Dodge City, Kansas

Circa 1876

“Lost Without Your Love”

Matt Dillon and his girlfriend, Sunshine MacGillicutty, were having problems.

Sunshine had received a letter from a former boyfriend, Tom Alexander, requesting her presense back home. There was going to be a new memorial dedicated to the Fallen Brothers of Virginia. (Sunshine’s father and husband had both fought in Civil War. They had each met a different fate in Pickett’s Charge. Her father was captured, and spent the rest of the war in a Delaware prisoner of war camp. Her husband, John, had been killed.)

While Matt understood and appreciated the importance of her presense at the dedication, he did NOT like the idea that a former beau was extending the invitation.

Matt:”So let me get this straight. Dunbar wasn’t your only boyfriend, before you married John?!” Kevin Dunbar had been recently widowed, and in some of my earlier stories, he had made more than one visit to Dodge, causing problems for Sunshine and Matt.

Sunshine:”Matt….. Kevin Dunbar was my only serious relationship before John. After John’s death, over a period of many years, I had……”

Matt interrrupted:”You had WHAT?!”

Sunshine looked him square in the eye….” I had some romances.” Matt grimaced and looked away. “Matt Dillon!!! Don’t you dare tell me you never had any girlfriends before Kitty!!”

Matt:” Well sure…..(5) A love found, a love lost…..Nothing that amounted to a hill of beans!”

Sunshine:”Interesting the way you describe your affairs in such an absurd fashion.”

Matt swallowed hard….”I KNOW I’m going to regret asking this ….. Just how many boyfriends DID you have?”

Sunshine turned to face the window.”There’s some things I haven’t told you, Matt.”

Matt:”Ohhhh, God. WHAT?! Wait! Let me guess! You once dated Siamese Twins…… Jim Bob and Bubba Joe!! AND, I’ll just bet……

Sunshine:”Oh, Matt. BE QUIET!!!! Just listen….. There were…….. others after John, before you. You know, we’re talking about a chunk of time, here!”

Matt:”HOW MANY?!”

Sunshine glared….”Gee, I don’t know. I didn’t count. How many women did you have?!”

Matt:”Gee I don’t know. I didn’t count!!”

Sunshine:”Okay…. Let’s just stop this nonsense. Come with me. The train leaves tomorrow. We’ll travel across the country, relax, have some fun…”

Matt:”Excuse me. I have a job, remember? Why don’t you send your regrets and then sometime in the future we’ll go together.The timing of this stinks!” Sunshine walked out of the room.

Matt followed her….”NOW what?!”

Sunshine:”This dedication is important to me, Matt. I’m going….With or withOUT you. As a matter of fact. I think………

I think we need a break.”

Matt sat on the bed…….(1)”Well, I never thought I’d hear that.”

He paused ……” I’m staying at the office, tonight.” (Which is where he used to live before moving in with Sunshine.) “Oh, and tell Tom, Billy Bobby, Bubba Buckus and all the others hello for me!!!”

Sunshine was on the noon train. She looked around but didn’t see Matt. She boarded the train and sat down by a window . She kept thinking that any second he would walk down to the depot and join her.

Someone came running to the train platform.

Sunshine thought it was Matt…..(6) At last!”

It wasn’t; Just a late arrival .

What she didn’t know was that he had been called away on business early in the morning. Matt had every intention of talking to her before she left. He didn’t want her to leave under such conditions. As he sped back to Dodge, he heard the train’s whistle. He watched as it disappeared around a wooded bend……..

“(4). I can hear my heart breaking. I’ll be (3) Picking up the pieces every moment she is gone. Ohhh, baby, come back to me.”

Dejected , he headed to Dodge. He went through the motions of being the responsible, level headed Marshal. Sometime around 7 that evening, he returned to the farm. He tended to all the animals. As he sat there, holding their kitten,Gray Lady, and puppy, Daisie Dixie, in his lap, he thoughts were of Sunshine. “Oh, SunnyMac……I’m (2) Lost without your love.”

TO BE CONTINUED.

Okay

ROLL CREDITS

Matt Dillon…. James Arness

http://www.lawzone.com/half-nor/arness-tvg.jpg

Sunshine MacGillicutty….. Annie MacGregor

http://janerice.250free.com/jpgs/cowgirl.jpg

Sarge,these stories are great. I read the one from gaillee last night and she was #1 and this morning she is the #2 answer person. Is that a good thing ? I know how it happened, so don’t bother to explain.

I have never read Novels but I could easily start with the story I read last night. I got so into that. Wow , I couldn’t believe it. I”m not much into the old cowboy ones but I sure grab on to the love stories of the here & now. #2 would have my vote.~~

“Do your own homework,” said Sarah, surveying the classroom, her domain, as the bell rang and class let out. Some days it seemed as if the clock just took its merry time moving the minute hand; on those days, Sarah wished it would run faster. “One of those days?” asked Miss Williams, the aide. “Yes. Where’s my aspirin? I feel my ulcer growing.” replied Sarah. Miss Williams handed her the bottle. The audiovisual staff had brought in a TV, so the class could watch an educational tape on the life of the Bronte sisters. “Hey, who took the remote?” asked Miss Williams. “Ah, here it is.” The TV and its attached VCR shut off. Sarah had given the class a lecture earlier about one of the common literary plots of that time: a man or woman, torn between two choices, or torn between two lovers. “It sounds interesting,” Miss Williams thought to herself, “but the way it’s presented in these old moldy books… well, I’d be reading the latest Harry Potter book in a New York second, given the choice.” She never dared give voice to such thoughts in front of Sarah. “So, what are you doing this weekend?” Miss Williams asked Sarah. “Grading essays, same as you,” said Sarah. “I’m sure there are some that will be worth reading; the creativity of the students always amazes me,” said Miss Williams aloud. To herself, she subvocalized, “I have got to get a life.”

Lost without your love, I feel as though I can hear my heart breaking. Every part of my being aches but, I must go on and start picking up the pieces, of what’s left of my life…a life without you.

I have no choice but to start anew. How? My life has been yours for so long. I feel I have lost my very identity! Who am I without you? I haven’t a clue? But, I do know that I am going to survive and look towards my future.

Annie dropped her pen and started sobbing. “Look forward to my future?” she wailed. Placing her head upon the desk, she began to think about how to get back “in touch” with the Annie she knew before Jim.

“Enough”! “I am not going to grieve over Jim. He has moved on and I must do the same!” Annie brushed the tears away with a new determination. A determination to re-aquaint herself, to have fun and most of all, not to stay inside moping over Jim’s words…”I don’t love you anymore”…”Well, I never thought I’d hear that from someone who claimed I was the very essence of his existance!”, she muttered, angrily.

Annie decided to go out to eat as she had lost all appetite after Jim walked out “their” door. She bathed and dressed hurredly and thought of a restaurant where she and Jim had never gone. After all, “that’s the last thing I need….memories!”Annie gave one more glance at herself in the mirror. Noticing her thin waistline, she knew that indeed, losing Jim had taken its toll.

Upon arriving, at the restaurant, Annie paid the cabby and strolled over to the entrance. Upon opening the door, Annie noticed it was dimly lit and the decor was exquisite. She could hear a piano playing in the background, tickling her ears with a beautiful sound. “Oh, what a nice, relaxing place to dine”, Annie thought as she was escorted to her table.

Looking over the menu, Annie noticed the piano music had stopped. Merely thinking the pianist was on break and would be back, she continued to browse over the menu.

Spotting her choice, Annie felt the warmth of a hand upon her shoulder. She jumped slightly as she turned to see…”Blake, is that you”, Annie asked in a surprised voice. “Yes, Annie, how are you?”, asked Blake. He immediately took a seat and they were back in high school, sharing memories and catching up on years long gone now.

After dining, Annie sat, enjoying the beautiful music coming from the hands of her first love. Her heart beat faster when he looked at her and smiled, a smile which encompassed the passion which they both shared, An unexpected passion!

Blake decided to take the rest of the night off so that he and his long, lost love could perhaps renew what they once had. Annie was certainly worth taking the time to reunite,” he thought.

Annie was elated that Blake wanted to spend this time and accepted his offer. They drove, in his car to a place they once knew…well! As he parked the car, he looked into Annie’s eyes and she was staring into his as well. Neither one knew when that first kiss occured but, it had and with it came all the passion they had held for one another!

Gently and tenderly, Blake kissed her neck as Annie moaned, “At Last! A love found, a love lost.”