"soterial"

[k8cre8]

I have very few excuses left, so, instead, I will just send out a story. It's a bit longer than usual, and is the fourth of the Oscar series. Wth luck, I'll have all these done before the next round of nominations arrive.

Today, Frankie Dunn of "Million Dollar Baby" finds more than just pie. Cross posted.

Today's Word:

soterial

As in:

After months in Texas, Frankie Dunn has sunk further away from the company of people. His sacrifice of his own convictions has forced him off a soterial path, leaving him aimless and despairing. Only one thing seems to be real, and that is the comfort afforded by a well-made, not mixed from a box, lemon meringue pie. He's traveled the country, found a few worthy examples of the craft, but always he keeps searching. On this particular day, he has arrived in a small town in WA, by the name of Twin Peaks. A diner appears, and he pulls in to test the local offerings.

As he crosses the threshold of the quaint shop, he notices one of the strangest collections of humanity he has yet set eyes on.

In one corner, a woman sits, cradling a log.

At a table, sits a woman with a patch over her eye, and, despite her clearly middle-aged status, she is wearing a high school letter jacket and her speech patterns are those of a high school girl.

Occupying another table is a bearded man, with orange-tinted glasses, several chain necklaces, a Hawaiian shirt, and a civil war era hat.

Hesitating briefly, and looking around for a TV camera, he decides to go to the counter. The waitress looks kind and surprisingly normal. A few seats way, a young man, in a suit, talks into a mini tape recorder. Frankie checks again for a hidden camera.

The waitress approaches, offering a menu and a cup of coffee. Frankie glances at the menu, nods toward the offered beverage, and asks about their pie.

At this, the young man with the tape recorder, perks up.

"Pie, did you say?"

Frankie nods.

"Well, sir, you are in for a treat. The pie here is the best I've ever had. You like cherry? The cherries around here throw themselves off trees to be lucky enough to get into these pies. Why, pies dream of being made here. This might well be the place pies goes when they die. Pie heaven. Yes, sir. Name's Cooper, by the way, Dale Cooper."

Frankie looks dubious.

"Frankie Dunn. Are you for real? That's a pretty strong endorsement, and I'm afraid that now, I'm almost sure to be disappointed. Worse, you sound like you're reciting from a script. And the fact that all these odd folks are sitting here, means there's got to be a camera somewhere. Is this some kind of joke?"

"Not to my knowledge, unless you are wanting to discuss the existence of humanity at some metaphysical level."

"Metaphysics?! In a diner? With some joker I've never met? Now I know this is some kind of joke. I'm not interested. Here. This should cover the coffee. I never should have gotten out of the car."
**************
There it is. Okay?

soterial / SOW - tear - e - all / pertaining to salvation.

Copyright 2005 by Kate Barnes.

Comments

[drdeleto.livejournal.com]

Great word. I'd never heard it before. And then, coincidentally, I just read an article that used the word "soteriology."

[drdeleto.livejournal.com]

Hm. You first.

[k8cre8.livejournal.com]

I'm sorta sad I hadn't used this word earlier. It's a great word, really.

I'm sorta wondering, though, whether I captured the diner well enough. You being my Twin Peaks mentors, I hope I didn't mess it up. After all, didn't returntoshore have pie at *the* diner once?

[thedragonweaver.livejournal.com]

Which diner is this, BTW?

I went to Kirkland this summer and we went bowling in Snoqualmie.

[k8cre8.livejournal.com]

Wow. Tweety Bird. That could almost be a follow-up story.

Eyeballs, eh? Where did you get that idea. Wow. Okay. Well, that's certainly a valid reason to not eat cherry pie any longer. Thanks.

[bryree.livejournal.com]

Does this mean we have to refer to it as 'eyeball pie' from now on?