Author, Elizabeth Gauffreau, totally immerses the reader into a by gone time, a time when vaudeville shows captured the imagination of both young and old. It was also a time of innocence. It is 1924 in a rural town in Vermont where time seems to move at a snail’s pace. Or so it seems to Faby, a young girl on the cusp of adulthood. Newly graduated from high school, Faby is waiting for her life to begin. When a handsome young man, a hoofer in the vaudeville show that has entranced Faby, shows interest in her, Faby’s choice leads her into a life for which she is unprepared. Author, Gauffreau, tells Faby’s story with depth and poignancy. This novel is deeply researched and rich with details of life in the early part of the century. With the ease of a writer who knows her craft, the author immerses the reader not only into a bygone time, but into the mindset of a young girl grappling with the unexpected turn her life has taken. It is also a story of family and of the ties that bind.
Poignant and beautifully written, I highly recommend this remarkable novel.
Category: Human Interest
Life Lyrics
Life Lyrics ©2020
Her mind-numbing life
her relentless job
ringing up groceries
him sauntering up
slapping down a pack of gum
winking at her
with a bold brown eye
her blue eyes fluttering
him licking his lips
making his move
Metallic blue eyeliner
lips the color of a bruise
he smiles
thinking he knows her type
Now she’s gone and done it
caught his eye
she looks younger than she is
sweet youth, dewy-eyed
an object of desire and jealousy
vulnerable at times
but she is a keen observer
of sly grins and brown eyes
knows the pitfalls and potholes
fearless sometimes
most often desperate
He is not her dream
but he is here
wanting her
brown eyes
drawing her in
she’s been here before
on the losing end
He promises everything
gives her nothing
but a single drawer
and crumpled sheets
covers her with hot kisses
While she tastes
his lying breath
He wants more
always more of her
brown eyes slant
his lantern jaw tight
a curl of fists
She is caught
against a wall
biting her lip
Her hands shaking
she covers bruises
colored purple
applies makeup
fingers to swollen lips
painted red
She smooths the cheap
yellow dress he bought
listens for his steps
knows the odds
are against her
praying he’s forgotten
his black mood
with every beat of her heart
He sneers a grin
pulls at her
hands hard against
her blue veined skin
breathless she awaits
his snores
She’s saved cash
a fist full of crumpled green
enough to take her
somewhere, anywhere
away from him.
The grimy bus windows
fogged with gray rain
reflect a ghost
her backpack with
everything she owns
caught between her
muddied sneakers
the miles passing
with every beat of her heart.
The Secret Lives of Doors #WritePhoto
These silent sentinels, keepers of our secrets
they wait for our footsteps, the turning of a lock
You are home, they breathe as we pass through
with nary a thought to their waiting
They sniff the air for the scents we carry
The bakery again, that kind of a day?
No, not the news, love, play your music
the dancing kind, it’s been too long
There now, isn’t that better?
Will the children come again?
Their laughter tickles
Will she come along, trailing her strawberry scent?
If she knocks, will you let her in?
You really should, you know
Don’t pretend you don’t miss her
You with your dark rooms and moods
that never ends well
She’s here
Open the door, love
Trust me
Open the door, love
It’s time.