MEN WITHOUT WOMEN
by Parlin on Aug 10, 2010 4:34 PM CDT
Email
PrintTHE MACK ADAMS STORIES, VOLUME 2:
MEN WITHOUT WOMEN
Mack went through the trees and down the bank.
Will was next to the water already. That afternoon they would fish. Later they would go to Bellmont.
“I think they will bite plenty today,” Will said. He finished tying on his fly and bit off the line. Will liked to bite line off clean and then spit it out. He was always careful not to hit Mack.
“We will catch rainbow trout,” Will said. “We will take them to Bellmont. Bill can clean them for dinner.”
Will liked to fish. But Mack knew fish would not bite in Shoal Creek. Will had not found the right places yet.
“It might be good to fish here, Will.”
“I know it will be, Mack,” Will said. “This is a good place.” Will spat out the end of his line. He was careful not to hit Mack.
“We could bring the players,” Will said.
“The players might like it, Will.”
Will took out a flask. He drank Doctor Pepper but called it a “cold drink” or a “coke.” Will was from the South.
“Do you know what?” Will said. He cast his line in a shallow pool.
“No.”
“Aggy chaps my ass.”
Mack cast his line. Aggy chapped Mack’s ass, too.
“Aggy’s all right, Will.”
Will knew Mack would say this. It was how things were. But it made Will angry at himself to think Aggy could be all right.
“Anyway, I don’t like Aggy sending those fellows out there,” Will said.
“Which fellows, Will?” Mack asked. He knew which fellows Will meant. The ones in odd clothes. Aggy always sent out men in odd clothes. Mack didn’t like to think about them too long. It could make you feel funny inside to think too long about men dressed like this.
“The ones in odd clothes,” Will said. “Why don’t they have pretty girls, Mack? That is no way to play football. You need pretty girls to make the football good.”
Will was right. Pretty girls made the football good. But Mack did not answer. Aggy always made Will angry.
“I want to hit Aggy in the mouth, Mack. The ones in white pants. Also the ones in overalls. I want to hit them all in the mouth.”
Mack cast under the tall trees. He wanted to hit Aggy too. He remembered Aggy telephoning them at night and not giving them a good big breakfast the next morning. Mack thought men who wake you at night telephoning and do not give you a good big breakfast are not all right. Such men are low-down.
“Will?”
“Yes, Mack?”
“Don’t think too long about the ones in odd clothes.”
The sun went lower as they fished. The trout did not bite. Will offered Mack a cold drink from his flask. He had put the ice in just right.
“Do you know what?” Will said.
“No.”
“Señor Aggy may not be all right.” Will talked in Spanish sometimes when fishing. Also when he was angry. Now he was both.
“Señor Aggy es sumbitch.”
Mack did not have Spanish from the south. But he understood his friend.
“The fish are not biting, Will. Nada.”
Will was tired and angry. He was done fishing. This place was not good like their friend Greg had told him. He bit off his line and spit it out. He was careful not to hit Mack when he spit. But not as careful as he was before. He stepped across the creek. It was not worth it to set trot lines. The fish would never bite here. They would not bring the players.
“Mack?”
“What, Will?”
“Señor Greg--¿Está bien?”
Mack was quiet. He pulled in his line. He didn’t know anymore. The sun had gone down. They climbed the bank behind the Alumni Center. It had been a long day. It was good to fish together but it was not a good place to fish. They had no rainbow trout for Bill to clean. They would go to Bellmont and talk with the Major. He would know where fishing was good.
36 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Steinbeck, right? Kidding, kidding.
“a good BIG breakfast.” Oh man, for some reason that’s awesome.
A more than worthy sequel. And that folks is how you end a work day. Thanks, parlin.
by magnusbleuveigner on Aug 10, 2010 4:45 PM CDT reply actions
Damn I love these.
Muschamp switching to spanish was greatness. Senor aggy may not be all right indeed.
by nordberg on Aug 10, 2010 4:52 PM CDT reply actions
Awesome stuff. Goes great on an eleventy billion degree day.
by Bateshorn on Aug 10, 2010 5:07 PM CDT reply actions
Mack cast under the tall trees. He wanted to hit Aggy too. He remembered Aggy telephoning them at night and not giving them a good big breakfast the next morning. Mack thought men who wake you at night telephoning and do not give you a good big breakfast are not all right. Such men are low-down.
I’m belly laughing, but it’s late and I’m trying to keep quiet so it’s actually painful to hold it in.
You so nail these. Just amazing.
You absolutely made my evening.
I will have a good big breakfast tomorrow.
by Scipio Tex on Aug 10, 2010 11:44 PM CDT reply actions
You know how to put the ice in just right, parlinhall.
by Nickel Rover on Aug 11, 2010 2:06 AM CDT reply actions
"Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use." —E. Hemingway
I thought you were shooting for a Hemingway reference.
Either way, nicely done.
Hook ’em.
by UncleBevo on Aug 11, 2010 7:06 AM CDT reply actions
I don’t know how you did it, but this is even better than the first.
by TaylorTRoom on Aug 11, 2010 7:09 AM CDT reply actions
I love how Will is always trying to include the players, whether it be bullfights in SLO, or fishing in Shoal Creek.
Meanwhile, the absent antagonist Greg Davis doesn’t seem to give two shits.
by magnusbleuveigner on Aug 11, 2010 7:11 AM CDT reply actions
I don’t get what the fishing hole is supposed to be a metaphor of. Offense? Scheme?
by cmdr on Aug 11, 2010 7:39 AM CDT reply actions
Thank you. Brilliant again. Tall trees. Big breakfasts…..so much to enjoy.
by Matt Cotcher on Aug 11, 2010 9:16 AM CDT reply actions
Well shit, now I can’t find the first one. Link?
by nordberg on Aug 11, 2010 9:37 AM CDT reply actions
nordberg -
Click on that big blue article tag that says THE MACK ADAMS STORIES.
by Scipio Tex on Aug 11, 2010 9:39 AM CDT reply actions
A Masterpiece ! I can taste that “Doctor Pepper” with the ice put in just right.
by torre on Aug 11, 2010 10:03 AM CDT reply actions
I think this is even more spot on than the first one, and the first one was a masterpiece.
by The General on Aug 11, 2010 10:17 AM CDT reply actions
Parlin’s a good guy.
Aggy es una oveja violar rummy.
by Magnificent Bastard on Aug 11, 2010 10:26 AM CDT reply actions
Agreed — the second installment is even better than the first. Brilliant.
by jonestopten on Aug 11, 2010 12:11 PM CDT reply actions
They climbed the bank behind the Alumni Center.
That line killed me for some reason. Looking forward to the talks once the season begins.
by Bartoncreek on Aug 11, 2010 1:06 PM CDT reply actions
Parlin, these are fantastic. Hope you keep it going during the season.
by burnt orange outrage on Aug 11, 2010 1:27 PM CDT reply actions
I just reread this again.
Some of the little touches are so perfect.
by Scipio Tex on Aug 11, 2010 1:41 PM CDT reply actions
Outstanding stuff. Just because I am an asshole, however, shouldn’t it be Waller Creek instead of Shoal Creek?
by chitwood on Aug 11, 2010 2:02 PM CDT reply actions
is it sad that I can picture exactly where they were fishing
by hornin hong kong on Aug 11, 2010 9:20 PM CDT reply actions
There’s a degree of arselicking in the comments section that bothers me on BC, even when it is warranted.
However, this is fucking brilliant. I am drunk, have a stuff upper lip and the awful British teeth that lead a man to drink. I could never write this well, nor even hope to. Fucking superb. I do not think it is hyperbole to say that this may be the best sports blog on the entire interwebs, and entries such as this are precisely why. This comment is not as eloquent as I would have liked but consider my cap fully fucking doffed and your arse fully licked. EXCELLENT!!!
by UK_Horn on Aug 11, 2010 9:48 PM CDT reply actions
You are absolutely a powerful writer. You absolutely know how to write to keep the audience engaged. I want to read a lot more of your excellent writing style in the future.
by Swimwear Women on Aug 25, 2010 8:24 PM CDT reply actions
hey all, I used to be just checkin’ out this blog and I really admire the idea of the article, and don’t have anything to do, so if anybody want to to have an engrossing convo about it, please contact me on AIM, my name is heather smith
by Senuke X Review on Feb 5, 2011 6:14 PM CST reply actions
What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It absolutely helpful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to contribute & aid other users like its aided me. Good job.
by Irma Buenaventura on Feb 14, 2011 9:28 PM CST reply actions
I was examining some of your posts on this website and I think this site is very instructive! Keep posting.
by get my ex back today on Aug 22, 2011 5:27 PM CDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
