Jan's Rhapsody

Jan's little house was in a cul-de-sac with neighbors for sharing recipes and trading baby sitting but Jan realized soon enough that she did more than she received always having a house full of children from early morning to way after dark most days.  Despite her desire for a large family when she was a teenager she was happy with her two daughters and was glad that her and Jim had stopped there.  She made a beautiful home for her family with bunk beds for the girls; separated to give them their own space within their tiny room.  Karman was happy with blues, greens, and browns whereas Kara needed the pink and purple of a little princess.  The room was a virtual color wheel by the time the decorations were put into place and many an argument ensued. To solve the dispute there was a long strip of duct tape separating the two halves of the room; right down the center of the door.  Of course this made for a giant fight and the area before the door had to become a neutral zone with the door painted white.

The pride of Jan's kitchen was not the gas stove that her neighbors showed envy for, nor the refrigerator that could hold an entire weeks worth of groceries for her family.  No, the pride of her kitchen was a large glass and metal frame table that would seat eight people comfortably.  She could now have dinner parties with her neighbors, share her cooking skills, and have friends over for coffee in the morning.  She became the perfect housewife with a perfectly clean house, a respectable husband, beautiful children, and a fenced in yard.

Jim also loved the glass table as his favorite game to play with the neighbors was Spoons.  If you have never played spoons you are missing a great game where grown men and women land in each other's lap over a piece of tableware and three matched cards.  SPOONS CARD GAME  Jim was fiercely competitive as were the majority of the men in the neighborhood of five houses.  This game, a glass table, and ten people sipping wine or beer and having a ball would have ended up on America's Funniest Home Videos had videos been available back in the day. The game made Jan worry about her table; but Jim promised that if it got broken he would get her a new one with smokey glass.  She smiled and the game began.

As the houseboat "Rhapsody" began to come back together it was noticed by a man who was vacationing near the marina.  He stopped one day to talk to Jim about selling him the houseboat for cash and an old sailboat that had at one time been under twenty feet of water.  Jim stated that he could do nothing without the approval of his beautiful wife.  That night the conversation began simply with "Honey, you know there is no need for us to own a houseboat if we are going to live on dry land; how would you feel if I sold it?"  Just enough information, yet not quite all was provided and logic was employed which Jan agreed was probably correct.  

"Rhapsody" was completed and sold to the gentleman and a sailboat hull took her place.  Jan was a bit surprised when her husband came home that night with five thousand dollars and the title to a sailboat.  The money was much needed by the little family but what would they be doing with a sailboat.  Jan was happy, until she was presented the reality of the twenty six foot sloop that needed completely repaired.  

After a discussion about revealing the entirety of the truth and the importance of teaching their children the right way to live, Jim and Jan agreed that since she had her feet on solid ground and he still longed to sail the seas that the sailboat would be a good investment and a thousand dollars was set aside as Jim would do the majority of work himself and just needed to purchase the materials.

Karman and Kara were excited about this new prospect of sailing as they adored the beautiful boats in the regatta and looked forward to riding in the most beautiful of all that would ever be put together.  It had to be the best because their Daddy was the one putting it together.

They all learned all they ever needed or wanted to know about fiberglass and "Daddy's Delight"  began to take shape with nine hundred pounds of lead that would help her stay at the forty five degree angle she would sail at when at full sail the catwalk dipping below the surface as she sped through the water.  

Jan decided that they could use some extra money and decided to take a job at a small convenience store just down the road while the girls were at school  This was not an acceptable thought for those neighbors who had been using her for a babysitter.  They began to scorn her and her daughters, which was unacceptable to her and Jim.  They discussed what to do and how to change things when fate stepped in and made the decision for them as the little green house Jan was so proud of was hit by the strong winds of a mild hurricane cracking the foundation making the house unlivable.  

Searching for a place to live at a moments notice was not and easy task and it came moving time with no possibilities so the family moved into the cabin of "Daddy's Delight" having just enough room to sleep hoping for the potential of a home in their new future.  Jan was back on the water and living with the fear of the potential possibilities that had frightened her for so long; but she loved her husband and she would follow him to the ends of the Earth.  He had only to ask.

Author's Note

With all fiction there is just enough truth to make it plausible

Reviews

[Abby]

Truly a great story to re-read over again. It has a good catch to it that definitely has you having to read it all the way through.

Great job on the writing, Constance.

Lee & Abby

[Constance Payne]

Wow, Thank you so much.

[Abby]

You are very welcome. I'll definitely try to make sure and go through more of your work since I'm off of base for a while.

Thanks for sending the requests. This was truly great.

Lee.

[Samuel Dickens]

Mixing bits of truth with fiction is a great way to construct a story, and you've done a delightful job with this one. Somehow, the true parts make the whole thing much more believable. Quite an entertaining story, Constance.

[Constance Payne]

Thank you for reading; there are two others that go with this with more to come.
Thank you again for reading.