Saturday, September 30, 2006

Sunshine

Story #64, in which a schoolteacher makes a difference.

To hear the story, give praise for the morning.








To read the story, give praise for the singing.

This week in The Prattler, "Hall of Kings."



And Happy Birthday to Jenna Mooney née Pascover!

41 comments:

Minka said...

Subshine?
and we all thought I was bad at typing :)

Ariel the Thief said...

I would have lost today's bet because I'd have bet there will be a note here first.

Happy Birthday, Jenna, let's make your cake and run away to eat it!

Minka said...

That is so Quilly, well captured. We could use a few more of here and I actually believe teh world would be a better place :) (as far as that is possible!)


Happy birthday Jenna Mooney, formerly Pascover! Have a wonderful day and a birthday present from your brother *grins*

Minka said...

resourceful...knowing how to get out of trouble in a sensible way

Ariel the Thief said...

very good story!!

my fave sentence was “If you mean the recent catastrophe, that was caused by honesty,” we are just watching that happening. :-/

but it's a very good story anyway, and I think Las Vegas people finally tried their best. now keep an eye on them Quilldancer!

dddragon said...

Remorseless: Again, without a way to transmit code.

Anonymous said...

Yours may be the most complimentary (get it? "comp?") story ever written about Vegas.

Imagine! Striking a vein of fresh decency in its grimy and soul-spent mines. (Must be fiction. Good fiction, too, Doug, thanks. :-)

Sar said...

Funny story, Doug, and great to see our Quilly featured here.

But here's where I ask for clarification. The mayor was "shielded by the bodies of 20 showgirls" but then asks "did any showgirls survive?". Are we talking orgy, necrophila, or what? Dayyyam! ;)

And Happy Birthday to the little King's pretty mamma!

Doug The Una said...

Minka, thank you for the correction. Were you too thrilled to realize you were first?

Ariel, every once in a while, Saturday morning doesn't take me by surprise. And thanks on Jenna's behalf.

Thanks, Minka and thanks on Jenna's behalf. Maybe someone should write a story in which Quilly gets cloned.

Thanks, Ariel. I'm not sure your prime minister didn't inspire that line in my subconscious.

Haha, Dddragon. That took me a minute. Samuel Morse just might be the man of the year.

Good morning, Brian and thanks for the tip. That must be quite the dialogue.

Clever pun, A. Welcome to Saturday at Waking Ambrose.

You know, Sar, maybe that sentence should have ended with "in a heap." If you think I'm answering your question you don't know me very well.

Anonymous said...

Thanks again, Doug. Great way to start a weekend.

And, oh, by the way, FYI, we're calling the girls "showpersons" now. Didn't you get the memo from HR?

Kyahgirl said...

Quilldancer for President!! She's kind AND smart.
Great story Doug,

Happy birthday to Doug's sister, come and visit us sometime at WA. :-) We'll have cake and sing to you!


have a great weekend.

mireille said...

Happy, happy birthday Jenna M née P!

Doug, as a former showgirl, I really need to protest the light in which showgirls are portrayed in this story (clever as it was).

There is the faint scent of insult and innuendo wafting over the post-apocalyptic Las Vegas ruinage ... why was no mention made of the heroism of the twenty dead showgirls who died that the Mayor might live?

And then there's the STD reference, even as the poor girl is being sent into Mad Max wasteland to seduce a doctor into forking over antibiotics.

I'm saddened, saddened ... by the cynicism. I know you have it in your heart to recognize the contributions these poor dear girls make every day, erm night.

Let's have some acknowledgement of the wholesomeness that can be found in the heart of the most cosmetically-laden and underdressed among us.

xoxo

Anonymous said...

EXCELLENT story, Doug! but i was wondering the same thing about those showgir..er..persons. i'm guessing the 1st 20 sacrificed their lives (and/or ample bosoms?) for the mayor... the one on her--ahem--knees was part of the second line of defense? whatever... i'm in complete agreement with Mireille, they deserved better treatment and/or fates.

Clearly Quilldancer makes for fabulous inspiration--who knew brains, beauty, and poetry made for such a resourceful combination? there's hope for this world yet, i tell ya.

and happy birthday to Jenna not H but M née P (and fellow Libran)-- hope her day is as full of joy as yours is with cynicism and curmudgeonry!

Doug The Una said...

a, I have not received that memo. HR's a bunch of old crones and sissies anyhow.

Thanks, Kyahgirl. Quilldancer's a good one, isn't she?

Thank you, Actonbell. That was a great comment. You raise a great point that we need our pedophiles and idiots here. The rest of the world should find their own.

Mireille, I thought I took care of that on your guest post. Thanks on Jenna's behalf. xoxo

Thanks, Puppybrose née Puppytoes. War is hell.

Charlene Amsden said...

Doug, I have so much to do today that I almost didn't stop in here. Ultimately I couldn't bring myself to leave the house without listening to your Saturday story. Now I'm an hour late, but I leave with laughter in my heart and a smile upon my lips.

MY word for the day is:

Doug n. word crafter; gifted storyteller; crusty dawg with a marshmellow heart

Doug v. exacting; observant; insightful;

syn. biercing

Charlene Amsden said...

Cindra Jo: love you, Dearest. pft

Doug The Una said...

Quilldancer, I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for listening to the demon side this morning.

Cindra Jo, the advantage to sincerity, or so I hear, is that it doesn't take long to get to know you.

Anonymous said...

That was a great story of quilldancer. lol

Quilldancer sent me here, by the way.

Anonymous said...

Another great story Doug and a very worthy heroine in Quilldancer! Happy B-day Jenna...have a great weekend everybody.

Doug The Una said...

Dewy, I'm sorry I ever got involved with the showgirl communtity. Have a great day, though, and thanks.

Sorry, Cindra Jo, I have the opposite trait to your Aunt Quill. I meant, and with no second meaning, that she brings her whole self everywhere and I credit that my feeling ready to write about her although she hasn't been around long. A burn? Moi? And thank you for the other messages. I'll pass Jenna's along.

Welcome, Donna and thanks. A friend of the quill is a friend to us all.

Thanks, Joel. Have a good one yourself. Gonna try for Vermont?

Jamie Dawn said...

Quilldancer is such a great name!
Her story is wonderful.
Women do tend to be quite resourceful.
We are survivors and pretty darned smart.

Happy B-day to Jenna Mooney. I hope her day is filled with love and some presents too!

Charlene Amsden said...

Doug, Even though Cindra Jo is my niece, we are only 6 years apart in age. She is the keeper of too many of my secrets. If she shared them it would seriously mess up my bid for sainthood. She blackmailed me into voting for her even though I told her your comment was funnier. Now I feel even more guilty since you wrote this nice story about me -- but you don't have the ammo she does.

Oh, and I'm not bbq-ing the pork. I'm pouting because I didn't get t-bones.

G said...

Well I finally made it in for the story! Nicely done from the writing and inspiration standpoint. Sassy indeed.

Did I sense a Roberts Rulian aura here previously? It's all making perfect sense now.

All in all, a nice way to slide into Saturday evening.

Charlene Amsden said...

Doug, about those burlesque cowboys: where can I get tickets?

Oh, and one small detail, I am not a goody-two shoes. I mostly wear sandals. I'd also like to add that I was surprised how natural that "Ah-huh." "A-duh." "Yup!" "Yup!" sounded coming out of your mouth.

I hope your sister enjoyed her birthday. I also hope she enjoys many more returns.

mireille said...

Also, this is Cat Stevens, isn't it? I mean, Yusuf Islam.

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day


Us showgirls are SO sensitive.

xoxo

Doug The Una said...

Cindra Jo, no harm in suspecting a man who's a smart-aleck 99% of the time of being a smart-aleck. Glad you found us.


It is a great name, Jamie Dawn and thanks. Looking forward to your poem and I'll share your wish with my sister.

G, it depends on who Roberts Rulian is or are.

Quilly, I'm an old duh-er frmo wayy back. I think you get the tickets at the window of the Quilldancer Pavilion.

You cracked it and Cat Stevens did record that hymn. It's one of my favorites. Well done, Bambi.

Charlene Amsden said...

"Morning has Broken" was popularised by Cat Stevens in the 1970s but was written by Eleanor Farjeon in 1931.

Sometimes I am so slow! I have been humming this song all day and couldn't figure out how it got into my head! Flatter me a bit and I get totally distracted. Now it's my turn to say, "duh."

Anonymous said...

way to crack the musical code, Mireille!

and that, by the way, was a fabulous oration of your story, Doug... you were downright masterful as the Mayor. vewy impwessive.

oh yeah... and, Wabbit, Wabbit!

Anonymous said...

Sweet story.


Resourceful adj. Remorseless. ha ha


We all wallow in "the sunshine of your love" Dawgie.

before Shayna takes that song too. ;)

Alana said...

Such a charming stroy Doug and quite beautiful photos as well...

And Happy, happy birthday Jenna Pascover Mooney!!

Oh and Quilldancer, I loved your defintions of Doug!

Louisiana said...

what a wonderful way to make Quilldancer smile..pls keep on feeding her ego..she deserves it and it's long overdue..

G said...

Nice code and cracking thereof. I came back because I forgot to wish your sister a happy birthday - so Happy Birthday Jenna.

G said...

Oh and Rabbit Rabbit!

FelineFrisky said...

Sorry I am late - Bunny had the 'puter all day Saturday! Great story Doug. Interesting twist. And I think Quilldancer should be nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of a goody-two-shoes! (can that be done for written characterazation??) D :}

Doug The Una said...

Quilldancer, I don't feel bad. That's a good song to have stuck in your head, afterall.

Wabbit, wabbit, Puppybrose.

Cindra Jo, that's very cool. It will be interesting if he does a tour here. Maybe boat to Canada, train to New York? I'm not originally from LA.

Thanks, Cooper. Is it sunshine or mud?

Thanks, Squaregirl.

Welcome, Chana. Another kin of Quilly I take it? This is getting a little bit The Hills Have Eyes only with bonnets.

Thanks, G. But her birthday was yesterday. Just kidding, I'll pass it along. Rabbit, rabbit!

Diane, whenever you get here is right on time. That wascaly wabbit. Great point, though. Quilly takes direction awfully well.

Lila said...

Rabbit, rabbit!

Yet another great story!

Indeterminacy said...

Happy birthday to Jenna!

I enjoyed the story very much this weekend - a cross between a fantasy and an allegory. It's a rare style no one does anymore.

And now I learn there's another great blogger out there I have to read (Quilldancer).

The Boy from S.A.C.A.D.A. said...

Thankyou Mr. Pascova for the bed time story and i even lerned a new word called resorsfull i guess it means always knowing what to blog about.

Charlene Amsden said...

Chana is not one of my relatives, but I'd claim her if she wanted me to!

dddragon said...

Rabbit Rabbit

Doug The Una said...

Actonbell, if you'd rabbit rabbtied I bet your power would have stayed up.

Rabbit, rabbit, Aral.

Thanks, Indie. You'll like Quilldancer. Everyone else seems to.

Sacada, I hope it helped you sleep.

Cindra Jo, it's a relative expression and she does live in Sin City.