44 Comments
User's avatar
Thomas D’Arcy O’Donnell's avatar

.. whole lotta delightful dialogue .. internal & spoken word ! Delightfully Jouncin.. down along th way !🏴‍☠️💋

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks, my friend.

Expand full comment
Jill CampbellMason's avatar

Love it-OF COURSE.

At least the make of the vehicle was present! It reminded me so much of (W)hole from the boys in Jamaica!! But we are off and hanging on!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you, Jill!

Expand full comment
James Ron's avatar

Ah, good old Bartle Clunes. Warms my heart. Thanks for reposting, Sharron.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

You are welcome. It is one of my favorite chapters.

Expand full comment
Kate Henry's avatar

Maggie answers to Susan if offered a treat. Them's dogs fer ya. ))

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

I love that smelly old dog. I worked hard to give him a personality.

Expand full comment
Sharon Hudson's avatar

I know this one well, but I love rereading it, every time! It's a laugh-out-loud experience. Bartle Clunes is such a wonderful collection of laughs, tears, and nostalgia. I love every chapter! Thanks for posting this one today!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Hah. I bring chapters around every once in a while. I like to be reminded that I DID, in fact, write a longer piece one time. And I still would like to live in that little make-believe community in the gold country of California with those sweet people. Thank you, Sharon, for the kind words.

Expand full comment
Jack Jackson's avatar

Loved this! Guess I’ll have to buy the book.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

You could. Or you could read it for free at Leaves. Click on Bartle Clunes on the top bar of the home page, then scroll to bottom. Chapters are presented in descending order. Give the first chapter a try. It is enough to let you know if a 1949, California foothills community suits you.

Expand full comment
Jack Jackson's avatar

Thank you. I enjoy everything that I’ve seen from you on Substack. You are a treasure!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Golly! Thanks so much Jack!

Expand full comment
Janice Walton's avatar

Hi Sharron, I laughed once more. What a delightful story!!! It was a pleasure to read this on this day, given all the events that are going on.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

👍🏻🤭

Expand full comment
Kathleen Hobbs's avatar

My butt is so sore from bouncing around in that old jalopy

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Ha ha ha. She was not much of a driver, but she sure had a good time. Louvina is quite a character and Bartle is the sweetest of men. That's the fun part of writing. My characters can be anything I want them to be. Here is the first chapter of my novel, in case you might like to try it. It is a very sweet old fashioned story.

https://sharronbassano.substack.com/s/bartle-clunes

Expand full comment
Kathleen Hobbs's avatar

Thank you for sharing your story. I look forward to reading it.

Expand full comment
Sue Cauhape's avatar

🤣 Oh yes, I remember this wild ride. Seems to me they had to walk some, though. I loved how the transmission was close to surrender. And his bit of tutoring in clutch and gear shift balance reminds me of my first lesson in driving a manual; although my instructor wasn't nearly as patient.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

High School Drivers' Education class. I nearly failed it. I DID fail at the DMV the first time. I didn't go back to get my license until I was 21.

Expand full comment
Sue Cauhape's avatar

My Drivers' Ed class learned on automatics and Dad figured I'd have an easier time with one for my first car, so I didn't really learn to drive a stick until I bought an old VW van in Santa Cruz and drove it around there. MERCY! Talk about do or die.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Man! You and I have so much in common, Sue. My first car was a VW van, too! A '57. I loved working with that almost horizontal steering wheel.

Expand full comment
Sue Cauhape's avatar

I enjoyed driving it too, but I didn't appreciate all the honking and yelling from other drivers. Geeesh! That van not only helped me move around but a lot of others too. Brian Miller was a little miffed after moving with it because the brakes were a little squishy and the curtains impeded his view out of the windows.

How long did you have yours? Did you use it for musical touring or such? They're handy little buses and I can see why they were so popular.

Expand full comment
Paul McCutchen's avatar

Nothing like the Studebaker but we did have a 52 ford on the farm. Don't know what happened to it but my brother and I learned to drive a stick shift in that truck. We also learned how to replace the clutch.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Ha ha ha. Replace the clutch! I can just hear you boys grinding your way through the gears. Thanks for sharing this story, Paul!

Expand full comment
Jim Cummings's avatar

It's always nice to spend a few minutes with Bartle and Louvina. And of course, Maggie.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks, Jim. I always pick up two or three more Bartle Clunes readers when I re-post some of these crazy chapters. I know it is redundant, but it is the only "marketing" I do. Hope you are having a great day in Florida, kiddo.

Expand full comment
Jim Cummings's avatar

Everyone should read the whole novel! It's a lovely world to visit and revisit.

Life is good here. All three of my sons called me for Father's Day. What more do I need?

Expand full comment
Switter’s World's avatar

One of my old guys had an old Studebaker pickup he finally got running. He was afraid of driving it more than 10 mph because it sat so long the tires were square on the bottom. After he passed away, it was stored somewhere and probably won’t be driven for another 50 years.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Great story, Colonel. I love the "Old Guy" you write about. He would fit right in Louvina and Bartle's nostalgic world in the foothills, 1949. He'd remember everything. It is on Leaves free to read. Please share it with him!

Expand full comment
Switter’s World's avatar

I shall, Sharron. He enjoys good stories.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Hooray! I wrote Bartle Clunes for my mother when she was 96 years old and in her last months on this earth. I read to her every day and I believe she thought the people of El Dorado County were real. She talked of them as if they were friends and neighbors. It was a lovely way for us to say good bye.

Expand full comment
Switter’s World's avatar

If they felt real in her mind, then they were real, and you did a very good job as a writer. It’s like Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegone stories. We could relate to and understand his characters. Same with yours.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

That is so kind of you to say! Thank you, my friend.

Expand full comment
Parker McCoy's avatar

These characters are well-drawn and the dialogue is solid but the details really make it, like how she backs out and just barely misses an old wash tub. "...fourteen years of stale cigarette smoke, mummified mouse, wet fur, dog breath and petroleum. Now, that is excellent description. Thank you so much for sharing, Sharron.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you for your kind words, Parker. I invite you to read just Chapter 1 of Bartle Clunes. I think you might like it!

https://sharronbassano.substack.com/p/bartle-clunes

Expand full comment
K.C. Knouse's avatar

Lots of fun in this one. I liked it when Bartle said he didn't mind walking the three miles in the rain. Three miles! The whole scene in the truck is hilarious. Wonderfully written with delightful figures of speech sprinkled throughout.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thank you, Ken. I intentionally wrote this in the rural language of 1949 just as my grandmother spoke. The stilted, more formal grammar, the rarely used contractions, and the rural expressions were hers. As was the life philosophy expressed by the two main characters. Glad you liked it, my friend. How I wish we were neighbors.

Expand full comment
K.C. Knouse's avatar

Hey, neighbor! You did an excellent job. Those folks seemed to enjoy life.

Expand full comment
K.C. Knouse's avatar

Lots of fun in this one. I liked it when Bartle said he didn't mind walking the three miles in the rain. Three miles! The whole scene in the truck is hilarious. Wonderfully written with delightful figures of speech sprinkled throughout.

Expand full comment
Feasts and Fables's avatar

Lovely … the line of dialogue about the dog having the brains of a goose, picture perfect!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks Barrie for reading this story. It is a favorite chapter from my novel, Bartle clunes. I appreciate the comment, my friend.

Expand full comment
Feasts and Fables's avatar

As you say, though, the chapter stands alone beautifully too.

Expand full comment