Flicker

Flicker: Onze

With her towel about her body,  Nora walked to her bedroom. Soon, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in, Tifa." Nora called out. Tifa smelled faintly of soap and shampoo.  

"Good morning." She said in greeting. She moved behind her room divider to dry and dress.

"Hello to you too," Tifa said while she took a seat on a comfy armchair that was in the corner of her room. "I got to tell you, last night was a great time. I haven't had that much fun in my entire life."

Nora grinned, knowing Tifa was referring to yesterday's afternoon activities.

"Welcome to life in Wicks. You've been initiated."

"Yee-haw." Tifa shouted. "Darn-tootin'."

Nora laughed out loud and thought back a handful of hours. Wicks had an annual chicken chasing event every fall to welcome in the winter months. Mr. Edgar Rice (who was nearly as old as Wicks itself) always hosted the event on his farm. The whole town gathered - young and old - at his farmhouse for a pot luck dinner. There was ham, goose, candied yams, corn on the cobs, collard greens and a variety of chicken dishes. It was a grand affair and Mr. Roe had had tractor rides and kids could go explore the corn maze. The last of the pumpkins that weren't sold were offered out to the public. There was also an annual pie contest  (although it was always between Ms. Allen's lemon meringue and Tammy Green's cherry pie). The elders of the community would sit and talk about the days of yore and children ran amok - transforming into speeding balls of fur which made their parents (and Mr. Rice's farm animals) distressed. The day wasn't complete of course without the chicken chasing! Chickens that had been colored or numbered were sent wild and anyone who wanted to could try to grab one in hopes of winning a prize. Prizes ranged from a bag of goodies to your very own chick. Tifa managed to catch lucky number thirteen and everyone cheered when Mr. Rice presented her with a platter of chocolate chip cookies that his mate had baked. The event went on well into the night. When it got too chilly to handle, mothers and fathers took the hands of their tuckered at children and people dispersed.

Nora, Eddie, and Tifa helped clean up and afterward went home, thoroughly exhausted from the affair. After bathing, they all fell into their beds and slept late until the next morning. It was James' hooting and hollering that woke the three up - and the loud shouting from his three boys making havoc.

Nora came out from behind the screen after putting on the clothing she had chosen to wear for the day.

She didn't bother doing her hair because it was going to become frizzy in a couple of hours.

"Ready?" TIfa asked. 

"Yep."

"Do the activities never cease in this household?" Tifa groaned and she got up, rubbing her back that was panging from her time bent over trying to grab a hold of that clucking chicken.

"Are you getting winded?"

"My fun meter is just about overflowing."

Nora was happy that her friend was having a good time. The past two weeks had been so joyous. There was never a day that wasn't busy. She was up in the morning cooking for her family and her guest. Afterward, it was a full day of babysitting the boys or helping dad at the station. If there wasn't much to do, Nora would take Tifa around the town and the surrounding forest and hills. It was wonderful to come together with her family and sit down to informal dinners; watch a baseball game on the dilapidated television set that her father owned; play some chess or just sit and talk. Nora felt so revived - it was unexplainable. Her father commented just the other day on how healthy and glowing Nora looked to him - a big change from when he had seen her at Gillans. Nora's skin was pink and flush and her weight bounced back thanks to a revved-up appetite and everyone's homecooked meals.