Is anyone out there?

No comments on my blog. Of course that doesn't mean no one read my blog. Just didn't comment.
I read Howard Fast for the book club. I've been reading so many Jonathon Kellerman stories that the one by Fast seemed a little blah, but he was a good writer.
My on line writer's group seems to be fading. I try to keep up my end by critiquing and submitting, but lately I was the only one in the forum!
My granddaughter, Tessa suggested she and I do a book club thing on line. Don't know how it would work, but it might be fun.
I'm thinking I maybe should take a hiatus from the writer's group and do some submitting. I haven't submitted anything since December 2007.
I did get creative, though and wrote another Bea and Ben story. They are my imaginaary retired couple.

Here it is:

The New Garbage Can:

The New Garbage Can
A Bea and Ben story by Joan Hobernicht


Bea finally found a parking place at the big discount store across town from where she and Ben live. The wind took her car door and opened it wide as she maneuvered her large body out of the driver’s seat. She managed to stay upright as the wind whooshed around her. By the time she got to the entrance of the store she was out of breath and out of sorts.

She grabbed a shopping cart, but it stubbornly stayed fastened to the others in the line. A nice young gentleman disentangled the carts and she thanked him. Her list included a trip to the personal health section, the home supplies for a new set of sheets for the guest room, a birthday card for her daughter, Lois, who was turning fifty next week. {I} Better be careful about that one. I think she’s taking fifty pretty hard [I] It took a while, but she finally found one she thought was just right. A woman reached in front of her giving her a dirty look as if to say, “Finally, you’ll be out of my way, you old woman.”

Bea passed the hardware department. They were having a sale on garbage cans. [I] We need a new can, that wind blew our old one away. [I] She found one on wheels. It barely fit on top of her cart.

The lady at the checkout counter suggested she put her other purchases inside the garbage can. Then Bea picked up the plastic can and started out the door. She couldn’t see where she was going. A man sitting on the bench laughed at her. “Ma’am why don’t you set the thing on the ground and pull it?” he asked.

Bea set it on the ground and pulled it outside. The wind immediately took the lid of the can and it went rolling down the pavement. A nice young lady caught it and brought it back to Bea. “Thank you,” Bea said.

She secured the lid on to the can and pulled it to her car. As she approached her car another car stopped, waiting for her to leave so he could park in her parking place. This flustered Bea a bit and she tried to hurry. She opened the trunk and discovered that it was full of stuff Ben had bought at a garage sale. The wind took a piece of paper out of the trunk and swirled it up into the security camera where it remained, blocking it completely.

Bea opened the back door behind the driver’s seat. The garbage can wouldn’t fit. She pulled the can around to the door behind the passenger seat and opened the door. She let go the garbage can and opened the front passenger seat and pulled that seat as far to the front as it would go. She closed that door just in time to rescue the garbage can from rolling back to the store.

Meanwhile, the car waiting for her parking spot was holding up traffic and there was a long line of irritated motorists with engines running. Bea’s face was red, her gray hair straggled out of the bun and her pantyhose drooped beneath her skirt.

An older gentleman finally helped her get the garbage can into the back seat. “Thank you,” Bea said.

She was out of breath when she sat in the driver’s seat. [I] I would like to sit here and rest a moment, but everybody is in a hurry. [I]

She imagined there was a big round of cheering when she finally left the parking lot

Ben heard her open the garage door and went to assist her. “Do you need help?” he asked.


“Yes, you can take the #$% garbage can out of the #$% car.”

Ben didn’t say another word. If Bea was swearing she’d a bad day and was better left alone.

Oh yes this story is based on a peronal experience! We've had terrible winds lately. All for now Joan