Morning Glory Read Online Free PDF Page A

reading with one of my favorites
called "The Common Daylight," by Elizabeth
Browning. Tucker, don't you dare go to sleep. Clara
talked another man into coming to the meeting. He's
sittin' there beside you and y'all can stay awake for an
hour whether you like it or not. I hear one snore from
the back of the room and I'll upset the chair you are sittin' in."
    "Tucker Anderson." The tall man next to Briar stuck
out his hand. "And you'd be?"
    Briar shook his hand. "Briar Nelson. Don't know
why I came. Don't know a blessed thing about poetry"
    "Only reason I'm here is because when Tilly and
Clara first got this hairbrained idea back in high school,
I had to be the one to chaperone them and it got to be a
habit," Tucker said.
    Nellie cleared her throat and gave Tucker the mean est look she could conjure up. One that Briar figured
could fry the big man into nothing more than a greasy
spot on the hardwood floor if looks could accomplish
their intended purpose.

    She pointed her finger. "Shhh. You two can talk after
we finish our reading. I will read my favorite poem
when Matilda finishes. Then when I finish, Cornelia
will have her turn."
    Briar listened with half an ear, which was more than
he figured Tucker was using. Matilda talked about
being lifted up and something about her soul never mistaking some kind of light for the common daylight. Her
voice wasn't bad even if he didn't understand all of the
hidden meanings in the poem. Then it was Nellie's turn
and she read in a high-pitched voice guaranteed to keep
a man wide awake. The only thing Briar could think of
that grated his nerves more was when his third grade
schoolteacher missed the blackboard with chalk and
accidentally raked her long fingernail across the board.
Tucker either had nerves of steel or else he was half
deaf because he leaned back, shut his eyes and really
did fall asleep.
    "Cornelia, it's your turn" Nellie smiled at Briar and
frowned at Tucker.
    Cornelia read in a whiny, sing-song voice like a
fourth grader. Tucker wouldn't have a bit of trouble
sleeping through that one. Briar had to put the noise out
of his head and think about oil wells, leases and productivity reports to keep awake. Finally, Clara read for a short while. He forgot about business and didn't hear
a word of the poetry but he did enjoy the way she
spoke. Matilda took the podium again, concluded the
business and announced that refreshments would be
served in the adjacent room. Tucker awoke as if on cue,
all smiles and acting as if he'd never snored a single
time.

    Briar envied him.
    "So tell us, what are you doing in Healdton,
Oklahoma?" Tilly asked Briar as she handed him
punch in a tiny crystal cup and a cookie on a napkin.
    "My job brought me here," Briar answered.
    "And what is your job?" She asked.
    "I work for Rose Oil Company as a roustabout,"
Briar said, figuring he might as well come clean right
there in front of them all.
    "Good Lord!" Clara dropped her napkin, cookie and
all, on the floor and spewed punch across Tucker's
white shirt, leaving red splotches from collar to belly
button. "Now I recognize you! You are that oil riffraff
who was fighting at the pool hall this afternoon. I
thought I'd seen you before. Well, Briar Nelson, you
get out of here. Go get your things out of my house. You
are not welcome. I don't rent to the likes of your kind
and you should have told Dulcie what you do for a living. I wouldn't think of having a man like you under the
same roof as my boarders"
    Briar shook his head. "No. I'm not leaving. I'm paid
up for two months and I'm staying."

    Clara set her empty punch cup down hard enough
that Nellie held her breath, hoping the crystal hadn't
chipped or cracked. "I'll give you back your money
even though it's against the contract," she said through
clenched teeth.
    "No, thank you." Briar sipped his punch.
    Clara raised her voice an octave. "Oh, yes, you will
leave. You'll not spend the first night