Low and Slow

Can a world-weary soldier counsel his nephew about women and love? We have 750 words to find out! Copyright © 2022 to the author.

**

Hezekiah stood beside his uncle, intent on positioning the slabs of brisket at just the right spot over the steady, tender heat of the post-oak coals.

"Low and slow, down you go," Uncle Lenny said as they finished finagling and covered the pit.

Wiping his forehead, Hezekiah grinned at the lanky former soldier. "Reckon I've heard you say that at least five thousand times by now."

Uncle Lenny grinned back, his trademark unfiltered Camel dangling from his lips. He straightened slowly, deliberately; Hezekiah could almost hear his backbone cracking and popping into place.

"Well, it's good advice, son," he said, nodding towards the picnic table shaded by the old live oak. "Low and slow will get you through a lot of situations in life."

The two ambled to the table, passing Lenny's gleaming '60 Chevy.

"Wish I had me an iced tea," Hezekiah said, running his tongue over his dry lips. "Barbecuin's thirsty work."

"Maybe your Aunt Rainey'll see us and take pity on us poor, dumb men."

The two laughed, easy together, glad to take a break even with no pitcher of sweet tea to cool them down.

"How's that girl of yours? What's her name?"

Hezekiah rolled his eyes. "You know her name! Louise."

Lenny smiled, pleased at successfully teasing Hezekiah. "Yeah. Weezy. How you two doin'?"

Sighing, Hezekiah steepled his fingers. "I dunno. I like her, but..."

"But what?"

The boy -- no, Lenny corrected himself, a young man now -- sighed again and gazed at the table.

"I don't know how to be with her!" he blurted.

Lenny eyed him thoughtfully. His nephew was a classic late bloomer -- shy well past the age that Lenny, himself a slow developer, had his first crush. Despite his muscular physique and good-humored face, Hezekiah had retained the spirit of the awkward youngster he had been.

That was no good, Lenny thought, shaking his head.

"You mean, you don't know what to say, or you don't know what to do?" he asked.

"To do," Hezekiah muttered.

Lenny snorted. "That's easy, son. Low and slow."

"What you mean?"

Settling himself more comfortably on the bench, Lenny leaned forward.

"I mean just what I said: low and slow. You wanna make a girl happy? Forget fast. Go slow."

Hezekiah looked puzzled.

"But the guys said ya gotta go fast to get past their defenses."

Scoffing, Lenny ground out his cigarette before returning his gaze to his bewildered nephew.

"Rookie mistake, going fast. You ain't tryna pick her pocket, you tryna make her happy, open her bloom. And you don't open nobody's bloom by rushin' it. No, you apply low and slow heat, son. That's best."

They sat silently for a moment before Hezekiah's frustration boiled over. "But how?"

Cocking one eyebrow, Lenny considered how much to tell the boy. The threesome he'd had in France? Absolutely not. The night with that fraulein from Munich? Ditto.

Then inspiration hit him, and he straightened once more.

"I ever tell you about Lynnie Henderson?"

Eyes serious, Hezekiah shook his head.

"She was so pretty; a little doll, my first real love. I left school early because of the war, and we used to ride the same bus to the factory in the city. I always made sure she had a seat, and one day we got to talkin'..." He shrugged eloquently. "The next thing we knew, we were in love. Sometimes, two people just fit together. That was Lynnie and me."

Hezekiah nodded.

"I got my draft notice after a couple of months, and -- we knew it was time. Wednesday nights, our families went to church, and we stayed home sick that night. Musta been somethin' we ate at lunch."

He winked at Hezekiah.

"I was barely in the door before she was in my arms, kissing me like there was no tomorrow. I tell you what, son, I was ready to lay her right there on the kitchen floor. But something stopped me -- a little voice kept sayin' to slow it down, make sure she was ready. So I did. Carried her up to her room, ran my hands all over her body like she was a precious vase. Studied and kissed every curve and hollow, till she was moaning for what only I could give her."

"And?"

"Low and slow did the trick, son. Best night o' my life."

Both men sighed over the long-ago romance.

"What happened to her?"

Lenny gave a crooked smile as he lit a new cigarette.

"Married my best friend."

**

Many thanks to Bebop3 and Maonaigh for their help and support! If you haven't had a chance to read their work, you should check them out. Both are gifted writers and storytellers.