Frank O'Mally looked around his poolroom. Not bad, he thought. Six pool tables, two snooker tables, and over near the corner, one old three-cushion. They were all past due for new cloth, but that could wait until next year. Yessir, not bad, indeed.
His reverie quickly faded, however, and as usual was replaced by the memory of a night long ago when Frank had lost his wife in an automobile accident. His daughter, Francine, was severly injured in the same accident, and was left unable to walk and confined to a wheel chair. Now, twelve years later, it was Christmas Eve. What could he do to make Francine's life a little brighter. Maybe get her out of the house, if only for a short while. He looked over at table four where Johnny Baker was playing a ghost. I wonder, he thought. Frank walked over and stood beside the young man, and began nervously scuffing his shoe on the floor.
"What's up, Frank?" Johnny asked.
"Er, Johnny, you and I know each other pretty well, don't we? I mean if I asked you for a favor you might do it, right?"
"Sure, Frank. What is it?"
Frank scratched his head. "Well, I have this daughter, see, and she's about your age, and she doesn't get out much. I was wondering if you might take her out for the evening. Grab a bite to eat. Maybe see a movie, or something. I'd pay for everything, and you could use my van, too."
"Sure, Frank. Why not. It's Christmas, ain't it?"
"Thanks, Johnny. You know where I live. Be there at seven."
Johnny arrived at Frank's house a few minutes before seven and was sitting on the living room sofa when Frank pushed Francine into the room.
Johnny couldn't believe his eyes. She was beautiful. Long blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, and a smile that would light up the darkest night. He was immediately smitten.
They left in Frank's van for a night on the town.
Later that evening, after dinner and a movie, the young couple returned to the house and Francine suggested they go out to the back yard to sit and talk under the stars. It was an unusually warn night for December, with a full moon peeking over the tree tops. They sat next to each other. She in her wheelchair and he in a lawn chair. They talked about school, work, and how Johnny might take his pool playing to a higher level.
In the middle of a sentence about how he liked nine-ball better than eight-ball, she kissed him. It was an innocent kiss, to be sure, but it felt great and he kissed her back. They were soon making out at a feverish pitch.
After a few minutes Francine abruptly stopped and said to Johnny, "Would you make love to me?"
Johnny was in shock. He stumbled on the words but managed to say, "I guess so, sure, but how would we...?"
"Push me over to that tree over there." Francine said, "The one with the low hanging branches. If you'll help me out of my chiair I can grab hold of that tree limb."
Johnny did as she had instructed and they made love, that very special way, and it was wonderful.
No sooner had they finished, and Johnny had helped her back into her wheelchair, the porch light came on, and Johnny could see Frank's silhouette standing behind the screen door. Johnny was terrified.
"Come here, Johnny." Said the shadow on the porch.
Johnny began slowly walking towards the rear of the house, his head bowed. When he got to the porch steps, Frank said, "I saw what you did."
"Listen, Frank, I can explain..."
"I saw what you did, Johnny, and I want to thank you."
Johnny looked up in surprise.
"Thank me?" He said. "Thank me for what?"
"For helping her back into her wheelchair." Said Frank. "Most of the guys just leave her hanging in the tree."
Merry Christmas everyone! :smile:
His reverie quickly faded, however, and as usual was replaced by the memory of a night long ago when Frank had lost his wife in an automobile accident. His daughter, Francine, was severly injured in the same accident, and was left unable to walk and confined to a wheel chair. Now, twelve years later, it was Christmas Eve. What could he do to make Francine's life a little brighter. Maybe get her out of the house, if only for a short while. He looked over at table four where Johnny Baker was playing a ghost. I wonder, he thought. Frank walked over and stood beside the young man, and began nervously scuffing his shoe on the floor.
"What's up, Frank?" Johnny asked.
"Er, Johnny, you and I know each other pretty well, don't we? I mean if I asked you for a favor you might do it, right?"
"Sure, Frank. What is it?"
Frank scratched his head. "Well, I have this daughter, see, and she's about your age, and she doesn't get out much. I was wondering if you might take her out for the evening. Grab a bite to eat. Maybe see a movie, or something. I'd pay for everything, and you could use my van, too."
"Sure, Frank. Why not. It's Christmas, ain't it?"
"Thanks, Johnny. You know where I live. Be there at seven."
Johnny arrived at Frank's house a few minutes before seven and was sitting on the living room sofa when Frank pushed Francine into the room.
Johnny couldn't believe his eyes. She was beautiful. Long blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, and a smile that would light up the darkest night. He was immediately smitten.
They left in Frank's van for a night on the town.
Later that evening, after dinner and a movie, the young couple returned to the house and Francine suggested they go out to the back yard to sit and talk under the stars. It was an unusually warn night for December, with a full moon peeking over the tree tops. They sat next to each other. She in her wheelchair and he in a lawn chair. They talked about school, work, and how Johnny might take his pool playing to a higher level.
In the middle of a sentence about how he liked nine-ball better than eight-ball, she kissed him. It was an innocent kiss, to be sure, but it felt great and he kissed her back. They were soon making out at a feverish pitch.
After a few minutes Francine abruptly stopped and said to Johnny, "Would you make love to me?"
Johnny was in shock. He stumbled on the words but managed to say, "I guess so, sure, but how would we...?"
"Push me over to that tree over there." Francine said, "The one with the low hanging branches. If you'll help me out of my chiair I can grab hold of that tree limb."
Johnny did as she had instructed and they made love, that very special way, and it was wonderful.
No sooner had they finished, and Johnny had helped her back into her wheelchair, the porch light came on, and Johnny could see Frank's silhouette standing behind the screen door. Johnny was terrified.
"Come here, Johnny." Said the shadow on the porch.
Johnny began slowly walking towards the rear of the house, his head bowed. When he got to the porch steps, Frank said, "I saw what you did."
"Listen, Frank, I can explain..."
"I saw what you did, Johnny, and I want to thank you."
Johnny looked up in surprise.
"Thank me?" He said. "Thank me for what?"
"For helping her back into her wheelchair." Said Frank. "Most of the guys just leave her hanging in the tree."
Merry Christmas everyone! :smile:
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