54 Comments
User's avatar
Kate Henry's avatar

One of my favorites too. Magic in a siren way. PErfect companion story to the ancient goddess. Thanks for bringing her out again after SO long )))

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks, Kate. For some reason I love how that man suffers at the sight of Jolene and has given up trying to resist her. I, too, thought the two stories were of the same theme.

Expand full comment
T. D. Wolf's avatar

That reads like a country song, the way they used to make country songs. Or an Elmore Leonard novel.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Well, shoot! I should get Mark Starlin to put it to music! Thanks, John.

Expand full comment
Thomas D’Arcy O’Donnell's avatar

.. read it once ‘so far

what’s that sly word & meaning.. ? ? licentious .. ha.. lascivious ..

side order o innuendo.. gah ! Unrequited even mebbe ? 🦎🏴‍☠️

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Oh that Jolene. She is just working him. She loves the power she has over him. He has surrendered.

Expand full comment
Karen Kenworthy's avatar

I love this Sharron! But I still wouldn’t want her to take my man 😂

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

I get your reference. Ha ha ha

Expand full comment
Karen Kenworthy's avatar

Dolly Parton says on some interview on YouTube that there’s always some woman out there who could probably take one’s man. That statement made me feel guilty about one year when I had a totally platonic, talk on the phone relationship with a man I deeply admired. (He put his phone number out for anyone to call him about problems, that’s a long story!!!) I look back and think I shouldn’t have taken his time that way and still feel terrible for the time taken from his family. And I was no Jolene beauty, no Auburn locks nor eyes of emerald green. But maybe we all have a touch of being a potential Jolene and can guard against it. 😘

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Maybe. Let's put that in the past tense, Karen. ha ha ha

Expand full comment
Jim Cummings's avatar

You're too funny Sharron. Haha.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

No, YOU are funny.

Expand full comment
Richbee's avatar

Temptress and she knows it. Youth flaunts the breezes with wind in the willows. Cut off shorts create quite a subject matter written about for ages but leaves Tantalus in purgatory reaching for an apple he cannot comprehend.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Yep. Same story since time immemorial...

Expand full comment
James Ron's avatar

Really. There's always that gal who can turn a guys head around and make him crazy!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Some women seem to work at it - they've got it, might as well flaunt it. Can't say I wouldn't have done the same - if I'd had the same type of build. Ha ha ha Then again, maybe her body is all that little Jolene has going for her...

Expand full comment
James Ron's avatar

"Then again, maybe her body is all that little Jolene has going for her..." So true. Still...

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Hah! Spoken like a real practical man, James Ron.

Expand full comment
Karen Kenworthy's avatar

Ultimately, a girl who attracts men initially because of her great body, needs to have many other things going for her to keep a relationship growing. I imagine it could almost be a handicap in a sense, (though I wouldn’t turn down having a great body 😅)

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Okay... I will have to think about that, Karen. Thanks!

Expand full comment
David Perlmutter's avatar

"I'm begging of you, please don't take my man..."

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Hee hee hee!

Expand full comment
Justin Deming's avatar

I loved this maybe even more the second time around, Sharron. She has complete power over him, doesn’t she? Have you ever listened to any Ray Lamontagne? He has a song titled “Jolene” and it pairs so beautifully with this story.

Expand full comment
Justin Deming's avatar

In addition to Dolly’s “Jolene”, of course, ha!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

I didn't know of Ray Montagne. I checked him out. Love that rugged, rough sound mixed with obvious sensitivity. A magic combination, if you ask me.

Expand full comment
Justin Deming's avatar

He’s one of my favorites! He has a wonderful variety of albums.

Expand full comment
Jim Cummings's avatar

Love the story but must not look at the picture. Must not look. I'm old enough to feel like it would be creepy. Ok, I looked again, I'm definitely creepy, but I'm working on myself.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Yes, Jim... just keep that positive self-talk going. You'll be fine, you'll be fine. I should have sent a warning...

Expand full comment
Rebecca Holden's avatar

Loved this, Sharron!

'....and she knows it'. Yup, she sure does!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Just using what she was given to her best advantage. Smart girl.

Expand full comment
Sue Cauhape's avatar

There have always been women who understood their power, and it ain't in the board room. More has been finagled, whispered in ears, and accomplished under the sheets than in any other venue, except maybe the kitchen.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Ah, well, you do what you can do, drawing on your strengths where you can. Jolene knows what she wants and how to get it. That's more than I can say for some of us...

Expand full comment
Padra's avatar

Awesome read!

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Wow! Thank you, Padra! And welcome to 🌿Leaves. So happy to see you over here on my little island in the Great Substack Sea.

Expand full comment
Sue Cauhape's avatar

Certainly me too. I try to get something I want and the room empties.

Expand full comment
Meg Oolders's avatar

I love/hate/want to be Jolene. Great reads, Sharron.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

I know what you mean. But, um...would your husband go for the new Jolene-version of Meg?

Expand full comment
Meg Oolders's avatar

He already gets the Jolene version of Meg. 😂 And he's the only one.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Whew! Is it getting hot in here?

Expand full comment
Meg Oolders's avatar

Just a hot flash in my case. Thanks, perimenopause. 🙃

Expand full comment
Claudia Befu's avatar

Beautiful story, you posted it on my birthday :).

I'm fascinated with the comments section. People think that such a young girl knows her power over men but it's not true. Young girls have no idea of the new meanings their bodies acquire when they start to change. To a certain extent, we put those meanings into them.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Wise words, Claudia. Thank you! She'll learn soon enough, won't she. And thanks for reading 🌿Leaves -- there is so much to choose from and I appreciate you choosing me.

Expand full comment
Dee Dee Vallance's avatar

I have heard it said that the cruelty that girls can show others when they are that age is them discovering the boundaries of their new-found power.

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Might be true, Dee Dee. I guess some DO go a bit overboard. It might make them lose touch, much in the same way that having a lot of money can....?

Expand full comment
Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

Femme fatale, we hear the siren’s call, strap me to the mast .. quick! 😅

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Phew!! Out of the danger zone - and not a moment too soon. Best laugh of the day, Alexander. Thank you. Not exactly sure why, but this post instantly shot up to the very top of the favorites list. Are my readers trying to tell me something?

Expand full comment
Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

Yes, use all the word and dig deep

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Okay! Got it! But I am off to look for more photos of half-dressed young women...just in case.

Expand full comment
Nathan Slake's avatar

Captures it all so perfectly and concisely.

Strong stuff, Sharron 👏

Expand full comment
Sharron Bassano's avatar

Ooooh! Good, Nathan! Thanks for poking around in my archive. Glad you found something you liked. My work is a bit up and down, as you see. This was one of my favorites.

Expand full comment