Jazz Age Wednesdays 5 — Pip in the Corn Maze

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 

red tam Pictoral Review Jan 1927
1927

Welcome to October at Jazz Age Wednesday.  I’ve been so busy, I forgot today was Wednesday!  However, I’m here now, with something new for the Pip-verse and I’ve gotten all Halloween-ish!

Writing Process

I was honored when Chris Graham*, the Story Reading Ape himself, agreed to do a short story for one of my Get Caught Reading Month posts awhile back.  (Check it out here* ― Chris is a fabulous storyteller, and it could be a prequel for the story below.) When I started writing this adventure for Pip, I just wasn’t “feeling it” until I remembered that story from Chris.  With his permission, I decided take a cue from his story and bring in one of his “naughty chimp” characters.

About This Story

This is another pantser tale.  Online I found a Pictionary word list for Halloween.  I decided to let that be my guide for random “things” to spontaneously write Halloween-ish stories of the Pip-verse.  I cut the list into slips for individual terms, put them in a bag, and then drew three slips or “things.”  They are:  corn maze, autumn, and zombie.

Now back to the Jazz Age!

Between corn rows 2

Pip in the Corn Maze

Trees in their glad rags of orange and yellow leaves lined the dirt road.  Granny Phanny maneuvered her cherished Model-T to avoid a hole.

“It’s the Autumn Festival, Pip.  Come on.  You’ll have a good time,” my grandmother insisted, but I had my doubts.  “There will be all sorts of things for young folks to do.  Now hang on to that basket,” she cautioned as we rounded a sharp curve.  “Those apple pies are for the bake sale.  Nobody will want to buy a pie that’s had the juice sloshed out of it.”

I had a hunch that the “young folks” part was a bunch of phonus balonus.  Although, I knew better than to voice that thought to Granny.  My grandmother slowed the automobile and pointed.

“Oh look!  They even made a billboard,” she said as she stopped to admire the sign.  “See all the fun things it lists?  Apple bobbing, the Sundown Séance, why there’s even a corn maze.”

Corn Field People n Background bonnie-kittle-143218
Bonnie Kittle, Unsplash

“That’s nice Granny, but this is a weekday and it’s the middle of the day too.  Everybody is either at work or at school, unless they’re—” I shut my mouth just in time before I said the word old.

Wet blanket wasn’t a name I could be called, but nobody was there but a bunch of bluenose old ladies.  Granny introduced me to some of them.  It was a combination of fawning over the visiting grandchild and tut-tutting from the ones who knew I was in Savannah with Granny as punishment for an adventure that included a yacht, a circus baron, and a gilded mansion in Sarasota, Florida.  I excused myself and wandered aimlessly.

My bored noodle was at war with my sore feet when I came upon the corn maze.  It was getting hot in the afternoon sun too.  The day before had been downright chilly.  Not so a day later, but that was typical October weather for Savannah.

I took a limping step.  There was definitely a pebble in my shoe.  Propping against the entrance sign for the maze, I untied my burgundy and cream oxfords to shake out the offending stone.  I took off the tam I had made to match my oxfords and used it to fan myself.

When I looked inside the maze I saw inviting greens and yellows, and sun-dappled shade.  A light breeze brushed my face as it moved into the maze, as if to invite me to the cooling shadows.  I really should have known better.  I pos-i-lutely have no sense of direction.  In no time, I was frustratingly, hopelessly lost in the labyrinth.

Hands in Corn Maze felix-russell-saw-136018
Felix Russell, Unsplash

Everything was unnaturally quiet.  It got creepy.  I jumped at a shifting shadow ahead, then scolded myself.

It’s not as if you’re going to walk into a zombie or something!  Get ahold of yourself, flapper!

Sounds of movement reached my ears so I turned left at the next opening.  I heard someone yawn.  Sheik or Sheba?  Who could guess gender from a yawn, but it sounded like a man to me.  I was just relieved that there was another person nearby.

Hopefully a living, breathing person, not the walking dead, my inner cynic muttered.

When I rounded the next turn, I stopped in my tracks.  That was no man!  It was a hairy animal.  I tried not to make a sound.  I didn’t want to startle a wild animal.  I squinted into the shadows.  What was it anyway?  A baby bear?

It made a harsh, shrill sound.  My eyes widened when I realized what kind of critter it was — a chimpanzee!

The chimp stretched and scratched his armpit.  He looked at me and grinned!  Then to my astonishment he bowed politely and called me by name.  That’s right.  The chimp talked!

I asked how he came to be in the corn maze.  I expected he had gotten lost from a circus somewhere, or maybe a zoo.

Cautiously, I inched closer.  It had to be some kind of gag.  If I ran out screaming about a talking chimp, there would be twenty people standing there laughing at me, I just knew it.  He picked up on my skepticism.

Reading Ape purple

“Pip, I promise you I’m the real McCoy, as you would say.  I’m Aristotle, but I hope you’ll call me Artie.  I’ve traveled a long way through time and space to meet you,” the chimp explained.

All thoughts of finding my way out of the maze left my mind.  Since he could talk I figured I might as well beat my gums with the little hairy guy.  But wait a minute… did he say through time?

“You traveled through t-time?”

To my increasing astonishment, Artie explained how he got there all the way from England.  He had invented a time machine — a for real time machine!  However, at first it would only go forward, not back to another era.  It also tended to land about 19 miles to the west of where he meant it to be.  Finally Artie fixed the machine so it would go backward in time.  Although he still hadn’t worked out the location problem.  That was why his time machine landed in the corn maze, not at Granny Phanny’s cottage.

“You honestly mean to tell me that you came here specifically to meet me?  Me?” I asked.

“Paisley Idelle Peabody,” he began and surprised me even more by knowing my full name.  “Your adventures are known far and wide — at least in my time.  The world hasn’t always known your story, but once it was unearthed, you became rather famous,” he assured me.

The corn maze was so cool and quiet that Artie sat down for a “ponderating moment” — in other words, he took a nap.  I figured the little guy was pretty tired if he traveled both across the ocean and through time.  I eased away quietly because I didn’t want to disturb him, but I pos-i-lutely had to tell somebody about him.

I managed to find my way to the entrance.  Only then did it occur to me that I hadn’t seen Artie’s time travel vehicle.  I turned to go back.  Suddenly it seemed important that I get a look at the contraption.Blue Lucille Ball Stage Door Trailer

A loud metallic screech made me cringe.  It was followed by a loud whirring sound.

“Artie?” I exclaimed worriedly as I rushed to retrace my steps.

“Oh no!  Not yet.  We’ve only just started getting acquainted!” Artie cried.

It only took a moment for me to reach the spot where I’d left the chimp, but he was gone.  I looked all around.  When I went around the next corner I found a big area where the corn was flattened and the ground felt hot to the touch.  My shoulders sagged.

The Halloween story of the century and I can’t tell a soul.  They’d cart me off to the looney bin if I did.

The End.

***

Would you like to continue the 1920s mood?  Did you notice the magazine image at the beginning? It mentions Edith Wharton having a “new” novel.  She was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.  Wharton was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1927, 1928 and 1930.  While I didn’t find a free version of “Twilight Sleep” for you, some of her books are free at Project Gutenberg*!

Have you visited author Teri Polen’s Bad Moon Rising event?  Leading up to Halloween, author Teri Polen hosts Bad Moon Rising.  It’s her yearly celebration of suspense and horror.  Each year more than 30 horror/thriller indie authors are featured throughout the month of October on her blog, Books & Such.  I was there earlier this week! (Click here if you missed it.)

At Teri Polen’s Books & Such

Atonement TennesseeIn honor of Bad Moon Rising, through October, I’ve priced the Kindle version of my debut novel Atonement, Tennessee at just $1.00. 

 

Now I engage in more shameless self-promotion…  Here are links to the books about Pip and her friends.

Bijou front only 2

Murder at the Bijou — Three Ingredients I

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 

Thanks so very much for visiting.  You’re the cat’s pajamas!

 

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.  

 

68 thoughts on “Jazz Age Wednesdays 5 — Pip in the Corn Maze”

  1. Pingback: The Armadillo Files, Episode 20 — Featuring Henry Apesly – Teagan's Books
  2. Pingback: Jazz Age Wednesday — Pip & Artie, Aghast at a Ghost | Teagan's Books
  3. Pingback: Jazz Age Wednesdays 17 ― Pip & Artie Meet Again – Part 1 | Teagan's Books

  9. Hallloooo Teagan! I know I’ve gone missing for a spell, but I am back! It’s wonderful to see Pip again, fun story! I’ve missed all your installments in the other series, but after this busy weekend I plan on catching up and see what in the world happened and if it’s even over yet! My gosh, I feel so lost, lol. But it feels good to be back on WP and see and read all my wonderful friends. xoxoxoxoxo

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    1. Welcome back, Kathryn — it’s great to see you! 😀 If you get the mood to catch up with the faery world, look to the right of the screen for “Categories.” Scroll down to “Thistledown – Midsummer Bedlam” and click. That should sort to the Thistledown posts for you. I’m also going to start reblogging what I’ve done so far, while I take a halfway hiatus to work on other things. More about that tomorrow. (No, it’s not finished yet.)
      I’m happy you enjoyed a reunion with Pip. You’re the bee’s knees!

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  11. Who would have thought that a not sop exciting Autumn Festival might lead us to such a finding… A chimpance in the corn maze… An ape with the ability to talk travelling through time and space. Great! It seems his intelligence was supreme (Aristotle-Artie: hmm, I can totally see that analogy).
    I wonder if he travelled back to his previous time or to the future?… I guess we can only especulate about that point. A mystery unsolved!, but hey it is all about imagination. Hence, when it comes to my opinion: I´d say he travelled forward!… Excellent installment and love the descriptions here, dear Teagan …. Thank you very much for sharing!. Hugs across the miles 😀

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    1. Hi Aquileana. It’s wonderful to see you. I have to give Chris Graham props for coming up with Artie and the time machine, but I had fun continuing the idea. Maybe something will bring the two of them together again. 🙂 I’m happy you enjoyed your visit here. You’re pos-i-lutely wonderful. Hugs right back.

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    1. Wow! That is an amazing post, GP. No, I wasn’t familiar with that event. Thanks so much for sharing the link.
      The Roaring Twenties seems like a time that was a magical reprieve. A little break between disasters and hardships.
      I appreciate you visiting. You’re the bee’s knees! Have a thriving Thursday!

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  16. Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
    A midweek treat from Teagan Geneviene if the form of her Jazz Wednesdays.. this week Pip is hauled off to an autumnal gathering with her grandmother but on exploring an adjacent corn maze, finds herself face to face with a distinct oddity. Flabbergasted but not phased.. Pip engages in an intriguing conversation…#recommended

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    1. Wasn’t it a marvelous era, Judith? I did huge amounts of research for the serials (but I’m a research geek, loving every minute). I got on some fascinating tangents, when I’d research the “things” people left to make sure they were invented, or that a phrase was used. Someone left “gelato” and I spent hours trying to figure out how it would have been transported back then; whether the heavy paper bags they used to put icecream in at the grocery store were invented by the 20s, before eventually concluding that the bags were invented in time.
      Wishing you continued success with “A Hundred Tiny Threads.” Have a thriving Thursday!

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    1. It’s great to see you, Christoph. It’s a delightful era for my head to be in while I write. I got a lot of enjoyment from formatting and editing the serials into novel form — it was fun to be in the Gilded Age again. There’s one more to go (serial to book) with Pip and company. Mega hugs right back. You’re the cat’s pajamas!

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    1. Hi John. According to Chris’ story, in the distant future she managed to get famous. Artie liked to read and so discovered her. Then he built a time machine. Here it sounds like the machine sort of got away from him and he had to leave before he intended. Or at least that’s what I meant for it to be.
      Have a thriving Thursday!

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    1. LOL, the “famous” part was The Story Reading Ape’s idea. I kept that part of the thread from his story. But I was very flattered that he thought Pip would be famous someday. Pip definitely has more adventures in the wings. Huge thanks for visiting, Joanne. Your gratitude post is the berries! And so are you.

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  23. You had me at zombie, corn maze, and Autumn, dear Teagan. I’ve noticed time seems to be flying by as well, but this helped ground me. Thank you for sharing this with us (I’m off to do the same so others can enjoy the joy), what a wonderful way to creatively break up the week. You’re the real McCoy, dear friend. 🙂
    Mega cat’s pajamas hugs xoxoxo

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    1. It’s wonderful to see you Donna. LOL, I guess the good part is that the week is already half over. I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving.
      October is difficult at work, but yesterday I got the most stressful day of the entire year out of the way (performance appraisals… but it went well). With that out of the way, maybe I can disengage from the stress. A little. Maybe. Okay, not too likely but…
      I’m glad I could give you a quick getaway to the 20s. You really are the cat’s pajamas. Huge hugs back.

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    1. LOL, Fraggle, here wonders truly never cease. There seems to be no limit to how bizarre my brain can be. In “Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers” I intentionally took off all the imagination limits… they wound up in a purple world where everyone had an ape doppelganger… Oddly, no — I never did hallucinogens. LOL. Never needed them. Huge hugs.

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  25. Teagan I am always happy to see my favorite flapper surface, I do love Pip!! Also love the apes and what a setting, a corn maze. I wonder if Pip can keep this all to herself, torture, sheer torture. Love love love Teagan❤️Have to admit Children of the Corn kept popping into my head🌽🌽🌽

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    1. Haha! It would have taken me a lot of pages to get Pip into and out of something that creepy — although it did cross my mind! Now that corn is on your mind, I wonder what you’ll cook up. 😉
      I’m pleased as punch that you enjoyed your visit today. You’re the cat’s pajamas!

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  28. Great story and I do remember the chimps. Poor Pip! After such an encounter and having to keep quiet! You’re cruel, you are, Teagan! Seriously, very enjoyable. Here the Maize mazes tend to be in the summer, but I’ve always avoided them, just in case. Now I wonder…

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    1. LOL. You crack me up, Olga. I’ve never been in a corn maze, though as a kid I got very “turned around” in a house of mirrors once. Since Pip gets her lack of a sense of direction from me, I think I’ll agree with you and avoid them. Who know what adventure we’ve missed! Although I have to expect my “adventure” would have just been an allergy attack. o_O
      Heartfelt thanks for visiting. You’re the cat’s meow!

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