Science Fiction - Daily Short Stories

Texas Week - Albert Hernhuter

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Duration:: 13m
Broadcast on:: 23 Jun 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

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The slick black car sped along the wide and straight street. It came to a smooth stop in front of a clean white house. A man got out of the car and walked briskly to the door. Reaching out with a pink hand, he pressed the doorbell with one well manicured finger. The door was answered by a housewife. She was wearing a white blouse, a green skirt, and a green apron trimmed with white. Her feet were tucked into orange slippers. Her blonde hair was done up in a neat bun. She was dressed as the government had ordered for that week. The man said, "You are Mrs. Christopher Nuss." There was a trace of anxiety in her voice as she answered. Yes, and you are. My name is Maxwell Hansstark. As you may already know, I am the official psychiatrist for this district. My appointment will last until the end of this year. Mrs. Nuss invited him in. They stepped into a clean living room. At one end was the television set. At the other end were several chairs. There was nothing between the set and the chairs, except a large gray rug, which stretched from wall to wall. They walked to the chairs and sat down. Now, just what is the matter with your husband, Mrs. Nuss? Mrs. Nuss reached into a large bowl and absolutely picked up a piece of stale popcorn. She daintily placed it in her mouth and she thoughtfully before she answered. I wish I knew. All he does all day long is sit in the backyard and stare at the grass. He insists that he is standing on top of a cliff. Hansstark took out a small pad and a short ballpoint pen. He wrote something down before he spoke again. Is he violent? Did he get angry when you told him there was no cliff? Mrs. Nuss was silent for a moment. A second piece of popcorn joined the first. Hansstark's pen was poised above the pad. No, he didn't get violent. Hansstark wrote as he asked the next question. Just what was his reaction? He said, "I must be crazy." Were those his exact words? No, he said that I was, she thought for a moment, loco, yes, that was the word, loco, yes. He said it just like those cowboys on the television. Hansstark looked puzzled. Perhaps you had better tell me more about this. When did he first start acting this way? Mrs. Nuss glanced up at the television set, then back at Hansstark. It was right after Texas week. You remember, they showed all of those old cowboy pictures? Hansstark nodded. Well, he stayed up every night watching them. Some nights he didn't even go to sleep. Even after the set was off, he sat in one of the chairs just staring at the screen. This morning when I got up, he wasn't in the house. I looked all over, but I couldn't find him. I was just about ready to find the police when I glanced off the window into the backyard, and I saw him. What was he doing? He was just sitting there in the middle of the yard, staring. I went out and tried to bring him into the house. He told me he had to watch for someone. When I asked him what he was talking about, he told me that I was crazy. That was when I found you, Mr. Hansstark, a very wise move, Mrs. Nuss. And would you show me where your husband is right now? She nodded her head, and they both got up from the chairs. They walked through the dining room and kitchen. On the back porch, Hansstark came to a halt. You'd better stay here, Mrs. Nuss. He walked to the door and opened it. Mr. Hansstark, Mrs. Nuss called. Hansstark turned and saw her standing next to the automatic washing machine. Yes. Please be careful. Hansstark smiled. I shall be Mrs. Nuss. He walked out the door and down three concrete steps. Looking a little to his right, he saw a man squatted on his heels. He walked up to the man. "You are Mr. Christopher Nuss?" The man looked up and stared for a moment at Hansstark. "Yep?" he answered. Then he turned and stared at the grass again. "And may I ask what you are doing?" Nuss answered without looking up. "Garden the past?" Hansstark scribbled something in his notebook. "And why are you guarding the past?" Nuss rose to his feet and stared down at Hansstark. "Just what are you asking all these questions for, stranger?" Hansstark saw Nuss was bigger than he and decided to play along for a while. After all, strategy, "I'm just interested in your welfare, Mr. Nuss." Nuss shrugged his shoulders. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a sack of tobacco and some paper. Holding a piece of paper in one hand, he carefully poured a little tobacco onto it. In one quick movement, he rolled the paper and tobacco into a perfect cylinder. He put the sack of tobacco and paper back into his pocket and took out a wooden kitchen match. He scraped it to life on the sole of his shoe and applied the flame to the tip of the cigarette. He puffed it into life and threw the match away. It burned for a few moments in the moist grass, then went out. A thin trail of smoke rose from it and then it was gone. "Why are you guarding the past?" Hansstark asked again. Nuss presumed his crouch on the grass. News is around that dirty Dan the cattle wrestler is going to try to steal some of my cattle. He patted an imaginary holster at his side and I aim to stop him. Hansstark thought for a moment. "Strategy." He must use strategy. "Mr. Nuss." He waited until Nuss had turned to him. "Mr. Nuss, what would you say if I told you that there was no past down there?" "Why Schucks, partner. I'd say you'd been chewing some local weed." "And if I could prove it?" Nuss answered after a moment's pause. "Why then, I guess, I'd be local." Hansstark thought it was going to be easy. "Mr. Nuss, it is a well-known fact that no one can walk in mid-air. Is that not true?" Nuss took a deep drag on his cigarette and blew the smoke out of his nostrils. "Sure." "Then if I were to walk out above your past, you'd have to admit there is no past." Rick and so. Hansstark began to walk in the direction of Nuss's cliff. Nuss jumped to his feet and grabbed the official psychiatrist by the arm. "What are you trying to do?" Nuss said angrily. "Kill yourself?" Hansstark shook free of his grasp. "Mr. Nuss, I am not going to kill myself. I am merely going to walk in that direction." He pointed to where the cliff was supposed to be. "To you it will look as if I were walking in mid-air." Nuss dropped his hands to his sides. "Shucks, I don't care if you kill yourself. It's just that it's liable to make the cattle nervous." Hansstark gave him a cold glare and began to walk. He took three paces and stopped. "You see, Mr. Nuss, there is no cliff." Nuss looked at him and laughed. "You just take one more step and you'll find out there is a cliff." Hansstark took another step. A long one. His face bore a surprised look as he disappeared beneath the grass. His screams could be heard for a moment before he landed on the rocks below. Nuss walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down at the mangled body. He took off his hat in respect. "Little feller had a lot of guts," then he added, "poor little feller." He put his hat back on and looked down at the entrance to the valley. A horse and rider appeared from behind several rocks. "Dirty Dan!" Nuss exclaimed. He reached down and picked up his rifle. End of "Texas Week" by Albert Hemhotter. Ryan Seacrest here. When you have a busy schedule, it's important to maximize your downtime. One of the best ways to do that is by going to ChumbahCasino.com. ChumbahCasino has all your favorite social casino games like spin slots, bingo, and solitaire that you can play for free for a chance to redeem some serious prizes. So hop on to ChumbahCasino.com now and live the Chumbah life. Sponsored by ChumbahCasino. No purchase necessary. VGW Group. Void we're prohibited by law. 18-plus terms and conditions apply. Welcome to Solga Media, where your journey into a world of endless audio possibilities begins. 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