Crystal was around 14 when she first noticed men giving her what she called “the look”. Before she reached 16, she fully understood that the look was one of sexual desire. By 32, it was a simple fact of life.
While giving her order at the deli counter in the Shoprite, the guy in the apron and paper hat would glaze over, no longer hearing her. He was stripping her naked and doing freaky things to her in his deli-guy mind. Crystal would smile at him, lean over the counter a little, and end up with a pound of imported soprasetta for the price of baloney.
One man hadn’t given her the look in years. They say marriage does that. She didn’t know whether it was the years or the fact that Mr. Light had doubled in size since their wedding. Everyone, including Crystal, called him Mr. Light, out of respect and fear.
She’d gone to see a private eye to help her discover if Mister was off his diet, but wasn’t in his office two minutes when the guy started giving her the look. She re-crossed her legs and tried to ice him back to reality. She hoped he’d returned from his porno mind-vacation as she handed him the cash. Now the detective wouldn’t even return her calls.
Crystal changed her strategy and tried to get a young guy named Nicky from the pool to hang out with Mr. Light. Maybe a guy who could see his own feet without mirrors would snap her husband out of the habit of stuffing his face. She was talking with him to see if he’d pal around with Mr. Light when Nicky got the look. She knew his brain was busy pulling off her bathing suit, touching her in places which the sun hadn’t browned. He wasn’t listening anymore. How many guys today? She broke it down as simply as she could for him.
“Could you just take him out?” she finally asked.
Nicky looked stunned. She thought she’d gotten through. Satisfied she’d made her point, Crystal got up from the chaise lounge and walked to the snack bar to find Mister. She could feel Nicky’s eyes on her. She swayed her caboose a little to thank him for finally paying attention.
Mr. Light had just finished talking to that creepy pool manager with the missing thumb. The amputee looked a little pale as he shuffled past Crystal like a zombie. She gave silent thanks to the patron saint of pervs, as the troll didn’t try to sneak a glimpse down the front of her bathing suit like he usually did. Mister was giving her a look, but not the look the other men did. Not a good one.
That all was two weeks ago and nothing had changed, except her bruises fading slowly toward yellow.
She went down the driveway to pick up the newspaper, and saw a gun under the bushes. She wondered if it was time to find a safer home as she picked it up and quickly wrapped it in the Inquirer. She glanced around the still street before heading inside.
Mr. Light was asleep, making those choking sounds like he did. A smile crept across Crystal’s full lips at the thought of him choking. As she glanced down at the bruises on her arm, her eyes traveled further to the newspaper with the pistol inside. She touched the cool metal, wondering if the police could miss her bruises. She thought about a horny cop giving her the look and what he might do to help her get away with something.
1pointperspective 
This post will soon appear in the 7 Deadly Sins competition, lust edition, at http://k8edid.wordpress.com/ . Be sure to check in at k8edid’s site and enjoy all the entries! Thanks!
Wow, Dave…this is a great illustration. You’re right, the entry will be up in the next day or two. I have to go through my inbox – the spambots have struck again…
yikes! For the record, drawing water is entirely too difficult.
Oh, please…it looks great. I think you’re all wet…
uh oh…word play.
I was a little frustrated with the pics…there was a blue cast to some of them, and not enough blue in others…damn cell phone!
Are those a size 7 1/2 by any chance? I seem to have lost a pair just like that. Is the patron saint of pervs St. Chester?
Actually, i think the size was 9, but it doesn’t matter as they’re en route to be exchanged at the store for either store credit, or a pair of much lower, more sensible shoes.
I’m not sure who the patron saint of pervs is, maybe St. Oogie of Voyeur, france.
Love Love Love the picture! The post is great too, but you know I’m a fan of the artwork.
I like the pic too, though I’m not sure the photo of the drawing really does it justice. it strikes me as the most illustration-like illustration to date. The water was a big challenge – took lots of studies to get it. The shoes and shadows were easier. I hope the art doesn’t over-shadow the post. hopefully the two will compliment each other.
In any case, thanks for your praises!
If this is a voting thing, let me know so I can get on this train.
k8edid will be posting the entries in the next few days. I’m promising myself not to campaign too vigorously. I’ve already won 2 out of 3, and if i snag 4 out of 5, I’m worried people will stop trying. Of course, if you feel obligated to vote for mine…
Is it bad that I’m thinking, “Just do it, do it!”? I’m going to need a part two.
This is actually the 4th chapter in the series, all of which deal with the same group of characters. I’m curous to see what happens next too.
Nice one–and I really like the drawing. Can’t wait to find out what Crystal decides!
If you can’t wait to see what she decides, then I must have succeeded on some level of writing, right?
Yes–and you better believe I have a very clear mental picture of her too!
Yes,…don’t we all. Married to that fat slob….getting unsolicited discounts on deli meats…we’ve all seen her…
There are two words I want to see from you next…Part Two. 😉
Thanks for the praise. I don’t know if you realize it, but all four of my deadly sins entries have been related to one another, so in a sense, “lust” is chapter 4. Luckily, there are at least 3 more entries to go. i can’t wait to see what happens next.
Mr. Light could have his “put out” after Crystal is done with him….Nice flash!
Glad you liked it. For the full effect, you should read the first three deadly sins which feature many of the same characters.
Another great entry, Dave. You sure have a way with words.
It was saucey without too many details. It was nicely done. Cool drawing to go with the story.
Now, stop entering these challenges. I’m starting to feel hopeless. Okay – I changed my mind – I’ll take it as a challenge to do better. Hope you’ll get to read mine as soon as Kate posts it – let me know how I’m doing.
Good Luck – even though you won’t need it. ~~~~~~ : – )
Toodles,
Isadora
I’m sure your entry will be up to snuff with all your writing. I was fortunate to stumble onto this ensemble of characters in my mind, and that the subject is sinning, which I am something of an expert in.
hahaha … he who is without sin cast the first stone – and all that …. hahaha – I guess in this story writing it has turned out to be an asset. I’ve already submitted so be on the look-out. All of the entries are always so good. It’s why the challenge has been so much fun. Everyone is approaching it from different places as it should be; since, all of us are so unique.
It has been a pleasure getting to know your writing and reading some of your blogs.
Toodles …..
Really great story, Dave.
Now I might have to start reading your blog. Darn it. I didn’t have enough time before!
Though the writing was great, the artwork is FABULOUS. I’m a huge art guy, and this was really nice.
thanks for the compliment. i just want to make sure the writing is at least slightly better than the drawing. in any case, i’m glad you dug it. i’m putting all seven deadly sin entries together in one big post complete with all 7 illustrations (of course, i still have 3 sins yet to write about and illustrate)
Also love your artwork. I thought this was going to be the finale but clearly I was mistaken. Let me know when I can vote.
i strongly recommend reading k8edid’s blog. there’s a second group of entries up today. when she posts the last of them the voting will commence. i’ll post something somewhere, if i think of it.
Okie dokie.
Oooooooooooooooooooh. Whassa gonna happen next?
I wish I knew.
I’ve been meaning to go to k8edid’s old posts and comments and find out which sin is next. I put the 4 sins entries together (back to back) and was surprised to find that they kind of work pretty well together, despite my not having written them so much in sequence. If I can just do a decent job on the next three, i may have to peddle them around and see who’d want to publish them.
Now…what blogger can i turn to for free advice on this kind of stuff….hmmm….
Dave – on my blog, under the submission box, is a list of the past Winners and the rounds that are coming up in the order they are scheduled. Hope that helps you plan your stories…after lust comes pride/vanity, greed and wrath.
Geez girl, i woulda found it eventually! Thanks though (we all know what eventually means). Pride/vanity huh?….hmmm….gotta give that one some thought – at present I am brain-dead – been a rough week.
Thanks again!
I know what you mean…It has been a rough one. Hope your weekend is better.
Erm…not me, I hope. Unless you want really bad advice. I’m terrible at advice. Haven’t you read my blog? Why would you want to take advice from the girl who thought it was a good idea to show Alan Alda a photo of a young girl who looked exactly liked him and said she looked like she could be his daughter? Seriously. Do you know someone?
ok…maybe advice on alda would be a bad idea…i’ve had too many of my own strange encounters with TV stars, though mine were generally washed up TV stars.
I’m hoping my deadly sins stories will stand up well to some publisher’s scrutiny, but that’s a pipe dream i guess.
I actually tried to contact a few publications to see if anyone was interested in 47 shades of pink, but so far i haven’t even gotten the satisfaction of a rejection.
You know I’m a massive fan of your work and I have an endless supply of pinot grigio still to hide around the grounds like an Easter Bunny with a substance abuse problem….can’t hurt to hint around right?
If I ever get a connection, I’ll let you know. 🙂
Thanks…and i realize it’s wildly egotistical of me to say, but if I ever get one, I’ll let you know as well.
sorry…too much tequila and not enough bitter lemon. should’ve gone with ketel one instead. didn’t mean to come off as so much of a creeper, just in knucklehead mode at present – please disregard most of what I write.
You’re not a creeper. You sensitive men. Don’t let a broad like me get your panties in a bunch.
Oooooh. Dave. It’s like, almost unfair. That story PLUS the drawing? Grrrr….
What’s funny about that, too, is that your words alone painted such a picture for me. Well done my friend!
Thanks Doll! ( I’ve decided to start calling people thinks like “Doll” in my comments – please don’t get attached to the nickname, as it will almost certainly change from one comment to the next.)
I’m glad you liked the lust chapter, though it’s not nearly as “lusty” as some of the other entries I’ve seen. I think Peg-O’s is my favorite one so far, though Darla’s is also quite good.
I was really happy with how the drawing turned out…for the record, drawing water sucks…more often than not, it looked like a wrinkled blue blanket than a pool…I won’t try that crap again.
I’ve cut and pasted all four chapters (sins) into one document and it actually reads pretty well. I’m hoping to post the whole seven with illustrations when it’s all said and done. Then I can take pride in having written a 4200 word post.
I registered a formal protest with Katy because possessing and exhibiting mad drawing skills when one can also write is CLEARLY in violation of section 2, paragraph A, codicil xii of the Marquis of Kingsberry Blogging Contest Rules.
Obviously, the lack of any kind of illustration option on the name the whatchamacallit contest as well as the most embarrassing story from childhood/lobster lollipop contest has cost me dearly. I rpomise next time to only draw with my left hand.
Bellisimo! The story, the sopressata and the illustration!
Graci