Thursday, May 6, 2010

Magpie Tales -13

Ooooh, that nasty Willow. She challenges us to write a poem, a story, a vignette, or whatever based on her photo prompt. And here's what she gave us this week. And what it prompted in my somewhat crazed imagination.


Cholly was a good time guy. He always was solid for a drink and the dollies loved him. He wasn’t bad looking neither. He dressed a little too Italian for me but, y’know, some people go for those open necked shirts, gold chains and hairy chests. He always had a tan, no matter what time of year, and his teeth were sparkling white and perfect. All in all, Cholly was just about great for the front of the house.

By house, I’m talkin’ about my restaurant – Danny’s Steakhouse. We’ve been top of the heap in Delphi City for more years than I can remember. We got a great meat market in town and they give us top grade steaks, and our kitchen knows how to cook ‘em.

The bar runs great, the bartenders know what they’re doin’, we got a pretty great wine list and the drinks come out fast. The prices are moderate and everybody seems happy.

So what is my problem?

Well, it’s Cholly. Y’see he had an accident when he was a kid and he lost his left eye. One of those kid things, y’know, nothin’ to talk about really. But he ended up with a glass eye. It’s a really good one and hardly anybody ever notices it. But, y’know Cholly, he takes a drink or two through the night and sometimes more than that. Sometimes he just can’t help himself. His mouth gets the better of him, y’know.

Well, this big restaurant reviewer was in tonight and we all recognized him right away. ‘Course we didn’t let on we knew who he was but he got the best of the best from the kitchen. Appetizers, salad, entrĂ©e, side stuff, dessert, a couple of glasses of the old vino, I mean this guy was treated first class. We thought we had it in the bag, a great review and an upsurge in customers.

But then Cholly screwed the pooch. We knew the guy from the paper had noticed something different about Cholly. He had stopped by the guy’s table half a dozen times during the evening, checkin’ on his food and his wine and everything. And he’d done great. Until the guy paid his bill and got up to leave. He smiled at Cholly and said "a great evening, I’ll be back again."

And Cholly, with maybe one too many drinks under his belt, grinned and said "Great! I’ll keep an eye out for you!"

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You can read more from, I hope, much more talented writers at Magpie Tales.

38 comments:

  1. well said, my friend, well said! so glad to see you came up with something so entertaining for all of us- this photo prompt for the magpie has left me blank!!

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  2. RR - Thanks!

    Sheri - Thanks to you too. And you have time to stun us all!

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  3. Well Catalyst

    You know how to entertain us---somehow I like that Cholly a rather colorful dapper dan. I wasn't expecting that ending --- glad you posted early -- wasn't sure what to do with this one --- This is will be a tough act to follow.

    Joanny

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  4. u had me grinning at the end ;)


    btw, the TWO is the start of the story shud be TOO... far as i understood :)

    guess its a typo

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  5. Well done; very entertaining.

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  6. That was funny! And weirdly enough my brother lost his left eye when he was a child. He was always joking that he was going to keep an eye on things... :)

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  7. Oh....I was waiting and waiting for the final punch .... and you delivered it perfectly!!!!

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  8. BWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

    (but eu yuck!)

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  9. Joanny - Thanks!

    Chhaya - You are two . . I mean, too . . correct. It was a typo and I changed it. Thanks!

    Berowne - Praise from the master! Thanks!

    Dawn - I knew a kid who lost an eye, too, and he had a wicked sense of humor about it.

    Everyday Goddess - Thank you.

    Helen - Great thanks!

    Crusty Crone - Glad you laughed!

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  10. Grand story. Enjoyed the hell out of it.

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  11. Steve - I'm glad you liked it.

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  12. You are too cute. This was Delphi, Indiana, no doubt!

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  13. Willow - Actually I just made it up.

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  14. Dear Catalyst: I've been to places like that! I guess he had better "keep an eye out" considering what he did to those pooches! hahah! (LMFAO).

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  15. Granny J - Thanks, Julie.

    Chiccoreal - Now, Jane. All that means is "made a terrible mistake." Popularized by Tom Wolfe in his book "The Right Stuff". (Of course, it is cleaned up from an earlier nastier expression which means the same thing.) ;-/

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  16. LOL. I loved this! Every word! An excellent use of the prompt. You know what? We should collect some of these Magpie Tales and put them in a book. You think Willow would go for that?

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  17. That waiter had some balls! Eyeballs, that is. Heh.

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  18. Yemalla - Spoken like a librarian!

    Jeff - Of course. I knew what you meant! ;-/

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  19. Wow what a great story, I was waiting for the eye to turn up on a dish!!
    Christine

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  20. great story! I could hear him talking!

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  21. Hee Hee...you and I had the same thought pattern...glass eyes obviously seem great fodder for twisted humour! :)

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  22. Christine - Now you're getting stranger than I am! ;>}

    Tori - Thank you. Cholly had a way about him.

    Bloggoddess - Twisted, indeed!

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  23. What fun! I enjoyed it quite a bit...

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  24. Funny is good..yes, very good..would love to see what Cholly does next!!

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  25. ha. a night out with cholly might be very interesting. fun magpie!

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  26. Lyn - Oh, that Cholly, you never can tell with him.

    Brian - Yes, I think so. Thanks for reading.

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  27. Catalyst,
    You tell a pretty good story, good enough for me to think that you and Cholly have knocked a few back with each other and regaled each with a few tales just such as this.
    rel

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  28. rel - I may have known a Cholly or two in my time. But that punch line was the first thing I thought of when I saw the photo prompt. I had to make up the rest of the story!

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  29. What a hoot! I can see Cholly, clear as sin.

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  30. Catalyst, I was grinnin' through the whole story and was much relieved when Cholly refrained from actually taking his eye OUT.

    He did refrain, now, didn't he???

    Rick

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  31. Rick - He did refrain in the story. ;=/

    Jingle - Thanks.

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  32. and Willow thought she would stump us this time....look out
    oh..that's funny...look-eye..ha ha
    I liked the speech pattern in this one..quite fitting
    and I too was waiting fo rthe eye to show up..ha ha -up!

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