No one knows what it’s like to be the bad man, to be the sad man behind blue eyes.
Behind Blue Eyes, by Pete Townsend of The Who
Candy sat atop a fallen tree trunk with one foot stretched out in front of him and the other one resting on a rock. He bit the inside of his cheek as Griff crouched down again, took his foot in both hands and wrestled with getting his boot off as gently as possible.
“Sorry.” Griff looked up as Candy sucked in a sharp breath and paused what he was doing.
“Keep going!” Candy growled through clenched teeth. The pain wasn’t going to stop just because the kid stopped pulling on his foot.
Griff reluctantly finished what he had started and looked up with alarm as Candy swayed in front of him. He dropped the offending boot and stood up, grasping at his friend’s forearm.
“Candy!”
The foreman brushed off his hands as if chasing away a fly.
“I’m okay.”
“Sure ya are!” Griff shook his head and once again crouched down. “Now, let me get this stinkin’ sock off and we can see just how bad this is.”
He peeled back the sock and frowned at the blackening, swollen skin beneath it. He gently probed around the ankle bone and Candy almost shot forward off his seat.
“Well …. it’s broken.”
Griff’s laconic way with words amused Candy on most days. This wasn’t most days.
“Really?” His voice dripped with sarcasm, but Griff just shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, I can get you a second opinion when we get you to the doc, but yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s broken.”
Before he could make any further remarks, Candy’s face drained of colour.
“Maybe you need to sit on the ground.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
Griff leaned forward and eased his friend down from the tree trunk and onto the ground before he fell over. Candy’s face was pale and dripping beads of sweat and Griff quickly ran to grab a water canteen. He pulled off his necktie and dribbled some water into it before wiping his friend’s face.
“Didn’t know you were such a good nurse.” Candy tried to rustle up a grin, but a tight grimace was the best he could do.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Nobody knows.” The words were muttered, but Candy didn’t miss them. Or the pain behind them.
The kid he’d last seen running wild in Montana was long gone. The angry young con who’d been reluctantly dragged to the Ponderosa was also gone. Well, he hoped he was. Candy just wasn’t quite sure who had replaced him.
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Candy looked up to see Griff looking anywhere but his way. “Something to keep my mind off this damn foot while we wait for the others to come back.”
It had been months and Griff had barely given away anything, either to Candy or anybody else.
“No one knows. What it’s like to be the bad man.” Griff hesitated as if he crossed an invisible line. “To be the sad man … behind blue eyes.”
“So tell me.”
I enjoyed all of these in the forum, but it’s nice to have them together in one place where library readers can also enjoy. Every bit is a testament to your word skills and character insights which makes it really hard to pick a favorite, but you know I have great fondness for the way you write Roy Coffee, and I especially loved the conversation with his old friend Ben Cartwright. 🙂
I think that’s one of my favourites too as Roy is such a great character to write. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading them all again.
This gives a glimpse of what Paul really goes through. I love Jake’s relaxed manner about life.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment on each one. These are such fun to write and some of them are bubbling away as possible extended stories. I’m glad you have enjoyed them.
I enjoyed this…Adam doing what he has to for his little brother, ignoring his own need for sleep. But then keeping Joe sleeping would bring a bit of peace.
Happy to see these here! Remembered most of them as I was reading through — fun stuff! I still want to know about Hoss’s broken arm … ??
Thanks as always for writing and posting!
I’m still waiting for him to tell me the story. He’s been very sheepish about it! As soon as I get the scoop, I will write the rest of the story.
Love how Roy’s calm eventually gets to the root of the problem with Morgan. A dangerous situation diffused.
Sad existence for a man but maybe now he’ll get some help to find himself again.
Adam is blessed to have two paths to follow, but that doesn’t make it any easier to choose.
Oh I do love this one. Ben and Roy sharing crazy and insane memories. Perfect use of the quote.
Oh, so funny. That’s Joe. All his lies are always wishes. No wonder he never saw lying as wrong.
Candy and Joe are a dangerous combination. They get each other into trouble or get each other out of it. The problem…it could go either way. *smirk*
Great use of the prompt. Marie certainly was balancing on that wire until Ben tipped her life to the side of love.
Love the sentimentality here. “Like running into an old friend.” Warm memories fill the heart.