Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Rachel In Love

Rachel In Love is a science fiction short story by Pat Murphy. This is a fascinating story. You can read it online here. It begins,
It is a Sunday morning in summer and a small brown chimpanzee named Rachel sits on the living room floor of a remote ranch house on the edge of the Painted Desert. She is watching a Tarzan movie on television. Her hairy arms are wrapped around her knees and she rocks back and forth with suppressed excitement. She knows that her father would say that she's too old for such childish amusements — but since Aaron is still sleeping, he can't chastise her.

On the television, Tarzan has been trapped in a bamboo cage by a band of wicked Pygmies. Rachel is afraid that he won't escape in time to save Jane from the ivory smugglers who hold her captive. The movie cuts to Jane, who is tied up in the back of a jeep, and Rachel whimpers softly to herself. She knows better than to howl: she peeked into her father's bedroom earlier, and he was still in bed. Aaron doesn't like her to howl when he is sleeping.

When the movie breaks for a commercial, Rachel goes to her father's room. She is ready for breakfast and she wants him to get up. She tiptoes to the bed to see if he is awake.

His eyes are open and he is staring at nothing. His face is pale and his lips are a purplish color. Dr. Aaron Jacobs, the man Rachel calls father, is not asleep. He is dead, having died in the night of a heart attack.
*******

I'm having some espresso:


That adorable cup came from Tuesday Morning. I'll be taking coffee with me as I visit the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

18 comments:

  1. Cute mug. I read all about the great scrapping supplies found at Tuesday Morning. Interesting plot, I'm curious to know more of what comes about in this story.

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  2. ...have an espresso on me!

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  3. Poor Rachel! Cute mug, though the snowman will melt from the espresso

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  4. The start of the story had intrigued me so I will be reading the rest later today. Thanks for posting about it.

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  5. Oh my, what a start to a story - it really captures you attention! I'm loving your adorable snowman mug, it's perfect for this time of year 😀. Happy T Tuesday! Hugs, Jo x

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  6. Oh, what a sad story! Cute mug.

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  7. Good morning, I used to shop at Tuesday Morning with a friend of mine when we went to Springfield, Mo I loved their huge bars of lavender soap from France, and I have picked up some cool discounted books there too-a fun store-and I love your snowman mug. I need to make me some espresso I still have one of those small machines.
    Happy T Hugs Kathy

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  8. Love your winter themed mug- cute snowman! And of course coffee is always good. Happy T day!

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  9. My sincere apologies. As your host, I knew I had to show up for T, but it took everything I had to climb out of bed. I am running a fever of 101.8 F (38.8 C). I appreciate you sharing your drink with us this T Tuesday. That story stops far too soon. LOVE the new snowman mug.

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    1. That's just the beginning of the story ;)

      I hope you're well soon!

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  10. The story sounds intriguing, the coffee looks goooooooood! Happy T Day, Valerie

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  11. Boy, that brief intro really grabs the reader. I don't like books that take too long for me to figure out what the story is about. I lose interest before I get to the plot - lol.

    Darling cup!

    Happy T-day! Eileen xx

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  12. Your coffee cup looks so cute and I enjoyed the beginning of the story you shared.
    Happy T day wishes.
    Yvonne xx

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  13. Hope it was a great T day. That story sounds great, especially since I am guessing the main character (or one of them) is a chimp. Nice snowman mug too. Would you like a little snow in the mail? Hee-hee. Hugs-Erika

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  14. Interesting start to the story. I like your snowman mug. Happy T-Day!

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  15. That was a really intriguing story! I hope Rachel got to stay at "home" with Johnson and taught him everything she knows. :)

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  16. OOh this story may be very interesting !! Thank you very much for sharing with us. Your mug is Amazing !! We have to drive for two hours to Sierra Nevada, Granada, Spain, to make snowman :) (because I live in Almería, South East of Spain, by the sea) I wish you a very Happy T-day and a nice Thursday,
    Big hugs, Caty

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  17. Wow, that got my attention! Now I want to read all of it. Bye bye, I'm off (to read it)!
    Sorry for the late comment. We have been helping friends move house (They are now living within walking distance)
    Belated happy T-Day,
    Hugs,
    Lisca

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