A Slick Story
by David James
After Slick Daddy — aka Billy Ray Thompson — gave up driving his log truck and took up with playing and singing the blues full-time he was what you might call a hot property around the juke joints along Highway 61.
The women didn't seem to mind his slight limp and plump belly when his brow would furrow and he'd whip out his mouth harp and start a blues number, pushing out those moanful sounds. You could see their lonely expressions unravel into smiles, spoiling the sadness that they brought with them into the honky tonks from the everyday sameness of their lives. Ol' Slick told me once that playing music and feeling their adoration helped him, too. No longer did he feel hounded to escape the boredom of daytime truck driving by using a razor blade, separating those lines of white powder.
He said he was cured when he found he could count on going home with one of the evening ladies, having a nice, late night snack, usually a pulled pork sandwich, but sometimes some red beans and rice. He smiled and told me then there was always some other stuff for dessert.
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Author's Note
From an old, slightly edited Pokrass freewrite.
Other stories by David James
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Nice little character piece -
"Ol' Slick told me once that playing music and feeling their adoration helped him, too. No longer did he feel hounded to escape the boredom of daytime truck driving by using a razor blade, separating those lines of white powder."
Good compressed writing.
Slick! *
"You could almost see their lonely expressions unravel into smiles, spoiling the sadness that they brought with them into the honky tonks from the everyday sameness of their lives."
I love the healing powers of music.
"there was always some other stuff for dessert"
Wonder what that could be.
Love the "spoiling the sadness."
Ah this one is very satisfying. U’m a sucker for red beans and rice. What a completely contained piece!
Strong telling of a strong story, David.
You could use this to sell harmonicas, David. After this, I'm certainly in the market. *
That sounds like a healthier lifestyle. Good for him!
God, economical writing that delivers a great character sketch. Some good writing.*
Oh, I really like this. Funny in the right places, sincere voice, solid work, David.
*
Thanks to y'all for taking time to read this story. Growing up in Mississippi, honky tonk visits were a "right of Passage". Even under aged, we still got in more than a few. An owner of 'SkyView", named Robert Earl Northcutt laughed and told me once, " Y'all walk in backwards and I'll think y'all were leavin."
I LOVE this! I want to read more, hear more, KNOW this guy, play music with him!!!! Great writing! *
Good stuff, James. This character really comes alive.*
this is a great, great loving sketch.
The blues can do that all right, David. I'm still trying to learn a few licks off YouTube videos of Lightnin' Hopkins, who grew up about 12 miles and a world away from my granddaddy... Soothes the soul. * for sure.
Michael, Powell, Meg and Barry, thanks for reading this one. I appreciate your kind comments.
I could take more of Old Slick, a lot more. I feel your ambivalence towards him or perhaps it's my own ambivalence, but it makes this piece even more interesting.
I was one of those women! Well, not in Mississippi, but I fell for more than one musician. Well done, David. I'd read more about Billy Ray if you wrote it.
And thank you, too, for reading my work. I've been slow to reciprocate, I know, but it is much appreciated.