OLAF 6
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Read Olaf 5 here (see “Similar Posts” at the bottom of this post for any earlier entries)
Round 6 Challenge: Incorporate a White Russian and the words “over the line” into your next passage, which should be no more than 500 words.
The title of Olga’s message to him was “coming to hagan harbor on thursday.” Had it been a TV show, Ron would have spluttered up his drink. Instead he just sat there in stupefied silence and read on:
“dear Ronnie!…
i was so surprised and so happy to get friended from you on facebook – i have to tell you that at first i was nervous to write to you because of… well you know of course. it’s been so long. thats why i waited to write you this news… my husband and my two children have always wanted to visit america so we decided at long last to come so I can show them the places from my history…
i never would imagined you were still living in hagan’s harbor… i always guessed you went back to your family’s town. but i should have known you wouldnt by how stubborn you are…
we arrive this friday aug 28 until sunday sep 6 and will be staying at hagan harbor lodge. i would like it for you to meet my 15 year old son Ransu and my 24 year old daughter Annikki. they have grown up hearing stories from me about the fishing life on hagans harbor.
i cant wait to hear about you. (your family?) there is no information about your personal life on your facebook page. you always were private… i hope you get this message and we can have a chance to catch up with our lives. do you still drink your rum and coca cola and play “Walk Over the Line” until everyone’s ears falls off? Ekkk! 
with wishes of love and happiness, olga”
Ron shut down the desktop and sat there a long time. Then he went to the bedroom and returned to the office with a white envelope and a candle. The envelope was clean and smooth except for along the jagged top fold where it had been torn open by finger. Ron turned the envelope over and looked at the return address and the faint stamped date – 1971. Inside was a yellowed handwritten letter. He lit a candle and, after switching off the light, unfolded the letter behind the flame. The letter was stained and creased with wear and in places the ink was smudged. Ron read it through slowly and by the time he came to the end his eyes had reddened. He folded the letter and tucked it back into the envelope. Holding the envelope between his thumb and forefinger, he put a corner into the flame. Thin black paper chars floated off as the fire moved along the paper. When the fire had traveled down to his fingertips, he dropped the paper torch into the empty wastebasket.
Ron did not write back to Olga. But by the time Friday came around, his bar was freshly stocked with vodka and kahlua and there was a gallon of milk in the fridge.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:18 am
yawn
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:42 am
Liked the incorporation of the two details into this. The closing paragraphs are a nice bit of showing rather than telling.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Interesting Olaf – I definitely sense some deep regret and sorrow for opportunity thrown whimsically away and your writing portrays this well. I don’t find it a ‘yawn’, though of course it does lack some of the action to be found elsewhere but that’s often what reality is about. Lets hear some more.
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:06 am
Can’t see you being voted off any time soon.
So what will happen when Ron and Olga meet up again? Going to have to go back and read up on the entire story in preparation for the next round.
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:45 am
Now, Jodi, is that what you call a rhetorical question? Because I sure as heck bet you don’t want the answer yet.
Tetra, get some sleep, boy.
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:51 am
Yes I’ve been rhetoricking again (if that’s not a word it is now!)
Keep up the excellent writing my friend.
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Oh boy, things are gonna get messy!
October 4th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
tetra is a guy???
i’m way off. he seems like such a sheila.
this “vasia” is right. it’ll get messy.
and as for votes, i’m betting its damn close for
olaf at this point. he’s losing my attention rapidly. “sure as heck” sounds like a cattle rustler. where did this guy go?
is he visiting Utah?
October 5th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
No video yet?
I may be no cattle rustler but one thing I know is that seldom seen could use a branding. Preferably a couple.
October 6th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Incorporate a what?
October 7th, 2009 at 8:19 am
HA! Poor Olaf. Can’t imagine Ron going hippy all of a sudden…