10 June 2010

Hank and Nancy: A Magpie Romance


Hank found 1000 pencils in a box stashed in a back corner of Nancy’s Knickknack Nook. Eyes shining, Nancy said she found them in a box of poetry and prose peppered with magic. She raised her eyebrows when she said it.

“Uh, I was more interested in the uh, mug, uh, you know, for Guinness.” Hank felt the color rising in his face. Why was it talking to Nancy did this to him every time?

“Sure Hank, but I’m telling you, these here pencils? Magic. Something to do with the cup. Sharpen them.” Nancy grabbed Hank’s wrist, and looked him in the eye, “Needle sharp now, you hear? Then stick them in the cup with the sharpened end up. Do not be drinking beer in that mug Hank Sanders, or you’ll dull the magic.” She let go of his wrists, and looked down. “Sometimes it sticks, Hank. Give it a go.”

Hank remembers his heart racing when Nancy grabbed his wrist, but it’s the soft way she almost whispered at the end that made it skip a beat, still does today. Hank sharpens each pencil and puts it eraser down in the mug that never held a Guinness, until each of the final fourteen stands tall.

At one pencil per day, two weeks remain. Legions of women read his blog, Magic Pencils. Hank pencils all of his posts on pages of half-used notebooks and paper scraps from Nancy’s Knickknack Nook then takes pictures of his poetry and prose. Snapshots of magic, Nancy calls them. 986 posts inspired by Nancy. She thinks it’s the pencils, but it’s not the pencils. It’s her.

Hank started writing poetry for Nancy when he started sharpening pencils. He loves her, always has. Turns out, Nancy loves Hank, too. Hank figures some kind of magic stops him from tripping over his words every time he talks to Nancy. He attributes that magic to Nancy, too. Yup, this Magpie Tale has a happy ending.

Nancy wrote the sidebar ‘About Hank’ for his blog.

***
His name is Hank. He likes his beer dark, a smidgen below room temperature. He understands the underbelly of a woman the way most men understand the engine of a truck. His words make women purr.

***

It’s true. Nancy knows. Nancy knows she will keep purring whether Hank has magic pencils or not. And Hank? He knows that real magic is the stuff that happens when Nancy touches his wrist and whispers, and he whispers back in couplets that burn with desire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shout out to Magpie Tales for the prompt.  Be sure to click the link and visit for other creative responses to this cup of sharpened pencils.

27 comments:

one more believer said...

wow, what a story... really enjoyed that magic...

Kathe W. said...

oh how lovely-warms my heart.

Aoife.Troxel said...

Great tale of pencils and magic.

00dozo said...

Sweet story and great Magpie.

Anonymous said...

very cute and sweet - love the magic pencils...bkm

brenda w said...

It always makes me feel good to write a heart warmer, as some of my work is dark. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

Angie Muresan said...

I love the romance of it. And the magic of what happens between a man and a woman who love each other. Great story!

Dina Spice said...

Wow, you really took those pencils to another level! Sweet take on the photo...any take on looove is a good one - but yours was well-written which makes it even better.

Thanks for a nice treat-of-a-read, Brenda.
- Dina

brenda w said...

Thanks for stopping by Angie and Dina.
My husband brings home magic every day. I'm a lucky lady.

Thanks for the well-written comment, Dina, and your cheery disposition, too!

Linda said...

Absolutely magical!

CHummelKornell said...

Beautifully concocted! Love the romance. I could visualize each of the parties and certainly understood Hank's nervous hesitation. Loved how the pencils were the release that allowed his love to flow. Well done!

Tess Kincaid said...

Nancy’s Knickknack Nook make me giggle!

Tumblewords: said...

Magic pencils, indeed! A sweet tale, well written...

The Crusty Crone said...

This was great! I don't suppose there really is a blog called Magic Pencils.... is there?

Lyn said...

Love conquers all..totally believable..986 posts...hmmm!!!

RA said...

I loved every word of this. It made me smile happily. :)

Helena said...

Aaaahhh! That was a lovely read. Truly magical!

Brian Miller said...

oh feck...i need me some of those pencils...smiles. a wonderful love story...great magpie!

Anonymous said...

This is a really good story. I particularly like the idea of the blog about the Magic Pencils. When you think about it, that would be a really interesting blog. You have a great imagination!

showme said...

Magical point well well written!

Catalyst said...

Ssssssspicy, Brenda!

Jennifer said...

Oh wonderful! I have a Hank. And I didn't even need to give him magic pencils. Loved this.

alexis nicole said...

This is really an awesome story! I agree with Catalyst....Spicy! ;)

Helen said...

Love how this man understands a woman's underbelly! Great writing.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

magical love is cool,
your magpie is beautiful.

Robert Lloyd said...

Wow...just flat out wow! I loved every second of it and then couldnt stop a laugh from escaping my office at work when I read Nancy's Sidebar for Hank. "His words make women purr."

Loved it.

brenda w said...

Wow...All of your comments make me feel darn good inside. Thank you.
I did find a blog called Magic Pencils...it belongs to an artist.
Robert...I'm glad laughter hit in the work place!