“Hi. I saw your advertisement,” said the girl, standing at the front door.
He smiled at her. He gestured to her to come inside.
“I’ve never really done anything like this before,” she said. “Have you?”
“Oh—by post, you mean? Once or twice.” He added, “But never with anyone like you. I mean—not with anyone my age. The others were older.”
She smiled, weakly.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he added. “Where are my manners? May I take your coat?”
She handed the boy her outerwear. He dutifully hung it on a nearby coat rack.
“We have the place for two hours. Do you want to—talk first?” he asked.
“Sure. I guess so.”
They sat down.
“I guess I’ve wanted to try this for awhile now,” she said. “I just needed to work up the courage. When I saw your advertisement, I—“ her voice trailed to nothing. She searched in vain for the right words to say.
He just smiled. Then he gave a reassuring nod. “I know what you mean. I felt exactly the same way my first time.”
“So—you won’t be angry and disappointed if I’m—if I’m not very good?”
“No, of course not!”
They shared an awkward, pregnant silence. Suddenly, she jumped up from her chair and said, “Alright, then. Let’s go do it.” She gave a nervous laugh. She added, “Before I lose my nerve!”
The boy led the way up the stairs. He pulled out a key from his pocket, and unlocked a door at the top of the steps. The two stepped inside.
After a few minutes of instruction, he said to her, “Give me your hand. Now, grab ‘hold and don’t be afraid. It won’t break.” He gave her a reassuring smile.
“Back and forth, back and forth—a gentle, steady rhythm. Yes! That’s right! Keep it up! Good! You have the method.”
Ten minutes later, the girl was grinning from ear to ear. Under the boy’s gentle tutelage, she continued her skillful performance, following his method flawlessly: beginning in rounds, changing without repeating rows. It was magical!
The girl knew she would be forever enamored to the hobby of bell ringing.
Phil Temples grew up in Bloomington, Indiana USA. He’s lived in and around Boston, Massachusetts for the past thirty years and works as a computer systems administrator at Boston College. For over ten years, Phil has written flash and short sci-fi/fantasy primarily for his own enjoyment.
His stories have appeared in several online journals, including: Boston Literary Magazine, Bewildering Stories, The Zodiac Review, The World of Myth, InfectiveINk, Daily Frights 2013, Bleeding Ink Anthology, and Stupefying Stories. Phil produced a murder-mystery novel, “The Winship Affair” published by Blue Mustang Press in 2014. He’s just finished a new paranormal-horror novel entitled “Helltown Chronicles.”
In addition to his writing activities, Phil is a singer in a garage band and an avid ham radio operator.
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