Hi. Welcome to Granite Hill.\u00a0 I mostly mind my own business, but I’ll show you around since you’re here.\u00a0 You’ve probably passed through here before — stopped in the convenience store like you’re doing now. We’re a small town.\u00a0 Like most small towns.\u00a0 Lots of people know your business — or think they do.\u00a0 Take Vihn Trank.\u00a0 Most folks look at that young fella, and after they get done wondering how a 15 year-old can own this business and wonder which boat he came in on, might stop to realize he’s a third generation American.\u00a0 He’s got no more idea what Vietnam is like than I have of France.\u00a0 Think of it in those terms — or whichever country your ancestors affiliated with before coming to this side of the ocean.\u00a0 My name’s deBonet. Hamilton deBonet.\u00a0 You can see why people just call me Hambone.\u00a0 Fits better.\u00a0 While you’re at it? Vihn is thirty.\u00a0 Not fifteen. He was born and raised in Fredericksburg, Texas, and he chose to set up shop here to serve an under-served area like Granite Hill.\u00a0 Sure. Tourists stop in here, and they help a lot with the bottom line, but Vihn is here for the people of Granite Hill. And I’m here to help Vihn with his odd jobs he needs doing so he can focus on doing just that.<\/p>\n
Walk with me a bit while I rub this mop over the floor.\u00a0 I’m happy to talk, but I do have a job to do.\u00a0 That girl over there?\u00a0 Yeah. The preggo one with two rug rats hangin’ on?\u00a0 That’s Danny Forrest’s oldest girl, Janie. Apple don’t fall far from the tree for that girl, and she’s bad news. Been bad news ever since Tiffany took her out partying at 14 and pimped her out to her friends.\u00a0 She’s been poppin’ out welfare babies, turning’ tricks, and dealing drugs ever since.\u00a0 Most a’ her kids take after her.\u00a0 Half of ’em born in jail. This one probably will be, too.\u00a0 She’s got a 16 year-old daughter due a month after her — or a month before.\u00a0 I can’t keep up. She’s got a bi-racial boy.\u00a0 I think he’s thirteen.\u00a0 That boy’s got his shit together.\u00a0 Because of him, maybe the younger ones will have a example to follow.\u00a0 As bad news as she is?\u00a0 Danny’s other kids are a parent’s dream.\u00a0 Only one stayed in town.\u00a0 If you’re planning on camping, you can’t go wrong staying at Dickie and Carolyn’s camp ground on the way out of town on the Enchanted Rock side.\u00a0 Good people.<\/p>\n
Ooh.\u00a0 Lookie here.\u00a0 Mr. Randall V. Grant IV.\u00a0 Big man about town — don’t let his stature fool you none.\u00a0 He’s not to be messed with, and he’s in here cuddling up to his whore.\u00a0 I’m wondering what kind of explosion there might be if old Danny Forrest found out his best buddy from high school was doing his girl. On the other hand, anyone with a mind to has done his girl, so maybe he’s gotten over it by now.\u00a0 Only one I feel sorry for is Miss Prissy, Randy Randall’s poor wife.\u00a0 He had to marry her from out of town, because everyone in town knew all about Randy’s antics when he was younger, and no respectable girl would hitch her star to him even if he was from the richest family in town.\u00a0 No one tells Miss Prissy, Priscilla is her real name, on account she’s not from here. Some things stay in the family if ya’ know what I mean.<\/p>\n
Now out there at the pumps, see that man in the ball cap?\u00a0 That there’s Brandon Wagner.\u00a0 His family farm is down by Crabapple, Texas.\u00a0 If you come up from the south, you probably went through that old ghost town.\u00a0 Maybe you stopped there?\u00a0 No?\u00a0 Consider it sometime.\u00a0 Worth the look.\u00a0 In addition to taking care of his mommy and daddy, he done right by another man’s child.\u00a0 Adopted him as his own, even when he couldn’t really afford it after he married the boy’s mom.\u00a0 There’s a fun story about how those two got together.\u00a0 If you’re here longer sometime I might share it with you.\u00a0 I see you found your beverage of choice.\u00a0 Probably anxious to get back on the road.\u00a0 Nice talking to you.\u00a0 I need to get back to my mopping.\u00a0 Long way to go yet.\u00a0 Have a\u00a0 nice day!<\/p>\n
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Thank you for visiting for the April A-Z Blogging Challenge. Today’s entry is a work of fiction. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it in comments — what you liked or didn’t like. Each day will be a little different, so if you don’t want to miss an entry, please enter your email address below, press sign-up, then check your inbox to click the validation link to get these blog posts in your inbox.<\/p>\n