Tony, I saw a tight-lipped Tony trying to stay quiet and not get punched by Rebecca. And a red-faced Rebecca staring at the ground, ashamed by her judgment of the situation. If it had been Sheryl’s father instead, there would have been other assumptions jumped. Never question love until it questions you.

© 2014-2020 Ronovan Hester Copyright reserved. The author asserts his moral and legal rights over this work.

Bus Stop Stories: Rod the Observer

Ronovan Fiction , ,

Bus Stop

Rod took his place on the bench as the bus pulled away. “What was that all about?”

I shook my head with a half-smile in reply.

“I don’t know how he lives through that day after day, man.” He looked at me for agreement. I raised an eyebrow.

“What? That was crazy. She’d drive me off my rock, man.” Rod was a college student wanting to be a journalist. He liked to bounce his observations off me. I could see his wheels turning as he tried to look outside his world box.

“I guess he didn’t seem upset or anything, the patience of a saint. I would have blown.”

I nodded to acknowledge I was listening.

“Rod!” We looked up as Rod’s friend Emerile jogged across the street.

“Real Erile,” They did the handshake thing began that I never could master.

“How is it my friend?”

“Fantastic, just talking ‘bout two oldies going back and forth.”

“You were necking it again? Need to stop all that, going to get that elastic head joint of yours chopped listening where it don’t belong.” Emerile smiled.

“Man, I’m good.”

“What you doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Good, we’re heading to Tippy’s.”

“Why?” Rod was tight with his money.

“Man, Tippy’s only sells one thing.”

“I know, but I’m good as is.”

“Serious? Man, their stuff makes everything else like 2001.” Emerile gets excited about things, talking with his entire body. Never stand next to him when he gets started.

“You get it then.”

“Go with me anyway. You ain’t got nothin’ else to do.”

“Man, I am the busiest man in town.” The bus pulled up. The doors closed behind them. Two lifelong friends going on about nothing. Didn’t matter what the age. Rod would never realize he was a back-and-forth guy himself.

 

© 2014-2020 Ronovan Hester Copyright reserved. The author asserts his moral and legal rights over this work.

 

 

Helene Rother: Simply put…Designer

Ronovan Odds and Ends , , , ,

I doubt Helene Rother knew as she and her young daughter escaped to a refugee camp in northern Africa from Nazi occupied France that before long she would be illustrating for Marvel Comics, apparently Jupiter Jimmy, and designing automobile interiors in the United States.

This is a gem I found as I was researching for a car that might have been used in the American Zone of Berlin by an American officer in the late 1940s. I don’t traditionally like to utilize the cliché vehicles we read about in every other book. Instead I want something interesting that I can learn from. When I found the 1948 Nash 600 and Helene Rother I knew I had found my car.

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(Interior shot courtesy of autoweek.com)

Helene is credited as being the first woman to work as an automotive designer back in 1943. It’s really no wonder that she was so successful. She knew what women liked and thus what men would like. She brought class to the middle class. And she changed the way the auto industry treated not only the less wealthy auto buyer but the creative woman as well.

Helene went on to design interiors for ambulances and hearses and have her own design company. She even designed the Skylark silverware pattern for Samuel Kirk & Son.

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Later in life she began designing stained glass for churches. (Stained glass images courtesy of michiganstainedglass.org)

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Taking That First Step

Ronovan Life

Many people like to think about the great things that will come there way once their ideas come to fruition. The problem is that just thinking about them doesn’t get you anywhere. You actually have to move, take action, do something!

Fear gets in the way for all of us achieving our goals and dreams. Today I overcame one of those fears. Here I am with my very own blog and preparing to expose my thoughts to the world. I am going to go places I’ve never been and by continuing to move forward I never have to back down from the fears that came before. Wherever I go I’ll always be moving a step forward.