836. Making ends meet

37 Replies

836verity

Verity and Barney Tattle had been married ten years. They had three children. Verity was a “homemaker”. Barney worked in a garden centre. Then Barney lost his job.

Barney found another job, as a nightshift worker at a factory. The pay was lousy. In fact it wasn’t enough to support his family. Let Barney take up the story…

“Through it all,” said Barney, “through thick and thin, my wife managed to put enough food on the table. Goodness knows how she did it, but she did. Wise budgeting I suppose, and knowing how not to waste a thing. She was a miracle worker if there ever was one. She coped on the smell of an oily rag for two years. And then I found a new job. It paid better. The hard times were over, but my wife had saved the day. My getting the better paying job was the beginning of our real trouble. That was when Verity was diagnosed with cancer. She lived for only another three weeks.”

Verity? Verity Tattle? Were you married to Verity Tattle? All the guys wondered what happened to her. Well I never! She was the best night club pole dancer in town.

To listen to the story being read click HERE!

37 thoughts on “836. Making ends meet”

  1. Susanne

    Verily and yea, the truth will out. I like the structure of this story with Barney taking over the narration. And where was this conversation occurring I wonder? In a peeler bar? Barney seeking solace in sin? Oh, I love a story that makes my mind wander!

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  4. Yvonne

    Erk. I had just picked up my glass of wine (after putting it down to pay close attention to your poem), and this came along. I may never finish this glass of wine. See, you’re good for my health, Bruce.

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              1. Bruce Goodman Post author

                That’s almost worthy of a place in a coveted (I mean covered) book of quotes. I feel like my goat… no protective covering fat, and so it would die if not protected from the slightest hint of storm-tossed rain. (Speaking of which – did you get any of all that snow?)

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                1. Cynthia Jobin

                  We have plenty of snow on the ground from previous storms and we’ve had some howling winds lately, but no, this particular blast seems to be staying south ….affecting NY and just now Washington DC, Virginia and having left havoc in it s wake in North Carolina and other regions thereabouts. “Those people” just aren’t prepared for it, and the cities are more congested, so it’s a bigger deal than it would be, say, in Maine, or in Quebec.

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                  1. Bruce Goodman Post author

                    Yes – I was wondering about the hassle of “not being prepared”. In Quebec (Province) snow would sometimes be higher than the top of the garage door!! – and had to be cleared by 7.30 am on many days!

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