MAY 7, 2009
UNITED FRIENDS CHALLENGE
NUMBER
ONE HUNDRED FORTY ONE...
HENRIETTA HORTENSE HUGGINS
Tiger's Challenge
Write a story about a chamberpot, using the words:
- Teddybear
- 7 o'clock
- Locked door
- Surprise
Henrietta Hortense Huggins stepped off the train station platform with a weary step, and was immediately assailed by the smell of the stockyards, located along side of the train station.
If this was any indication of the type of town she was in, she was glad she had packed her chamber pot in her trunk. No middle of the night outhouse excursions for Henrietta, if she could help it!
The smell from the stockyard was horrendous!
Searching in her ladies reticule she retrieved her hankie, soaked in an extra heavy mixture of rose water.
Even with the linen and lace hankie held over her small snub nose, her gag reflex asserted itself. Mortified at her unladylike actions, Henrietta ducked her head and walked swiftly toward the ticket masters office., to find a locked door.
Suddenly, her corset felt as though it had shrank 2 sizes, and she could not catch a breath at all.. Images started to grow a fuzzy outline around them, and she knew what was about to happen next, and it did.
Bam! Henrietta Hortense Huggins hit the dirty boards on the platform, in a dead faint.
When she started to come around, someone was waving a small container of ammonia beneath her nose, the first thing she saw was a small child holding a stuffed animal. Which by the looks of it was supposed to be a bear.
She shook her head to clear the cobwebs, and the little child said," Daddy I think the lady is awake now, Teddy said he thinks she might have a bump on her head, and you should kiss it and make it all better."
Henrietta let out a small shriek and sat up too quickly, the room began to swim in waves once again, and then someone put the bottle of ammonia under her nose again, just as she took a deep breath.
That did the trick alright, she fairly jumped up onto her feet and started to back up quickly as a tall man who looked to be in his early thirties brandished the ammonia bottle toward her again. She managed to croak," No! No! I am fine now, really I do not need more smelling salts administered to me!" The man smiled, and Henrietta noticed he had really perfect teeth, white and straight, the perfect size for his face. A very nice face now that she thought about it.
" If your sure your not going to hit the floor again Miss, I will give this back to Mr. Miles over there." he said with that smile that was simply sparkling, as were his deep cobalt blue eyes. A hint of laughter lurked in there also.
" Oh yes, I am quite sure sir... quite sure!" exclaimed Henrietta. She remembered her reason for the trip to the ticket masters office, before the regrettable occurrence, and enquired of the stranger, " I am to meet a Mr. McCoy here today, he was to send someone to collect me, he has employed me to be his child's governess, do you know of the gentleman?"
The child which had been hiding behind the man's leg all this time, stepped forward saying, " That is my last name, McCoy, This is my Daddy, Markus McCoy, and this is Teddy the Bear." " I just call him Teddy Bear for short."
Markus McCoy, looked startled for a moment before he regained his composure and asked, " Your Miss Huggins?"
Henrietta felt the surprise in his voice more than she heard it. Drawing herself up to her diminutive height of 5 ft. 1 inch, she replied, " Yes, I am Henrietta Huggins, and Mr. McCoy promised someone would meet me here at the train station at 7 o'clock, to transport me to his home.."
Markus shook his head of brown overly long hair, thinking to himself, "I am the luckiest man alive, not only am I the richest man in the territory, I advertised for a governess for Billie Jean and the Good Lord sent me an angel straight from heaven!"
"I wonder if she brought that chamber pot she inquired about in the letter asking what she would need to bring with her to be comfortable here in McCoyville?
THE END
Terri McCain/lockerridge
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