Jazz Age Wednesdays 2 — Pip Sees a Camel

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Camel Walk dance poster 1920sWednesday, September 20, 2017

Welcome back to Jazz Age Wednesdays.  I’m still celebrating the release of Murder at the Bijou — Three Ingredients I .

For this weekly feature my intention was to make things easy for myself by re-sharing short stories I had already written.  However, to day I’m posting an all new vignette. It’s another hump day so my “thing” to create this story was, of course, camel! 

In the time-line of the Pip-verse, this story falls between the two books.  Paisley Idelle Peabody, aka Pip, has just arrived in Savannah, Georgia.  She is late meeting her grandmother, but you saw the reason for that last week.   (Just a note — While this vignette happens immediately after “Pip Arrives in Savannah,” the other stories for Jazz Age Wednesdays are not in any particular order.  It is not a serial, so one doesn’t necessarily follow the next…)

Those of you who have followed the old three things serials for some time will recognize a character from Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers.

Pip Sees a Camel

Lucille Ball teen blue
A teen-aged Lucille Ball 

The delivery truck from Wong’s Chinese puttered down Pearl Street in downtown Savannah, Georgia.  I had already thanked Alastair Wong about a million times for giving me a lift to his family restaurant, where I was supposed to meet up with my grandmother.

I knew we were late, but it couldn’t be helped.  I also knew Granny Phanny didn’t like to be kept waiting.  She could get downright ugly about it.

Anyway, I was feeling too antsy to beat my gums in chitchat.  Instead I looked out the window at the unfamiliar street and buildings as Alastair drove past.  Based on the sales signs in business windows, this city was a lot more expensive than my little hometown outside Sarasota Sound, Florida.

Finally, I saw the storefront of the restaurant.  A peep in the window told me the joint was elegant.  I imagined all the patrons in their glad rags, and cringed when I looked down and saw a splash of orange juice on the front of my frock.  Nervously I adjusted my pink cloche hat.

1920 Henricis Chicago IL
Henrici’s, Chicago, IL, circa 1920

“Strange,” Alastair muttered as he parked the truck.  “I don’t see Miss Phanny’s Model-T anywhere.”

Oh no!  Granny’s already left in a huff.  Is she planning to make me just fend for myself?  I don’t know my way around this city.  I didn’t want to be here in the first place! I silently ranted.

Alastair walked over to a desk.  For a moment, I thought he spoke to a doll in an embroidered blue satin dress.  However, it was a very tiny, very ancient woman.  She had to be well under five feet tall, and Lord knew how old.

“Pip, this is my cousin Victoria Wong.”

I bobbed a little courtesy, as I looked at the unusual woman in fascination.

“Arabella and Phanny left in a hurry when that dewdropper who runs the dance studio came in here.  Why two grown women would help a lollygagger like him is beyond me,” the diminutive woman told us, and then gave an indelicate snort to accompany the unexpected slang.  “The lazy man let his latest gimmick get away.  They all went to chase it.”

Alastair and I looked from tiny Victoria to each other in confusion.

“My mother and Miss Phanny with a dewdropper?  Latest gimmick?” he prompted.

“His dance studio,” Victoria said, as if everything should be obvious.  “The dewdropper is advertising classes for the Camel Walk dance.  And that nasty, spitting beast got away.”

“The gimmick or the dance teacher?” Alastair asked.  “What do you mean by gimmick anyhow?  How can a gimmick get away?”

Victoria was very old.  I decided she must be senile.  Whatever the case, she had Alastair and me all balled up.

An odd noise caused me to turn to the broad window that looked out onto the street while Alastair continued to try and get some sense out of his cousin.  The sight before my eyes shocked me so badly that I dropped my pocketbook.

The restaurant goers got up from their tables and went to the window exclaiming and pointing.

“Granny!” I gasped.

Arabella Wong, Alastair’s mother, opened the double doors to the restaurant.  Granny Phanny perched high atop a camel!  My grandmother leaned down and called to me.

1880 Blue_woman_on_a_camel Queensland Australia
Woman on a camel circa 1880, Queensland, Australia

“I’m glad you final decided to grace us with your presence Paisley Idelle Peabody,” she called out in a sarcastic voice.  “Your chariot awaits!”

Victoria giggled and told me, “Sweetie, you look like you could use a jorum of skee!”

I gasped, feeling like I must already be zozzled.  Granny couldn’t be serious!  But it wouldn’t be the first time she’d gotten even with somebody for being late.  She didn’t move to get down from the camel.  Surely, she was joking…

The End

***

If you want to know more about this series, here is a review by Vashti Quiroz-Vega of the first book. 

Novel-book-The Three Things Serial Story-Teagan Riordain Geneviene-The Writer Next Door-Vashti Q-spotlight-author

The Three Things Serial Story: A Little 1920s Story Kindle 

Bijou front only 2

Murder at the Bijou — Three Ingredients I

 Thanks so much for visiting.  You’re the bee’s knees!

 

Copyright © 2017 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

 

62 thoughts on “Jazz Age Wednesdays 2 — Pip Sees a Camel”

  1. Pingback: Straightlaced Saturday — Character Recap — Cornelis Drebbel | Teagan's Books
  2. Pingback: Jazz Age Wednesdays 2 — Teagan’s Books – Sporting Jazz Music

  4. Guitar Mancer is not far from my thoughts. com/2017/09/22/jazz-age-wednesdays-2/” rel=”nofollow”>Musings on Life & experience and commented:
    Books by Teagan and a spare fib.

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    1. Andrea, you are so kind to visit this midweek post. Haha — I’m not sure if Pip will ever learn what to make of Granny’s sense of humor. But I like your description of fiendish!
      The way their personalities play off each other is fun to write.
      Huge hugs!

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  13. Teagan, that was positutely zazzling, thank you for the new story and I am always happy to see some of my favorite charactets. I am intrigued by Victoria. Couldn’t stop laughing at the thought of Granny Phanny on that camel 😂😂happy hump day, brilliant as always!!❤️

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    1. It’s a delight to see you Suzanne. I’m tickled that I could make you laugh.
      Victoria was a minor character in Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in trousers. I brought made her character when the “3 non-technology things” brought Alastair Wong the elder into that story. You know the characters conspire against me so that they can cross story-lines. 😉
      Have a thriving Thursday. You’re the bee’s knees!

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  14. That’s the kind of granny I like to be, surprising people by riding on a camel. Another great story Teagan. It made my day, after having a loooong phone conversation with apple support and they still haven’t solved the problem . Yikes!

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    1. Ugh! Gerlinde you have my complete sympathy. I hate dealing with the “help-less desk,” especially when it just seems to make the problem worse.
      I’m glad I could add a happy moment to your day.
      Granny Phanny is one of my favorite characters to write, because she’s full of surprises.
      I hope your week improves by leaps and camel-bounds. You’re the cat’s pajamas!

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          1. Granny could be a story all of her own! And I am still waiting for you to finish Guitar Mancer, nudge, nudge… 🙂

            Wynken has an eye infection she is just getting over, but all are doing well. Recent rains here have washed all the smoke out of the air, and the sun is shining for the first day of autumn.

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            1. I know you are relieved to have some clean air! Poor Wynken… I’m happy she is better.
              Guitar Mancer is not far from my thoughts. While tried to serialize it, Luci’s dad took on a larger part and created a new thread in the storyline. So that needs to be added to the ending I originally had.
              I’m finally, finally finished (writing) Atonement in Bloom — it’s been waiting the longest. (Well, okay The Dead of Winter is the oldest, but I haven’t talked about it much here… I have serious things I’m not satisfied with in that epic.) Anyhow, I wanted to finish Bloom since I’ve talked about it way too much for it to sit for 4 years… Embarrassing… I’m finally giving it the big edit.
              Once Bloom is all done i’ll strum back into the Guitar Mancer. 🙂

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    1. Hi Dawn. You are so kind. Thank you. 🙂
      I was surprised when I saw the location on the photo. But thinking about it, I think different military organizations tried using them in the mid to late 1800s. I believe there was a unit in the USA. (Okay, you know I had to stop and Google that… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Camel_Corps ) I expect other countries with desert-like terrain tried it too.
      Thanks for visiting. You’re the cat’s pajamas!

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    1. Hi Lynn. That’s music to my ears. I didn’t start out intending Granny to show up riding that camel. But that was so “her.” 😀 I couldn’t believe I found that old photo after the fact. I appreciate you taking time to read and comment. Have a wonderful Wednesday! Hugs.

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      1. I didn’t know that the networks downplayed her looks for TV. It didn’t work very well though, because she still looked good. Thank you, my brilliant friend. Have a wonderful rest of the week. ❤

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    1. Indeed she was, Jacquie — even as a teen. Her old glamour photos (before the comedy shows) are amazing.
      I’m with you — I love the 20s lingo. It’s so fun! I appreciate you stopping by.
      You’re pos-i-lutely fabulous! Have a wonderful Wednesday.

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    1. Hi Robbie. I’m a frequent Googler to look up things. (Whatever did I do before G?)
      I wasn’t sure if many of my shorts actually qualified as a real story. So a while back I started calling them vignettes (yes, after another tickle of the Google monster). 😀
      Thanks for visiting. You’re pos-i-lutely fabulous! Have a wonderful Wednesday.

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  22. Pingback: Jazz Age Wednesdays 2 | Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

    1. Haha! Joanne, I expect you are right about Granny. Phanny has quite a backstory, but it’s all in my head right now. One day I hope to do her character justice. You get dribbles here and there throughout the blog serials… one day, the whole thing.
      I do enjoy writing the slang of the 20s. Have a wonderful Wednesday! You’re the cat’s pajamas!

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    1. Haha! It really did seem like something she would do. I’m so happy to have found the old photo of a woman on a camel too!
      Olga, I really appreciate you visiting, and sharing this post. Have a wonderful Wednesday! You’re the cat’s pajamas. 🙂

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