Here are the responses to Lady Angel's challenge to write a story on 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation'.
Universe: LB ATF
Main Characters: JD, others mentioned
Rating: G
Author's Notes: Written in response to the M7M 100 word challenge. M7M Alternate Challenge, 21 April 2003: Write 100 words on 'What I did this summer' for the characters beginning a new school year.
Dear Miss Nettie—
We're supposed to write a letter about our summer vacation for school, so mine's to you. This summer me and Vin went fishing and camping with Papa Buck, Papa Chris, Uncle 'Siah, Uncle Ezra, and Uncle Nathan. Uncle Nathan made me and Vin drink his yucky tea after we fell in the lake grabbing for my fish after it wiggled off the hook. Then we slept in our tents, but it was cold so I snuck into Papa Buck's tent and slept with him. We went home that morning. We had a fun summer.
Love
JD Dunne
Universe: LB ATF
Main Characters: JD, Chris, mention of Buck
Rating: PG-13 (for some implications)
Author's Notes: Written in response to the M7M 100 word challenge. M7M Alternate Challenge, 21 April 2003: Write 100 words on 'What I did this summer' for the characters beginning a new school year.
"JD! Get in here."
"Yeah Chris?"
"What is this supposed to be?"
"We were supposed to write essays for class, what we did for summer vacation."
"'I had a good summer. My cousin and a snuck into a strip club and got drunk. Then we got fake id's so we could by beer and cigarettes.' That's your idea of a good essay?"
"Nah, that was Buck's idea. Besides, I'm undercover in a high school. I'm supposed to attract the attention of the wrong crowd."
"So you write that for an essay?"
"Well, I caught the attention of the wrong crowd."
Muthah has secured the services of another tutor for me, I'm afraid Fathah's experiments scared the last one off, and he has asked me to write a short essay so that he might get to know me bettah. Why? I misdoubt he will last any longah than my other tutor.
What did I do this summer? Mothah had returned home after a less than successful scam. I would have been with her, but I had succumbed to a malady of unbearable agony. I had contracted the chicken pox.
Fathah covered me with some odorous salve to keep me from scratching, when this did not work he wrapped my hands in cotton to keep from scatching. That did not work eithah, I was determined. I had an itch, and I was going to scratch it.
Oh deah, Fathah just blew up the laboratory again.
Ezra looks up as his tutor jumps to his feet.'Relax, Mr. Gordon, Fathah does this all the time. Voltaire?' The mute giant pokes his head into the room.
'Is fathah all right?'
Voltaire nods.
'Would you like to read my essay now?'
Universe: ATF (sort of)
What I did this summer
By Buck Wilmington
This summer we moved here and I like it. We go to the seaside everyday, at night I stay with Ma and her friends at the club. I help to look after King. Mr Duke is the owner, he don't like King but he says King's a 'golden goose'. Mr Duke isn't so smart coz anyone can see King is a snake not a goose and anyway gosses is white or brown not gold. Mr Duke don't like me, but Ma said they need me to look after King, so he let me stay.
The End
Universe: Little Britches ATF
"I hate to start the school year off with a call to his father but I do think we need to address this matter before it gets out of hand. "Paula Sheffield was Four Corners' newest third grade English teacher and took her job very seriously. As she handed Principal Davis the essay that had been written by her student John Dunne, she elaborated on her concerns. "John is obviously a very bright and imaginative child but he needs to be made aware of the importance of telling the truth."
Kathleen Davis accepted the stapled pages and read the title, "What I Did This Summer". She read through the lengthy document while Ms. Sheffield waited patiently. Finally she looked up and gave the younger woman a reassuring smile. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I am afraid I have to take care of another essay problem right now but I think you and I should arrange to meet this afternoon. Are you free after school?"
Paula nodded. "Of course. I'll be here as soon as I see my last student off."
Mrs. Davis waited until the door closed behind the English teacher and then picked up the other essay that had been brought to her that morning by Dave West, a teacher that had been with them for several years. His concern was of a different nature although the subject of the essay was the same.
"What I Did This Summer"
by Vin Tanner'This summer I learned to ride a horse bareback. We went sailing and I got to swim in the ocean. In July we had a fireworks display at the ranch. In August I went for a long drive and then flew back home. It was a fine summer vacation.'
Sitting aside the very short paragraph, Mrs. Davis read through John Dunne's essay one more time, her eyes picking out the key phrases that seemed to leap off the page; words like, stampede, pirates, blown up, car-jackers and military helicopter. John's essay took up six pages and went well over the minimum requirement of 500 words. Kathleen shook her head and with a small sigh she picked up her phone.
"Ethel, I need you to look up a number for me please. I need the work number for Chris Larabee. Yes. Got it. Thank you."
She hated having to call Mr. Larabee at work but Vin really did need to understand how important the writing exercises were and that it was alright for him to request extra time for his assignments if he needed it. As for Ms. Sheffield and her concerns, well she was in for something of a shock.
RATING: G
CATEGORY: Modern Day
MAJOR CHARACTERS: Ezra
SPOILERS: None
DISCLAIMERS: The characters of The Magnificent Seven belong to CBS, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment Group, and The Mirisch Corp. This drabble was written for Lady Angel's Monday Challenge: What I Did on My Summer Vacation. You know, I think I'm getting pretty good at this.
Ruminations of a Summer Day
By Ezra P. Standish
Although appreciative of the opportunity to indulge in warmer climes, I confess a particular distaste for sharing the delightful sojourn that expanded my travel horizons and completed yet another page of my passport.
Suffice it to say, I lazed alongside azure seas, absorbing the beneficence of sunlight and preparing myself for the spectacular brilliance of a night beneath stars that glittered over the fair cities of Europe.
To further illuminate upon my adventures would be an insult to those less fortunate. Thus, I end my tale with a sigh of remembrance.