Wondering why we Wordzzle? Here's reason 51

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This week’s words below:

The Ten Word Challenge: spring fever, coyote, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, birds of a feather, broken camera, artificial flavoring, cane, garage, ask and it is given, gay

Mini Challenge: glorious, sugar and spice, premature baldness, gargoyles, campaign trail

This weeks episode: Flying High

Edward Darion Jemison III was a very good accountant. He had worked for a large and powerful California Real Estate syndicate for 6 years. He was single, dated some, but mostly just for the sex. He liked numbers, especially big numbers and he made sure that the big numbers coming in to the syndicate looked much smaller when they went out. He was so into his own thing and so essentially nerdy that many ladies in the office thought him gay. His premature baldness didn't help him any either.

A couple of young ladies that had dated him found out in glorious fashion that he was not. Indeed he made love in a most interesting manner, sort of a sugar and spice and everything nice fashion that satisfied and surprised. Partly due to his relative shyness and low profile and partly because he paid very well, he was surprised when his boss came to him with a bonus field trip.

The purpose of the outing was to look at property on the Arizona border and stop in Laughlin for a little gambling.If nothing else it would act as an early antidote for Spring Fever. Though the boss and Edward were not birds of a feather when it came to risking capital, Edward used his love of numbers to help him at the Blackjack tables. His boss had assured him that they would take the Casinos for a bundle, just like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

As they left the airport Edward was treated to a glorious view of the great central valley of California. "This is a great helicopter Mr. Hollingsworth" Edward gushed. "You haven't seen anything yet Edward" Hollingsworth replied, "Wait till we get out over the Desert and we can open the doors, it's really something." We used this chopper to distribute leaflets when my brother was on the campaign trail for the legislature" he added. "Why do you open the doors over the Desert Mr. Hollingsworth?" asked Edward. "Well Edward, Sarah Palin's got nothing on me; we take a few shots at a Coyote or two if we get the chance." "And there's a lot more Coyotes than Wolves" Hollingsworth added.

Hollingsworth showed Edward how to position himself at the doorway when it was opened, advising him to always keep one hand on the safety strap. As the chopper entered the air space over the Desert Preserve they prepared to slow down and lose altitude for the open door run. The door was opened at about 1500 feet and Edward took up his post at the door. He placed his right hand on the safety strap and leaned out to look straight down.

He would have screamed if he hadn't been so surprised by the next thing that happened. The strap came off the fuselage in his hand and he pitched forward out the door with the desert floor rushing up at him. He was calculating his rate of fall and speed (max speed 120 mph or 2 miles per minute; fifteen hundred feet slightly less than a third of a mile, therefore - under 20 seconds till impact) when he hit the ground. The impact killed him but not instantly. His face contorted in horror at the pain and fear of the impact and fall. The look left on his dying face resembled that of some gargoyles seen on medieval cathedrals or as if in a picture taken by a broken camera.

Hollingsworth looked to his pilot and winked "Ask and it is given" he whispered to himself. Another link in the chain broken. "Let's head back in and put the chopper in the garage" he ordered. What Hollingsworth called a garage was really a decent sized hangar that happened to house some of his cars as well as a corporate jet, two helicopters, a speed boat and his collection of Harleys. "Make sure the logbook shows no flight time today and don't forget to reconnect the hour meter on the engine" he finished. "Sure boss" the pilot replied. Even though he was Hollingsworth's nephew he kept it professional. He'd seen what happened to employees that didn't.

Upon arriving at his compound Hollingsworth exited the Chopper using his cane only slightly now. The previous spring's motorcycle accident had badly damaged his leg and caused him much embarrassment. That would soon be put to rest. This handling of this last detail had removed all but the most elusive links to him. He could almost taste the sweetness of his coming coup. Like the pure taste of fresh strawberries on crepes (no tacky artificial flavoring for him), a brandy after with a good cigar and an L.A. hottie in his bed. Yes, there would be no one laughing at him now.

RT