Image Tuesdays Writing Prompt

“Well… ” Jack stammered looking back at the group that had just approached him.
He had been facing the view of the trees that now stood behind him. He hadn’t heard the group pull up in their van and unload behind him. Damn I-pod. When he finally realized they were there, he turned around and removed his earpieces. He was taken aback , this wasn’t was he was expecting.
Out of the five in the group, only two were directly facing him. They were the oldest, probably the grandparents. The older man looked at him expectantly, as if waiting to get the show on the road. Stern eyes and with a set smile it looked like he meant all business on this vacation. Dressed in khaki shorts, white socks practically pulled up to his knees, brown sneakers and a button down plaid shirt, he held on to a pair of binoculars that were hanging from a strap around his neck. He was on standby for the next yellow bellied sapsucker that flew into his vicinity.
The older woman not only stood about a foot shorter than the older man but also stood about a foot behind him to the right. Her short cropped white hair framed softer eyes and a kinder smile. she sported loose fitting blue jeans, short sleeved plaid shirt le life, and white slip on sneakers.
Another man and woman were off to the left hand side frenzied with their photographic journaling of their trip to the national park. The man most have been the son of the older couple. He dressed similar to the old man but with a different colored shirt and black tennis shoes. His socks, though, were not pulled up to his knees. The park ranger bet that with age those ankle socks are sure to get longer and higher up the calf just like dad over there. This man was the one currently in possession of the camera trying to take pictures as his female companion hovered at his side trying to dictate the next shot. She was taller and leaner wearing shorter khaki shorts and a tank top. Ankle socks and stylish white tennies covered her feet.
The young teen had the look of total sheer boredom. He was leaning against the vehicle, arms crossed across his chest, one knee bent and foot propped against the van. Dressed in typical teenager attire, blue jeans, black t-shirt and high tops, he didn’t seem particularly interested in the itinerary the rest of the group seemed to have in mind.
“Well, you see…’ he started again. How did he ever get himself into these dilemmas? After all, It is his fault, how many times had he let his buddies pull these stunts on him? He should have known better. They had promised him this time was different though. That’s it, he thought to himself. Never trusting those guys again.
Ever since they were friends in elementary school they had been playing pranks on each other. Starting with simple pranks, telling Jim about a ghost that haunts the old Jones ranch. Daring Jim to walk through the house but making sure a couple surprises awaited him at the door. There never was ghost, was all made up. But they sure the best of Jim that day.
This time, they had said, this time was different. Come on Jack, they convinced him you won’t regret it. Jeff’s brother, Josh, was a park ranger, and since Jack was closest in size he was the chosen one. Josh was out of town for several days so ‘borrowing’ the uni was no problem. They wanted to impress some girls. The plan was for him to play park ranger, and Jeff and Jim would show up with three girls to tour the park. Jack would pretend to give them a knowledgeable grand tour.
Jack had been waiting , giving the guys the benefit of the doubt. You know how girls tend to run behind. But know he knew he had been played again. Now this group standing before him where asking for some of the facts about this park. He reeled through his head trying to remember the tidbits of information from all the previous park ranger talks his parents had made him endure.
“The mountain you see behind you was formed in the Precambrian…’ just at that moment, Jeff and Jim came squealing up in their car. No girls were in sight of course. Jim jumped out and ran towards Jack. The elderly couple torsos were twisted towards the approaching car. Hands still on his binoculars, the stern smile was know a questioning frown. The camera yielding man was still trying to figure out teh best shot. The woman also had the twisted torso quizzical glance and the boy looked on nonchalantly from his stance.
Jeff, still behind the drivers wheel, was noticeably stifling his laughs. Jim, approached Jack in a comical exaggerated way. “Mister park ranger, Mister park ranger!’ Jim grabs Jack by the arm and steers him toward the car, ‘We need you mister park ranger!’
Jack lets himself be dragged by Jim. Relief mixed with renewed anger floods Jack. As they walk toward Jeff’s car, he looks back at the people standing there and shrugs his shoulder. They clamor into the car and at this point all five of them have now turned full body towards the car. The teenager boy has even dropped his hands to his side and is standing on both feet no longer leaning against the van.
As they pull away, Jeff and Jim burst into howling laughter. Glancing back once more, the whole family looks stunned and the patriarchs mouth has now dropped open. He faces forward, proceeds to remove the ranger hat and unbutton the shirt. Yep, that’s the last time these guys will pull one on him. Looking at his buddies, Jack smiles. All is forgiven, time to plot his revenging prank.

One Comment

Michele says:

August 23, at 9:27 pm

“Well… ” Jack stammered looking back at the group that had just approached him.
He had been facing the view of the trees that now stood behind him. He hadn’t heard the group pull up in their van and unload behind him. Damn I-pod. When he finally realized they were there, he turned around and removed his earpieces. He was taken aback , this wasn’t was he was expecting.
Out of the five in the group, only two were directly facing him. They were the oldest, probably the grandparents. The older man looked at him expectantly, as if waiting to get the show on the road. Stern eyes and with a set smile it looked like he meant all business on this vacation. Dressed in khaki shorts, white socks practically pulled up to his knees, brown sneakers and a button down plaid shirt, he held on to a pair of binoculars that were hanging from a strap around his neck. He was on standby for the next yellow bellied sapsucker that flew into his vicinity.
The older woman not only stood about a foot shorter than the older man but also stood about a foot behind him to the right. Her short cropped white hair framed softer eyes and a kinder smile. she sported loose fitting blue jeans, short sleeved plaid shirt le life, and white slip on sneakers.
Another man and woman were off to the left hand side frenzied with their photographic journaling of their trip to the national park. The man most have been the son of the older couple. He dressed similar to the old man but with a different colored shirt and black tennis shoes. His socks, though, were not pulled up to his knees. The park ranger bet that with age those ankle socks are sure to get longer and higher up the calf just like dad over there. This man was the one currently in possession of the camera trying to take pictures as his female companion hovered at his side trying to dictate the next shot. She was taller and leaner wearing shorter khaki shorts and a tank top. Ankle socks and stylish white tennies covered her feet.
The young teen had the look of total sheer boredom. He was leaning against the vehicle, arms crossed across his chest, one knee bent and foot propped against the van. Dressed in typical teenager attire, blue jeans, black t-shirt and high tops, he didn’t seem particularly interested in the itinerary the rest of the group seemed to have in mind.
“Well, you see…’ he started again. How did he ever get himself into these dilemmas? After all, It is his fault, how many times had he let his buddies pull these stunts on him? He should have known better. They had promised him this time was different though. That’s it, he thought to himself. Never trusting those guys again.
Ever since they were friends in elementary school they had been playing pranks on each other. Starting with simple pranks, telling Jim about a ghost that haunts the old Jones ranch. Daring Jim to walk through the house but making sure a couple surprises awaited him at the door. There never was ghost, was all made up. But they sure the best of Jim that day.
This time, they had said, this time was different. Come on Jack, they convinced him you won’t regret it. Jeff’s brother, Josh, was a park ranger, and since Jack was closest in size he was the chosen one. Josh was out of town for several days so ‘borrowing’ the uni was no problem. They wanted to impress some girls. The plan was for him to play park ranger, and Jeff and Jim would show up with three girls to tour the park. Jack would pretend to give them a knowledgeable grand tour.
Jack had been waiting , giving the guys the benefit of the doubt. You know how girls tend to run behind. But know he knew he had been played again. Now this group standing before him where asking for some of the facts about this park. He reeled through his head trying to remember the tidbits of information from all the previous park ranger talks his parents had made him endure.
“The mountain you see behind you was formed in the Precambrian…’ just at that moment, Jeff and Jim came squealing up in their car. No girls were in sight of course. Jim jumped out and ran towards Jack. The elderly couple torsos were twisted towards the approaching car. Hands still on his binoculars, the stern smile was know a questioning frown. The camera yielding man was still trying to figure out teh best shot. The woman also had the twisted torso quizzical glance and the boy looked on nonchalantly from his stance.
Jeff, still behind the drivers wheel, was noticeably stifling his laughs. Jim, approached Jack in a comical exaggerated way. “Mister park ranger, Mister park ranger!’ Jim grabs Jack by the arm and steers him toward the car, ‘We need you mister park ranger!’
Jack lets himself be dragged by Jim. Relief mixed with renewed anger floods Jack. As they walk toward Jeff’s car, he looks back at the people standing there and shrugs his shoulder. They clamor into the car and at this point all five of them have now turned full body towards the car. The teenager boy has even dropped his hands to his side and is standing on both feet no longer leaning against the van.
As they pull away, Jeff and Jim burst into howling laughter. Glancing back once more, the whole family looks stunned and the patriarchs mouth has now dropped open. He faces forward, proceeds to remove the ranger hat and unbutton the shirt. Yep, that’s the last time these guys will pull one on him. Looking at his buddies, Jack smiles. All is forgiven, time to plot his revenging prank.

man in uniform image copyright Mike Sheridan, flickr

Image Tuesdays

Image Tuesdays

Image Tuesdays