Lesson Five - Writing Assignment

Lesson Five - Dialogue

         He stood at the window and watched the young girl disappear into the corn field. The mid-morning sun, suspended high in the sky, offered nothing. No shade—no comfort... nothing! Nothing but humidity, heat, and sweat. The inhabitants of Louisiana, well acquainted with Hell's Kitchen, agreed upon two things: A swamp cooler? Well...may as not have one, and a cold beer went a long way.

Malachi tipped his hat and scratched the back of his head. Sarah heard the loud, gurgle deep in his throat and the sound of the tobacco wad hitting the spittoon. She knew then that it wouldn't be long before he stumbled trying to sit himself down at the long, wooden table, "Sarah May! Come here now, woman, and fetch me another Southern!" Sarah cringed and sent the laundry basket crashing to the floor. Without hesitation, she turned and entered the small, white-washed kitchen and opened the dingy, white refrigerator door. The top shelf packed tight from side-to-side with beer, left no room for food. Sarah reached towards the back and withdrew the coldest one she could feel. Placing it on the table in front of him, she stepped back and waited for further instructions.

Exhaling the smoke from his pipe into her face, he waved his hand in the direction of the chair, "Sit!"
Without a sound, she smiled and took a seat across from him and interlocked her cold fingers.

"Tha Zaras wanna to deal— they wanna to pay money...a lot of money!."
Sarah leaned forward, "Malachi...you caint!"
"I can! and I will!"
"But—"
Sarah flinched when he shot the back of his hand up and stood. Leaning towards her, with saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth, he yelled, "don't ya ever question me again, ya hear! I've seven mouths to feed, and I need the money!"

Sarah hung her head, "yes um."

Malachi turned and scowled when the door opened and James backed in carrying another basket of laundry, "he-here ma." He turned and looked first at his mother and then his father, "p-pa th-there's someone he--" James hiccupped "h-here for ya."

Sarah smiled and rose from her chair. Kissing him on the cheek, she took the basket from James.
"That's fine son, now get and hep your sister with the corn."
"Y-yes m-ma ma'am."

Malachi followed James to the front porch and saw the back of a tall man dressed in a long thick, white robe. Malachi took a seat in his wooden rocking chair and took a puff from his pipe as the man turned and revealed his light green skin and pointed ears. Placing each hand in the opposite sleeve of his robe, he began to speak.

"Greetings! Granoza of the planet Carpasinus here. Tha Zaras expressed wishes that I contact you. The files that you submitted have been studied and approved, and they wish me to give you ten thousand earth dollars to complete the transaction at hand. Do you accept?"