Jebediah Morgan (735 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.53 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Bubba2341 (View user info) at 2006-07-08 21:25:13 EDT
Tommy walked past the house as quickly as he could without running. To run now
would draw the ridicule of everyone in the crowd, and he didn't want that, especially after
telling them he wasn't afraid of the old Morgan place. Hadn't Mr. Morgan been dead for
three years? Ghosts don't exist.
* * * * *
Jebediah Morgan was disliked by all and sundry from the time he was a teenager. His
pock-marked face drew grimaces from people wherever he went, and some say that
added to his unpleasant personality. Either way, his attitude and his mouth got his
ass kicked all through school.
Many of the residents at the retirement center claimed they knew Jeb when he was a
small boy, and they told of a sweet, mild-spoken young child who liked everyone and
was liked in return. When he hit puberty, everything changed.
* * * * *
"Mrs. Morgan, I want your son to see a dermatologist."
"Doc, we ain't got that kind of money. Anyway, a few pimples never hurt a boy."
"Ma'am, what you call 'pimples' are open, festering boils. The chances of infection
and scarring are very great. He needs a specialist, and soon."
"No sir, doc, we ain't got no money."
The doctor was silent as the woman left, wondering why she spent so much at the
local night spot but wouldn't help her son. Some people needed a lesson in priorities.
***********
Jeb Morgan sat in the darkened living room of his old house, the only illumination
coming from the fireplace, into which he stared with a face that could have come
straight from Hell. His mother had died of an alcohol overdose twenty-five years
ago, and he had cursed her name since that day.
Oh, yes, the doctor had met him coming home from school the day after he and
his mother had kept that wasted appointment.
"Hello Jeb," the doctor called out. "Hold up a minute."
Jebediah stopped for the doc but kept his face averted, as would be his habit in
the years to come.
"What's up, Doc?"
Bill Jamison, M.D. smiled at the comic book reference, but launched directly
into what he had come to say.
"Jeb, did your mom tell you what was said between us yesterday?"
Bill saw Jeb turn almost purple, so he knew the answer.
"Ah, listen Jeb, I've got some things that need done around my house, and I
am willing to pay a good man. . ."
"Doc, that way is bullshit and you know it. It's her job to help me, and she
would have the money if she stayed out of the bar. I guess I'm not as important
as twenty beers every night. Later, Doc."
As Jeb ran away, Bill was sure the boy was crying, and he was just as sure they were tears
of anger. He couldn't get the comments of the townsfolk out of his head:
"Looks like that boy's face was on fire and somebody put it out with a track shoe."
*********************
When Tommy was almost past the old house, he saw something from the corner
of his eye that shook him so much he damn near tripped over his own feet. A man
was standing on the porch of the Morgan place, a man with a head twice normal
size that shone with its own light.
************************
"Jebediah, please stand and give the class your interpretation of the poem
"Annabelle Lee," by Mr. Poe."
"Yeah, leper-face, tell us. Try not to get pus on the desk."
Miss Jacobsen tried to keep order, but the bedlam that ensued caused her to
dismiss the eighth grade class early. She asked Jeb to stay, intending to
apologize to him, but he ran out with the rest.
Jeb cut the remainder of his classes for the day, thinking he would go down by the
river and throw rocks until his mother left for the bar. He had spoken to her only five
times in the two months since the medical appointment, and the last time was a
full-fledged argument about why he thought she was a selfish bitch and how she
thought the Doc was a meddlesome quack.
Rock throwing seemed to be conducive to straightening out thoughts, and this time
every thought ended with a mental image of his mother lying on the kitchen floor with
a knife through her heart. Jeb knew he no longer loved his mother, but he wondered
silently if he could really kill her. Events negated the need to answer his question.
****************
The doorbell never rang at 11:00PM, so Jeb knew something important must be at
the door. The peephole showed the ruddy, chubby face of Captain Ives, the local
Chief of Police, who was rubbing his bulbous nose as he did when he was nervous.
Jebediah jerked the door open, and the Captain spoke at once.
"Er, Jeb me lad, I'm afeared I've got some disturbin' news fer ye."
"What is it, Sean, is it my mother?"
"I'm afraid it is, boyo. Seems her poor old heart failed her down to McKenna's place this night.
Doc Jamison happened to be there, and he done his best to save her, but the Lord works in
mysterious ways, son."
Jeb was taken aback by the news of the Doc being at the bar, and his suspicions were confirmed
when Sean said:
"Yes, the Doc saw her passed out in the booth, so he gave her a shot to help her wake up, only
she didn't wake up like he wanted. She started shakin' like a whore in church, beggin' yer pardon,
boyo, and next we knew she was gone to Gabriel."
Jeb had had many ideas cross his mind quickly before, but never as fast as these. It was a sure
bet the Doc had killed his mother, and he knew why. The tiny bit of love he had for his mother was
still stored in the back of his mind, and it now died an untimely death. All he felt was joy.
"Captain Sean, thank you for bringing the news. You have a good night and a safe trip back to the
station."
****************
To Be Continued. . .
User Reviews
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2007-03-14 22:20:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Folks, thanks a lot for your comments. I think I may have a second part to this, but it may suck.
WHAT? I can't say that!! See the sadie73 comment? The one who called me pops? I'll give ya one guess who she is.... :)
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2007-03-14 22:01:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good story. A bit clunky and it jumps around maybe a bit much. The kid isn't tied to Morgan in any real obvious way. I'm guess this story probably works a lot better in its entireity. You should post the rest of it.
Submitted by tiaprae (user info) at 2007-03-14 21:58:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I don't know why, but I really like this story.
I think I have resentment towards my alchoholic mother.
Either way, +2
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-03-14 21:11:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice story, Bubba.
Submitted by sadie73 (user info) at 2006-11-12 00:01:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Hey Pops - when's the rest going to be posted?
Submitted by GetNakeddd (user info) at 2006-07-17 23:33:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
By agreement
Submitted by whysenheimer (user info) at 2006-07-11 00:47:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Worth reading. Some of it was a little clunky, though.
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-07-11 00:33:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Jeb had had many ideas cross his mind quickly before, but never as fast as these.
*What beautiful phrasing! Re-read that aloud. Priceless prose!*
The tiny bit of love he had for his mother was still stored in the back of his mind, and it now died an untimely death.
*Exceedingly well put!*
"Captain Sean, thank you for bringing the news. You have a good night and a safe trip back to the
station."
*Exactly the words a young boy would use in that situation!*
Bubba, once more I say your writing is truly astonishing. I have never read anything quite like it.
And those examples were just in the last paragraph!
I simply can't wait to re-write the next installment as part of Take Back Ubersite: Summer Re-Run Contest!
Please hurry. Literally several of uberusers await its conclusion!
Thank God for TBU!
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-07-10 21:55:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Listen, KindaStupid, I am sure JohnnyX read my story. You, on the other hand,
are a self-centered fool who cannot create, only destroy.
I do not agree to disagree with you, I simply disagree. You are a fool.
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-07-10 21:45:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-07-10 20:11:01 (#)
Ranking: 0
Yeah, buddy, your rewrite was great. Look at the difference in ratings. :)
haha.
I like you, bubberoni. I concede your point.
Your ratings are higher, this is true.
I suspect this is more because I am quite disliked around here than the true quality of the work.
I rather like that; it only adds to my enjoyment of the site.
I enjoyed your story, though, and it is a shame your buddy jon-jon didn't bother to actually read it. It's certainly better than anything he's shat out.
Ratings notwithstanding, I also think I made it better, but we can, of course, agree to disagree.
I suspect the 'contest' (which I still believe is a lame idea) will die a quiet death, as well it should.
jonny cakes could have at least read your story, though.
And it's too bad he missed my other entry, in which the protagonist is ass fucked by a reptillian forked Raelian penis.
He inspired it, after all.
Of course, being the egoist that he is, he probably read it and was under the mistaken impression that admitting such would provide me with some sort of satisfaction.
It, too, was an improvement, in my opinion.
You may even want to read it to your grandslugs.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-07-10 20:11:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Yeah, buddy, your rewrite was great. Look at the difference in ratings. :)
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-07-10 18:26:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-07-10 15:52:37 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-07-10 13:16:13 (#)
Ranking: 2
didn't read - but it has to be good, since that fucktard gave you some traffic
-------
3 Cheers for Sfagnum!
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-07-10 15:52:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-07-10 13:16:13 (#)
Ranking: 2
didn't read - but it has to be good, since that fucktard gave you some traffic
haha hey bubba, jonny-cakes has your back.
Doesn't even take the time to read your shit.
With friends like that...
I actually read Bubba's story several times. Sure, I chose to rewrite it, and I believe I improved upon it, but at least I afforded it the respect of a read.
One reason I rewrote it was because it was interesting (unlike jon-boy's), and I thought I could improve it. And it was a serious "re-imagining", as jonny-cakes suggested in his moronic contest.
Whether I succeeded or not is up to the reader.
If what I did is disrespectful, bubba, then talk to jon-boy. It was his idea.
I admit my initial motivation was to teach you both a lesson. (har har a lesson on uber) I rewrote both your stories, and made them better, because you defended this retarded contest.
Mine are better, as any objective reader will realize.
But I hovered over that 'hook me up' button for some time.
I whip ass, but I do not whip ass without consideration.
Jonny thought initially my first posts were stolen from the Onion, so I know what he really thinks of my abilities if he confuses my stuff with such a successful site.
I rewrite not lightly, but well.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-07-10 13:16:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
didn't read - but it has to be good, since that fucktard gave you some traffic
Submitted by Wildman (user info) at 2006-07-09 05:30:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Or when Morrison showed his pee pee?
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-07-09 05:15:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
TBU (Take Back Ubersite - Summer Re-run Contest)
http://www.ubersite.com/m/90232
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-07-09 02:43:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by vettesrule88 (user info) at 2006-07-08 23:34:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
thanks
Submitted by mockidol (user info) at 2006-07-08 22:03:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by Yams (user info) at 2006-07-08 21:44:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You captured a distinct atmosphere in this post. Something between the deep south of today and the deep south of years gone by. I liked it.
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2006-07-08 21:34:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
"shakin' like a whore in church" made me smile.