~ from the novel HAVENWOOD TALES Beginnings
“Curiosity might kill a cat eventually, but I was incorrigibly willing to risk such things . . .”
–
Apparently, the gods of curiosity were destined to call upon me again — only this time to investigate a different class of enigmatic stuff. But it quite enchanted me.
So off I flew, into what was left of my summer of junk and treasure, to excavate signs of an ancient world — like arrowheads and beads of shell and little, carved hardwood totems.
Sometimes I’d find a rotting weapon handle or a fishing spear or such, washed up in the mud of a creek bank. And always clay vessels and pottery shards with faded, pigment markings and whatever Native rarities I could scrape from the hills and fields of Havenwood or reclaim from the secret woods that nestled our community. . .
It seemed I had a special knack for knowing where to look . . .
And every thrilling, new discovery of “the good stuff” sent me running to Havenwood Village — burning a bee line straight to Mister Barney in his Antiques & Collectibles Shoppe for his expert assessment of my find . . .
I’d stand on tiptoe, out of breath, jangling the cowbells that hung by a rope on the door of his store, until he’d choose to appear from behind some towering pie safe or quilting rack or fancy, antique dressing table.
But Mister Barney never seemed to mind all the racket I made. He just peered at me over those rimless spectacles perched halfway down his nose below his twinkling, grey eyes and inquired, “Whatcha got there, young lady?”
And as loftily as if revealing the Hope Diamond . . .
I’d pull my latest treasure from a burlap bag or Daddy’s Army issue knapsack or a deep pocket in my overalls, and proudly hand it over for his inspection.
Mister Barney knew all about such things. Sometimes he even bought them from me.
More importantly, he could tell me wonderful, detailed stories that made each relic whole again — stories of how it was made and what its purpose was, and what the Native Americans who created it must have thought and felt and looked like when they walked our land in freedom so many moons ago, before there was even a town.
He referred to them in respectful tones as “The Ancestors” and had pictures of their people hung in dusty, wooden frames about the store. I couldn’t help but wonder if Mister Walling might have known some of them personally.
They reminded me of my mother’s grandparents on her mother’s side — dark-skinned with straight, black hair and noble noses — watching over our family with brave, unsmiling eyes from a tintype photograph high on the living room mantle.
I used to pull a ladder-back chair across the room to climb up on, so I could reach the mantle . . .
And I could feel when my great-grandparents arrived in the room to thank me for those scraps of past I placed around their picture, connecting us to a patchwork of generations.
~
Excerpted from coming novel HAVENWOOD TALES Beginnings
Copyright©2006, 2012 D.J. Houston. All Rights Reserved.
Mystery Novel – Native American Stories – Intrigue – Paranormal Stories – Historical Fiction
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WOW!! I can feel the excitement of finding the treasures and the reverence of standing on the chair to look at the photos and place the items in their sacred places. I love your writing!
It was very exciting and reverent for me, too, Miss Sally 🙂
I like the way my author tells the tales I share with her. She said to tell you thank you very much!
Your True Friend,
Trudie the Narrator (the person this all happened to)
[…] I can sell fancy antiques for a living, like Mister Barney does! We’ll make a fortune! […]
WOW! Your characters are something else. Okay you girls, cough it up–this is WAY too good to keep off the market! You know the wife and I are glued to Havenwood 🙂
Your old fan,
Sam
p.s. Trudie, just stay curious and you’ll find whatever you want
Wow, it’s really YOU, Sam! HI there! Hey, D.J. says if I’ll leave her alone for a few weeks and quit telling her stuff for the next book, she may have a way you can buy HAVENWOOD TALES Beginnings for Christmas 🙂
Your Fan Trudie – The Narrator
p.s. Don’t worry, I’m ALWAYS curious
OOOOHHH. This looks like another winner and I am officially hooked. Don’t make me wait too long for the next tease.
Your words are magic and they weave me into the story instantly. When it stops, it seems I do, just for a moment. Thank you!
Hello Miss Julia – Welcome back!
D.J. and I love your visits! I like the way she weaves her magic into my story 😉 And she said she’ll try not to keep you waiting too long.
Your True Friend Always,
Trudie