#and then the rest at night school while he worked in the oilfields by day

[jevilowo]

ODDLY SPECIFIC ENGIE HEADCANON

As a wee egg-yet-to-crack child, Engie was hideously socially inept. This comes with autism being a Conagher Family Heirloom™ (someone said that in a reblog once and it has lived in my mind since).

Alas, being socially inept and a "girl" in early 1930s small-town Texas was Not It, and so every evening for a year Engie's mother sat down with him for a couple hours to go through Social Ettequite, even though he would really rather have spent the time tinkering in Fred's workshop.

This had the opposite effect as intended. To this day, Engie is the image of a Polite Southern Man to a genuinely creepy extent. Every polite smile of his is the smile of a barely restrained madman, and his eyes... you've probably seen the "meet the engineer without goggles" video. Every handshake and kind word comes across as carefully calculated (because they are) and almost uncanny valley.

And of course theres the fact that no amount of social conditioning can disguise the fact he's deranged, which is the other Conagher Family Heirloom™ .

[bermudaroad]

Personal History:  Summer of ’91

My kids Walker Roe and Clayton, ages 18 and 20, his girlfriend Adrian and their friends Reed, Shelby and Trevor spent the covid spring and summer of 2020 hanging out together, swimming, kayaking, watching movies, lamenting their lost semester and generally not following recommended guidelines for social distancing. Clayton was able to continue work while the rest finished spring classes online, which was a total bummer.  With businesses and restaurants shuttered for quarantine, there hasn’t been much else to do.  Walker and Reed had internships lined up that were cancelled.  Adrian did some housecleaning and as soon as a few restaurants did open back up, she and Trevor, who both used to work at the pub, got part-time jobs.  Reed cuts grass. The rest of their time is spent mostly at leisure.  

In seeming unrelated news, Thomas, one of my oldest friends, became a grandfather last week.  Because of covid, no visitors could go into the hospital, so when the baby was born, the new dad held her up to the hospital window and the grandparents all held up posters and signs of congratulations outside.  It was shared on Facebook, so I sent Thomas a text.  I could tell from his response how giddy he was. They didn’t get to actually hold the new baby for three or four days.

The quarantine, my kids’ spring and summer getting derailed and Thomas becoming Pawpaw got me thinking about the summer after our first year of college, back in Many, the summer of 1991.  I spent that time mostly with a small group with whom I had been friends since first grade: Thomas, of course; Ginger who was home from school in Oklahoma, Jeff and Andy who, like Thomas and me had been going to Northwestern State, and Ginger’s brother Clay who had just finished 10th grade and had finally stopped being a complete jerk.  Sometimes there would be one or two others, but that was the core group. 

Except for Clay, we were 18/19 and had just got our first big kid jobs.  Thomas and Jeff went to work at the mill in Florien, Gin got a job at the radio station and I was tellering at Sabine State Bank. I can’t remember what Andy was doing, probably working for his grandpa, and Clay, who was 16 and fast growing into a giant of a man, tooled around in his truck and worked out at the gym.  We no longer had curfews and seldom felt the need to ask our parents for anything.

We were all single, too, which probably explains why our group was small and close.

Ginger had come home from Oklahoma unsettled.  The previous Christmas, she had appalled her family by getting engaged to her long-time boyfriend Nathen, the same person who had been fooling around with our other friend Jamie behind Ginger’s back for most of the time they were dating.  Ginger found out about it in the middle of our senior year which was pretty much wrecked after that, but she and Nate stayed together, even though neither was happy. Her parents had hoped that when she shipped out for Oklahoma and Nate left for LSU, things would fizzle between them, so their surprise engagement at Christmas 1990 was less than joyous. By February, Ginger had come to her senses. She mailed Nathen back his pitiful little ring and he decided to stay in Baton Rouge for the summer, thankfully bringing that awful drama to an end. Also, she had met someone new in Oklahoma.

Clay’s girlfriend Anna had broken up with him right after Prom.  She was a classy girl, also a friend of ours, and she returned the jewelry Clay had given her, which Ginger divided up with me. Thomas and Jeff had recently split with the girls they dated through and beyond high school. Andy was always single, even though he carried a torch for Jamie for years. They were funny, affable guys and great pals.

I was fractured, too. My first love Patrick and I had outgrown each other and he had broken up with me in the spring, which was for the best, but I missed him terribly.  He was already seeing someone else. I was on a mission to get over Patrick, lose the freshman 15 I had packed on and have fun with my friends – Thomas being chief mischief-maker and proponent of fun.  

Riding around town, “making a drag” as we called it, wasn’t for us anymore as we tried to avoid our old flames, which was hard to do in Many.  Most of our friends had significant others to absorb their spare time and several had jumped straight into adulthood, going to work in the oilfield, joining the military or getting married.  We, on the other hand, aside from work responsibilities, could do pretty much whatever we wanted.  

Often after work, we would meet up and go hang out somewhere on Toledo Bend, the long pier at Pendleton or my parents’ place down near Quiet Cove, to drink wine coolers and talk nonsense.  Weekends we went swimming at LaNan or San Miguel and a couple of times Andy drove his grandpa’s barge across the lake to the cliffs on the Texas side where kids used to shinny up a frayed rope as thick as my arm to the top of the bluff and jump off.  The boys listened to the Beasty Boys, N.W.A., Sir Mix-A-Lot and Color Me Bad (I wasn’t a big fan of any of it) and Ginger had discovered Garth Brooks. We went to our friends’ weddings, stayed out too late, crashed at each other’s houses, made it to work on time and irritated our parents.

There were some long serious talks, too, as we commiserated and sorted out our broken hearts. Clay even opened up about his lost love.  It was a bonding period for Clay and Ginger who had spent most of their childhood fighting, and for he and I as well.  

I hope my kids aren’t as stupid as we were and I’m eternally grateful that social media did not exist.  One night – I don’t know what go into us - we got a wild hair and vandalized a dumpster with spray paint.  Thomas and Jeff frequently made a contest of pitching empty beer bottles at road signs going 4/60 down the highway headed to the lake. Under a full July moon, Andy took us armadillo hunting at his grandpa’s farm.  Riding four-wheelers and armed with .22s and homemade pipe bombs, we crisscrossed the pasture in the moonlight firing at will in the humid night that was thick with recklessness.  Another time Thomas and I were headed to Natchitoches in his monster old Bronco when I told him I wanted to smoke a cigarette. Thomas habitually swiped packs of Marlboro Reds from the carton his dad kept on top of their fridge. He offered me a light and told me what to do.  And so it was that I smoked the inaugural cigarette – the very first one -- in the drive-thru at Maggio’s, coughing and turning green and reveling in my rebellion. I even remember the music we were listening to: a cassette single of “I Wanna Be with You” by Pretty Boy Floyd. I don’t know why that detail has stuck with me.

At some point, Jeff and Andy both noticed charms about Ginger that had never been obvious to them before.  This was typical of Andy but surprising for Jeff. Thomas and I were greatly amused. Jeff made the first move, asking Ginger on a date that Clay offered to chaperone.  They went to see “King Ralph,” and the rest of us chased them down at Hardee’s after the movie.  I remember gathering around Jeff’s white Dodge stepside in the parking lot and snickering because Gin was sitting next to him in the cab. We all knew it wasn’t going anywhere; it was just a lark.  It wasn’t long before Ginger’s beau from Oklahoma couldn’t stand the separation anymore and hauled it down to Louisiana for a visit, which is how I met Brent and was maid of honor at their wedding a year later.  

With Ginger unavailable, Andy turned his attention to me and was rebuffed again.  But he wasn’t too disappointed.

As summers do, it went by in a blink and in mid-August, it was time to get back to business.  Clay started two-a-days, Gin packed up for Oklahoma and I, who had starved myself down to a wafer, moved back to Natchitoches. Thomas and Jeff were supposed to commute together, but Jeff dropped out of school to work full-time.  Andy transferred to LSU.  Thomas fell in with my college buddies and we share those memories as well.  It wasn’t our last summer of fun – we had a few more in store before adulthood really caught up with us.

Now we are in our late 40s – the summer of our lives. Thomas and Jeff still work together. They are deacons in their church, volunteer coaches and planners of wholesome youth activities.  Ginger and Brent have been over in Nacogdoches for over 20 years and active in ministry in their community.  Andy married a girl from Baton Rouge and lives on his family’s farm.  Clay went on to play football at Louisiana Tech, but personal troubles have always dogged him, even unto today. I married a nice guy I met in journalism class and have lived in Natchitoches ever since. We have seen each other quite a bit over the years, most recently when Ginger and Clay’s dad died, an occasion marked by the same old sense of camaraderie, nostalgia and some measure of sadness.  

It’s been a strange year, this spring and summer of covid.  It’s nice to see Clayton and Walker spending quality time together.  Interestingly, during the pandemic, Walker and her college friends have been writing old-fashioned letters and mailing them to each other, a true novelty for them.

It brings to mind the contrasts between the now and then.  In 1991 we had no cell phones, no email, no Internet, no Netflix, no Twitter or Snapchat.  Our parents had no idea where we were or what we were up to most of the time.  We had to make plans and sometimes locate each other by that peculiar friend-radar teenagers used to have.  We could buy alcohol and never wore seatbelts. Most blessed of all, youthful indiscretions were not splashed all over the social media, although I do have some lake photos boxed up on a high shelf.  It seems like our freedom was much greater in many ways. Some things change and some things stay the same.

It’s hard to believe it was almost 30 years ago.  Summers always go by too fast.

[chelsorz07]

i’ve probably done these before but hey it’s 2017 now so fuck it

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? My dad and I get along fine. Mom not so much but I’m working on it. If you call ignoring the damage she’s done to my self-worth and how horrible I’ve treated everyone in my family and still barely speaking “working”.

02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? My Marshmallow kitty.

03: Do you regret anything? Not going to college.

04: Are you insecure? I have my bow down to the Queen Bitch™ days and my I’m a complete piece of shit please validate me days. Just depends.

05: What is your relationship status? Married.

06: How do you want to die? I’d prefer it to be quick. I figure I suffer enough in life, why have to endure it in death as well? Like I’m not afraid to die but I’m afraid to be aware that I’m dying.

07: What did you last eat? General Tso’s chicken.

08: Played any sports? Volleyball, cheerleading, softball, basketball (briefly), and bowling.

09: Do you bite your nails? I have a great many bad habits, but thankfully that’s not one of them.

10: When was your last physical fight? Never been in one.

11: Do you like someone? My husband and about 450 fictional characters and/or the actors who represent them.

12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? Often. I’ve had insomnia for almost 15 years.

13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? Um...the writers of Shameless for making Ian ditch Mickey at the border.

14: Do you miss someone? Yeah, I never imagined my marriage would be a long distance relationship. Oilfield wife probs. Plus I live four hours away from my family and friends and I have no one here except the people I work with and my cats so it gets pretty friggin’ lonely.

15: Have any pets? Four cats. Millie, Marshall, Selina, and Thomas.

16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? Torn between annoying my neighbor with my excessively loud singing and taking a napsauce.

17: Ever made out in the bathroom? You know, I don’t think so.

18: Are you scared of spiders? Nope. But I’m terrified of bees.

19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? If only to go to school when I got accepted.

20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? Idk probably in my living room. I haven’t seen my husband in two and a half weeks.

21: What are your plans for this weekend? Well I just got home from work about an hour ago, and I think I’m gonna spend the rest of the night listening to music. Then Walking Dead tomorrow. I also have Monday and Tuesday off so hopefully I can muster up some energy to do laundry and clean my house.

22: Do you want to have kids? How many? That’s a sore subject right now because we’ve been trying and it’s just not happening, and it seems like everyone around me is getting pregnant. I only really want one but I’d be okay with two.

23: Do you have piercings? How many? I had my ears pierced but let them close because they were uneven. I’m thinking about getting them redone, plus my nose.

24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? Concert band, percussion ensemble, English, creative writing, and novel exploration.

25: Do you miss anyone from your past? Not really. If they’re not in my present, there’s a reason for it.

26: What are you craving right now? I’m good actually. That chicken hit the spot.

27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? Yeah. Idk if it’s good or bad that he’s my best friend now.

28: Have you ever been cheated on? Yep.

29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? I’ve been told.

30: What’s irritating you right now? My perpetually itchy skin. And I can feel some heartburn coming on.

31: Does somebody love you? I hope at least a couple people do.

32: What is your favourite color? Dark green, orange, and grey.

33: Do you have trust issues? I used to, but I guess I’m at the point now where it’s like if you’re gonna screw me over, there’s nothing I can do about it so fuck you bye.

34: Who/what was your last dream about? I have no idea. I usually forget them by this late in the day.

35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? Well Dave’s the only person I even see, and definitely one of the only people I allow to see me cry. So probably him. And probably because I was in some sort of physical pain. Since I usually am.

36: Do you give out second chances too easily? I guess I kinda do.

37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? Forgive.

38: Is this year the best year of your life? If we actually move back to our hometown like we’ve been talking about, and I somehow manage to get pregnant before the end of the year, it will be.

39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? Seventeen.

40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? Nope. The only time I’m ever completely naked is in the shower.

51: Favourite food? Oh god. Chicken tenders, pizza, breakfast bagels, my aunt’s Christmas bread dip, and pretty much any kind of bread/cheese combination. Ooh and Bob Evans mac n cheese. Fuck I love food.

52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Not necessarily.

53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? Cried about how much Mickey Milkovich loves Ian Gallagher, like I’ve done every night for the past month since I started watching Shameless.

54: Is cheating ever okay? No.

55: Are you mean? I mean kinda but most of the time I’m just fucking around with people.

56: How many people have you fist fought? Zero.

57: Do you believe in true love? True love? Idk. If I do, I’m still not sure that everybody only has one.

58: Favorite weather? Overcast but warm.

59: Do you like the snow? FUCKING NO IT IS THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE.

60: Do you wanna get married? I already am.

61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? Annoying AF actually. But Dave just calls me Chelsorz so luckily I don’t have to put up with stupid pet names.

62: What makes you happy? Lots of things. My shows, even though they also make me very sad, my kitties, my man (most of the time), my friends, getting things on sale, music, makeup, when music and makeup are on sale, food, caffeine, cigarettes, happy pills, art, coloring books, pretty trees, seeing my niece and nephew when I haven’t in forever, hugs. I could go on for a while. 

63: Would you change your name? I would if I wasn’t so old. Kinda stuck with it now, hate it as I may.

64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? I’m quite looking forward to it, in two and a half more weeks. Have I mentioned that being an oilfield wife sucks?

65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? He’s blatantly told me that he’s still in love with me. We’re still best friends though. Nobody else has my back like he does, and he doesn’t deserve to have it as rough as he has because he’s an awesome guy.

66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? I’m my complete self around everyone. Life’s too short not to be weird as fuck.

67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? Customers at work.

68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? Probably Michael.

69: Do you believe in soulmates? I do. @amandavanhalen is my soulmate lol

70: Is there anyone you would die for? Several people.

source: @handcrafted-in-germany