Amity

Chapter 1:

In Alabama 1960 there's a small town by the name of Wintin. Now Wintin is a town that consists of three things: gossip, beer, church. In that order. The ladies in Wintin aren't the city girls who wear tight nylons and wear them fancy brooches with their scarves. The ladies in Wintin are the kind who are the wannabe city girls. Their hairs too big, their lipsticks too loud, and dresses too bright. But what the ladies do do right in Wintin, is they go to church. Every Sunday the church doors are flooded with all shades of blues, pinks, and yellows of different dresses. They go to church expecting to learn something from that mass and try to apply it to the lives they live everyday. They sing the gospel song, repeat the psalms, and pray the prayers. Each Sunday after mass, each person in Wintin likes to gather at a characterized diner called Mustang Sue's. The name Mustang Sue comes from the owner of the diner. His name is Barney. His great uncles brother was named Sue and he drove a cherry red, black leather interior, Mustang. Everybody in Barney's family was so proud of Sue for achieving such a car, they nicknamed him Mustang Sue and Barney opened up a diner in honor of his name. When the community gathers at Mustang Sue's, there is a whole lot of gossip that is shared. Men, women, children, every member of Wintin wants to be part of the gossip. Another thing that makes Mustang Sue's so interesting is that it's the only diner in town that serves beer. There are twelve different types of beer that are served. Among the gossip and the beer, Mustang Sue's is the place to be in Wintin. In the tiny town with a population of about 375 people, there was only one citizen who didn't attend Mustang Sue's. And that is John Carter. He'a a quieter man with a tall sturdy frame. His coppery hair and stubble hide his crystallized trusting eyes. He works all day in his wood shop called Huckley's Fine Wood Work and the name Huckley, was his fathers. His father Huckley was also a wood worker. He worked each day and came home to his wife and five children each night. He would produce wooden furnishing from any wood and make it look desirable and interesting. He lavished in his work and would leave his shop smelling like cedar and pine. Huckley was a good man but the war took him and his wood. John looked up to his father and wanted to keep his work running so John took over the shop and he produces furniture that would make the president look twice. Each night John comes home covered in sawdust and wood curls. He lives alone in a small house just outside of town painted white that's chipped on the corners of the house. People in Wintin often look at John as a nice man with a troubled heart and that he should find somebody who will love him for him. John ignores the comments and continues sawing away.
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"Oh wow Dandy I just love that hand bag that you brought with you today. It makes your hair have more volume doesn't it?" A lady named Josie Billes asks Dandy Matt. Josie is a woman who wears too much of everything. But at the same time, everybody in town can always count on Josie for being a good shoulder to cry on.

"Thank you. My Freddy got it for me. You know I think he's going to propose. He better after all. We've been together for almost four years and if he doesn't well, well.... Oh I'd still love him anyway!" The southern belles gathered around the table all erupted with enormous laughters. The door to Sue's open and all the ladies whip their heads in the direction of the door. A certain glow follows their stares. Like a graceful swan the figure sits down at the table with the other ladies. Georgia Hamilton. Wintin's sweetheart. Born and raised in Wintin the whole town has always had an admiration for her. Her mama was a drunk and so was her daddy. Her dad would beat Georgia every night and everyday Georgia would come to school with purple bruises that stood out against her lemon coloured hair. The kids would ask where she got those bruises and Georgia would change the subject by talking about how the playground is really just a place where bruises are bound to occur. The adults in Wintin always knew where that poor little Georgia was getting those black bruises. The town of Wintin always had Georgia's back and would occasionally send lasagnas home for her and her seven siblings. "Oh hey Georgie! How are you girl? Looking beautiful as always. I noticed that you weren't at church this morning." Says Josie. It should be noted that at this time Josie was trying to get as many details about Georgia's whereabouts so that Josie can turn it into gossip.

"Oh I was out of town for the weekend. I was thinking of going to the city for awhile." Spills Georgia. Dandy and Josie exchange glances.

"Oh really? And what would you do in the city?" Asks Josie clearly wanting the details. Georgia just shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of her coffee. Her pink lips curl around the mug and her baby blue eyes scanned the crowd that's in front of her. They sit there mute. Georgia even thought they looked disappointed because she wouldn't tell them anything. She changed her mind and decided to tell them.

"Okay fine I'm going to the city because I have someone there. You know, like a man." The crowd went wild. The crowd of girls erupted with excitement. They all squealed and started jumping around in a circle with Georgia's blonde curls flouncing up and down.

"Who's this man? We need to know everything!" The ladies squealed. Georgia sat down with an expanded smile. Georgia was excited to tell the girls about the man she was seeing.
"Well, his name is Jimmy Bruges. He's a business man. Oh you know the business Bruges and Belfast? The insurance company? He works along side a man named Belfast. Jim and this guy built this company up over five years and now he's one of the most successful business men in all of Alabama!" Georgia explained with delight. The ladies erupted with pleasure!
"Good! You got yourself a rich man!" Someone said Georgia didn't see who. The ladies looked at her happily. They wanted what Georgia to be happy. But Dandy remembered a key factor and person from Georgia's past.
"Hey Goe, have got talked to John at all? I mean you know catch up and what not."
"Why would I have to catch up with John?" Georgia's excited glow was erased. Georgia and John had a history. When they were sixteen, they dated. They went steady for four years. John even proposed, but when he did l, Georgia panicked and ended it instantly. She had this thought in her head that she could never make him happy in the way he needed. There was also a part in her mind that she wasn't proud of. Georgia was always the popular pretty girl in school. Not the mean kind, just the pretty kind. She came from poor roots and she knew she never wanted that. She made a silent pledge to herself that she would never become like her parents. The drunks who are too poor to feed her family. Georgia decided that she would marry somebody with money and John was not the man she wanted in her future.
"Well given your past I thought with John I thought you'd want to." Recalls Josie steadily. Georgia shook her head and stood up pushing her chair back.
"I'd rather not. We haven't talked in basically five years. Since I broke it off with him." Georgia said with muttered.
"Yeah for sure. We understand sugar." The girls said understanding.
"I should probably go. I'm tired from my trip." Georgia walked away from the table of gossip queens and walked out feeling awkward and annoyed. She thought to herself; why would she need to tell John that she was seeing somebody else. It's not like he would actually care. She thinks.