Monday, November 21, 2005

Peggy Contest Deadline Announced

Nov 27, midnight, Pacific Time, will be the deadline for voting on the outcome of Peggy Finds A Friend.

You can, if you wish, provide a few paragraphs explaining your choice and you might win a $100 BookSense gift card.

Please go to the Peggy Contest Page to find out more and to cast your vote!

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Peggy Contest Update

At long last it's time for the Peggy Finds A Friend writing contest.

If you have stayed with Peggy this far, congratulations, and thank you for reading. The second-to-last episode, Part Sixty-Nine, was posted Nov 2. Part Seventy, when it is published, will be the end of the story.

I've been saying all along that I would like readers to propose an ending to the story. If you've been reading you now know the choices: does Peggy go to Massachusetts for a one-year residency at Woods Hole, or does she move in with Raoul? Part Seventy, the final episode, will answer that question.

Here's the setting of the final episode: it will be a party at Raoul's house. I don't know the complete menu, but I do know that he will make Pumpkin Crème Brulee and there will be pictures of him carmelizing the sugar with his new kitchen torch. There will be lots of music. The party will either be a housewarming for Peggy because she just moved in, or it will be a going away party. Either way, Peggy will be happy with her decision. Even though this story is basically about grief, we want it to have a happy ending. The question is, what is her decision, and, most importantly, why?

And what about the others? In my opinion, Luke is still a question mark. He could end up with Paula or Florence. In spite of Paula's tough talk I think she still has a soft spot for Luke. On the other hand, Luke may not deserve Paula. As for Florence, if Peggy goes to Woods Hole, then Florence could perhaps end up with Raoul! Who knows. That's for you to decide. Kelly is fairly simple; he will be there with his new friend, Xena, who is one of Raoul's bandmates. They met at a previous party and Kelly went misty-eyed on us.

I'm imagining a fun scene, one where the clues lead both ways, and the resolution doesn't come until the very end. Your input on this will be critical.

Don't forget, I'm giving away a $100 dollar Book Sense bookstore certificate to the reader who proposes the resolution that best fits the story and the characters. I may use a panel of judges to determine this; I'm not sure yet.

To submit an entry, go to Writing Contest.

To read the complete story, send a request to comments@billbranley.com.

Thank you for reading Peggy Finds A Friend.

Bill Branley

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Part Sixty-Nine

This concludes the multi-part episode that began with Part Sixty-Four.

Friday, October 14



As the boat neared Blake Island, Peggy moved forward, unsteadily, and gripped the back of Luke's seat with one hand while holding onto her hat with the other. The island seemed desolate, prehistoric, a place where ancient rituals might be performed in great secrecy. She felt like a trespasser, and it filled her with dread. What am I doing here, she wondered.

They spotted another boat coming toward them from the island. It was just a blurry dot at first, possibly a buoy. But the shape gradually became larger and more identifiable: a small motorboat. Luke altered course slightly to the left to give it room, and slowed his speed so as not to generate too large a wake. The oncoming boat swerved to the right.

The two boats closed the gap rapidly. Peggy stood behind Luke, on the right side of their boat, shading her eyes to get a better view. She saw two figures in the other boat. It bounced lightly on the surface of the water.

Finally it was almost abreast of them, then almost past them, when Peggy recognized a familiar outline, a face with a beard, a familiar jacket.

Peggy shouted. "That's Raoul!" She waved. "Raoul!" she yelled. She saw his head turn, the upper part of his face obscured by sunglasses and a hat. She did not recognize the other man with him.

Florence stood up quickly, too quickly, just as Luke executed a u-turn sharply to the right. Florence let out a scream as she fell back.

Peggy turned. Florence reached wildly for something to grab. Anything. Peggy saw that she was going over. Luke was preoccupied with steering the boat.

Florence hit the rail with her backside and started to tumble. Her left hand swung into the air. Peggy caught it. With her other hand she reached around Florence's waist and lugged her back into the boat.

"Are you okay, Florence?" Peggy asked.

Florence nodded, out of breath. "Mercy. I almost went for a dip." She smiled at Peggy and hugged her. "I always knew you were a sweetheart."

Peggy then turned to see Raoul staring at them, his sunglasses now removed, his expression a mixture of bewilderment and concern, but also a trace of amusement. They all stood looking at each other for a very long moment. Peggy began to have the sinking feeling that she had made a huge mistake. Raoul didn't look very lost. Being rescued appeared to be the farthest thing from his mind.

"Hello, Raoul. Fancy meeting you in the middle of Puget Sound on a Friday afternoon," said Peggy with a weak smile.

Raoul held up his hands. "Wait. Just because we're standing in two boats in the middle of Puget Sound is no excuse for my bad manners." He motioned toward the other man. "This is Ed Semp, who has been a good friend for many, many years."

Ed had a weathered face and lots of wrinkles around his eyes. He waved at them, then looked at Kelly. "Hello, Kelly Flinn. It's been a while."

"Hello, Ed."

"Ed, these are my commuting companions from the ferry. You obviously know Kelly." One by one Raoul introduced the other occupants of Luke's boat. He saved Peggy for last, and he said, "...and this is Peggy."

Ed's eyes rested on her and he said, "Ah."

Peggy wanted to disappear under a seat cushion.

"I'm dying to know how you all happen to be out for a pleasure cruise in Luke's boat on a Friday afternoon," said Raoul. "But first, I want to tell you something very important. Since you're all friends you have a right to know. I was having dinner with Ed, here, earlier this week and he made an observation." Raoul paused and looked at Ed. "He told me that I had never gotten over Priscilla's death. I told him he was crazy. Then he proposed that we go camping and talk about it. So we did, and Ed proceeded to tell me all the reasons why he thought that was true. I won't bore you with the details, but after a couple of days I began to believe he was right."

He paused, and Ed nodded his head to confirm that Raoul had given an accurate accounting of things. They all stood lost in their own thoughts, listening to the water lapping against the sides of the boats.

"Now I feel great," Raoul continued, "but I don't think it would have happened without Peggy. You got me out of my shell over these past few months. Especially when you brought up the idea of that environmental club. I was very negative about it, but later I realized the problem was me: I was too wrapped up in my own world, still living with Priscilla. I didn't want any intruders."

The silence was soft and filled with light. Then Raoul said, "Now, then, you've heard my story. What brings all of you out here?"

All eyes turned to Peggy. She squirmed; she had never felt so foolish in her life. "It was my idea. I asked Luke to take me for a boat ride, and everyone came along. It's much too nice a day to be inside working, don't you all agree?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

Raoul looked at them for a moment, then said. "Sounds like fun. Look, why don't we all get together some time?" Then he said, "Peggy, can I call you later?"

"Sure," she said quietly.

Finally he turned to Ed. "Shall we?"

"Nice meetin' you folks," said Ed Semp with a wave. Ed started the boat and they brought it around and headed back to Eagle Harbor.

Luke looked at Peggy. "What now?"

Peggy sat dejectedly on a bench seat.

Paula spoke up. "I'd like to see something, since we're out here."

"I could give you a guided tour of Blakely Harbor," said Kelly. "There was lots of activity there a hundred years ago. You wouldn't know it unless somebody pointed out what was what."

While Peggy sat in a state of numbness, Kelly directed Luke toward Blakely Harbor, near the south end of Bainbridge Island, and explained how it looked during the island's lumber harvesting boom days, when nearly all the trees on the island were cut and shipped to San Francisco for the purpose of rebuilding that city after the 1906 fire.

Peggy hardly heard a word of Kelly's description. She could not get rid of the awful feeling of having blundered mightily. She was so blind, she realized with annoyance. I thought I was so together, I had him all figured out. Yet I'm the one who's lost. I'm the one who hasn't recovered. I was using his problems as a shield so I didn't have to deal with my own. I created obstacles for my own protection. She closed her eyes and felt embarrassment and shame wash over her like ocean spray.

Peggy was not very talkative as they returned to the dock in Luke's boat and disembarked. Peggy thanked everyone for coming along and said over and over how much she appreciated their company. They all hugged her and wished her well. Then she returned home on foot, walking quickly and purposefully.

She entered her house knowing her next move. She called her boss.

"Milton?" she said.

"Peggy. Yes, yes. How are you? Did you find Raoul?"

"Yes. We got all that straightened out. The reason I'm calling is about the dinner. Is it still on?"

"You bet. I have reservations at Wild Ginger," said Milton excitedly.

"Can you add one more?"

"You?"

"Yes, I would like to go, if it's okay."

Milton's voice was filled with relief. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that."

"I gave it some thought and decided that I'm not quite ready to burn my bridges, as they say."

"Well in that case, let me tell you something that I didn't mention before. By the way, wear something nice tonight because this is really an interview."

"What kind of interview?" said Peggy.

"Dr. Hinckley has offered us a one-year residency at his research center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts."

Peggy gasped. She knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The charming seaside town of Woods Hole was the Center of the Universe as far as many climate-change researchers were concerned.

"Yes. You heard me correctly."

"A year in Woods Hole! That's amazing. But I'm not a scientist," she said.

"That's okay. This residency is focused on using data to propose and debate policy. That's exactly what you're a genius at."

"Don't get carried away, Milton."

"Look, I haven't formally nominated you. But I want to see what kind of rapport you can establish with Dr. Hinckley. If you guys hit it off, and you want to go, you let me know in private. Deal?"

"Okay. But I'm not making any promises."

"Thanks, Peg. See you at the restaurant at 7 p.m."

Peggy hung up and took a shower. She stood under the warm water for a long time to wash off the salty sea air from Puget Sound. Then, dressed in her robe, she opened her closet and considered her clothing options.

There was really only one option: black, with some kind of flattering color on top. She chose a black skirt and black heels and a soft blouse the color of emerald-green water. I'll look like I belong in Woods Hole, she thought. She rummaged and found a hairpiece that matched, and a sparkling pendant that would look smart over the blouse. She laid everything on her bed and studied it critically. She pulled on the skirt and checked herself in the mirror. Too short? Or too long?

The phone rang. It was Raoul. She sat on her bed.

"Can I fix dinner for you tonight?" he asked.

"I have a business dinner to attend, at Wild Ginger."

"Nice. Must be an important guest."

"Yes. Milton's all worked up about it. I can't say no."

Pause. "I have some important things to say, and I wanted to say them in person."

"Have you called Deidre?" Peggy asked.

"Yes. I got an earful."

"Are you surprised?"

"I suppose I should have left word."

"That would have been helpful."

"You're sore at me aren't you?"

"That's putting it mildly. I've just spent the most frustrating day of my life and it's not even over yet."

"Can I come over?"

"I'm busy getting ready for my dinner. I have to rest and collect my thoughts."

"Okay, then, I'll say what I have to say."

She waited.

"You have helped me more than you know. I didn't even get into it when we were out there in the boat. You have turned my life around."

Her mood softened.

"I've been a jerk for years, and along comes one person, you, and it's reversed."

"People don't turn their lives around on a dime," she said. "It may be the beginning of a reversal, perhaps, but I wouldn't become complacent."

"But I can see where it's going, and I can see what an impact you've had." He cleared his throat. She sensed something big was coming. "I want to discuss, uh, some kind of new arrangement between us."

"Like?"

"Would you like to move in with me?" The words came out rushed, and she felt bad that he had to say them over the phone.

"I suppose it would be a bit like having your own personal trainer right in your house."

"Peggy, I knew this would be misunderstood..."

"No, I understand perfectly. Whenever you get depressed I cheer you up. Is that it? Well who's going to cheer me up? I don't see anyone helping me with my issues. Believe me, I've learned today that I still have issues."

"I want to help you. We need to help each other."

"That's not the basis for a relationship; it sounds more like a dependency. I don't want to be on drugs. I want to be healthy."

"Are you sure you don't have just ten minutes to meet with me?"

"And besides, where would this lead? Is this one of these sex-with-no-commitment deals?"

"I didn't think you'd be interested in marriage."

"I can't answer that. In fact, if you had proposed marriage I would be dropping the phone and running for my life. To be honest, I like the idea of living with you. But it has to feel right. It has to feel healthy and loving, and not two clueless people depending on each other for emotional sanity."

They were silent for several minutes. Peggy played with the hem of her skirt and tested how it looked when she crossed her legs. It does ride up fairly high, she observed. It was snug and felt sexy. She knew what she wanted to feel at that moment: she wanted to feel Raoul's hands sliding the skirt down her hips.

"There's not much else I have to say," he said at last.

"I'm sorry for being cross with you. I need to take a nap and go to my dinner. And I'll call you this weekend."

"Deal," he said.

Peggy observed that it was the second deal she was offered that day. It was a day of deals. What else was in store for her?

There was an intake of breath on the other end of the line, the telltale signal that he was about to speak. There was even the tentative beginnings of a syllable being uttered.

"Don't say it," she said. "Don't say those words."

"Don't?"

"It will just confuse me."

He exhaled. He was working very hard at this, and she was touched by it. "Okay," he said. "Until the weekend."

"Thanks. Bye."

Peggy hung up the phone, slipped out of her skirt and crawled into bed after setting the alarm clock. She woke up an hour later, feeling somewhat refreshed, and carefully applied makeup and lipstick, thinking, 'Hmm, Wild Ginger is rather dark,' and then dressed for her outing. She drank a cup of tea slowly and thought about work, specifically about the ocean temperature study that she had been working on, and replayed in her mind the key points, the "cocktail conversation" as Milton would call it.

When it was time to go she put extra cash into her purse for the taxi ride from the ferry terminal to the restaurant. She slipped a dark cashmere coat around her shoulders and checked herself once more in the mirror. She was beautiful.

Peggy left her house and walked to the ferry terminal, stepping carefully down the path in her high heels. She wondered if she should have brought some flat shoes to walk in.


Author's Note:

If you have stayed with Peggy this far, congratulations, and thank you for reading. You have just read the second-to-last episode of Peggy Finds A Friend. Yes, that's right, the next episode, Part Seventy, is the end of the story.

I've been saying all along that I would like readers to propose an ending to the story. Well, now you know the choices: does Peggy go to Massachusetts for a year, or does she move in with Raoul? Part Seventy, the final episode, will answer that question.

Here's the setting: it will be a party at Raoul's house. I don't know the complete menu, but I do know that he will make Pumpkin Crème Brulee and there will be pictures of him carmelizing the sugar with his new kitchen torch. There will be lots of music. The party will either be a housewarming for Peggy because she just moved in, or it will be a going away party. Either way, Peggy will be happy with her decision. Even though this story is basically about grief, we want it to have a happy ending. The question is, what is her decision, and, most importantly, why?

And what about the others? In my opinion, Luke is still a question mark. He could end up with Paula or Florence. In spite of Paula's tough talk I think she still has a soft spot for Luke. On the other hand, Luke may not deserve Paula. As for Florence, if Peggy goes to Woods Hole, then Florence could perhaps end up with Raoul! Who knows. That's for you to decide. Kelly is fairly simple; he will be there with his new friend, Xena, who is one of Raoul's bandmates. They met at a previous party and Kelly went misty-eyed on us.

I'm imagining a fun scene, one where the clues lead both ways, and the resolution doesn't come until the very end. Your input on this would be extremely valuable.

Don't forget, I'm giving away a $100 dollar bookstore certificate to the reader with the resolution that I think best fits the story and the characters.

Please stay tuned for email announcements concerning the contest. And tell your friends!

Thanks for reading.

Bill

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Part Sixty-Eight

Continued from Part Sixty-Seven

Friday, October 14


"Excuse me, Peggy, I don't think I heard you correctly," said Luke over the phone. "It sounded like you wanted me to give you a ride to Blake Island in the boat."

"Yes. Can you do it?"

Like an astute salesman, his voice changed from confusion to warmth. "Sure, Peggy, perhaps some weekend we can organize a little outing. Um, were you thinking of just the two of us?"

Peggy had to remind herself that she was dealing with an extremely handsome young man who was accustomed to fending off advances from women of all ages.

"Luke, I would like to go today," said Peggy.

"Today! Wow. Let's see, I get off around five, I'll be on the five-thirty ferry..."

"Luke. I need to go now if at all possible. You see, Raoul is camping on Blake Island and he may be in trouble. I'm asking you to give me a lift in your boat so I can check on him."

Peggy heard the distinct sound of something being deflated very quickly.

"Oh. Raoul's there?"

It amused her to think that Luke actually thought of the proposed expedition in romantic terms, a tryst on Blake Island, eating salmon by firelight with the local tribe at Tillicum Village. She had to admit she was somewhat flattered. Me? But she would never voice that thought to anyone on Earth.

"I know this is very sudden, Luke," Peggy said. "But I'm worried about him and I don't know anyone else here with a boat. I suppose I could call someone in my old neighborhood in Ballard and they could motor across and pick me up. But I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with them and it would be awkward to call and say, 'hey, can you come pick me up on Bainbridge and take me to Blake Island in your boat?'"

"Peggy, I understand. I'm looking at my calendar... Um, I suppose I could take off, like, right now. Which would put me on the ferry in, oh, fifteen minutes. Then I need to go home and change and I could meet you at the marina after that."

"Same dock as last time? Do you remember the Fourth of July outing?"

"Yes. Same place."

"Luke, thank you so much. You're so generous."

She could feel him blushing on the other end of the line. "Sure, happy to do it," he stammered.

Peggy sat back in the seat of her car and relaxed momentarily. The pressure was off. It was now a matter of waiting. She closed her eyes and allowed her breathing to settle down. She knew her stress meter was in the red territory and it worried her. Something's going on here that I don't understand, she thought. I'm overreacting to this. Why?

Annoyed, Peggy started her car and drove home. When she got into her house, she put a flame under the kettle to make a fresh Thermos of tea to take on the boat. Then she checked messages; nothing from Raoul. She noticed with alarm the late hour, almost noon, and placed a container of leftover lentil soup in the microwave. She went to her bedroom and changed out of her office clothes into something more appropriate for boating and walking. It seemed absurd to her to be preparing for a picnic at such a time. It was even more absurd, she realized, to be choosy about what to wear, and caring for even an instant how she should look when paired with Luke, speeding across Puget Sound in his fancy Bayliner. As a matter of fact she had always believed her skin tone was just the right hue and texture for the outdoorsy, adventuresome look. That is, when it wasn't red and splotchy from stress.

She ate her lentil soup while standing over the kitchen sink and then left the house on foot with her backpack containing tea, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. She stopped at Blackbird Bakery and purchased a half dozen of her favorite currant tea scones. She liked them almost as much as the ones she made herself, but there was no time for baking. She had a vision of greeting Raoul with scones and tea, which probably made no sense but she didn't want to analyze her actions at that moment.

The sun was high by the time she had reached the dock and found a seat on a warm bench to wait for Luke. It was peaceful. The water was very still, and the few sounds of live-aboard residents going about their chores reached her ears. She looked at her watch repeatedly. What's taking Luke, she wondered.

She was just on the verge of dialing his number when she heard voices, in particular a certain female, nasally voice that she recognized with dismay.

"There you are," said Florence cheerfully.

Her outfit was so white that Peggy had to shield her eyes. She glowed like a snowman on a bright day. One would have thought Florence was dressed for a yachting tour with a Greek tycoon instead of a spin across Puget Sound on Luke's motorboat.

"Hello, Florence," said Peggy, determined to be gracious.

Behind Florence was Paula in a pair of snug-fitting jeans that seemed to cover only half of her perfectly-formed rear end, and then Luke, the skipper, who was so fixated with Paula's perfectly-formed rear end that he bumped into her when she stopped. And then trailed Kelly, of all people.

"Kelly? I expected Florence and Paula. But how did you get roped into this?"

"It's Friday, and I was coming home early on the ferry and these guys kidnapped me," said Kelly.

"We're sorry for intruding, Peggy," said Paula, taking a seat on the bench. "We were all worried about you, especially after I told Luke about leaving you at the ferry terminal this morning."

"Gosh, that was so long ago," said Peggy.

"If you want to do this by yourself we can go," said Kelly.

"I'm sure she needs moral support," said Florence. "Isn't that right, dear?"

"Yes, I'm grateful to all of you," said Peggy, feeling warm and gushy inside. "In fact, I brought scones in case you need a snack."

"Perfect. I'm starved," said Kelly.

"Let's get underway," said Luke, very skipper-like.

They clambered aboard awkwardly, since most of them were not experienced boaters. Luke passed out life jackets, which everyone dutifully strapped on. Once they were settled, and the boat had stopped rocking erratically, Luke eased away from the dock and motored slowly out of Eagle Harbor. Across from Luke sat Florence, exuding an air of authority appropriate to the role of the skipper's lady friend. Peggy, Paula and Kelly sat together on bench seats at the rear. Peggy passed around scones and then poured tea.

"I didn't bring extra cups so we'll have to share," said Peggy.

The group was giddy with excitement which helped lift Peggy out of her gloom, and she began to feel grateful for their company. Then as Luke passed the mouth of the harbor and turned south and opened up the throttle an audible cry of glee escaped involuntarily from every mouth.

Peggy held onto her hat and adjusted her sunglasses. The Sound shone brilliantly beneath a high midday sun. Paula zipped her jacket higher and scooted closer to Peggy.

"How did you figure out he was at Blake Island?" asked Paula, tilting her head to be heard over the wind.

"It was his daughter's suggestion. Raoul and his wife used to go camping there. I think he wanted to share a memory with her."

"When did she die?" asked Paula.

"About seven years ago."

"Isn't that a long time to, you know, still be getting over it?"

"That's the funny thing about the grieving process. It's not always a case of sitting around wiping away tears and being sad. There's a definite period for that, of course, but what really happens over a longer period is that you feel unsettled, like your life isn't back to normal. You make bad decisions, bad choices. Your judgment is lousy. You feel disoriented. You have trouble making new friends. To me that's when you're transitioning to full acceptance of the loss."

"So, do you think he's still going through that?" asked Paula.

"That's one big difference with men. They sometimes don't get to the acceptance phase. They get stuck in the middle phase because they don't recognize it as part of grief. They become disoriented without knowing why, or what to do about it."

Paula lowered her voice and leaned even closer to Peggy's ear. "That makes sense because I think men are basically fragile creatures when you get right down to it."

Peggy laughed. "You are very wise for a young woman."

"You seem to know a lot about this; have you discussed it with Raoul?"

"It has been very hard to have a conversation about it. I hate to generalize, but women tend to recognize grief for what it is and they, at least in many cases, try to process it in a proactive way. My husband died only a year-and-a-half ago, so I've been learning about this and trying to deal with it, although not always successfully I'll admit. But at least it's fresh in my mind. Raoul has had plenty of time to settle into a new lifestyle of non-acceptance and I suspect that nothing has ever come along to upset the status quo for him. Perhaps I wasn't pushy enough."

"You have definitely upset the status quo."

"Let's hope in a positive way."

Luke looked back from the wheel. "There's Blake. It won't be long now."

Peggy stood and gazed ahead over the water. She wondered what Raoul was doing. She imagined him sitting beside his little pup tent, reading a book or cooking fish, enjoying an escape from society. But most of all, she worried about his reaction upon seeing them descend upon him. Would he be angry?

The green island loomed into view.

TO BE CONCLUDED IN THE NEXT EPISODE