Running In Plain Sight & Other Stories: Running In Plain Sight – (FREE Chapter 1 Excerpt)

June 20,1910

Attapulgus, Georgia

It was mid-afternoon on a sweltering and humid summer day. The sun was bearing down as I weeded the crops, when I heard what sounded like gunshots. Scared out of my mind, I raced towards the house to see what was going on.

When I reached the doorway I froze: Both Pa and Tully Bates were lying on the floor covered in blood, holding shotguns. Half of Tully’s head was blown off, so I knew he was dead. Pa was moaning and trying with all his might to move. Mama, seven months pregnant, was lying on her back near the stove. Her clothes were nearly ripped off, she’d been stabbed and wasn’t moving. I’ll never forget that far away look she had in her eyes. Tully’s son Buddy, who wasn’t much older than me, was standing near the corner holding a bloody knife. Enraged, in one motion, I grabbed Pa’s shotgun and blew Buddy clean across the room. His blood covered the floor, and quite a bit of him was splattered all over the walls. Everything happened so fast, I just stood there catching my breath and trembling. I didn’t snap out of it until I heard Pa calling out to me.

Gasping for air, he said, “Lee, there’s not much time, I need you to listen to me. Run out to the barn, climb up to the loft, look under the second bale of hay and bring me that box.” I did what he asked, and when I came back he said, ” Open it up, put all the money in your pocket and the land deed in the bib of your overalls. Take my hat and boots too, you’re going to need them. Sign my x on the back of the deed and take it to Reverend Pope. Tell him I’m donating this land to the church so they can build a school, a separate house of worship and a cemetery. This land’s gotta stay in colored hands, I worked too hard for it. Tell him to bury me and your Ma’s bodies here, and to save four or five plots for yourself. When it gets dark, I want you go down to the rail yard and sneak on that southbound train headed for Florida.”

“Now g’won, get going. I’m sure somebody heard the shots and are probably on their way out here now. You’s big for a twelve year old, you has to be a man now. Me and your Ma love you something fierce. You’s a product of our love, and no Ma and Pa has ever been more prouder than we are. Give me your hands and go with God. Take hold of His hand, and keep us in your heart always. Be a good man and a strong man. Don’t start trouble, but don’t run from it neither. Always be willing to stand your ground and defend yourself. Find work wherever you go and keep moving. You’re bigger and stronger than most men and can outwork them too-but never stop looking over your shoulder.” He smiled, relaxed his calloused grip and passed from this world to the next. With tears in my eyes, and a painful lump in my throat, I put on Pa’s hat, slipped on his boots- the first pair I ever owned, and ran into the woods.

Crouched down and hidden about a mile from the farm, and still in shock, I watched the orange sun set before making my way over to Reverend Pope’s place. I handed him the deed, along with Pa’s instructions. I also told him everything that happened. Short and thin, with kind eyes and a garbled voice, he was extremely grateful for the land. Grateful, but saddened for Ma and Pa, and scared for me at the same time. He and Mrs. Pope covered me, Ma and Pa in prayer before he blessed me, anointed my head with oil and sent me on my way. Before sending me on, Mrs. Pope packed some fried chicken and pound cake for me to take along. A bit taller and bigger than her husband- she was really pretty. Reverend Pope handed me a few dollars and said, ” Go with God son, and be forever blessed. I’ll do everything your Pa wants, and we’ll always be praying for you. Find a way to let me know how you’re doing from time to time. Your Pa was right, it’s not safe for you here. I imagine those boys will turn this town and county upside down looking for you.”…

Book Club Meeting – Diva’s Urban Book Club

I was invited to Apres’ Diem to met with the Diva’s Urban Book Club to discuss my book! It was an amazing experience and the ladies were so very kind! I was blown away with how well they knew the story, and the great questions and future suggestions they had for me!

2016 Author’s Showcase

On Saturday October 22, 2016, I was a panelist at fellow author Jill-Capri Simms’s Author Showcase in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The theme was “Write Right Now”, and the topic I spoke about was “The Truth About Christian Fiction”. The knowledge and experience I gained from radio interviews (both in studio and via telephone) leading up to and during this event was invaluable. I’ve been enjoying doing things I’ve never experienced and the growth that comes from it. The journey’s just begun, and I feel truly blessed to be a part of the process.

Here are a few video clips from the Q&A portion of my presentation:

For Only A Season – Flood & Sons Funeral Parlor – (FREE Chapter 5 Excerpt)

The dark mahogany doors leading to the funeral parlor should have tipped me off that the entire interior had been refurbished, but the finance and expense reports that I’d received never reflected it. As we stepped inside, I saw that the cosmetic improvements included crown molding, new fixtures, fresh paint and wallpaper, new furnishings, hardwood floors, and new carpet and tile. The once small prep room was now spacious, with new instruments and modern equipment and machinery. Remembering the backbreaking work, I marveled at the mechanical hoist for lifting and lowering bodies. A new state-of-the-art refrigerated storage area had been added, along with a new cremation oven and exhaust system. A computer system now handled the majority of records and files.

Only Uncle Clem’s cramped office remained unchanged. He still used the same worn, brown desk that matched the paneling on the walls. Hanging behind the desk, the same oil painting of my family showed my great-grandparents, Buck and Fettie Belle, seated, with my grandfather Bull and Uncle Clem standing behind them. The original linoleum tile still covered the floor, and the same gray file cabinet sat behind his desk. A 2000 Flood and Sons Calendar hung from a nail in the wall directly across from the same grandfather clock that had been there as long as the parlor had.

After making arrangements with the Brown family, I checked over the paperwork once more and posted the funeral notice with the newspaper. Then Uncle clem and I headed to the prep room. After donning our smocks, gloves, goggles and face shields, we went about the business of embalming and preparation. It felt like old times working with Uncle Clem, a master mortician. No one restored a body like him. I felt like that seven-year-old kid who once stood on a chair to watch him work.

FREE book excerpt (Chapter 5) from 'For Only A Season' by Charles R. Butts Jr.

For Only A Season – Uncle Clem Reveals A Dark Secret To Scooter – (FREE Chapter 12 Excerpt)

“Yeah, all our kin is in this cemetery, but not everyone on the farm.”

Just like that, his mood changed from pride to anger.

“What do you mean? Whose remains are buried here but don’t deserve to be?”

He looked away, removed his straw hat, ran his fingers through his wavy white hair, and sighed.

“What I’m about to say is for your ears only. I never told Buddy Boy or your grandma, either. Aside from myself, there are only two people who know what happened that night.”

“Try to imagine what this town was like in 1942 in the deep South, in Jim Crow Alabama. White folks literally and figuratively got away with everything under the sun, even murder in broad daylight. White folks had all the power. Any opportunity they had to oppress, threaten, beat, or lynch, they gladly took it. The sad part about it, these very people called themselves Christians. And on top of that, to make matters worse, they always got away with it scot-free. Especially since the folks doing all the bullying and harassing were either the law or related to the law.”

He scooped up a handful of soil in his hand. He rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger, allowing it to slowly fall back to the ground.

“You know, long ago our ancestors became friends with this soil. Remember, son, not only will it grow any seed planted in it, it will also conceal whatever you want to remain hidden. Now bear with me for a moment, Scooter. I’m going to tell you about something that happened here on this farm sixty years ago. I probably should have told you about this first, but I thought this way would be better.”…

For Only A Season – Promise Made and Promise Kept – (FREE Chapter 11 Excerpt)

“But right now…….” Lula took my hand. “I need to hear you promise me that you’ll raise this beautiful boy as your very own. God has shown me he’s going to grow up to be a good man, blessed to have your love and devotion. No one in Greensboro has seen me in months, much less had a clue I was pregnant. And aside from family, no one has seen you either. Will you do me this final favor and raise this child? Please say that you will. I’d be so honored and grateful.”

“Yes Lula, of course I will. I promise to raise and care for this beautiful baby boy. I promise to give him the best of me always.”

“Thank you so much. After all, he is a Flood. I know he’ll grow up to be tall, strong, and smart with a good and kind heart like his folks.” With those words, a hug, and a kiss, Lula smiled, closed her eyes, and passed on from this world to the next.

“After a thorough examination, Doc wrapped and swaddled the baby before handing him to me. When I held that beautiful baby in my arms for the first time and his eyes met mine, it was love at first sight, just like it was when Bull’s eyes met mine. He looked at me and smiled, and my heart just melted. Looking into those big, beautiful brown eyes of his felt like looking into the face of God Himself. So beautiful and perfect, I could feel nothing but the most incredible kind of love. It was different from the love I had for Bull, but it felt just as powerful. That new, tiny boy restored my waning faith, and my life had a renewed purpose. He needed me, and God knows I needed him. I didn’t carry him in my womb for nine months, nor did I give birth to him, but he was my child, and I was his mother. Bull’s blood coursed through his veins, and through Lula, so did mine.”…

For Only A Season – Scooter To The Rescue – (FREE Chapter 13 Excerpt)

Late that Friday night, I was watching TV when the phone rang. It was Frankie. She wanted to know if I’d mind driving to Birmingham to pick her up and bring her home. She and David had been arguing, and she asked him to stop the car and let her out. When I made it to the supper club, she was at the bar sipping some wine. In good spirits, she said she’d had a couple of glasses. After she finished her last one, we got in the car and made our way back onto the interstate heading home.

As I drove, I asked, “Are you okay? Did he put you out? Did he harm you in any way?”

“I’m great, never better. I asked him to stop so I could get out, and no, he didn’t harm me. Thank you so much for coming.”

“You’re welcome. Besides, I owed you. You came up here and picked me up, remember?”

“I just couldn’t stay in that car with him another second. David’s going to always love himself. Besides, there’s nothing there. I want something real, something my heart has led me to. No more settling.”

“That makes sense to me. Let’s wait on our hearts together.”

“You’re on, Mr. Flood. It’s a deal.”

“You cut your hair, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did it today. Do you like it?”

“It looks real nice on you. I like it a lot.”

“At least one man notices me. David sure didn’t. Thank you Scooter!”

In two hours, we arrived at Frankie’s house. She invited me in for some wine. Since no one was back at the farm and it was the weekend, I accepted her invitation. Besides, her favorite Riesling was pretty good. She asked me to make myself comfortable and, if I didn’t mind, to pour us both a glass while she changed clothes.

Two bottles of Riesling later, we were sitting on the floor in the family room, laughing and talking. After uncorking the third bottle, Frankie asked me to sit beside her. When I sat down, she turned to me and said, “I’ve had a crush on you ever since I was a girl.”…

For Only A Season – There’s no place like Greensboro, AL – (FREE Chapter 2 Excerpt)

As we pulled into Greensboro, I felt proud that the town’s beauty and luster remained unchanged. It still looked picturesque, like a postcard frozen in time, and its beauty shone this time of the year. The small, quaint, town flanked by the Black Warrior River, was located about forty-five miles south of Tuscaloosa in Hale County. The county took its name from Lt. Col. Stephen Hale, a Confederate war hero whose statue stood in the town square in front of city hall.

Greensboro wore its charm like a badge of honor. The kind and respectable residents gave the town a friendly atmosphere. Six days a week, the town buzzed with activity, but on the Sabbath, most residents chose to honor God. Through the years, great racial strides had been made between blacks and whites to create a quiet town where everyone minded his or her business and protected each other. Most working-age residents were able to comfortably eke out a decent living, pay their tithes and taxes, save for retirement, and send their kids to college. There was work in town, but most folks commuted to work in nearby towns at textile mills, factories, the railroad, and the Mercedes Benz plant.

Greensboro had always been a close-knit community. The bonds of family and friendship ran deep here. Many of its citizens stayed their entire lives, although some, like myself, longed for the noise and bright lights of a big city. No matter where life took me, home was always going to be home, and thus never far from my heart. And for whatever reason, home was where Frankie and I had returned.

Spring’s beauty abounded everywhere. Trees, bushes, and flowers were blooming, and birds sang in harmony. Here in the town’s square, folks milled about, cheerfully greeting each other in passing. Several threw their hands up to acknowledge us as we drove by. Every business appeared immaculate. I rolled down the window and inhaled the clean, new, air mixed with the fragrances of pine and honeysuckle, which drowned out the acrid smell from the piles of burning leaves we’d passed before reaching the town square…

For Only A Season – Scooter and Deja – (FREE Chapter 8 Excerpt)

After a quick bite and a scolding from Grammy for missing supper, I made it up to my room for the night. Still feeling the effects of the whiskey, I decided to sit out on the deck for a while and take in the night’s beauty. The full moon outshone the constellations of twinkling stars, and the late spring breeze felt wonderful.

I was about to get up and put on some music when I heard a familiar voice behind me. “There you are. I wondered when I was going to catch you alone again.” When I turned around, I froze. I couldn’t believe that I saw my wife Deja, as beautiful as ever, surrounded in light.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

” Is it really you?”

“Of course it is. Come back over here and sit down. We need to talk.” I came back and took a seat as she asked. She was so beautiful. Those eyes and that smile were the same. “I knew I saw you all those times,” I said. “I knew my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.” I moved toward her, but she motioned for me to sit back down. “I’ve missed you too, Pollux. You don’t know how much.”

“It really tore me up when you left me baby. I’ve felt so guilty about a lot of things. I should have been a better husband, worked less, and spent more time with you. I keep thinking if I’d only gone to the doctor with you like you’d asked me, you’d still be here with me.”

“You shouldn’t think that way, We’re born into this world knowing we’ll leave at a certain point. I want you to accept that. I also want you to know you were a great husband. I loved that you were trying to make partner. You were always so focused, and I admired that about you.”

“I don’t know what to say. There’s so much I want to know. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”

“We’re better than okay. We’re great. I came to you tonight to tell you this and to ask a favor of you.”…

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