Thomas knew he wouldn’t ever be so lucky as to go on a turkey drive like Robert had but he still felt like he must be one of the luckiest boys around to have such a great big brother, a hero returned from the southern war. Even though he didn’t remember him from before, even though Robert was fifteen years older, the two were close from the moment Robert returned home and set his musket in the corner of the hallway, from the first time Robert tossed him in the air but then asked Thomas seriously how things were on the farm, respecting him and the chores that he kept up with. And Robert was good to work with, more patient than Pa, always took time to explain why things were done a certain way, allowed Thomas time to see how things worked.
Thomas looked out for his big brother, didn’t worry him about overhearing Pa wondering with Ma if Robert was all right, wondering at how he’d changed, wondering how he was going to make it. Thomas looked out for Robert the time he yelled and thrashed about just because of a cardinal beating its wings against the window, got him quieted down, said it’s all right, shush it’s all right, just a little bird got confused, shush now, don’t get so excited, what’d you think it was?
Thomas wouldn’t realize that Robert looked out for him too, looked out for him by not answering his questions about why he had bad dreams and waking nightmares.
This is a second Six Sentence Story for this week’s prompt word “cardinal”. (The first is Sidelined) This story features Civil War vet Robert, returned to the family farm in Vermont, and his little brother Thomas, both of whom you may remember from past flashes.
Thomas and Robert appear to have a wonderful relationship with a natural reciprocity, byproduct no doubt of the age difference and Robert’s experience in the war. I like these characters.
I wonder about Pa (and Ma for that matter) though. “..wondering if he’d always been so skittish and sensitive…” Geez, ya think maybe going to war might do that to a person?!
Little personal trivia 😀 While not necessarily a cardinal, my mom told of a superstition she was raised with that when a bird was pecking at your window (or flew into it), it meant a death was imminent. A bad omen for sure.
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You are so right. I made a change to the text. Thanks. It’s maybe more credible now. And now I have to wonder if the cardinal was an omen. I was just thinking the color and the noise. Actually I wasn’t sure if this worked at all, so thank you for the feedback.
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This worked indeed. Very well done. Great six
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Thank you. I appreciate that.
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I hope we get to hear more of their story. You pulled us right into their lives. Great SSS.
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I am sure Robert and Thomas will be back for more. Robert first showed up in a Carrot Ranch flash, “Seeing the Elephant” and then came by for a few Six Sentence Stories as well as CR responses.
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I like how, with so few deft strokes, you bring out the brothers’ personalities and problems so they become real.
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Thank you. I have enjoyed getting to know these two. The have shared a couple of flashes now.
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🙂
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What a thoughtful and insightful six sentences.
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Thank you Faith. This is a continuation of a thread. Click on the highlighted links for more.
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what an eloquent description of the unfortunate fact-of-life that not all scars show.
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Thanks. Yeah, Robert took it hard, at least that’s the implication of the stories he’s shown up in.
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Excellent. They are blessed to have each other.
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That they are. Thomas truly has been a help to Robert.
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You pulled me in and loving the characters. Brings back some post Vietnam memories from my older brother and me.
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Aw.
Thank you for your comments.
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