Another well-deserved honor for Brokeback Mountain!
Jake Gyllenhaal took home two well-deserved MTV Movie awards Saturday, June 3rd, 2006 – one for “Best movie kiss,” which he shared with Heath Ledger, and the other for “Best Performance.”…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments76 - SteveS
Troll, Jet.
Go out to a gay bar and people will just look through you anyhow!
This was his experience to make him bitter. A straight person doesn't think of this.
There's nothing to be gained here.
77 - Silas Kain
Jet, my precious, isn't Ennis a true representation of what happens to a man who raised by backwoods, backwards, emotionally ignorant folk? The collective self-loathing experienced in so much of the gay community is a direct result of the cruelty of ignorant people who refuse to understand basic human sexuality. Ennis DelMar led a tortured life. He loved Alma but loved Jack more. He loved his children and yet was emotionally removed from them because he couldn't share Jack with them. And, finally, when confronted by Alma, Ennis reacts as any child of backwards parents would. Unfortunately, fundamentalist family dynamics are such that the natural unconditional love of a parent is the abomination instead of the norm.
78 - Jet in Columbus
Dear Silas and Steve, as you can probably see it's been crazy here. I've got another chapter, it's tough trying to edit out the sex in a pivotal scene, after all the movie revolves around it. Chris Rose admitted on another string that I've turned him gay (jokingly of course) because he has to read all this as it's published.
Poor thing.
I'll have another chapter here soon.
thanks again.
79 - chantal stone
Hey Jet....
I love your perspective of Ennis, and how he had been fantasizing about Jack long before they first had sex. Silas is right...he's such a misplaced, tortured soul. And so torn between his 2 lives. It makes me so incredibly sad to think that people STILL have to be ashamed of their feelings, and hide a part of themselves because of the ignorance they were raised with.
80 - Jet in Columbus
Now Annie didn't write him that way, that's all coming out of my warped and perverted imagination... more is coming-(forgive the pun)
Sooner or later I'm going to have to put the tent scene in, you know. I thing Chris Rose if off tonight, so I'll wait.
Let me see what I've got left, and I'll post another one tonight.
81 - Jet in Columbus
I've been told that they've watched the movie again and can see what's going through their minds after reading my "version".
I'm kinda proud of that...
82 - chantal stone
Well, whats great about what you're writing, is that you're filling in a lot of the blanks.
Aside from being a great movie, with a compelling story, great acting, yadda yadda, I think this movie resonates with so many people because since there is so much going on with and between Jack and Ennis that is unspoken, we're left to our own imagination to fill in those blanks. You can't help, after viewing the movie, to be left thinking "what if" this, and "I wonder" that....
and you answer many of those questions, Jet, that make so much sense to the film. I like your warped and perverted imagination.
83 - Silas Kain
But, Jet, your warped perversions are what draw me close to you!
84 - Jet in Columbus
Okay, next random Chapter-the final showdown...
In June of 1982, Jack had spent enough time camping with Randall Tanny, the foreman of the ranch next door to his that he thought it was safe to make a move on him. They took to each other as close friends, but like everything good in his life, Jack was prone to finding a way to destroy any happiness he had, especially if it didn’t involve Ennis.
He mistook an invitation out to a secluded lake to go fishing and drinking whiskey, and nearly got beaten up in the process.
Then the very next night, after a bottle of fine whiskey, Jack bedded Randall.
He kept telling himself it was just sex, because he loved to be fucked, but only by Ennis, so it wasn’t the same.
Suddenly the foreman was in love with Twist, and wanted to leave his jaw-flapping wife, maybe move up to Jack’s parent’s ranch where no one could find him, and start a new life together.
A few months later though, just to complicate things; Jack began screwing the Randy’s pretty wife on the side too!
As usual, just when things started getting serious, Jack’d hear from Ennis like always, about getting some free time to spend up on the mountain, and everything would fall back into their old pattern.
In May of 1983 as planned, they spent a few cold days at a series of little icebound, no-name high lakes, then worked across into the Hail Strew River drainage, looking for someplace warmer to spend their last vacation days.
Both knew where they were headed.
This had been “their place” by the lake for years, with Brokeback rising high above, majestically covered with snow.
The tea-colored river ran fast with snowmelt, a swirl of bubbles at every high rock, pools and setback. The tall pines swayed stiffly as hawks argued overhead somewhere. The horses drank and Jack dismounted, scooped icy water up in his hand, crystalline drops falling from his fingers, his mouth and chin glistening wet.
“Get beaver fever doin that,” said Ennis, then, “Good enough place,” looking at a flat piece of ground by the river, with two or three fire rings from old hunting camps. A sloping meadow rose behind the bench, protected by a stand of lodgepoles. There was plenty of dry wood. They set up camp without saying much, settling the horses in the meadow.
Jack broke the seal on a bottle of whiskey, took a long, hot swallow, exhaled forcefully, said, “That’s one of the two things I need right now,” eyeing his friend lovingly as he capped and tossed it to Ennis.
Jack secretly had come as far as Signal with Randall, where the ranch foreman waited in the motel where he and Ennis had reunited. Randy played heavily on his mind, because he’d just proposed his leaving his wife and the two of them moving to Jack’s home ranch in Lightning Flat and setting up housekeeping.
It was the right dream-but with the wrong man.
Jack had called ahead and told his father he’d be up to talk to him about setting up a place to live and how he planned to separate from his wife again. He said he was bringing up some help from Texas with him so he could manage the farm full time. Old man Twist said he and his mother were going to a religious retreat up in Montana and they’d only be home until Thursday so Jack told him he’d be up around noon on Wednesday for sure. His father made a point of repeating Jack’d be there at noon.
Tuesday morning the clouds came that Ennis had expected, a gray racer out of the West, a bar of darkness driving wind before it and small flakes. It faded after an hour into tender spring snow that heaped wet and heavy. By nightfall it had turned colder.
Jack and Ennis set up lawn chairs facing the water and passed a joint back and forth, the fire burning late, Jack restless and bitching about the cold, poking the flames with a stick, twisting the dial of the transistor radio until the batteries died.
Scanning the darkening sky, Jack commented, “Gonna snow for sure tonight.”
Ennis silently nodded, handing the joint back to him.
Twist took a good deep toke and asked, handing it back and letting the smoke out slowly, “All this time, and you ain’t never found no one to marry?”
Ennis said he’d been “putting the blocks” to a woman who worked part-time at the Wolf Ears bar in Signal where he was working now for Carl Scrope’s cow-and-calf outfit, but it wasn’t going anywhere and she had some problems he didn’t want. “She’s studying to be a nurse too, or something… I don’t know”
Jack admitted he’d had a thing going with the wife of a rancher down the road in Childress and for the last few months he’d sneak around expecting to get shot by Lorene or her husband Randy, catching his breath at the mention of the name, wishing he could inhale it back.
Not noticing, Ennis laughed a little and said he probably deserved it if one of them got him.
Jack bowed his head.
They’d have to leave early tomorrow for him to get to his parent’s by noon. If his father agreed, Randy was waiting in Signal for his call to head north to Lightning flat where they’d meet up. With his parents in Montana, they’d have the place to themselves.
The ache that Ennis would come with him instead got more intense, making him sad.
After a long, long thoughtful pause, Jack admitted, “I tell you what…”
Ennis looked over into his eyes.
“… sometimes I miss you so much, I can hardly stand it.”
The horses nickered in the darkness beyond the fire’s circle of light. If Ennis had said anything to that, which was doubtful, it wasn’t heard, he just looked into the glow at the end of the joint, and then silently across to the mountains.
That night though, Ennis was especially tender with Jack as they made love in the tent, both satisfied afterward to just hold each other in their arms till they fell asleep.
The next morning, they talked about nothing, and made love again, knowing it’d have to last a while before they could come back up here.
Afterward, he put his arm around Jack, pulled him close, fretting over how much he missed his daughters, and how he only saw his girls about once a month, Alma, Jr., had grown to be a shy seventeen-year-old with his beanpole length, Jenny a little live wire.
Ennis got up and pulled on his worn jeans, and Twist caught his arm before he could leave the tent.
Jack slid his cold hand between Ennis’s legs, said he was worried about his boy who was, no doubt about it, dyslexic or something, couldn’t get anything right, fifteen years old and couldn’t hardly read, he could see it, though goddamn Lorene wouldn’t admit to it and pretended the kid was O.K., refused to get any kind a help about it. He didn’t know what the fuck the answer was. Lorene had the money and called the shots.
“I used to want a boy for a kid,” said Ennis, undoing buttons he’d just done up, “but just got little girls.”
“I didn’t want none of either kind,” said Jack. “But fuck-all nothin’ has worked the way I wanted. Nothin never come to my hand the right way.”
Ennis knelt down and pulled Jack into his strong arms. One thing never changed: the brilliant charge of their infrequent couplings was darkened by the sense of time flying, never enough time, never enough.
An hour later at the trailhead parking lot, horses loaded into the trailer, Ennis was ready to head back to Signal, Jack up to Lightning Flat to see his folks for a few days. As Jack loaded the camping equipment into his truck, Ennis walked over to him and said what he’d been putting off the whole week that likely he couldn’t get away again until November, after they’d shipped stock and before winter-feeding started.
“November? What in hell happened to August? Tell you what, we said August, nine, ten days. Christ, Ennis! Whyn’t you tell me this before? You had a fuckin week to say some little word about it. And why’s it we’re always in the friggin cold weather? We ought a do somethin. We ought a go South. We ought a go to Mexico one day.”
Jack slammed the door of his truck and began walking away from him toward the edge of the lake 10 yards away.
To his back Ennis replied, “Mexico? Jack, you know me. All the travellin I ever done is goin around the coffeepot lookin for the handle. The trade off for this week was August, that’s what’s the matter with August. Lighten up on me, Jack. We can hunt in November, kill a nice elk. Try if I can get Don Wroe’s cabin again. We had a good time that year; remember?”
Jack turned around to face away from the sight of his beloved Mountain, and said with barely controlled anger, “You know, friend, this is a goddam bitch of a unsatisfactory situation. You used a come away easy; now It’s like seein the damned Pope.”
“Jack, I gotta work." he protested, "Them earlier days I used to just quit the jobs. You got a wife with money, a good job. You forget how it is bein broke all the time. You ever hear a child support? I been payin out for years and got more to go. Let me tell you, I can’t quit this one. And I can’t get the time off. It was tough gettin this time"some of them late heifers is still calvin. You don’t leave then. You don’t. Scrope is a hell-raiser and he raised hell about me takin the week. I don’t blame him. He probably ain’t got a night’s sleep since I left. I told you the trade-off was August. You got a better idea?”
“I did once.” The tone was bitter and accusatory.
Ennis said nothing, straightened up slowly, and rubbed at his forehead as a horse stamped inside the trailer. He walked with slow deliberation toward Jack, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“You been a cheatin’ on me in Mexico, Jack Twist?” Mexico was the place. He’d heard. He was cutting fence now, trespassing on verbal forbidden ground when he added between gritted teeth, “I heard what they got down there for boys like you, Jack.”
Jack felt the resentment coming, the wasted years of loving a man incapable of showing love back. His thought flashed on Randy waiting for the call that’d start their life together.
Jack gathered his courage; it was either split up forever, or stay together. “Hell yes, I been to Mexico. Where’s the fuckin problem?” Braced for it all these years and here it came, late and unexpected.
A jealous rage began building in Ennis, a rage that he didn’t know was there, because he wouldn’t let himself feel it all of these years, but now it was surfacing, and almost out of control. He paced up to Jack and stood, his face only inches from the man he just admitted to himself that he could lose.
“I’m gonna say this to you one time, Jack Fucking Twist,” said Ennis between gritted teeth. “What I don’t know, all them things I don’t know bout what you do in Mexico could get you killed if I should come to know them… and I ain’t foolin.”
Ennis turned away and began pacing down the bank toward his truck.
“Try this one,” yelled Jack at the top of his lungs, letting the years of resentment out, “and I’ll say it just one time.
Ennis suddenly turned around and angrily answered, “Go ahead!”
Jack spun back around to take in the sky, the lake and the vista of Brokeback Mountain, and suddenly couldn’t stand the sight of it. Turning his back to it again, he replied in a frustrated scream, and a wildly gesturing hand, “Tell you what, we could a had a good life together, a fuckin real good life. But you wouldn’t do it, Ennis, so what we got now is Brokeback Mountain.” His voice raised almost an octave, as he wheeled around to gesture at the beautiful mountaintop. “Everything built on that. It’s all we got, boy, fuckin all, so I hope you know that, if you don’t never know the rest.”
Ennis turned his back to Jack.
In anger, Twist began stomping toward del Mar, “Count the damn few times we been together in twenty years. Measure the fuckin short leash you keep me on, then ask me about Mexico and then tell me you’ll kill me for needin what we have together, and not hardly never gettin it. You got no fuckin idea how bad it gets! God damn it all to Hell, Ennis, I’m not you. I can’t make it on a couple of high-altitude fucks once or twice a year!”
He turned and walked back up the bank to stand at the edge of the lake. He felt the words coming, afraid they’d end it between them, but he knew what had to be said, so he said it to the mountain, “You’re too much for me, Ennis, you son of a whoreson bitch. I wish I knew how to quit you.”
Like vast clouds of steam from thermal springs in winter the years of things unsaid and now unsayable"admissions, declarations, shames, guilts, fears"rose around them. Ennis stood as if heart-shot, his face gray and deep-lined, grimacing, eyes screwed shut, fists clenched.
He was always the one in control, he was always the one who was strong, and through the hell he’d lived all these years there was always Jack, always Jack. In his mind he hated that he needed anybody, and the crashing blow that hit him was he’d lied to himself, he didn’t think he could live without his… his lover.
Abruptly Ennis cried out in an anguish so deep in sorrow, that it shocked Jack into looking back at him. Ennis stood looking at Jack, pawing at a tear falling from his eye, trying to hide it with the brow of his hat.
Then their eyes met, and Ennis couldn’t stand it any more. His knees began to cave as he sank towards the ground as his strength and manhood left him and he burst into uncontrolled sobs at the thought of Jack leaving him.
Sniffing to clear his sinuses, he barely blubbered out, “Then why don’t you Jack? Why don’t you just leave me be? You’re the reason I’m like this; got nothin’ and no one, all alone. I, I can’t stand this no more Jack, I just can’t.”
“Jesus,” said Jack. “Ennis?” bounding toward him, trying to guess if it was a heart attack or the overflow of an incendiary rage, Ennis was struggling back onto his feet, and as Jack tried to extend his loving arms around him, Ennis shoved him away sharply. “Get off of me,” he shouted, “Just leave me be!”
Ignoring him, Twist fought him up to his feet, both of them clutching each other tightly.
Jack had never seen Ennis cry before, and was nearly in shock as the man he thought was made of stone and steel sobbed in his arms.
“I can’t hardly stand this no more, Jack” he blubbered again.
Then, just as fast as it started, it was over.
In an instant they were facing each other, though only a foot apart, it seemed like a hundred yards, as Ennis fell silent.
Twist could see that the emotions Ennis had held in for twenty years had torn him completely apart in trying to get them out, so he just stood there silently as del Mar turned his back to him, stood silently for a moment collecting himself, and then headed to his truck.
While he silently watched Ennis finish packing the saddles, Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither help nor understand, the time that distant summer on Brokeback when Ennis had come up behind him and pulled him close, the silent embrace satisfying some shared and sexless hunger.
They had stood that way for a long time in front of the fire, its burning, tossing ruddy chunks of popping sparks, as the morning sun cast shadows of their bodies a single column against the rock.
Gently the young Ennis put his arms around young Jack’s shoulders tenderly.
The minutes ticked by from the watch in Ennis’s pocket, and from the sticks in the fire settling into coals as Ennis sang softly a lullaby.
Ennis’s breath came slow and quiet, he hummed, rocked a little in the morning silence, punctuated by a horse snorting.
Jack leaned back against his man’s steady heartbeat, wanting to drown in his arms, as the vibrations of the humming like faint electricity and, standing, he fell into sleep that was not sleep but something else drowsy and tranced until Ennis, dredging up a rusty but still usable phrase from the childhood time before his mother died, said, “Time to hit the hay, my cowboy. I got a go. Come on, you’re sleepin on your feet like a horse,” and gave Jack a shake, a push, and went off without another word.
Jack heard his spurs tremble as he mounted, and the words “See you tomorrow,” and the horse’s shuddering snort, grind of hoof on stone.
Later, that dozy embrace solidified in his memory as the single moment of artless, charmed happiness in their separate and difficult lives. Nothing marred it, even the knowledge that Ennis would not then embrace him face to face because he did not want to see or feel that it was Jack he held. And maybe, he thought, they’d never got much farther than that.
Let be, let be.
Coming out of that wonder filled memory, Jack realized that Ennis had wordlessly driven away, and as his eyes focused, he watched the battered Ford with their horses aboard round a curve and disappear between the tall pines.
No goodbyes, no nothin’
Was it over between them?
85 - chantal stone
damn...I hope theres more tomorrow....g'night Jet...this was great.
86 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Chantal fresh material is coming soon. I've got some errands to run but I'll get to it. I'm still curious as to if I'm only entertaining two or three people here????
87 - just because
Entertained is not quite the right word - enthralled is better! I was compelled to leave you a comment as your writing about the kiss blew me away after I saw a link to it on one of the BBM boards. Now I can't tear myself away from your story! You should really post the whole thing on a fan fiction type of board so more people can experience it. I read quite a lot of BBM fan fic & this is up there.
88 - chantal stone
Jet, I'm sure plenty more are reading and enjoying, but maybe won't admit it....you know how that goes
89 - Jet in Columbus
I know one thing, I've got the comments editor wringing his hands about the coming tent scene-there's a pun in there somewhere...
90 - just because
As long as there's no punning in the tent scene. I don't think that'd be fitting...
91 - Jet in Columbus
Giggle giggle smirk smirk
92 - Marilyn Barnicke Belleghem
There is also a poignant story that addresses bisexual behaviour and the emotional responses and experiences of the people involved. It is NOT just about two men. It is also about their wives and families reactions and the impact their love for each other has on a great many people. People may avoid this wonderfully portrayed film thinking it is a sex film. It is far more a statement about the impact of love and hate on all of us no matter who we are as it deeply affects our communities. I found it beautifully filmed and deeply moving. I also found it raises the issue for women who are married to a man who loves a man something not focused on very much.
I have enjoyed your interpretation of the scenes. Food for thought for sure.
93 - Jet in Columbus
Thank you Marilyn for that thought provoking post. My sister said almost the same thing when she saw it, and I can understand why women might not like it, because it's easy for a woman to get caught up in how she would handle the situation to the point of losing track of the men's emotions whlle watching it in a theater or at home.
In my novelization which is based on Annie's short story as well as the screenplay, and my own imagination to fill in the gaps, the hardest parts to get into are what the wives are going through. I'm working on it.
The purpose of writing this was to help a blind gay friend understand it, but apparently it's helping others to understand things that weren't explained in the movie.
I'm flattered you enjoyed it...
Thanks again...
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jet
94 - Silas Kain
Jet, I just finished your last entry and the tears are welled in my eyes. Anyone who truly absorbs the story of Jack and Ennis will see that this saga could apply to a gay couple, a straight couple, aw hell, ANY damn couple. Love is love. In its pureest form it is not immoral, it is unflenching, all giving and the fulfillment of a lifetime.
When one gets beyond the "two guys fucking" part, it's amazing what can be realized. Brokeback may be a joke to many, but to just as many it is a slice of reality that rarely makes it to the cinematic stage. Sure, there were victims of the relationship between the cowboys. No doubt about it. But, in the end, Jack and Ennis were victims of their times, their geography and their society. I'll wager that there are a few country boys out there tongiht who have read much of this thread. They can identify themselves in the characterizations you deliver. What's most sad is that they are in all likelihood more like Ennis. They're trapped in their respective worlds, prisoners of their environment.
95 - Jet in Columbus
Thank you Silas. There are people (I hope) reading your words and learning something) I still have more coming probably tonight, expecially the one titied "My dad was right" my favorite scene in the movie!.
96 - Jet in Columbus
This chaper is entitled "The horse with no reins"
and is based on Annie's short story and the movie.
That first trip back up “their” mountain was glorious. Ennis couldn’t remember being so happy, and realized that Jack was the reason why.
They spent the trip talking endlessly about what the last four years had held for each other. The Rodeo, ranching, the learning impaired son, the sickly daughter, and the hateful father-in-law. On the way they stopped to eat, buy whiskey and supplies for their hastily planned trip.
Ennis talked about how much he loved Alma, and his girls, and how they were working as a team to build a future for themselves.
Before they knew it, they were at a twenty foot cliff overlooking the stream where they camped the night they made love the first time, and both were shedding clothes quickly, Ennis exclaiming, “The last one in…” as they joyfully raced to the edge and leapt off into the surprisingly frigid mountain water below.
Their heads surfaced, both screaming about how cold it was.
They felt they were in their own private heaven again, laughing their heads off and splashing each other. The laughter ended suddenly when they both realized at the same time that their clothes were now a good 20-minute walk naked around the rocky prominence back up to the truck at what was now a public campground.
After a day of setting up camp, and regretting, in their haste, to bring a couple of horses from the ranch where Ennis worked, they settled down that night at the rushing stream’s edge, bundled in coats.
Surrounded in peace and without a care for the first time in a long time, Jack got a roaring fire going against the cold.
Ennis fell silent for a long time looking into the flickering smoking flames, and eventually eased back to lay with his feet near the fire, one knee up with his hat propped on it. He seemed to be in a state of rapture, just staring up at the stars in wonder with a half smile.
Jack sat on the log beside him, listening to the roaring water, deep in thought and looked over at him. He’d come a long way hoping their reunion would be permanent, but every time he brought it up, Ennis would sidestep the subject, wanting to just enjoy being up here again.
For a long time and becoming uncomfortable with their silence, Jack settled for just watching the man he was now convinced that he loved looking dreamily up at nothing.
To break the silence he asked, “See anything interesting up there in heaven?”
Ennis grew a rare mischievous grin in response and commented lazily, “Ohhhhhh, I was just sendin’ up some thanks.”
Jack’s heart suddenly swelled with hope. “For what?”
Ennis snorted a laugh, “I’m thankful that you forgot that damned harmonica… I was just enjoyin’ the peace and quiet.”
Hiding his disappointment, Jack chuckled and shook his head.
The cowboy closed his eyes and moaned enjoyment.
Jack straightened and looked out at the mountain, topped with glowing light blue snow in the dark, lit only by the full moon. Gathering his courage he hesitated and then said softly, “You know, it could be like this, just like this, for always,” knowing that it was as close to a proposal of love and commitment as he dared make.
Ennis opened his eyes and looked at him quizzically. “How do you figure that?”
In that moment, Jack knew his hopes had been dashed, but bravely collected his thoughts.
They both stared into the campfire, realizing the consequences of what had just been said, but more importantly of what hadn’t been answered.
Fighting tears from his eyes, Jack said softly and hesitantly trying to renew his fleeting hopes, “You know, if we had a little cow and calf operation together; you know along with your horses, it could be a sweet life. Lorene’s old man; you bet he’d give me enough for a down payment if I’d get lost. Already more or less said it…”
Halfway through the sentence, he knew it was doomed, and felt frustration welling up in his throat. Ennis sat up, shaking his head, put on his hat to hide his eyes, and corrected as he settled over beside Jack, “Now I told you, it ain’t gonna be like that.” Resting his back against the log, he continued, “Now, you’ve got your wife and baby in Texas; and I’ve got my life here in Riverton.”
Unable to hold it in any more, Jack asked skeptically, “You and Alma, that’s a life?”
Ennis’ heterosexual manliness set in suddenly and answered for him, “You shut up about Alma, this ain’t her fault… The bottom line is Jack; if we’re around each other, and this… ‘this thing’ catches a hold of us at the wrong time, or the wrong place, and someone sees us, we’re dead Jack. Dead… both of us."
Thinking of Alma and the girls he added, “Can’t get out of it. Jack, I don’t wanna be like them guys you see around sometimes. And I don’t wanna be dead neither.”
Jack frowned an unphrased question at him hidden eyes.
“There was these two old guys ranched up together down home, Earl and Rich"Dad would pass a remark when he seen them. They was a fag joke for everybody, even though they was pretty tough old birds. I was what, only nine years old I guess, when they found Earl dead one day in an irrigation ditch. They, they’d taken Rich and tied him by the neck to the top of a fence just barely high enough to stand at, then they beat the shit out of him, but they didn’t kill him on purpose, they just left him standin’ there all alone, and finally he was so weak from the pain that that night he slumped down and hung himself ‘cause he was too weak to stand back up. I found out later that a couple of local ranchers got together and took a tire iron to Earl too, beat him to death, then drug him around off the back of a pickup by his dick until it pulled off, just bloody pulp. What the tire iron done looked like pieces a burned tomatoes all over him, nose and face tore down from skiddin on gravel.”
Jack looked appalled that a child would be exposed to such a sight, and asked, “You seen that?”
“My dad made sure I seen it and that I knew why it happened. He took me and my brother K.E. and we stopped at the fence where he was rotting with flies all over him, and ole Dad laughed about it. Then he took us to see Earl. Hell, for all I know he done the job. I tell you what; If he was alive and saw and heard you and me together right now like this, you bet he’d go get his tire iron.”
A visible shudder ran through del mar as he shook his head no, “Two guys livin together, Jack? No way… Now, we can get together once in a while way the hell out in the middle a nowhere…”
Jack’s jaw dropped, “Every so often? Every four fuckin’ years?
“Jack, if you can’t fix it, you gotta stand it,” Ennis replied.
Ennis bowed his head lower as his face became a mask of sadness.
Twist felt tears welling up again, as he realized that this man couldn’t love him like he needed to be loved.
“For how long?” he asked hesitantly.
Unable to meet his eyes, Ennis gazed down into the fire with a heartbreaking look and mumbled, “This horse don’t got reins on it Jack, we just got to ride it as long as we can.”
They fell into an uncomfortable silence. Leaning over to him, Jack brushed the top of the fingers of his left hand against Ennis’s right sideburn and gently rubbed.
As the fire crackled, Ennis’ hand quietly found Jack’s.
That night there was no sex between them, they just lay naked together in the sleeping bag; Ennis pressed against Jack’s back cradling him in his strong and loving arms.
The long trip home the next day was done in almost complete silence. A block from the parking lot, Jack pulled over and gave Ennis a big bear hug, and a peck on the cheek.
They promised they’d keep in touch.
Ennis walked home alone, not looking up as Jack passed.
Down in the laundramat parking lot, Ennis got in his truck, started it, but didn’t want to go anywhere, so he just sat there eventually resting his head against the steering wheel. Emotionally exhausted, he started to doze off and a nightmare began of his father beating him.
Alma Jr. rushed down the stairs to come up on his door. “Daddy, did you bring me a big fish?”
97 - Jet in Columbus
"Horse with no Reins published Monday night-coming Tuesday D-I-V-O-R-C-E Stay tuned...
98 - Silas Kain
The more you expose Ennis, Jet, the angrier I get. What kind of parent would raise a child to believe that the parent would rather have the child dead than queer? This is a mindset that lives a healthy life in the rural hollows of America. Is this Christian? Is this morality? What kind of role models are we? It seems that in spite of our Bible-thumping, Puritanical self-righteous schtick about being the bastion of democracy and a beacon of light for the world, we're no better than a terrorist cowering in the hills of Afghanistan.
99 - chantal stone
very well put, Silas, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. For the life of me, I can't understand that mentality.
100 - Jet in Columbus
I wonder what Annie would say about all this. After all this is her work that I've been so carefully altering.
I've been feeling very guilty about that, after all if I were a writer I wouldn't like anyone fooling with my material.
That subject was brought home forcefully to me when I discovered yesterday that my article on Ken Blackwell had been stolen word for word and retitled under someone else's name, and posted on another website.
Of course my "version" of Brokeback Mountain isn't a word-for-word ripoff, and I take no credit for the storyline, still...
I tend to think of this as a tribute and expansion on her very short story, and though I give her credit as much as possible, sometimes I still wonder what she'd think...
101 - chantal stone
you give credit, where credit is due.....and the fact that it is her story, and not yours, just your "novelization", you make very clear all throughout this thread, Jet.
If it were my story, I would be flattered.
People put their own spin on original stories all the time. As long as you don't try to take credit for the original, you're fine.
102 - Jet in Columbus
Chantal, you, Silas and SteveS are better than Cymbalta. Thanks the next chapter will be posted tonight sometime after 10PM. Your helping a lot to endure a depression, and I thank you for it.
103 - Jet in Columbus
Tuesday night: this chapter is called "Oh I dreamed last night"
Over the next five years, Jack and Ennis did keep in touch, exchanging post cards and meeting twice a year or so when they could both get time off from family and work.
Their fishing/camping/hunting trips usually lasted between a week to ten days, and both spent most of the year looking forward to them.
“Deke” Newsome semi retired in 1974, after failing to gain a seat in the Texas Republican primary races. He turned the day-to-day operations of his farm equipment business over to Lorene, but kept a close eye on things, never letting Jack advance higher than head salesman.
As little Bobby grew, his learning disability became more of a problem, but Grandpa doted over him anyway.
Jack had regular bouts of depression, and began developing a drinking problem, though he kept pulling himself back from the brink before it became serious. He’d always come home from one of his fishing trips tenser than when he left. He knew he loved Ennis, but was never brave enough to utter the word.
Jack was the one who worked to keep the relationship going, and sometimes resented Ennis for seemingly not wanting it as much as he did.
Ennis was the more secretly loving emotionally, but couldn’t show it.
Jack was the more passionate sexually.
Both rationalized it by calling it a very close friendship that just happened to include sex.
Del Mar’s length was apparently a perfect fit to internally rub and stimulate Twist’s prostate in such away that crashing shattering orgasms came without Jack so much as touching himself, and his craving to be fucked became more intense. He felt terrible that to satisfy his ever-increasing need, he’d make periodic trips just across the border to Mexico, always telling Lorene he was on a “business trip.”
But it was only sex, and what he needed was love that only Ennis could give, but only seldomly.
On the home fronts, Ennis loved his daughters, but slowly began to resent Alma.
Monroe opened up more grocery stores and more Laundromats and recently had even started a catering business that he’d put Alma in charge of.
But that didn’t keep them ahead of the bills by a long shot, what with school clothes and supplies, doctor bills for Jenny’s asthma, and Alma Junior having to have her appendix out.
Huge yelling and screaming fights broke out between them over anything no matter how trivial. Ennis’s old ’55 truck finally gave out, and he bought a used Ford pick-up that was nearly falling apart and needed parts they didn’t have the money for.
She didn’t like that.
He also bought and sold horses on speculation instead of putting money away for the girl’s further education.
Alma started going to the Methodist Church with the girls, always leaving him behind when he mumbled something about Sunday being his only day off, not liking that “fire and brimstone” crowd and that and he wanted to sleep in one day a week.
Bibles appeared in the living room and the nightstand of the bedroom. He came home one day to find a crucifix nailed above the inside of their front door.
Then Monroe began regularly driving Alma and the kids to church every week and for socials and picnics.
After a particularly nasty and loud fight over his refusal to take a job with the electric company, Ennis went out to the bar to cool off. He’d never laid a hand on Alma in their years of marriage, but that night he’d come close. When he came back home, the sounds of the kids laughing up there, the TV playing loudly, and Alma singing, was too much for him, and he sat out in the night air on the tailgate of his truck for an hour smoking and wondering if his life would ever turn around for the better.
Above and behind him, he heard their storm door open, and didn’t bother to turn around, because he figured it was just Alma. He didn’t want to hear her bitch at him for staying out so late. The girls started calling out “Goodbye!” and he frowned to see Monroe come out on the landing and come down the stairs.
He must’ve not seen Ennis in the dark until he was right beside him, because he practically jumped out of his skin
Her resentment opened out a little every year: the embrace she had glimpsed of her husband and that Twist guy, Ennis’s fishing trips once or twice a year with him, but never a vacation with her and the girls, his disinclination to step out and have any fun unless it was alone, his yearning for low-paid, long-houred ranch work, his propensity to roll to the wall and sleep as soon as he hit the bed, his failure again to look for a decent permanent job with the county or the power company put her in a long, slow dive
Finally the summer of ’77 it all came to a head when Ennis was feeling particularly horny one night and just as he was about to enter her, Alma asked him to use a rubber.
“As far behind in the bills as we are; I don’t think it’d be a good idea not to use precautions.”
That killed the mood immediately.
Before rolling off of her panting with passion, he said in frustration, “If you don’t want any more of my kids, I’ll be happy to leave you alone.”
She remained silent and he rolled off her and took his usual position facing the wall.
She turned off the light and replied, “I’d have them, if you’d support them.”
In 1977 when Alma Jr., was nine and Jenny seven, Alma filed for divorce and custody of the girls.
When the court day came, Ennis felt like the world had crashed down on his shoulders. His self-image as a man who was a good husband and loving father was now shattered, and he felt like a complete failure. He loved and cherished his little girls more than his own life, and standing there his face held a mixture of equal parts resentment, hate, and shame.
As the Judge ruled in Alma’s favor and ordered Ennis to pay child support, his chest tightened to the point of hardly being able to breathe, and tears fell from his crestfallen eyes. He looked to be in such agony that both Alma Jr. and Jenny broke free of their mother and bawled open tears as they gathered around him, hugging him and looking frightened of the judge.
He wrote a heartbroken letter to Jack giving him the news, hoping he’d write back, but heard nothing for over a month and gave up waiting.
He was shocked when after another month Junior called to tell him that Alma had married Monroe.
Meanwhile, Twist starting making slow deliberate preparations to leave Lorene the moment he got Ennis’ card with news of the divorce. He didn’t care about Newsome’s money or his kid that his wife and father-in-law had taught to hate him. He went as far with his plans to just up and disappear on his family as he could without carefully leaving a way back “just in case”.
Ennis’ phone had been disconnected, and none of his postcards were answered, so Jack just assumed that Ennis would be waiting for him and leave hints in town where to find him.
When finally he could wait no longer, Twist nearly flew north in his truck; in fact at some railroad crossings, he actually left the ground. He was rushing to his man-his lover, and had been rehearsing how he was going to make “Deke” real happy by leaving Lorene, but it’d cost him dearly financially so Jack and Ennis could start up that ranch he'd fantasized about. Jack’d leave her for free, but Newsome didn’t have to know that.
Ennis finally had come to his senses and left his wife; they’d finally after long last be together like it should be, like it was meant to be.
He was smiling so much his cheeks ached and he couldn’t help singing all the way North to Riverton.
After the divorce, Ennis had moved into an old run-down house at his boss’ ranch’s far southern edge. It wasn’t much, but as he was fond of saying, “If you don’t have nothing, you don’t need nothing.” It took a lot of hard work on the place before the court would let the girls stay there over weekends, and he was overjoyed at their being there with him at last. That afternoon he’d fixed up some trout he’d caught and had frozen on his last “fishing trip” with Jack, and the girls as usual loved it. He only got to see them one weekend a month, and the time was precious to him.
After a nice day together teaching them how to ride horseback, he bundled them up in the truck with the promise of a drive-in movie. He was walking around to his door of the pickup, when he heard a truck horn blaring away behind the house coming toward him, and was astonished to see Jack pull up and jump out with his arms outspread.
Knowing the girls were watching, he approached cautiously, darting his eyes at Jack towards the girls, but Twist didn’t get the hint and rushed up and gave him an affectionate bear hug.
Ennis pulled away cautiously and asked, “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Hell, I drove 18 hours from Texas, asked a dozen people in Riverton where you’d moved to and that’s all you got to say?”
“Jack, I uh, you don’t understand, I…”
Jack pulled away and replied with a frown, “I got your note about the divorce and all, and I figured that meant we…”
The look Ennis gave him, froze Twist’s throat, and del Mar’s eyes darted toward the truck again.
Shifting his arms so only one was around his shoulder, he guided Jack to the driver side of his old truck and gestured inward, saying, “Girls this is my old friend Jack; he’s a good fishing and camping friend of mine.”
Taken aback at his first sight of Ennis’ daughters, Jack simply said, “Hi.”
They both stared, sort of stunned. As they’d grown up they’d heard fights through the bedroom wall between their parents about someone named Jack.
When the silence went a little too long, their father tersely said, “Say ‘hi’ girls,”
“Hi” they replied in unison, as Ennis lead him out of earshot.
Looking back at the girls, Jack continued, “I just figured that your note meant that you wanted to, that you wanted me to… you know.”
Ennis bowed his head, “Jack; I’m sorry… you know I am.”
To Jack’s puzzled frown, he added, “I only get the girls once a month and I missed last month because of the round up, so I…”
A white pickup drove slowly by with two men in it, pointedly looking their way.
Ennis took a step backward, and Jack followed his eyes and saw the men watching them too.”
Twist, nodded disappointment, and said reluctantly, “Yeah, okay.”
“Jack, if there was any way I could… You know I would,”
Jack wasn’t as important in Ennis’ life as he’d hoped he’d be, so he nodded again and turned to pace back to his truck. As he opened the door, Ennis’ voice came from behind him at a distance, “I’ll see ya next month, right?”
Jack nodded and slammed his door, started the engine and gunned it backward, spitting gravel and dust, and was gone in moments.
The ache in Ennis’ heart was almost unbearable, because he missed Jack as much as Jack missed him. He put on a happy smile and got in his truck, “So what do my girls wanna see tonight?”
Jack sobbed heartbroken almost all the way back. He was thankful he hadn’t gone too far with his plans, and was so deep in thought that he missed the turn off home.
So full was his heart with resentment and disillusionment, he couldn’t stand to see his wife and the life he didn’t want, but would be stuck with probably the rest of his life, so he made a decision and headed toward Mexico.
It took him an hour or so to find a guy willing to sell himself who looked a lot like Ennis, and since Lorene thought he’d be gone the whole week, he spent the whole week with him…
Over the next few years, Ennis went back to ranch work, hired on here and there, not getting much ahead but glad enough to be around stock again, free to drop things, quit if he had to, and go into the mountains with Jack at short notice. Paying the child support was rough, but he never missed one damned payment.
His parents had raised Ennis well before they died, and he was taught that a man never uses the word love unless forced to, and never to another man.
One of the girls left an album by the Moody Blue’s Justin Hayward and John Lodge called Bluejays after a visit one Sunday and he put it on out of curiosity.
He wore one song out almost completely one night listening to it over and over.
Oh I dreamed last night I was hearing,
Hearing your voice,
And the things that you said well they left me,
Left me no choice.
And you told me we had the power
And you told me this was the hour
But you don’t know how
If I could show you now
Well I dreamed last night you were calling,
Calling my name.
You were locked inside of you secrets
Calling my name.
And you told me lost was the key
And you told me how you long to be free
That you don’t know how
Oh let me show you now
Like a bird on a far distant mountain
Like a ship on an uncharted sea
You are lost in the arms that have found you.
Don’t be afraid
Love’s plans are made
Oh don’t be afraid
If there’s a time
And a place to begin love
It must be now
Let it go
Set it free
Oh I dreamed last night I was hearing,
Hearing your voice
Why did you say those things that have left me,
Left me no choice
When you told me we had the power
Why did you tell me now was the hour
But you don’t know how
Oh let me show you now
Like a bird on a far distant mountain
Like a ship on an uncharted sea
You are lost in the arms that have found you
Oh don’t be afraid
Love’s plans are made
Don’t be afraid
If there’s a time
And a place to begin love
It must be now
Let it go
Set it free
Oh I dreamed last night I was hearing
Hearing your voice
Emotionally Ennis became more and more crippled by not being able to express how lonely he’d become, and silently in his room where no one could see, he’d cry sometimes while listening to that song over and over...
104 - Jet in Columbus
Enjoy this one, A new chapter to fallow tomorrow night...
105 - chantal stone
Again, this was excellent, Jet....thanks. I hope you can print the rest of it by Thursday, otherwise I will be waiting rather imaptiently....I'm going out of town early Friday morning for about a week.
106 - Silas Kain
If Jack only knew how much Ennis really loved him. **sigh** What would the neighbors think?
107 - Jet in Columbus
I'll Try Chantal...
108 - Jet in Columbus
Well, it looks like this article was stolen too! I just found a word for word copy of it including the photo I created for it on another site.
A lot of people seem to like my work, too bad they fail to mention I wrote the original article.
109 - Jet in Columbus
Well upon further investigation aside from a few fan sites that have quoted my word for word without crediting me, a tiwanese site is apparently translating my "novelization" into Chinese!
I may have to stop.
110 - just because
No don't stop!! I don't think the movie was allowed to be shown in certain countries so they may be desperate to know the movie story.
The last one was fantastic, or maybe I'm just a sucker for song lyrics...
111 - chantal stone
Wow jet....well at least you know now that more than 4 people are reading this. But don't stop now.....if anything, just post the rest to your own blog. You definitely have our attention.
112 - Jet in Columbus
It's an interesting feeling to be honored and pissed at the same time. Still no response of the offending website.
I plan to write an article about it, which will probably be ripped off too!
I've got my shrink appointment today, so I may only be able to post "My Dad was right!" my favorite scene, and that'll probably be it. Look for it later this afternoon or tonight.
More when I can...
Have a safe trip Chantal!
113 - chantal stone
I know the feeling Jet...
And THANKS. We're going to my mother-in-laws family reunion in Savannah, GA. It's going to be hotter than holy hell, but I'm looking forward to the trip. The reunion itself is only a couple of days, but after that I look forward to just exploring Savannah and taking a TON of pictures.
I was even thinking about doing like a photo-essay thingy, or maybe a travel-journal type article. I don't know, we'll see...it won't be that easy to write AND shoot, all with 3 kids hanging around. But either way, I will have many many photos, so when I get them all up, you'll have to check out my photo site.
114 - Jet in Columbus
Okay I'll rush the next chapter through in about an hour or so, thanks Chantal.
115 - Jet in Columbus
Wednesday afternoon: new chapter "My Dad was Right!"
Laying there exhausted and spent he sat up to spot the object of his fantasy riding through the brush halfway down the mountain trail and quickly dressed.
He had about half an hour.
Jack came lagging around 45 minutes later, groaning and tired as he dismounted, he complained, “I’m commutin' four hours a day,” as he took a skillet of fresh cooked eggs, elk meat and fried potatoes, and a cup of coffee from Ennis. He added, “Come in for breakfast, go back to the sheep, evening’ get em bedded down, come in for supper, go back to the sheep, spend half the night jumpin up and checkin for coyotes. By rights I should be spendin the night here. Aguirre’s got no right to make me do this against the rules.”
Because of the sexual dreams of which he had no name Ennis was now afraid of being alone in camp with Jack. Afraid of what “this thing” that’d taken hold of his thoughts and fantasies might make him do before he got it under control.
If Jack wanted to be down here so bad, he’d have to be up there with the sheep.
“You wanna switch?” offered Ennis. “I wouldn’t mind bein’ up there.”
“That ain’t the point. Point is we both should be in this camp. Besides, that goddamn pup tent smells like cat piss or worse.”
Ennis thought, "Damn! Try again."
“Wouldn’t mind bein out there,” he repeated the offer.
Jack met his friend’s eyes, “Well, I’m happy to switch with you, but I’ll give you fair warning, I can’t cook worth shit. I’m pretty good with a can opener though.”
Ennis responded, “Can’t be no worse than me, then.” scraping some potatoes out of the frying pan and handing the plate to Jack, avoiding his eyes.
They spent the afternoon and evening, planning where to set up the camp next week, after they decided to move the herd to another grazing spot, and then around ten Ennis mounted Cigar Butt, who he’d judged to be a good night horse after checking his rifle.
Jack joined him and warned, “You won’t get much sleep, I promise you that.”
Ennis only grunted a response, clicked his cheek at the horse and silently rode off up to the sheep, carrying leftover biscuits, a jar of jam, and a thermos of coffee with him for the next day, saying he’d save a trip, and stay out until supper. He needed time to think this through.
That night an odd sadness came over Jack as he tried to sleep. He couldn’t name it, but suspected it had to do with how good it felt to be around Ennis’ shy friendship. Them holding each other after Ennis bagged the elk, was more thrilling than he’d expected, and it seemed as if they didn’t want to let go of each other.
It’d started as a game with Jack, like a child that wasn’t allowed to have something, so he was determined to get it by hook or by crook. In this case it was a smile from Ennis.
All through the weeks they’d been up here, Jack would tell funny stories or just laugh hoping for del Mar’s smile, but never got one. Then they killed that elk. Jack found himself craving just being around the ranch hand, and was disappointed when instead of staying in camp, Ennis offered that switch derailing his hoped plan to keep them together more often.
If he closed his eyes he could feel Ennis’ strong chest and back again, enclosed in his arms, thrilling as the sinewy muscles writhed beneath his touch.
That night Jack did some gasping of his own, and it wasn’t from thinking about that pretty barrel rider in Childress. Just as he reached climax a gun blast sounded far in the distance in the direction of the sheep…
Later the next afternoon, del Mar came back down the mountain, stripped off his shirt and began shaving. “Shot a coyote last night,” he told Jack, sloshing his face with hot water, lathering up soap, and hoping his last razor blade had some cut left in it, while Jack peeled potatoes. “Big son of a bitch; had balls on him the size of apples. Looked like he could eat a camel. You want some a this hot water? There’s plenty.”
It irked Jack that Ennis bagged the damned coyote that he’d missed so many times. He gingerly picked up a can of beans that’d been heating on the grate and took the opener to it. The red sauce spat out of it as the opener pierced the tin, and sprayed all over him.
“It’s all yours,” said Jack, indicating the kettle, clumsily dropping the can back down on the grate.
“Well, I’m gonna warsh everthing I can reach,” he said, pulling off his boots, jeans and everything else till he was crouched naked at the fire, slopping the green washcloth lathered with soap.
Jack began to panic, not understanding the strange desire he suddenly felt to watch Ennis as he rubbed and probed every part of his muscular body. It was a fight, but his eyes dared not move, but he could see him out of the corner of his eye, and nicked his thumb with the knife not paying attention to what he was doing.
He cussed under his breath, and turned away to suck at it, drying it with his shirtsleeve.
Without realizing it while his back was turned, Ennis had moved away, and Jack finally spotted him a few moments later, still naked, standing on a log bridge about to dive into the stream to rinse off.
What he didn’t know was that Ennis had felt Jack’s attention, and began to harden. While the rodeo rider’s attention was diverted by the cut, the ranch hand fled to the stream.
For a brief terrifying moment, his mind wandered to a scene he’d witnessed as a boy, of an old man who’d been beaten to death in a dried out irrigation ditch.
The sound of the stream beneath him brought him back to reality, and he dove off the bridge to the cold mountain water.
Later that afternoon, they got another campfire going to fight off the coming evening chill. Ennis would have to leave soon to go tend the sheep overnight, but Jack didn’t want him to go.
Ennis had just settled down in front the flickering flames, warming his hands, as Jack returned from taking a piss. When Ennis looked up at his friend standing above him, Twist jutted his hips forward, proudly clinking the chromed prize bull-riding belt buckle with his fingernail.
“You rodeo much?”
Ennis shook his head no. “Not more’n once or twice. Couldn’t see the point in riding a piece of stock for only eight seconds.”
Jack’s eyebrows rose. “The prize money’s a good reason,” he responded, pushing his worn boots closer to the fire to warm his feet.
“Yeah, if you don’t get stomped to death in the process.”
Jack shrugged unable to argue, because if he’d really been any good at it, he wouldn’t be here babysitting sheep.
“My dad was a pretty good prize winning bull rider in his day,” Jack said kinda sadly. “But he kept the secrets to his success to himself, and never once came to see me ride.”
Not wanting to see their conversation end, he thought a moment and then asked, “Your brother and sister do right by you?”
Raising his galvanized cup of coffee to his lips to take a sip, Ennis paused in thought, and then replied, “Well, after my parents died, the bank took the ranch, and we was left with a coffee can with twenty-four dollars in it… I was fourteen then. I got me one of them hardship licenses so I could drive back and forth to high school, but the transmission went on the pickup, so there went any hope of graduating.
“After that, we sorta moved around for a couple of years, and my sister married her a roughneck and they picked up stakes and moved to Casper. My brother and me, we got a job on a ranch near Worland, but then he got married when I turned nineteen, and… no more room for me,” he paused to take a sip of coffee and added, “And that’s how I wound up here.”
Ennis looked up and saw Jack giving him an odd sideways smile, like the kind of look you give to a little boy who’s just said something cute.
They locked eyes for a couple of moments.
Ennis couldn’t figure out the look Jack was still giving him, and asked, “What?”
Jack’s face broke out in a grin. “Friend; I believe that’s the most you’ve said at one time in two weeks.”
Del Mar only shrugged, met his eyes and said, “Hell that’s the most I’ve said in a year,” and then added, “My dad, he was a fine roper… He didn’t rodeo much though; he thought all rodeo cowboys were all fuck ups.”
Jack straightened, considered whether he’d just been intentionally insulted, and decided he hadn’t, so he responded smoothly with a sideways glance, “Like hell we are.”
An uncomfortable silence ensued, that Jack felt needed broken, so he suddenly jumped to his feet, stuck his face down close to Ennis’ and abruptly yelled, “Yeeeeee Hawwwwww!” nearly startling the coffee out of del Mar’s cup.
Moving around behind him, Twist started bucking his legs and jolting up and down like there was a bull under him, and called out, “There he is folks; world Champion bull rider Jack Twist!”
Ennis grinned back at Jack, and shook his head disapprovingly, “There he goes!”
Twist had his reward, Ennis’ laughing smile broad and happy and the sight of it shot pure joy through Jack’s body like good whiskey.
Jack continued undaunted, jumped around backwards, waving his hat at an imaginary stadium full of fans, “He’s on a world record ride, folks, wavin’ at all the pretty girls in the stands and…”
Suddenly he fell backwards, tripping over some camp supplies, landing flat on his ass to the clattering of pots and pans, with an embarrassed laugh.
Ennis shook his head and called out over his shoulder, “I think my dad was right!”
After another half an hour, Ennis got up and headed toward his horse, mounted it, and rode off up the mountain.
Jack sat pondering the fire, wondering once again why he was so sad to see the ranch hand leave and trying not to admit to himself that he knew.
The craving friendship that Jack felt for Ennis was love; it was the only word he knew that would fit. Jack had spent so much time wanting to please him, craving his approval, desiring his touch.
Jack wasn’t queer, he knew that, but maybe he was a little, but only for Ennis.
The ride up the mountain was spent humming a happy tune on the ranch hand’s part. They were respectful of each other’s opinions, each glad to have a companion where none had been expected. Ennis, riding against the wind back up to the herd in the hazy bright moonlight, thought he’d never had such a good time, and felt he could paw the white right out of the moon...
116 - Jet in Columbus
Okay, that's posted Chantal, I'll try to get another posted this evening. What to you think my chances of getting the unedited x-rated tent scene pivitol to the movie posted bast Mr. Rose?
117 - chantal stone
I don't know Jet.....depends on his mood, I guess. I'll have to try to read it quickly before he deletes it!
Thanks again, great as usual :)
118 - Jet in Columbus
Still no response from my plagaritst. Alas. I'll try to post another in a few, but the famous tent scene would take hours to edit, so I'll have to forgoe it, since Chris as seen fit not to respond. Give me about half an hour or so.
119 - Jet in Columbus
This chapter is the 2nd posted today. I call it "You Bet!"
Meanwhile, Ennis settled into fatherhood and ranching, spending more and more time away from home and from Alma’s constant whining about wanting a better life. He’d even considered applying to work up on Brokeback again that next summer, but decided against it because the pay was better ranching.
He bought an old ’55 Chevy truck that he barely kept running, and he had to use the emergency brake to stop with, but it got him back and forth to the ranch.
Alma was always trying to get him a better job here or there, her latest with the local power company, but Ennis only remarked, “Hell, honey, as clumsy as I am, I’d probably get electrocuted.
Things settled deeper into a pattern of church picnics, drive-in movies, eating cheap food, and barely making the bills.
As things got more strained between them, Ennis found her a job working for Monroe at his food market down the street, figuring that it’d give him an excuse to be out working while she watched the girls and vise versa...
...Near the end of the Rodeo season, Jack finally found the girl he’d been looking for in Childress. She had an expensive horse, and expensive car, and cheap tastes in men, fortunately for him.
Only after he’d gotten her pregnant in the back of her father’s new Thunderbird, did he find out he’d hit the “mother load”. Lorene Newsome’s daddy owned a company that sold very expensive farm equipment, and after the baby was born, and it was a boy, the old man fell madly in love, bragging that the baby looked just like his grandpa.
They of course named it after him-Robert “Deke” Newsome II.
Deke Sr. rewarded Jack with a job selling combines to rich farmers, which kept him on the road a lot.
Lorene’s nickname for Jack was “Rodeo”, and he became comfortable with it, until Deke started using it in an insulting tone, as if it was the ultimate put-down.
In January of 1965 Jack got notice that he’d been drafted.
Deke Newsome said he had contacts that’d help his son-in-law avoid winding up in Vietnam. He promised his daughter he’d try.
Senior never lifted a finger; the best thing that could happen would for his little girl to be widowed by that loser. He’d be real pleased to have a dead war hero in the family, and she collect the war casualty and life insurance he had on him, and then start her life over again.
Jack reported to the draft board for his physical and failed because of the rodeo injuries to his back.
Of course, Deke took credit for keeping him out of the war, but a more resentful tone crept into his voice whenever he called him “Rodeo” from then on.
Within the space of only three years of marriage, Jack was miserable, living under his wife’s and his father-in-law’s thumbs, despite the fine new modern house, a new truck, and the big salary.
He started spending even more and more time away from home, selling.
Little Bobby as he grew seemed to have been born retarded, and Old Man Newsome started calling him Rodeo Jr. instead of Bobby Junior, and didn’t seem to visit as frequently as he used to.
Lorene began keeping the books for her father, and became good at running the day-to-day operations of Newsome Farm Equipment Company…
1967 came, and Ennis was still ranching, and holding down odd jobs here and there. Alma took up a real friendship with Monroe, thinking it’d make her husband jealous, but it didn’t. She switched from working at the market, to Monroe’s Laundromat just downstairs.
The girls had learned to talk, and Alma Jr. was looking forward to maybe going to kindergarten next year.
Alma had done her best to fix up their new place, though it was obvious that Ennis hated it. The sound of the washers and dryers going at all hours in the dry cleaners below, was tough to handle for a man who was used to living out in the peaceful prairie.
Mostly he’d come home for meals, catch up with “his girls” and then head out to a bar, unless he had to watch his daughters that night.
Mostly he played pool, and shot the breeze, but did little drinking. He had few friends, because of his standoffish attitude and sparseness of words.
He’d run into Joe Aguirre last fall at a church social, and introduced him to Alma and his family.
Obviously the foreman didn’t remember who the hell he was, and didn’t seem to care. Even offering Ennis a job on Brokeback, which he turned down.
After that incident, Jack began playing on Ennis’ mind. He hadn’t given Twist much thought in years, being too busy keeping his family fed, and settling on the excuse he’d never find him again anyway even if he did want to look him up-which he didn’t. He had too many problems in his life now, without trying to sort out feelings he didn’t understand.
In the middle of June he climbed the stairs to his apartment, to find his wife cooking as usual and the kids playing loudly, and crossed the kitchen to wash his hands for supper muttering a hello to his wife, who didn’t answer.
After a few mumbled sentences at each other, she asked, “You know someone name of Jack?”
He froze a moment, as his face grew a puzzled frown. How the hell did she know about Jack? “Uh, maybe… Why?”
“You got a general delivery postcard from him today, “ she replied, nodding to the counter beside him.
He picked it up and his heart sang, though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, much less himself.
It said, "Friend this letter is a long time over due.
Hope you get it. Heard you was in Riverton.
I’m coming thru on the 24th.
thought I’d stop and buy you a beer.
Drop me a line if you can, say if your there, Jack"
The return address was Childress, Texas.
“Someone you cowboyed with?”
Ennis blinked, and brought himself out of a fond memory. In reply he mumbled, “No, Jack’s mostly rodeos.”
As he turned to walk toward the front door, he said over his shoulder, “We was fishin’ buddies.”
He grabbed his hat and nearly ran down the stairs to his truck, leaving Alma wondering where he was going.
Two blocks south, Ennis bought a plain pre-stamped postcard at the post office, jotted a quick “You Bet!”
Then copied the address from the card, and dropped it in the outgoing mail slot.
Within a week, cards were exchanged along with directions, and a date was set, though Jack didn’t know what time he’d get there.
The day was hot and clear in the morning, but by noon the clouds had pushed up out of the west rolling a little sultry air before them. Ennis, wearing his best shirt, and clean jeans, had taken the day off, pacing with a beer back and forth, looking down into a pale with dust rear parking lot from his second floor window. Alma was saying something about taking his friend to the Knife & Fork for supper instead of cooking, it was so hot, if they could get a babysitter, but Ennis said more than likely he’d just go out with Jack and get drunk and that Jack wasn’t a restaurant type...
120 - chantal stone
the Knife and Fork....so generic LOL
thanks Jet....
now I gotta scroll to fine the chapter that follows and read that again!
121 - Jet in Columbus
Sorry sweetie in both the book and the movie that's what it's called!
Have a safe trip!
122 - chantal stone
I know I know.....it just struck me as funny....
it's late, and I'm getting slap-happy
123 - Jet in Columbus
You DO know that two chapters were posted tonight right?
124 - chantal stone
yup, I read them both....both were fabulous!
125 - Jet in Columbus
Okay, again have a good trip sweetie. I'll work on editing a postable version of the chapter "The Tent" by the time you get back.
Time to get out the thesaraus.
Oy...