Gallery of Dreams (standard:drama, 1077 words)
Author: MJ Dayton	Added: Sep 20 2009	Views/Reads: 3464/2033	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Entry for 24 hour short story contest, fall 2009

TOPIC 

Weeks of obsessive tending and gentle turning ensured a blue ribbon for
his biggest pumpkin next weekend. His chest puffed with impending pride 
as he fantasized about the envious stares of the other town folk, 
especially that pretty, stuck-up woman next door, who always looked 
through him, not at him. 

The cold wind started again and he shivered, watching the sky darken too
quickly. As bright, painted leaves rained on his crop, he instinctively 
turned his head toward an infant's cry. At the top of the hill, under 
the old Maple, his stuck-up neighbor was shielding a bundle from the 
wind, fumbling with her blouse... 
____________________________________________________________________ 

Weeks of obsessive tending and gentle turning ensured a blue ribbon for
his biggest pumpkin next weekend. His chest puffed with impending pride 
as he fantasized about the envious stares of the other town folk, 
especially that pretty, stuck-up woman next door, who refused to return 
even a neighborly wave. 

The shrill intrusion of the telephone broke him free from his trance,
and he hustled through the back door to pluck the phone from its wall 
cradle.  He listened as the caller introduced herself as the 
chairperson of the fair's pumpkin contest.  “I'm afraid there's a 
problem with your registration,” she continued.  It was received in the 
clerk's office three days past the deadline.  I'm afraid you won't be 
able to enter this year.” 

“You're kidding,” he muttered.  “I mailed that two weeks ago.” 

“I'm sorry but we have a strict cut-off in order to properly plan for
the event.  Thousand pound pumpkins tend to take up a lot of space.” 

“Yeah, okay.  I understand.  I should have dropped it off instead.  I'll
know better next year.” 

As he replaced the phone in the cradle, a wave of relief washed over
him.  This didn't squash his dreams.  Maybe, just maybe, it would save 
them.  The contest was mostly a front for his true cause.  As the 
contest drew nearer, he had started to worry that entering might have 
been a mistake.  Yeah, it gave him an excuse for putting so much time 
and effort into cultivating his pumpkins, but it could backfire on him 
as well. Yeah, maybe this was a good turn of events. 

Fair day was lit with golden autumn sunlight and the cool air was laden
with smells of homemade pies, peanuts, corn-dogs and farm animals.   
He'd ridden the Ferris wheel, sampled the fair fare and was making his 
way over to the pumpkin area when he bumped into a young woman who had 
stopped unexpectedly to rummage through her purse. 

“Ummph, oh hey, excuse me Miss,” he started.  She had given a small cry
of surprise when they hit and she had now turned and was facing him. 

“Oh, no, it was my...”   The words caught in her throat as she locked
eyes with him and recognition hit them both at once. 

“Sally?  Is that really you?  I don't believe it!” 

“Well isn't this something?  I can't believe it either.  It's been
years!  How are you?” 

“Things have been going quite well.  And you?” 

“Pretty good.  I just bought a place out on County Road 37 in Milton.” 

He drew in a sharp breath.  He had seen her.  In his backyard he had
stood, waving at his aloof neighbor, receiving no response as always.  
“Sally, are you in the blue clapboard house just past Wiltshire?” 

“How did you know?” 

“I do believe you live next door to me.” 

Now it was her turn to be surprised.  She hadn't gotten around to


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