“I’ve been thinking,” Martin said, spreading low-fat margarine over his toasted bagel. “We should get married.”
Charlie lowered his newspaper, looked at Martin over the top of his reading glasses. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“No.” Charlie went back to reading his paper.
“No, you didn’t hear me or no, you don’t want to get married?” Martin asked, grimacing as he bit into his bagel. It wasn’t the same without cream cheese and jam.
Charlie’s head popped over the paper again. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing, I want to get married.” Martin said, setting his bagel down and picking up his coffee.
Charlie flapped the newspaper pages, but he didn’t look up. “No, you don’t.”
Martin snorted. “You mean you don’t.”
“Don’t tell me what I mean, you know I hate that.”
“Why? You tell me what I think.” Martin popped the last piece of bagel into his mouth and dusted toast crumbs off his fingers.
Charlie folded his newspaper, pushed away from the table. Thirty years with Martin had taught him when to retreat. “I’m off to the gym.”
“I don’t know why you bother going. It’s not like you actually work out,” Martin said, getting up to slot his breakfast plate into the dishwasher.
“Should have thought that was obvious,” Charlie said, rounding the kitchen table, and pinning Martin to the counter. “I go to get away from you.”
Laughter spilling into Martin’s face, he slipped Charlie’s reading glasses off, and set them on the counter. “Get out of here, moron.”
At the kitchen door, Charlie turned back, raised an eyebrow at Martin. “You bought rings, didn’t you?”
“Thought you were leaving?” Martin asked, pouring himself a second cup of coffee.
“Ah, shit.”
Martin sipped his coffee, heard the hangers clang in the hall closet as Charlie got his jacket.
“No reception,” Charlie called down the hallway to the kitchen, closing the front door behind him.
Ever the romantic, his Charlie.
Excellent! I admire anyone who can write humor. It’s difficult. You and JP could write a novel together. Maybe “Hairy Thighs and Wedding Rings”?
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LOL!
Thank you. That’s the best compliment because I love JP’s writing!
Now, my mind is running away with foody titles..
Omelettes and Orgasms?
Pasta and Passion? Or would that be Passionate Pasta?
We’ll have to ask Guido 🙂
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The Bagel Chronicles???
JP x
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Nice 🙂
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Brilliant! You had me hanging on every word!
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Thanks 🙂
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Charlie and Martin deserve a weekly series on here. I’m thinking along the lines of ‘Tales of the City.’ I’d love to know what happens next, especially to Charlie on his way to the gym. Can you imagine what would be going through his mind? Yes, you can, because you’d be in Charlie’s mind. Just a thought.
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LOL!
I scribbled this little scene a while ago thinking it might become a book one day…
What Charlie’s thinking on his way to the gym?
That he’s damn lucky to have Martin 🙂
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Hmm, and who awaits him at the gym? Just saying 😀
It certainly has legs to become a book.
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Awaits him at the gym? OMG! Don’t tell me he’s cheating on Martin?
I may or may not get around to doing something with this, but in the meantime, feel free to give this idea your special twist… now, that would be interesting 🙂
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I agree with Hugh! This is so wonderful! I could see them so clearly. Love this! Clicking link….Cheers!!! 🙂
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Thanks, Katy 🙂
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My pleasure! 🙂
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I’ve been meaning to tell you … This is an example of what I love about your writing. You’ve got this easy, comfortable voice that makes the words just dance across the page … err … screen, and puts my reading mind immediately at ease. That’s what I enjoyed so much about the style of ‘A Little Blood.’
Looking through the other comments, I would totally pick this up and read it as a book. Just from this vignette, I feel like Martin and Charlie are rich, complex characters. Bravo! 😀
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Thank you, Gregory.
I won’t gush at you, but please know I appreciate the compliment. Truly 🙂
I may drag Martin and Charlie into a book one day… if their characters start talking to me 🙂
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