Spinner and Half Pint - POW

Spinner pined to be sipping pina coladas with a young spinster, Half Pint, from La Pine. They would sit on a pine bench, sharing a pineapple pizza and swapping stories about life amid the alpine forests of pinion and pine trees or playing pinochle. He was startled out of his reverie by hearing his name.

"You are a spineless worm, Spinner! How dare you call me a dried up old spinster! I heard you're gossiping about me!" hollered Half Pint, her pretty face flushed pink, her blue eyes spinning.

Spinner grinned, his white teeth chomping his perennial toothpick. "Well," he drawled. "I never see you out with anyone, Half Pint. All I said was, I wondered if you were planning on being an old spinster. I never said you were all dried up. Truth be told, I think you're still kinda wet behind the ears."

Spinner stood up, tipped his hat and stepped off the sidewalk. Once in his truck he sat, thinking what a fool he was. "There she was and all I had to do was ask her out. She is slipping away from me." he murmured under his breath.

Half Pint closed up the diner at 7 o'clock wiping the last of the cioppino from her hands. She got into her Ford Pinto, heading home. Tears seeping from her eyes, she thought of Spinner. Thumping the steering wheel she said aloud, "He isn't going to ever see me as anything but Half Pint!"

Popping around a hairpin turn, she came upon some pintail ducks in the road. Gripping the steering wheel hard, she wrenched it to the right, trying not to spin out as she missed the ducks but with her tires slipping, she took the ditch, jarring her spine, her car bumping onto it's roof.

After some time, her head spinning, she looked around. She tried to open her seatbelt but it wouldn't budge. She felt spindled, her name pin had come unpinned. Half Pint prayed for help.

Gasping with fear, she heard a motor, and saw headlights. Then, with the vehicle stopping, she heard boots clomping across the dirt. She froze. Was this person intent on helping her?

She heard a low chuckle. "Jeez, Half Pint, you could've asked for a ride home. You didn't have to do all this."

"Oh Spinner! Thank God. Please help me get out of here." she begged. Spinner was cutting the seatbelt as they talked.

"I'll get you out, but it'll cost you one date with me, Half Pint." he held her shoulders, the seat belt parted and she came to rest on the roof.

Grasping her arms, he was helping her out the window, swooping her into his arms as she stood. She looked into his face. "Just one date, Spinner?" her smile was soft and inviting.

He looked down into her eyes. "We can start with one date, Half Pint.

She sighed. "I thought you'd never ask, Spinner."

"I wasn't sure you'd say yes, little Half Pint."