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Daniel Daly
Jun 9, 2013, 3:46:02 AM6/9/13
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Clearwater
by
Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly
Copyright 6176 SC
http://noahidebooks.angelfire.com
Clearwater was a quiet town, south of Dalgety in New South Wales Australia, a town in many ways, except it only had one house, and one resident. Clearwater was a sign, written in green letters, on the fence of the abode, perhaps a sign of happiness within. Perhaps.
Sandra was the resident of Clearwater. She was 20, her father dying last year, leaving her the house. Her mother had died in her childbirth. Sandra was unemployed, had spent her days since leaving school taking care of her elderly father, who was now dead, and Sandra, with about 10 thousand dollars left in her inheritance, an old Holden, and a home, was wondering about her future most days. What would she do?
She had blossomed late in her teens, and was now moderately attractive. But a boy had not known her, and she was not overly given to them. Not a lesbian, by any means, but no real passions of heart. No real passions of anything, really.
Like the warm summer, her personality was warm and friendly, but with no spark of activity, no spark of direction, no spark of purpose. Simply a warm, happy, energy, which flowed with things. Which had followed her fathers simple ways, and not worried. Not cared, really.
But it couldn't go on, could it. Things would have to change, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they?
*
10 years later, another centrelink form for job applications, not that she ever tried. Simply the same two job applications in Dalgety town, one for receptionist, one for publican, and they still couldn't take her. Cooma centrelink didn't complain. They knew her situation. They didn't mind.
She was simple, now. Part of the community in some ways, but she lived the solitary life. Not much, ever, really doing. She swam in the snowy in summer, in her bikini, down the road a little. She occasionally watched the cricket in Dalgety, a live match, but never bothered with the Rugby League. She had a meal in the pub about twice a year, but apart from that shopped in did nothing else, cept Cooma occasionally to buy some new clothes.
Mostly she slept on her bed, watched her soaps on the same tube tv her father had owned, ocasionally watched one of the video casettes they owned, which were old now, and had been used a lot, and not much else. Often, in the afternoons, when the sun was low, she would be on the rocker out the front, watching the haze of summer, watching the sheep in the paddock opposite, waiting. For what, she never really knew. But she was waiting.
*
He walked by, not much later, in track pants, sneakers, and a t-shirt. He saw her and asked for water. She didn't mind.
'I'm having an episode,' he said. 'The worst is over, but I still feel a bit messed up. I was at the river all night. Its not as bad as when I was younger.'
'Your psychotic?' she asked him.
Daniel nodded. 'A schizophrenic,' he responded.
'I understand,' she said. 'My sister had been a psychotic. She killed herself.'
'I'm sorry,' he said.
'Don't be. It wasn't your fault. Besides, I hated her. She was hell to live with.'
'Sorry,' he responded.
She looked at him. He looked a bit older, not sure how old really, could have been in his 40s or even 50s, but he seemed youthful in some ways.
'Were do you live?' she asked him.
'In Cooma. I moved there last year. Bought a home with my superannuation.'
'Oh. So your retired,' she said.
'Uh, sort of. I turned 60 last year. Got my payment. Bought a house.'
'Oh. You don't look that old. 50, maybe. But not much older.'
'Thanks,' he said.
She looked at him again. 'Do you want to stay the night? I rarely get company. Not really anybody at all since dad died. My cousin from Sydney. Just once. Nobody else.'
'Umm. Yeh, I guess so. I was going to see were the road went, but sure, I'd love to stay. Thanks.'
He came in. She gave him some of her dad's clothes to change into. He showered, and they had dinner. She cooked bacon and eggs.
He was cute.
He never left.
The End
Clearwater: Shadows
(Clearwater Saga Volume 2)
Sandra sat on the rocker, in the cool of the afternoon, the long shadows of the poplars covering her. She stared out westwards, at the fields, relaxed. Happy. She had a man. She now had a man.
Daniel was an older soul. A calm soul for the most part, and he had come down from his high, started wearing her father's clothing, and then slept in her old room, and just stayed. Just stayed. They talked, smalltalk to start with,but he gradually started opening up. And so did she. He was a man with a shadowy past, so he claimed. 'Not one of dark deeds, Sandra,' he had said. 'But of a dark heart. A broken heart.'
'What do you mean?'
'Bitter times. Till I moved to Cooma. Then a spirit returned to my life. And the shadows disappeared, and I was so excited I was psychotic again. Which brought me here.'
'So the shadows saved me,' she said.
He couldn't help but smile.
She sat there, that afternoon, in the shadows of the poplars, thinking. He had a place, in Cooma, and had invited her to see it. They would have to take the bus, which was how she got to Cooma. But she didn't mind. His place was like him. Calm. Gentle colours, soft environment, nothing harsh or jagged jutting out to upset you. Like a step back in timme 20 years or so. A lot like her place in many ways. He had books. Thousands of books. And thousands of comics and CDs and DVDs. All around the house in bookcases sprawled everywhere. He was an information culture junkie. He had said so himself. But she didn't mind. And an updated decade of movies she hadn't seen seemed a wonderful idea.
'What are these books?' she asked, about the collection of about 50 books with his name on them.
'The published works so far of the Chronicles of the Children of Destiny. A saga about the children and angels of God.'
'Your an author,' she said.
He nodded.
'Mmmm.'
He showed her the rest of his house, and finally the bedrooms.
'Nice quilt. Angels,' she said.
He smiled.
'Do you want to watch a movie?'
She followed him to the loungeroom, and they sat there, together, watching Twilight, which she was now finally seeing.
She had a good time.
*
The following morning she awoke to the sun streaming through the window. She was in the guest room. They had been together 3 months. They hadn't slept together yet. She was still a virgin, anyway. He was conservative. She showered in the ensuite, and coming through to the kitchen she found a plate of fried bacon, eggs and tomato sitting on the table, hot by the looks of it, with toast and orange juice sitting next to it. Daniel suddenly appeared, coming through the back door.
'Eat up,' he said. 'I bought it all fresh this morning.'
She smiled and hooked into the breakfast.
'You want to do anything today ?' he asked her, when they were back in the lounge room, watching TV.
She looked at him. 'You have thousands of DVDs and CDs. I could stay here forever.'
He smiled. 'Then we'll keep it simple.'
And so Sandra stayed with Daniel. A whole year. She went back to Clearwater just once to check everything was ok, but then remained with Daniel. But they didn't sleep together. Not yet anyway.
And Sandra found no shadows in Daniel's heart, and she was content, and she was at peace.
The End
Clearwater: Legacies
(Clearwater Saga Volume 3)
'Not so much, anymore. I had a lot of bitter years. Were God was there, and I knew he was there, but I didn't speak to him much. I didn't have much heart left. There was Kirstie, like I was telling you about. And I slept with her, and another girl called Jenny. And Jenny lives not far from here. And then there was Taylor. Oh God. Taylor. She was too much for me. Too expensive for Danny Daly.'
'Too expensive.'
'I would tell you who she was, but you wouldn't believe me.'
'Try me,' said Sandra.
'She went missing for a few years. Lived inTuggeranong with me. A famous US country singer. I was about to be published at the time, and I thought the world was coming to me. It never worked out. The dream died, and I went into a spiral downwards. I'm only now climbing out of it.'
'Jenny Gilmore?' asked Sandra.
'Yes,' said Daniel. 'You know her?'
'I know her,' said Sandra.
Later on Sandra was looking at Daniel's CD collection. 'Is this her?' she asked him, showing him a Taylor Swift CD with a love note from Taylor to Daniel written in it. He nodded.
'Does she keep in touch?'
'No. I haven't heard from her since she left. Don't know if I ever will again. Maybe one day, beyond death, in heaven. Maybe one day. We were in love for a while. It didn't work out. Life throws you a curveball. And the legacies of love I have left behind me have resulted in many bitter tears. Michelle took me to the Kingdom Hall. The Jehovah's Witness place, and I let God know I was miserable. And when Taylor left me, I swore at him in that place, softly. Called him a bastard. His spirit said I was forgiven. Said he understood. I didn't care. I didn't want to be forgiven. I respected Michelle. She was a fabulous girl, a great witness for God, but I couldn't stomach it then. What Jehovah had did in my life. The way he had led women to me, and I hadn't even been responsible with them, but I liked them, and then came Taylor, and I blew that. And I never forgave him. Even now I hurt.'
'But now you have me,' said Sandra, smiling at him.
'Now I have you,' he said, and smiled at her. It was a feint smile, but he came over, touched her shoulder, and she knew he meant it. He did have her. And she had him. And whatever crazy destiny Daniel had been through, she was just grateful that Taylor Swift, of all people, hadn't gotten her man. For she was starting to have feelings for him, and starting to find her place in the world. And if she had Michelle Bullock to thank for sorting her man out, who seemed to now be getting over his dark years, settled, a place of his own, looking more like a grown up mature citizen, then she was grateful to God for that small mercy.
She put on the Taylor Swift CD, and put on the song 'Love Story.'
It felt deep, longing, and she felt Daniel in it. And she knew she might have broken a heart, long ago, for Sandra knew Daniel was her own love story. A love story, now, she might never let go of. A love story which would, maybe, change her life forever. Just maybe. Just maybe.
The End
by
Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly
Copyright 6176 SC
http://noahidebooks.angelfire.com
Clearwater was a quiet town, south of Dalgety in New South Wales Australia, a town in many ways, except it only had one house, and one resident. Clearwater was a sign, written in green letters, on the fence of the abode, perhaps a sign of happiness within. Perhaps.
Sandra was the resident of Clearwater. She was 20, her father dying last year, leaving her the house. Her mother had died in her childbirth. Sandra was unemployed, had spent her days since leaving school taking care of her elderly father, who was now dead, and Sandra, with about 10 thousand dollars left in her inheritance, an old Holden, and a home, was wondering about her future most days. What would she do?
She had blossomed late in her teens, and was now moderately attractive. But a boy had not known her, and she was not overly given to them. Not a lesbian, by any means, but no real passions of heart. No real passions of anything, really.
Like the warm summer, her personality was warm and friendly, but with no spark of activity, no spark of direction, no spark of purpose. Simply a warm, happy, energy, which flowed with things. Which had followed her fathers simple ways, and not worried. Not cared, really.
But it couldn't go on, could it. Things would have to change, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they?
*
10 years later, another centrelink form for job applications, not that she ever tried. Simply the same two job applications in Dalgety town, one for receptionist, one for publican, and they still couldn't take her. Cooma centrelink didn't complain. They knew her situation. They didn't mind.
She was simple, now. Part of the community in some ways, but she lived the solitary life. Not much, ever, really doing. She swam in the snowy in summer, in her bikini, down the road a little. She occasionally watched the cricket in Dalgety, a live match, but never bothered with the Rugby League. She had a meal in the pub about twice a year, but apart from that shopped in did nothing else, cept Cooma occasionally to buy some new clothes.
Mostly she slept on her bed, watched her soaps on the same tube tv her father had owned, ocasionally watched one of the video casettes they owned, which were old now, and had been used a lot, and not much else. Often, in the afternoons, when the sun was low, she would be on the rocker out the front, watching the haze of summer, watching the sheep in the paddock opposite, waiting. For what, she never really knew. But she was waiting.
*
He walked by, not much later, in track pants, sneakers, and a t-shirt. He saw her and asked for water. She didn't mind.
'I'm having an episode,' he said. 'The worst is over, but I still feel a bit messed up. I was at the river all night. Its not as bad as when I was younger.'
'Your psychotic?' she asked him.
Daniel nodded. 'A schizophrenic,' he responded.
'I understand,' she said. 'My sister had been a psychotic. She killed herself.'
'I'm sorry,' he said.
'Don't be. It wasn't your fault. Besides, I hated her. She was hell to live with.'
'Sorry,' he responded.
She looked at him. He looked a bit older, not sure how old really, could have been in his 40s or even 50s, but he seemed youthful in some ways.
'Were do you live?' she asked him.
'In Cooma. I moved there last year. Bought a home with my superannuation.'
'Oh. So your retired,' she said.
'Uh, sort of. I turned 60 last year. Got my payment. Bought a house.'
'Oh. You don't look that old. 50, maybe. But not much older.'
'Thanks,' he said.
She looked at him again. 'Do you want to stay the night? I rarely get company. Not really anybody at all since dad died. My cousin from Sydney. Just once. Nobody else.'
'Umm. Yeh, I guess so. I was going to see were the road went, but sure, I'd love to stay. Thanks.'
He came in. She gave him some of her dad's clothes to change into. He showered, and they had dinner. She cooked bacon and eggs.
He was cute.
He never left.
The End
Clearwater: Shadows
(Clearwater Saga Volume 2)
Sandra sat on the rocker, in the cool of the afternoon, the long shadows of the poplars covering her. She stared out westwards, at the fields, relaxed. Happy. She had a man. She now had a man.
Daniel was an older soul. A calm soul for the most part, and he had come down from his high, started wearing her father's clothing, and then slept in her old room, and just stayed. Just stayed. They talked, smalltalk to start with,but he gradually started opening up. And so did she. He was a man with a shadowy past, so he claimed. 'Not one of dark deeds, Sandra,' he had said. 'But of a dark heart. A broken heart.'
'What do you mean?'
'Bitter times. Till I moved to Cooma. Then a spirit returned to my life. And the shadows disappeared, and I was so excited I was psychotic again. Which brought me here.'
'So the shadows saved me,' she said.
He couldn't help but smile.
She sat there, that afternoon, in the shadows of the poplars, thinking. He had a place, in Cooma, and had invited her to see it. They would have to take the bus, which was how she got to Cooma. But she didn't mind. His place was like him. Calm. Gentle colours, soft environment, nothing harsh or jagged jutting out to upset you. Like a step back in timme 20 years or so. A lot like her place in many ways. He had books. Thousands of books. And thousands of comics and CDs and DVDs. All around the house in bookcases sprawled everywhere. He was an information culture junkie. He had said so himself. But she didn't mind. And an updated decade of movies she hadn't seen seemed a wonderful idea.
'What are these books?' she asked, about the collection of about 50 books with his name on them.
'The published works so far of the Chronicles of the Children of Destiny. A saga about the children and angels of God.'
'Your an author,' she said.
He nodded.
'Mmmm.'
He showed her the rest of his house, and finally the bedrooms.
'Nice quilt. Angels,' she said.
He smiled.
'Do you want to watch a movie?'
She followed him to the loungeroom, and they sat there, together, watching Twilight, which she was now finally seeing.
She had a good time.
*
The following morning she awoke to the sun streaming through the window. She was in the guest room. They had been together 3 months. They hadn't slept together yet. She was still a virgin, anyway. He was conservative. She showered in the ensuite, and coming through to the kitchen she found a plate of fried bacon, eggs and tomato sitting on the table, hot by the looks of it, with toast and orange juice sitting next to it. Daniel suddenly appeared, coming through the back door.
'Eat up,' he said. 'I bought it all fresh this morning.'
She smiled and hooked into the breakfast.
'You want to do anything today ?' he asked her, when they were back in the lounge room, watching TV.
She looked at him. 'You have thousands of DVDs and CDs. I could stay here forever.'
He smiled. 'Then we'll keep it simple.'
And so Sandra stayed with Daniel. A whole year. She went back to Clearwater just once to check everything was ok, but then remained with Daniel. But they didn't sleep together. Not yet anyway.
And Sandra found no shadows in Daniel's heart, and she was content, and she was at peace.
The End
Clearwater: Legacies
(Clearwater Saga Volume 3)
'Not so much, anymore. I had a lot of bitter years. Were God was there, and I knew he was there, but I didn't speak to him much. I didn't have much heart left. There was Kirstie, like I was telling you about. And I slept with her, and another girl called Jenny. And Jenny lives not far from here. And then there was Taylor. Oh God. Taylor. She was too much for me. Too expensive for Danny Daly.'
'Too expensive.'
'I would tell you who she was, but you wouldn't believe me.'
'Try me,' said Sandra.
'She went missing for a few years. Lived inTuggeranong with me. A famous US country singer. I was about to be published at the time, and I thought the world was coming to me. It never worked out. The dream died, and I went into a spiral downwards. I'm only now climbing out of it.'
'Jenny Gilmore?' asked Sandra.
'Yes,' said Daniel. 'You know her?'
'I know her,' said Sandra.
Later on Sandra was looking at Daniel's CD collection. 'Is this her?' she asked him, showing him a Taylor Swift CD with a love note from Taylor to Daniel written in it. He nodded.
'Does she keep in touch?'
'No. I haven't heard from her since she left. Don't know if I ever will again. Maybe one day, beyond death, in heaven. Maybe one day. We were in love for a while. It didn't work out. Life throws you a curveball. And the legacies of love I have left behind me have resulted in many bitter tears. Michelle took me to the Kingdom Hall. The Jehovah's Witness place, and I let God know I was miserable. And when Taylor left me, I swore at him in that place, softly. Called him a bastard. His spirit said I was forgiven. Said he understood. I didn't care. I didn't want to be forgiven. I respected Michelle. She was a fabulous girl, a great witness for God, but I couldn't stomach it then. What Jehovah had did in my life. The way he had led women to me, and I hadn't even been responsible with them, but I liked them, and then came Taylor, and I blew that. And I never forgave him. Even now I hurt.'
'But now you have me,' said Sandra, smiling at him.
'Now I have you,' he said, and smiled at her. It was a feint smile, but he came over, touched her shoulder, and she knew he meant it. He did have her. And she had him. And whatever crazy destiny Daniel had been through, she was just grateful that Taylor Swift, of all people, hadn't gotten her man. For she was starting to have feelings for him, and starting to find her place in the world. And if she had Michelle Bullock to thank for sorting her man out, who seemed to now be getting over his dark years, settled, a place of his own, looking more like a grown up mature citizen, then she was grateful to God for that small mercy.
She put on the Taylor Swift CD, and put on the song 'Love Story.'
It felt deep, longing, and she felt Daniel in it. And she knew she might have broken a heart, long ago, for Sandra knew Daniel was her own love story. A love story, now, she might never let go of. A love story which would, maybe, change her life forever. Just maybe. Just maybe.
The End
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