Category Archive:trifecta

Seeking Safety

February 13th, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets, trifecta / 13 Comments »

They drove down dark streets, cutting into alleys at the first sight of approaching headlights.

The woman huddled in the corner, ducking low enough she couldn’t be seen by anyone not looking directly into the window.

“Not much further,” the driver assured her.

She looked into the back seat at her sleeping children. “Just please hurry,” she whimpered. “He’ll be home soon and when he finds out I’m gone, I know he’ll come looking for us.”

The driver nodded in reassurance. “I know it’s hard for you to believe now, but things are going to work out. We have people who will help you. You are very brave.”

“I don’t feel brave,” the other woman sniffled into her coat. “I just want my girls to grow up happy, without being afraid all the time.”

The driver slid a box of tissues over. She always kept tissues for the women, stuffed animals for the children, and a bag of snacks for both. Trips like these were mostly made in the wee hours of the morning, and the people she transported to the Safe House were often distraught, frightened and hungry.

Her boundaries were simple: no names. She never gave her own, nor asked for the names of those she drove. Her part in the drama ended when she pulled through the wrought iron gates and someone took her charges from her car.

Confidentiality was key – safety paramount. Domestic violence was rampant in her community and she was but a cog in the wheel of its antithesis.

“Here we are,” she said as she turned the last corner. “Someone will come to take you into the house. Be well.”

The woman touched her children gently to wake them, and then turned to go into the house. Her scarf slid down and the driver winced as she pulled it back up to cover her ravaged face.

The driver grabbed for the tissues as she pulled away. This was right. This was good. She had helped.
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The editors at Trifecta have challenged us again with the word SAFE. The above are 333 of my words on the subject.


Every 9 seconds a woman is abused by her intimate partner.
Do you know someone who is being abused? Are you someone who has suffered abuse? There is help. YOU can help.

Anonymous and
Confidential Help 24/7:
1.800.799.SAFE (7233)
1.800.787.3224 (TTY)
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written for and in memory of my Mom and the thousands of women like her.

Sugar-booger

February 6th, 2012 / Categories: trifecta, words / 8 Comments »

“Well,” Marti drew out the word into several syllables.

Rex grinned and kissed her cheek: “Deep hole for shallow minds, you know.” He ducked her fast right fist aimed playfully at his mid-section.

“Rex! Dang it. I was thinking and I had the answer right at the tip of my tongue. Now it’s gone.”

“Aww Sugar-booger, stick out your tongue and let me see if I can find it for you.”

Marti obliged and blew a raspberry as well.

Theirs was an uncomplicated relationship. Marti and Rex both enjoyed having a grand time when they saw each other. They went to the movies and took long drives and laughed. Always there was laughter.

“You asked me a question – you have to let me think about the answer, you know. Just because you think you know the answer doesn’t mean I’m ready to give you the one you expect.”

“You’re right, Sugar-booger. C’mere and give me a hug. I’ll let you think as long as you want. You can even say ‘well’ and I won’t tease you anymore. I love you from the tip of your perky nose to the bottoms of your little toes. I can wait.”

Rex settled down on the brick wall and watched while Marti paced up and down the lawn. He could wait this out. The question had not been all that hard – not as deep as she was pretending. Would she or would she not marry him before his next hitch?

There was no problem their love couldn’t overcome.

He stretched out on the wall, closed his eyes and began to hum. Marti would get past the uncertainties, and find the answer he awaited.
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This week the editors at Trifecta have given us a challenge: DEEP. It’s used twice in this piece, but it is the second time that fits the definition best:(we are to use the word in the third definition)
3: difficult to penetrate or comprehend : recondite [deep mathematical problems]

A word about “Sugar-booger”: a friend on fb asked how her friends felt about being called sweetie, dearie, etc. One commenter said her older relative always replied to such by calling the other person “Sugar-booger.” While I don’t always enjoy being called such names by people I don’t know – I LOVE this name and am adding it to my repertoire of endearments.

Trifextra Week 2 – take 2

February 4th, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets, trifecta, words / 13 Comments »

I find myself in the midst of writers much better than I. At least they seem so to my mind as I read their submissions. While this could (should?) discourage me, it makes me want to write better and for that I am thankful.
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I am wowed often by the other Trifecta/Trifextra submissions, but it only keeps me at the keyboard. After reading the other submissions this week I found myself talking to myself. That conversation is above.

🙂

Pleasure

February 3rd, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets, trifecta / 13 Comments »

She rushed into the room bringing the outdoors chill with her. Shrugging off coat, boots, hat and mittens, she cast her eyes around in pleasure. Ah, home at last!

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Trifextra Week 2 Challenge: Write a complete story in three sentences only. Whew! This, however, is how I feel when I come home from work.

And, now I am off to read the other submissions. Won’t you give it a shot this week?

The Beast Within-Without

January 23rd, 2012 / Categories: trifecta, words / 8 Comments »

Sally you can do this. You know you can. You’ve worked hard to temper the beast – this is just a test. You always – ALWAYS! – ace tests so why not this one, too?

Sally’s shoulders sagged. The inner encourager was right and she knew it. But it’s hard! So hard she wanted to shout. Why can’t I be like the others? Why must I keep falling down when they just skip merrily along?

Her eyes slid back over her shoulder for another look into the bakery case. Sally could feel the saliva begin as she eyed tray after tray of brightly iced cakes, cupcakes and meringues.

“Steven if you don’t get me out of here this minute I cannot answer for what will happen. Dieting is a bit. . . , erm, beast and your daily stops for “just one cupcake and a mocha” are about to do me in. I almost cursed just then. That’s how upset I am. You say you love me? Then show it and get me out of here right now.

Steven paid for his snack, placed it into Sally’s lap and pushed her chair out into the sunlight. “Fine, Sally, we’re going. Look in the bag; I bought you a cookie, too. It’s your favorite kind.”

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Author’s note: Every nine seconds a woman in the U.S. is abused in some fashion. Abuse is insidious and can be verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, and a myriad of other ways. Caregiver abuse is often more under-reported than abuse of the “able bodied.” Even tempting someone with forbidden sweets, taking them places over which they have no control can be an abusive action.

If you are – or if you know someone who is – abused, the national hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE.
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Trifecta’s Week 11 Challenge is BEAST, using the third definition.

beast noun \ˈbēst\

1 a: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from a human being
b: a lower animal as distinguished from a human being
c: an animal as distinguished from a plant
d : an animal under human control

2: a contemptible person

3: something formidably difficult to control or deal with

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