Marblehead
Home of An Americana Medicine Show Family
by
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Chapter 9- “The Marblehead House” “Gay Billings,” Essa warned, “if any of our friends get sick or worse from your tonic, we’ll have to leave Marblehead and never come back. Are you willing to risk our home and friends for whatever you will charge for that crap you’ve got in those bottles? My God, Gay, are you crazy?” Essa was exasperated at the thought of one of their best friends, people like Sam and Sarah, standing at their front door, tonic bottle in hand, yelling at Essa because the tonic had caused their hair to fall out, or worse, sent them to the hospital. “Essa,” Gay said in his most calculatedly reassuring tone, “the tonic is perfectly safe, if you take it as prescribed. If you drink the entire bottle at one sitting, well, you can get pretty tipsy from the alcohol content, and you will be sitting on a toilet for a few days due to the laxative effect. You might even sweat like a dog in heat due to the some of the ingredients that cause one to expel bacteria. According to my dad, Doctor Andreen said people in France have been taking this tonic or a derivative of the tonic for hundreds of years.” “Okay, Gay,” Essa reluctantly agreed, “just make sure whoever you sell a bottle of that stuff is warned not to drink too much at one time.” “That stuff,” Gay said a bit indignantly, “is a legitimate medicine that cures illnesses and diseases. Braum Drug Company wanted to buy the formula. I could have sold the formula to any number of drug companies, but decided to make the medicine myself and sell it for a fraction of the price these drug companies would charge.” For the first time in their marriage, Gay spoke his true feelings. “This show we are putting together is the vehicle for me to sell the medicine. Someday when we lose our voices, can no longer dance and tell stale jokes, when the horse is put out to pasture, we will still be selling the medicine to the poor farmers to make them well. That is our mission; cure the sick first, make them laugh, second. Yes, laughter is great medicine, but when they get home after the show, it is the medicine that will get them back on their feet, not some joke about Senator McFee.” Essa was slightly taken back by Gay’s comments, but she loved steadfastness in his commitment to more than making money from the sales of popcorn and candy. “Gay, I am so happy you told me how you feel about the medicine and its importance within the show. You’re a great showman, Gay Billings,” she smiled, “but you’re also a wonderful human being. That’s why I love you so much. And I will learn to love the medicine you are so passionate about,” then with a big grin, she continued, “no matter what crap you are putting in those bottles.”
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About the Book
Written based on the events of his great grandparent’s life in the dawn of the 20th century, Marblehead’s a classic story with a classic hero – one man’s selfless journey through rural America, with a supportive caste in tow and a bottle of the divine in hand. As a natural born storyteller with an eye for the smooth weave of a good plot, Ron Stock’s prose pulls us through page after page, casting glimpses of the extents to which hope can carry us. Driven solely by purpose, everyman hero Gay Billings carries us from a well-worn, dirt-caked farm life, to the bustling industry of the big city. With a graceful hand, Ron Stock delivers troves of memorable characters, and chocks them full of spirit. Some struggle with values, and others pivot on a dime, but each one carries a unique essence, all their own. With the knack for unpredictability and a taste for good humor, Ron Stock’s delivered his most layered title, to date. If you’re in the mood for that down-home feel with a touch of the sublime, Marblehead is sure to please. -M. Paris
About the Author
(Author Photo-inside back flap) Marblehead-Home of an American Medicine Show Family captures Ron Stock’s warmth and witty story telling style. As with Ron’s other novels, Reconnecting and Moses, God’s Blessed Donkey, he seamlessly weaves a classic tale of romance, humor and boisterous characters with a touch of the divine. Ron punctuates each of his novels with a William Sydney Porter, O. Henry, clever twist ending. Marblehead is no exception! From his Laguna Beach home, inspired by the beauty of the view of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina sunsets, Ron Stock is not at a loss of fresh new stories to put to paper. Ron’s next novel, The Oldest Olympian, is an imaginary tale of a seventy-year old, former college athlete, who through a “miracle of science” regains his speed of his college days enabling him to seek a spot on the 2016 the USA track team headed for the 2016 Rio de Janerio Summer Olympics.