Bloodied Noses And Red Roses

Whistle Stop, Alabama 1924

"Eva, I don't mean to spoil your evening, but I've planned a little somethin' for a certain lady in town. She's going to be here tonight." Idgie Threadgoode muttered to the bartender before tilting her head back and downing the remainder of the enkindled, fiery liquid. Despite the whiskey's smoldering piqency, the hand that encased the glass was chilled and slicked with condensation. "Oh Idgie, there's no use in trying to keep the identity of this 'certain lady' a secret. If I had to guess, I could say at least a half of Whistle Stop's population would know that you were talking about Ruth Jamison." Eva leaned farther over the edge of the counter as she spoke to Idgie, her tendrils of ginger hair barely sweeping across her arm. Idgie exhaled pensively and slid her barren glass outwards. "Listen. I know the whole town is talking about me swooning over Ruth. But you know me well enough to figure out that I don't give a pint-sized shit about what they think, and I want to prove it. Which is why I'm stopping these rumors tonight. I'm confessing to her. In front of the entire club." Idgie stated, the intonation of her voice unhinging into a discombobulated fluster as each sentence stumbled out of her mouth. "Honey, don't you think you proved yourself enough when you lit the preacher's veranda on fire a while back? I'm telling you, you don't know what hell you're about to cause yourself if you go through with this plan. It's just a childish sort of thing to do. Not to mention the whole homosexuality ordeal. You're 22. It's about time you stopped drawing attention to yourself through schemes like this." Eva advised, her intelligible jaded eyes boring into Idgie's youthful golden ones. "You're exactly right. I should really stop. But that doesn't mean I will. I'm going to need all the courage I can get tonight, so I suggest you go ahead and refill my glass." Eva grumbled incoherently and snatched the container that sustained Idgie's nerve.

As the next few hours elapsed, the amount of drained glasses that traveled between the two women multiplied significantly. Intoxicated bellows of laughter soon began to echo throughout the facility. Cutlery clattered against inexpensive paper dishes. The pungent stench of cigar fumes soon permeated the oppressive air, rising to form a quelling opaque haze. Idgie seemed to engulf herself in the dulcet ambiance of nightfall. She had nearly abandoned her former obligations towards Ruth Jamison until the front door of the building swung ajar. A thin, limber figure stepped inside of the threshold timidly. Idgie's head swiveled to the entrance as a slanting grin crossed her lips. "Hey there, Ms. Jamison." Her voice thundered through the room. Ruth approached Idgie and seated herself on a barstool. "Idgie.. You'd better have a good reason for begging me to stop by this little club of yours. You know I don't like to come down here too often." Ruth's trepidatious eyes swept across the scene. "I asked you to come here because I have a bit of an announcement to make." Idgie was astounded when the words she had spoken presented themselves in such an assured tone. The alcohol continued to bolster her audacity as she pushed herself out of her chair and struck her mug with a spoon to grasp the club's attention. Every head rotated her direction quizzically. "Hi, ya'll. Sorry to interrupt whatever you're doin', but Iv'e got a confession to make to the prettiest young lady in the town of Whistle Stop. All of You have fancied her at one point or another. But today I'm staking my claim. Ruth Jamison, I've been thinking about this moment since that first summer we spent together when we were 15. All I can say is, I hope you don't slap me upside the head for drunkenly singing a song to you." The crowd simpered uneasily as Ruth slumped onto the countertop. Although her lanky fingers concealed her eyes, her face had flushed the hue of a vivacious azalea.

"Please don't get me wrong

I love the way we used to get along

countless summer evenings spent by your side

used to be enough to keep me satisfied

but lately when I hear your sultry voice

I don't believe you've left me a choice

I want more than what Iv'e bargained for

every time I watch you stroll through the door

I'd brave the bloodied noses

to collect the red roses

if only you'd hold me tight

through the meager hours of twilight

I wonder if you can see the pleas in my eyes

whenever I say I'm done with telling lies

you don't know how much I'd sacrifice for you

if only you would say the words 'I love you too'

with every flick of your hair you draw me nearer

with every dissatisfied glance in the mirror

I long to tell you how the entire town has fallen for you

including the helpless, wild girl who trusts so few

you've seen through all of my foolish poses

now please tell me before before your mind closes

if you'll hold me tight

through the meager hours of twilight"

The audience erupted into hesitant applause. Idgie's invigorating, sonorous voice had remained unwavering throughout her entire performance. She broke into a ubiquitous beam that seemed to illuminate the turbid night. Her elated countenance only faltered when Ruth snatched her by the shirt collar and tugged her towards the exit. Idgie perceived several whistles and "Oohs" as the door slammed behind them. "Imogine Louise Threadgoode.. I absolutely can't believe you just embarrassed yourself like that! In front of a good amount of the town's population! What the hell were you thinking?" Idgie could barely sustain Ruth's gaze without longing to hunch over and regurgitate the last few pints of whiskey that she had recklessly consumed. "I was thinking that maybe I could finally win over the most gorgeous girl in Whistle Stop after seven years of friendship." She murmured. Ruth's scowl diminished at Idgie's subdued words. "Why would you do that in front of all those people? You'll be the joke of the town now. Couldn't you have done that anytime else, anywhere else?" Ruth's hands were settled upon her hips as a strand of tawny hair was freed from her haphazardly assembled bun. It drifted idly in the air for a moment before settling over one eye. "How would you have reacted if I had told you when we were alone?" Idgie implored, tentatively brushing the tuft of Ruth's hair out of her face. "That really shouldn't matter.." Ruth's tongue traveled across her parched lips. Idgie agonizingly scrutinized the action. "C'mon, Ruth, I worked a long time on that song. I spent seven years working up the courage to do what I just did. The least you can do is congratulate me." Ruth inhaled extensively. She briefly appeared as if she was about to continue her lecture until she strode nearer to Idgie. "I shouldn't have waited for you to make the first move, dumbass." Ruth seized her chin and inclined her head upwards. Idgie instantaneously flung her arms around Ruth. Their lips intermingled in a fleeting embrace. They both reveled in each other's bewildered expressions for a few noiseless moments before Ruth ascended for another kiss. Idgie urgently wrenched herself away from Ruth, face abruptly occupied with abhorrence as she heaved her torso over the railing of the porch and spewed the final remnants of her dinner into the grass below.