I will be posting some excerpts from my latest novel, The Awakening of Russell Henderson, for the next while. Here is another. Stay tuned for next week’s.

She said, “I see you have a guitar in your van. Let’s play together sometime. Oh, right, I forgot, you’re heading back today. Really hate to have you leave before you even get really started. Why not give it a few more days and see what happens. You said you’re planning on going up to the Lakota Reservations. Let’s do that and head to Mount Rushmore at least. Come on, give it a go. I know a guy that moved back to the reservation. I have his number. If you don’t mind, I’d like to look him up.”

I thought for a moment. Maybe I could at least go that far, only another few days, then head back, “Okay, let’s go to Rosebud and, sure, call your friend. Then, maybe to Mount Rushmore. I don’t know what got into me last night. I just missed everybody and, and, well, you know.”

“It’s okay to be lonesome and miss your family. I understand. I’ve missed my mom and Frank since I’ve been out.”

“It’s not all that. There’s a lot more, just so much more. I don’t want to get into that right now. And please don’t ask, okay.”