Friday, March 4, 2011

Dooley Noted



 Harry B. Sanderford

 
All morning long his nerves had been on edge and he couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. He had a clean line of sight six miles in any direction and as far as he could see, he and his mule Katie were the only two in the territory. Dooley stoppered the bottle and slid it back in his saddlebag, admonishing himself for being so damn jumpy. He gave Katie her reins so he could roll a smoke and was licking the gummed paper when he heard a soft snap and turned whence it came. A nearly imperceptible imperfection at first, an eyelash viewed in peripheral vision, became a stitch on the horizon and then a seam unraveling an opening in the fabric of the sky. Dooley looked up to see the clear blue winking open to reveal a world size bloodshot eye. He dropped his cigarette makin’s, grabbed himself a handful of reins and slapping Katie's flanks shouted, "Well on the upside Katie, I reckon we ain’t goin' crazy!"


14 comments:

Denise Covey said...

Hey dangnabbit! What was that Dooley smokin'?

Denise<3

Flashquake #Fridayflash

Eric J. Krause said...

Good story. That will certainly lead to a feeling of being watched!

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

That is the cutest mule picture EVER. Along with the most perfect title EVER. You make me laugh, Harry, you really do!

John Wiswell said...

Or we're all crazy, collectively unsconscious and dreaming of the world's eye after a bender. Either way, I don't hold it against you!

David Barber said...

That was a cool story, Harry. Whatever he was rolling, I could do with one!!

Stephen said...

Ha! Old Dooley finally confirms what he's believed all morning long. Though I have to ask: who was the mule and who was the ass? A fun story, Harry. I'm still chuckling.

Icy Sedgwick said...

That mule is SO cute! I want one.

Steve Green said...

Gives a whole new meaning to eye-in-the-sky, it's not paranoia if you really are being watched. :-)

Alan W. Davidson said...

I suppose one explanation in not what Dooley is smokin' but the is a researcher looking through a microscope at him and his ass. Thanks for the chuckle, Harry.

pegjet said...

And I want this to go further...
I love that he figured he wasn't crazy and actually chuckled. Dooley could be one of those accidental heroes in more stories.

Laurita said...

As everyone knows, seeing a giant eye is one sure way to know you aren't crazy. That's some great imagery there with the unraveling seam.

If I was Dooley I'd haul ass outta there.

Kate Pilarcik ~ absolutely said...

Monty Python artist Terry Gilliam, meet Harry's mule and be Dooley proud.

Best line ever'time I read this one:
He had a clean line of sight six miles in any direction

You gots a lotta in-sight Har. "Keep thinkin' Butch. That's what you're good at."

~ Absolutely*Kate (no relation)

Stephen said...

That did make me laugh (in a good way). I particularly liked the fact that the big eye in the sky is proof of *not* going crazy. One slight readability things was: 'He gave Katie her reins to roll a smoke...' which does rather read as if the mule has been given permission to tamp down a line of tobacco, but I care not. A lot of pace for such a short story. St.

Rebecca Emin said...

Cute mule! Not so sure about the creepy eye - gave me the chills!