est. 2010
The Porch: Chapter 2
A piece by contributing writer Ellis Millsaps
~ Special to The Chronicles ~
Ed. Note: here is Da's much anticipated second part of "The Porch." Hope you enjoy it as much as I have. As always, thanks for reading. -MM
So I’m sitting on the porch when an overweight, adolescent girl walks by. I want to ask her if she dressed that way on purpose, but I don’t. She might go home and kill herself. I don’t need that on my conscience with my myriad of other sins.
Then Bruce and Bob walk up.
“What up?” I inquire.
“Just in the neighborhood. Thought we’d sit and chill.” says Bruce.
“Yeah, thought we’d sit here so peacefully and watch the river flow,” Bob adds.
“You know you can’t actually see the river from here,” I say.
“It’s a metaphor, Millsaps,” Dylan rejoins.
With that they pull up two chairs and sit. I pour drinks and we’re quiet for a spell.
Bruce pulls out three Cubans and after a while I break the silence. “Ain’t seen you for a while.”
“Well, the Boss here’s been busy being a big Broadway star and I’m on this neverending tour, you know.”
“And what brings you two to Porterdale, again, and particularly to my porch?”
“You tell him Bruce. I’m tired of being interviewed.”
“I’m about to observe that my only previous question was “What up?” when Bruce says, “Ah, Porterdale, Porterdale, meanest city this side of hell. Well, well, we come here for the peace. If we avoid the lofts, you’re the only person in town who recognizes us.”
“And you don’t make a big deal of it. You’re not calling the neighbors or taking those look-who-I’m-with pictures,” says Dylan.
“I think they call them selfies,” Bruce gently corrects.
“Well, I’m not very photogenic and my neighbors don’t like me.”
“Not even Arline?” Bob asks.
“It was one of those self deprecating jokes I peddle, Zimmerman.”
I’m about to ask how he knows Arline when up walks Elvis, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and, to my surprise, Tom Petty.
It’s hard to be surprised on this porch, but at least they’ve brought folding chairs.
Ellis Millsaps
Ellis was an attorney by trade (now recovering) but has worn many hats over the years: father, bus boy, stand-up comedian, novelist, wiffle ball player, rock'n'roll band manager, and at one time wrote a popular and funny column for The Covington News. A Fannin Co. mountain boy originally, Mr. Millsaps now stays at the mill village of Porterdale by way of 20 years in Mansfield. Usually funny and at times irreverent and subversive, he leans left in his political philosophy but can always be counted on for a pretty darn good write-up. The Chronicles are proud to have him involved. You can read his past works at TPC by visiting his Contributing Writer page.
Ellis was an attorney by trade (now recovering) but has worn many hats over the years: father, bus boy, stand-up comedian, novelist, wiffle ball player, rock'n'roll band manager, and at one time wrote a popular and funny column for The Covington News. A Fannin Co. mountain boy originally, Mr. Millsaps now stays at the mill village of Porterdale by way of 20 years in Mansfield. Usually funny and at times irreverent and subversive, he leans left in his political philosophy but can always be counted on for a pretty darn good write-up. The Chronicles are proud to have him involved. You can read his past works at TPC by visiting his Contributing Writer page.
