Post by conwention on Nov 28, 2011 19:21:19 GMT -5
Location - Lancaster Calif 1930
Characters
Eva Milne - Judy's Grandmother on her mothers side
Frank Gumm - Judy's father
Ethel Gumm - Judy's mother
Mary Jane - Judy's oldest sister
Virginia - Judy's second oldest sister
Muggsie " Inna Mary Ming " - Judy's best childhood friend
Babe " Francis Gumm " - Judy Garland
Judy is eight years old in this story with Muggsie at ten.
Judy lived in Lancaster from 1927 to 1933.
Judy's nickname as a child was Babe ( baby )
I am going to use both the name " Judy " from our perspective and " Babe " from the other characters perspective in this story.
DARKNESS ... a Christmas story
Frank was ending the song, singing to the large, empty, canvas sleeping bag on the front porch. 2031 Cedar ave. Typical American town, dark night. Not typical was the paralyzing, forgiving tone of Franks voice. With the" Harmony " four string tenor guitar on his knee, Frank finished singing to the large empty canvas sleeping bag his song about a dying confederate soldier at the battle of Atlanta, writing a farewell letter to his wife in Baton rouge Louisiana. But the bag wasn't empty.Out of the bag came a voice with a fake southern accent. " Why that was just fine Poe, that was bettern a bull frog in love. " (accompanying this southern talk was a second voice from the bag " Muggsie " creating a chipmunk style laugh demonstrating her enjoyment of the first voice.) Now old son ( the southern voice continued ) why don't you run and fetch us a delightful snack, and don't you be long now Poe, ya hear? ( the chipmunk chattering euphorically away.) Frank stood up looking down at the bag. He never ceased to be shocked by Babes sense of humor. His love for her was bottomless and this took him all the way there. He didn't know how his body stood up to the love he felt for her. He literally worshiped the ground she walked on. Yes'm right away, he answered in his genuine Tennessean drawl and got a scream from the two girls with a quick grab of the bag.
Frank opened the front door and walked into the dark front parlor, headed for the kitchen. He didn't notice Eva napping in an easy chair. What do you need in the kitchen Frank, Eva spoke out in the darkness, that stopped Frank in his tracks. I'm getting the girls something to eat he said. Ill fix them something Eva said passing by him and turning the kitchen light on, he followed her in. The propane lamp hissing above the kitchen table sent off a soft yellow glow on the white painted kitchen. The walls were covered with cupboards containing much of the Gumm dishes, glasses and china from Minnesota. The heavily edged smoked glass sealing the front of the cupboards was unique creating a Victorian feel. It was a snug kitchen designed to promote warmth and togetherness. Where is that wife of yours? Eva said while pulling a chicken carcass out of the icebox. Los Angele's, on business Frank told her. She should be here taken care of you and the girls. You both filling their heads with dreams, no good is gonna come from it I tell ya. And while I'm at it, those three daughters of yours could use some brushin up on their yes m's and no sirs. Why that youngest one's been walkin around here lately like her @#$! don't stink. Frank winced back wards. Eva I don't want to talk about this now, Frank said and walked out of the kitchen.
He headed for the right side of the parlor ( the side of the house nearest to New Grove street ) and climbed the two short flights of steps to the second floor. There was a long hallway running straight to the other side of the house that served the two bedrooms of his daughters. Frank stopped at the first bedroom and looked incredulously in at what was before him. One side of the room " Mary Jane's " was neat and orderly, the other " Virginia's " was a pig sty with pictures of boys hanging all over the walls. Though the two girls were older than Judy they preferred to stay together even with such different temperaments. A reflection of their foundation and solidifying their position behind Babe in performance as of late. Shaking his head Frank continued on, ignoring a hall that ran back to his and Ethel's room, also passing another flight of steps that led up to the loft where the theatrical family stored their costumes, luggage, props and an endless amount of things related musically. Frank came upon Judy's room. Judy's room was striking for its spartan simplicity. A bed, dresser and a writing table. There was also a second bed for one of Babes many friends to spend the night. Frank walked to the table to see what was on it. There were two books on the table. A guilded edged book called ( Great Women of the Theater ) and the other a book of poems by ( John Keats ). There was also the latest two issues of ( Gasoline Alley ) and a ( Sky Roads ) comics.Also on the table was Babes most prized possession on earth. Her Sears and Roebuck vacuum tube radio in dark stained wood. The windows, facing east and south were lightly curtained and the material would flap dramatically with the slightest breeze. Frank moved to the south window which looked upon the San Gabriel Mt's in the distance and " hidden beyond that " the pacific ocean. He could see on the porch roof below the window the many cigarette butts discarded by Babe and Muggsie when they puffed by the window. Sometimes when Ethel had the girls on the road, he would stand and smoke at that window just to feel near to them. Frank sat on Judy's bed and looked at her pillow for a long time.
Eva just finished putting a pipping hot pot of vegetable soup and three chicken sandwiches on a tray and was looking for napkins when something made her turn around. It was Frank at the door, shaking and looking awful. Frank, whats wrong! Eva said in a startled voice. Shes going to take my girls away from me, he painfully said and collapsed into a chair and began weeping uncontrollably. Eva had no love lost for Frank. She knew of his sexual pursuits of young men that was the root of the family's woes. He was wrong. But Eva had lived a long hard life, the Great War, Influenza, the Depression. She had seen many terrible things. She knew that she knew less of life as time went by. Eva went to him and tried to comfort him. Hush she said putting her hands on his shoulders. No one could take those girls away from you, they love you to much. My daughter is a strong minded woman. Shes got the Devil of music in her, just like your youngest. Frank, you have to do whats best for your girls, you know that.
Frank was calmer now. He managed to say yes, yes Eva, thank you. Eva squeezed his shoulder and said, now go , go to your baby she needs you. Frank picked up the tray and walked out of the kitchen. Forty minutes later Judy and Muggsie were huddled together, the two cherubs wet eyed and attentive as Frank was playing and singing point blank with the guitar across his knee, the saddest of American folk tunes, the Dust Bowl, Love Lost, Lonesome Cowboys and the Laboring of Black Slaves in the Cotton Fields. There was no letting up tonight. conwention
Authors notes.
1. My description of the interior of the Gumm home is completely made up.
2. The book GREAT WOMEN OF THE THEATER is the book Ronnie Sinclair gave Judy in the film Thoroughbreds Dont Cry.
3. A four string Tenor guitar is the type of guitar that Judy holds in the same movie.
4. Inna Mary ( Muggsie ) did describe to a interviewer how she and Judy would cry together when Frank sang his sad songs after he and Ethel had a fight.
5. The comics GASOLINE ALLEY was started in 1918 and the comics SKY ROADS was from the late 1920s inspired by Charles Lindberg's flight that created much interest in aviation amoungst the public.
Characters
Eva Milne - Judy's Grandmother on her mothers side
Frank Gumm - Judy's father
Ethel Gumm - Judy's mother
Mary Jane - Judy's oldest sister
Virginia - Judy's second oldest sister
Muggsie " Inna Mary Ming " - Judy's best childhood friend
Babe " Francis Gumm " - Judy Garland
Judy is eight years old in this story with Muggsie at ten.
Judy lived in Lancaster from 1927 to 1933.
Judy's nickname as a child was Babe ( baby )
I am going to use both the name " Judy " from our perspective and " Babe " from the other characters perspective in this story.
DARKNESS ... a Christmas story
Frank was ending the song, singing to the large, empty, canvas sleeping bag on the front porch. 2031 Cedar ave. Typical American town, dark night. Not typical was the paralyzing, forgiving tone of Franks voice. With the" Harmony " four string tenor guitar on his knee, Frank finished singing to the large empty canvas sleeping bag his song about a dying confederate soldier at the battle of Atlanta, writing a farewell letter to his wife in Baton rouge Louisiana. But the bag wasn't empty.Out of the bag came a voice with a fake southern accent. " Why that was just fine Poe, that was bettern a bull frog in love. " (accompanying this southern talk was a second voice from the bag " Muggsie " creating a chipmunk style laugh demonstrating her enjoyment of the first voice.) Now old son ( the southern voice continued ) why don't you run and fetch us a delightful snack, and don't you be long now Poe, ya hear? ( the chipmunk chattering euphorically away.) Frank stood up looking down at the bag. He never ceased to be shocked by Babes sense of humor. His love for her was bottomless and this took him all the way there. He didn't know how his body stood up to the love he felt for her. He literally worshiped the ground she walked on. Yes'm right away, he answered in his genuine Tennessean drawl and got a scream from the two girls with a quick grab of the bag.
Frank opened the front door and walked into the dark front parlor, headed for the kitchen. He didn't notice Eva napping in an easy chair. What do you need in the kitchen Frank, Eva spoke out in the darkness, that stopped Frank in his tracks. I'm getting the girls something to eat he said. Ill fix them something Eva said passing by him and turning the kitchen light on, he followed her in. The propane lamp hissing above the kitchen table sent off a soft yellow glow on the white painted kitchen. The walls were covered with cupboards containing much of the Gumm dishes, glasses and china from Minnesota. The heavily edged smoked glass sealing the front of the cupboards was unique creating a Victorian feel. It was a snug kitchen designed to promote warmth and togetherness. Where is that wife of yours? Eva said while pulling a chicken carcass out of the icebox. Los Angele's, on business Frank told her. She should be here taken care of you and the girls. You both filling their heads with dreams, no good is gonna come from it I tell ya. And while I'm at it, those three daughters of yours could use some brushin up on their yes m's and no sirs. Why that youngest one's been walkin around here lately like her @#$! don't stink. Frank winced back wards. Eva I don't want to talk about this now, Frank said and walked out of the kitchen.
He headed for the right side of the parlor ( the side of the house nearest to New Grove street ) and climbed the two short flights of steps to the second floor. There was a long hallway running straight to the other side of the house that served the two bedrooms of his daughters. Frank stopped at the first bedroom and looked incredulously in at what was before him. One side of the room " Mary Jane's " was neat and orderly, the other " Virginia's " was a pig sty with pictures of boys hanging all over the walls. Though the two girls were older than Judy they preferred to stay together even with such different temperaments. A reflection of their foundation and solidifying their position behind Babe in performance as of late. Shaking his head Frank continued on, ignoring a hall that ran back to his and Ethel's room, also passing another flight of steps that led up to the loft where the theatrical family stored their costumes, luggage, props and an endless amount of things related musically. Frank came upon Judy's room. Judy's room was striking for its spartan simplicity. A bed, dresser and a writing table. There was also a second bed for one of Babes many friends to spend the night. Frank walked to the table to see what was on it. There were two books on the table. A guilded edged book called ( Great Women of the Theater ) and the other a book of poems by ( John Keats ). There was also the latest two issues of ( Gasoline Alley ) and a ( Sky Roads ) comics.Also on the table was Babes most prized possession on earth. Her Sears and Roebuck vacuum tube radio in dark stained wood. The windows, facing east and south were lightly curtained and the material would flap dramatically with the slightest breeze. Frank moved to the south window which looked upon the San Gabriel Mt's in the distance and " hidden beyond that " the pacific ocean. He could see on the porch roof below the window the many cigarette butts discarded by Babe and Muggsie when they puffed by the window. Sometimes when Ethel had the girls on the road, he would stand and smoke at that window just to feel near to them. Frank sat on Judy's bed and looked at her pillow for a long time.
Eva just finished putting a pipping hot pot of vegetable soup and three chicken sandwiches on a tray and was looking for napkins when something made her turn around. It was Frank at the door, shaking and looking awful. Frank, whats wrong! Eva said in a startled voice. Shes going to take my girls away from me, he painfully said and collapsed into a chair and began weeping uncontrollably. Eva had no love lost for Frank. She knew of his sexual pursuits of young men that was the root of the family's woes. He was wrong. But Eva had lived a long hard life, the Great War, Influenza, the Depression. She had seen many terrible things. She knew that she knew less of life as time went by. Eva went to him and tried to comfort him. Hush she said putting her hands on his shoulders. No one could take those girls away from you, they love you to much. My daughter is a strong minded woman. Shes got the Devil of music in her, just like your youngest. Frank, you have to do whats best for your girls, you know that.
Frank was calmer now. He managed to say yes, yes Eva, thank you. Eva squeezed his shoulder and said, now go , go to your baby she needs you. Frank picked up the tray and walked out of the kitchen. Forty minutes later Judy and Muggsie were huddled together, the two cherubs wet eyed and attentive as Frank was playing and singing point blank with the guitar across his knee, the saddest of American folk tunes, the Dust Bowl, Love Lost, Lonesome Cowboys and the Laboring of Black Slaves in the Cotton Fields. There was no letting up tonight. conwention
Authors notes.
1. My description of the interior of the Gumm home is completely made up.
2. The book GREAT WOMEN OF THE THEATER is the book Ronnie Sinclair gave Judy in the film Thoroughbreds Dont Cry.
3. A four string Tenor guitar is the type of guitar that Judy holds in the same movie.
4. Inna Mary ( Muggsie ) did describe to a interviewer how she and Judy would cry together when Frank sang his sad songs after he and Ethel had a fight.
5. The comics GASOLINE ALLEY was started in 1918 and the comics SKY ROADS was from the late 1920s inspired by Charles Lindberg's flight that created much interest in aviation amoungst the public.
