Noel's Pictures

Uncle Noel was tall and slim with black curly hair and the brightest blue eyes I'd ever seen. He wore pleated gabardine trousers, white shirts, sports coats with shiny gold buttons. He smoked Chesterfield cigarettes, blew smoke rings. I could see my face in his shoes.

That is the first paragraph of a story based on the life of my uncle, who left Kentucky soon after he graduated from high school in 1922 and headed to New York City. When he returned each summer in a big shiny car to visit Maw Maw, I thought he was a movie star. But that's understandable, I suppose. After all, he once danced with Katherine Hepburn.

Much of it is true, but I 'filled in the blanks' in some areas (not the dancing with Katherine Hepburn part; he did dance with her), so I must call it a work of fiction.

I was thrilled a few days ago when I received word that "Noel's Pictures" has been accepted by the online literary ezine, Up the Staircase Literary Review. It will be published in their May issue.