HIS LEATHER WARNING (#fridayflash)

Press play for some mood music

Going back to the well and dusting off something short and sweet for this week's Flash Fiction.

I'm using the art of old friend of mine named Steve Cummings. While his work was haunting years ago, it's matured and deepened through the years. Like some of Edward Hopper's work, his art centers on the outsiders, outcasts and misfits of American life.

The selection I chose for this piece is is entitled "Scenes from the American Depression 3." In any case, I explained to him that I would love to flash fictionalize one of his paintings and this is what came out. His gallery and site can be found HERE.

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When her mom died of TB, he took in his estranged daughter despite the fact he was a driver for a traveling circus. All in all, the gypsies and freaks that made up the road show were fine people, it was the clowns you had to watch.

The 'Dirty Thirties' was rough on them and he knew pretty much from the get-go she didn't like him much, if at all. One creepy night somewhere in the dustbowl of America, their smoking jalopy of a bus puttered out 49 miles from their Okie big top.

As the gin-fueled clowns barreled past her and towards Mell's to get their jollies, the little girl saw a car up ahead inching its way towards them.

She summoned the will to raise her thumb to escape but she heard the jangling of his leather belt and knew she'd get worse if she ran away -- again.

Music: "Big Beaver" by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. It can be downloaded HERE.

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