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Bessie
Ed's life changed that first day of September when that deadly twister had roared across his Texas ranch and destroyed his house. But what was much worse was that it had ripped his Bessie and their boys from him and destroyed much more than the wooden structure; it had destroyed his life. Rather than rebuild, he had taken the coward’s way out and crawled into a bottle to escape the loneliness. But Bessie’s anger and disappointment finally made him understand that he had a life to live and other people to help.
- GenresWesterns
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2017
1025 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Petit
103 books220 followersMost biographies start with birth and then roll through the years as they drift by but that would bore me to death, and I lived through it.
The interesting part of my life began on September 23rd, 1995 as we were driving back to Omaha after watching the Notre Dame - Texas game in South Bend with relatives. The #21 Irish beat the #13 ranked Longhorns 55-27; and in a real oddity, scored points in just about every way conceivable in the game of football. They scored touchdowns on passes and runs, kicked a field goal, intercepted a pass for a TD, returned a punt for a touchdown and even added two points for blocking a Texas extra point.
As we were driving along westbound I-80 somewhere in Illinois in our Jeep Cherokee, I absent-mindedly rubbed the left side of my neck under my chin.
My very astute wife asked, "What's wrong with your neck?"
Now I had been an Air Force medic for twelve years; and as evident in my descriptions of outlaws' agonizing deaths in my stories, have a good working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. But that knowledge is offset by being a guy and thinking that we all live forever. My neck lymph nodes had been enlarged for around three months when my wife asked that question.
I obfuscated as if I was a lawyer and replied, "Um, a few weeks or so." (Note: Twelve or thirteen weeks does qualify as a 'few' weeks if one chooses to be generous.)
"And what did the doctor say?"
"I'll ask him when we get back."
"Yes, you will."
I do not want to make my wife out to be a harpy or a nag, because she is neither. She's an incredibly patient woman who could only put up with so much stupidity by yours truly.
Three days later, after the doctor copped a quick feel of my lymph nodes, he said, "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it," which was an honest, albeit an imprecise diagnosis.
So, we trotted over to a local ENT specialist. She didn't like them either and took me into surgery a few days later where she yanked one out, so the lab could dice it and slice it, then look at it under a microscope.
The pathologist who looked at the cells through his microscope reported his findings as 'lymphoepithelioma'. That meant that it was a secondary tumor and there was a primary tumor somewhere else in my nasopharynx that was the original problem.
Back I went into the operating room where the ENT doctor did an extensive examination and found nothing. She was so sure of her reconnaissance of the back of my throat that she told me that the pathologist was wrong, and it was just a lymphoma.
Now, being a computer geek, even way back in the dark ages of the internet in '95, I did some searching and found that if the primary tumor wasn't found, then the survival rate plummeted to about a fifth of the already lousy survival rate for the advanced Stage IV cancer. My wife and I decided that a second opinion might be a good idea.
Off we went in her Jeep to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as the lousy weather descended across the Midwest. It's been known to happen, you know.
They had a problem getting the doctor here to release the specimen she'd yanked out of my neck, which I thought was odd because I don't remember selling it and figured I still owned it. Anyway, they eventually got the lymph node, did their own peek and confirmed the pathologist's diagnosis.
It wasn't until Halloween in 1995 that they finally found the original little bugger. It was just a tiny bump in the back of my throat that must have been there for a long time before it sent its friends marching into my lymph nodes.
They wanted to treat the cancer there, but I opted to have it done in Omaha and was sent to the care of Doctor Patrick J. McKenna (a name you may recognize from Max). Doctor Mac was the perfect man for the job as he was very personable, optimistic, had a good sense of humor and wouldn't put up with my constant whining. It helped that he knew his job, too.
(Read the full bio on Amazon)
The interesting part of my life began on September 23rd, 1995 as we were driving back to Omaha after watching the Notre Dame - Texas game in South Bend with relatives. The #21 Irish beat the #13 ranked Longhorns 55-27; and in a real oddity, scored points in just about every way conceivable in the game of football. They scored touchdowns on passes and runs, kicked a field goal, intercepted a pass for a TD, returned a punt for a touchdown and even added two points for blocking a Texas extra point.
As we were driving along westbound I-80 somewhere in Illinois in our Jeep Cherokee, I absent-mindedly rubbed the left side of my neck under my chin.
My very astute wife asked, "What's wrong with your neck?"
Now I had been an Air Force medic for twelve years; and as evident in my descriptions of outlaws' agonizing deaths in my stories, have a good working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. But that knowledge is offset by being a guy and thinking that we all live forever. My neck lymph nodes had been enlarged for around three months when my wife asked that question.
I obfuscated as if I was a lawyer and replied, "Um, a few weeks or so." (Note: Twelve or thirteen weeks does qualify as a 'few' weeks if one chooses to be generous.)
"And what did the doctor say?"
"I'll ask him when we get back."
"Yes, you will."
I do not want to make my wife out to be a harpy or a nag, because she is neither. She's an incredibly patient woman who could only put up with so much stupidity by yours truly.
Three days later, after the doctor copped a quick feel of my lymph nodes, he said, "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it," which was an honest, albeit an imprecise diagnosis.
So, we trotted over to a local ENT specialist. She didn't like them either and took me into surgery a few days later where she yanked one out, so the lab could dice it and slice it, then look at it under a microscope.
The pathologist who looked at the cells through his microscope reported his findings as 'lymphoepithelioma'. That meant that it was a secondary tumor and there was a primary tumor somewhere else in my nasopharynx that was the original problem.
Back I went into the operating room where the ENT doctor did an extensive examination and found nothing. She was so sure of her reconnaissance of the back of my throat that she told me that the pathologist was wrong, and it was just a lymphoma.
Now, being a computer geek, even way back in the dark ages of the internet in '95, I did some searching and found that if the primary tumor wasn't found, then the survival rate plummeted to about a fifth of the already lousy survival rate for the advanced Stage IV cancer. My wife and I decided that a second opinion might be a good idea.
Off we went in her Jeep to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as the lousy weather descended across the Midwest. It's been known to happen, you know.
They had a problem getting the doctor here to release the specimen she'd yanked out of my neck, which I thought was odd because I don't remember selling it and figured I still owned it. Anyway, they eventually got the lymph node, did their own peek and confirmed the pathologist's diagnosis.
It wasn't until Halloween in 1995 that they finally found the original little bugger. It was just a tiny bump in the back of my throat that must have been there for a long time before it sent its friends marching into my lymph nodes.
They wanted to treat the cancer there, but I opted to have it done in Omaha and was sent to the care of Doctor Patrick J. McKenna (a name you may recognize from Max). Doctor Mac was the perfect man for the job as he was very personable, optimistic, had a good sense of humor and wouldn't put up with my constant whining. It helped that he knew his job, too.
(Read the full bio on Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
September 4, 2017
BESSIE AND BOBBY MAGEE
Your family, wife and two sons are sweeped up in a tornado and there's nothing you can do, but scream..Well that's what happened to Ed, the tornado hit and afterward they found his wife Bessie and one son, they searched for his other son, it they never found him...very sad...From that moment Ed's best friend was the "bottle."
He stayed drunk and became the town drunk.
This binge lasted about a year, Ed had an epiphany and stopped drinking, he started getting his life back on track..and he did no more drinking. He rebuilt his house and life.
Many of us have heard stories about men, women and sometimes teenagers go through these bad times. This author points out that if you want to you can fight the monkey riding your back...if you want to. There's also the rejection of God, losing your faith in everything associated with beliefs of the spirit.
Well that changed, but it just shows life is like a box of chocolates you never know what's inside.
Your family, wife and two sons are sweeped up in a tornado and there's nothing you can do, but scream..Well that's what happened to Ed, the tornado hit and afterward they found his wife Bessie and one son, they searched for his other son, it they never found him...very sad...From that moment Ed's best friend was the "bottle."
He stayed drunk and became the town drunk.
This binge lasted about a year, Ed had an epiphany and stopped drinking, he started getting his life back on track..and he did no more drinking. He rebuilt his house and life.
Many of us have heard stories about men, women and sometimes teenagers go through these bad times. This author points out that if you want to you can fight the monkey riding your back...if you want to. There's also the rejection of God, losing your faith in everything associated with beliefs of the spirit.
Well that changed, but it just shows life is like a box of chocolates you never know what's inside.
August 18, 2021
It all starts out with the tornado taking Ed's house and his family and ends up in a range war with his best friend Jake and a neighbor
After Jake loses his family all of them he becomes a saloon alcoholic and loses all his workers even Jake. He doesn't even know how he lost them. On the anniversary of the tornado he finally leaves alcohol behind and gets himself in shape and starts taking care of the house and himself he soon gets a wire from Jake needing help and saying bring your guns. So he has Anna and her son Jess watch the house for him and live in the house while he's gone he buys them horses so they can ride to town and to school. And then he takes off for Gainesville where Jake lives. When he gets there he meets Edith Jake's wife and checked in with Jake who was laid up with a bullet wound from The neighbors. Jake figures it's all about water that they want.
After Jake loses his family all of them he becomes a saloon alcoholic and loses all his workers even Jake. He doesn't even know how he lost them. On the anniversary of the tornado he finally leaves alcohol behind and gets himself in shape and starts taking care of the house and himself he soon gets a wire from Jake needing help and saying bring your guns. So he has Anna and her son Jess watch the house for him and live in the house while he's gone he buys them horses so they can ride to town and to school. And then he takes off for Gainesville where Jake lives. When he gets there he meets Edith Jake's wife and checked in with Jake who was laid up with a bullet wound from The neighbors. Jake figures it's all about water that they want.
March 25, 2018
Great
Love your work! In this book there are a few typos, computer generated, but no bad. I've started to ignore them anticipating my first efforts. But one instance must be pointed out; about location 1517, there is "They'd bring them into the book house, if it looked like rain." Sorry, never would happen. He was referring to his riding stock and pack animals. No cowboy ever brought his stock into the bunkhouse! Horses and cattle stayed outside, period, with exceptions of shelter via a shed with a roof shelter, porch-like or the traditional barn.
As aways, loved the story. Your minister was a masterpiece, well done. Time to start on the next one.
Love your work! In this book there are a few typos, computer generated, but no bad. I've started to ignore them anticipating my first efforts. But one instance must be pointed out; about location 1517, there is "They'd bring them into the book house, if it looked like rain." Sorry, never would happen. He was referring to his riding stock and pack animals. No cowboy ever brought his stock into the bunkhouse! Horses and cattle stayed outside, period, with exceptions of shelter via a shed with a roof shelter, porch-like or the traditional barn.
As aways, loved the story. Your minister was a masterpiece, well done. Time to start on the next one.
January 25, 2022
not my favorite but not a unfavorite
Tornadoes are horrible and take the lives of loved ones. Mr. Petit, once again tells a new and interesting story with great characters. I guess I had too high of hopes. When Ed couldn’t find his oldest son and the old heavy bathtub and he wondered what happened to them, it was my hope that his older son would show up later because he had landed somewhere with amnesia and survived. No such luck!
With the book being called Bessie I thought she might influence him more throughout. Maybe it should have been called Mr. Dynamite?😀 Or the Evil Minister😉
Tornadoes are horrible and take the lives of loved ones. Mr. Petit, once again tells a new and interesting story with great characters. I guess I had too high of hopes. When Ed couldn’t find his oldest son and the old heavy bathtub and he wondered what happened to them, it was my hope that his older son would show up later because he had landed somewhere with amnesia and survived. No such luck!
With the book being called Bessie I thought she might influence him more throughout. Maybe it should have been called Mr. Dynamite?😀 Or the Evil Minister😉
August 29, 2021
Another awesome #1 book!
Incredibly good storyline! The action in this one was amazing and you can't help but cheer for the perfect ending to the insane pretend preacher! If I could say anything wrong with any of Mr. Petit's books it would be, find a color chart for horse colors. A tan horse might be a buckskin, a dun, or a palomino or even a pale chestnut! But I love his his writing so much I just put in the shade I love the most, a buckskin which has black points, mane and tail!
Incredibly good storyline! The action in this one was amazing and you can't help but cheer for the perfect ending to the insane pretend preacher! If I could say anything wrong with any of Mr. Petit's books it would be, find a color chart for horse colors. A tan horse might be a buckskin, a dun, or a palomino or even a pale chestnut! But I love his his writing so much I just put in the shade I love the most, a buckskin which has black points, mane and tail!
January 8, 2018
BESSIE by C.J. PETIT
BRAVO 👏 Again C.J. Peter's talent just leaves me speechless. His ability to weave such a tender love story throughout the times of turbulence and injustices that ranchers faced is very rare. I now own 29 of his books, so I'll just have to find another one that I haven't read yet and wait for the next new one to get here. I just can't wait to get it!!!! I've never read one of MR. PETIT's books that I didn't want to keep to read over and over again.
BRAVO 👏 Again C.J. Peter's talent just leaves me speechless. His ability to weave such a tender love story throughout the times of turbulence and injustices that ranchers faced is very rare. I now own 29 of his books, so I'll just have to find another one that I haven't read yet and wait for the next new one to get here. I just can't wait to get it!!!! I've never read one of MR. PETIT's books that I didn't want to keep to read over and over again.
November 25, 2019
Every one of C.J. Petits books I absolutely love!!
All the books I've read from this author have captured me in a way other books lack. I especially like the description the author uses when explaining certain situations. I always become part of the book and always have a problem setting the books down.
I absolutely fell in love with Ed and his cowboy ways. He knows how to love his women and how to be a true friend.
All the books I've read from this author have captured me in a way other books lack. I especially like the description the author uses when explaining certain situations. I always become part of the book and always have a problem setting the books down.
I absolutely fell in love with Ed and his cowboy ways. He knows how to love his women and how to be a true friend.
February 27, 2021
Loved the story. Hero recovers from major loss of family. Struggles in alcoholic haze for a while. Hears the voice of dead wife to straighten up. On road to recovery; then gets urgent message from former ranch foreman an friend, to come to his aid & bring guns. So off he goes, solves those problems, return home, marries a widow friend. His world turns around, money flows, ranch flourishes. All is good
Read
March 14, 2025Mr. Petit writes really good books, but the only problems I can find is he brings in a romance theme in rather quickly which should be a little later in the stories but my main complaint is he has a bad habit of throwing in thousand dollar words when a ten dollar word makes the story more believable. Large words Do Not Belong in a western. How many times have you ever heard a cowboy use a Rhodes Scholar term, they are down to earth people not Scholars.
January 8, 2019
Great western story with just the right amount of action.
I just love C.J.Petit's western stories. He puts just the right amount of action and romance to keep the story interesting. With kindle the stories are only .99 so I can read as many as I want. Love them keep writing and I will keep reading.
I just love C.J.Petit's western stories. He puts just the right amount of action and romance to keep the story interesting. With kindle the stories are only .99 so I can read as many as I want. Love them keep writing and I will keep reading.
May 19, 2019
Good western
This was a good book. The characters were well developed and the story was very interesting. The story proceeded at a good pace. There were a few typos,but not enough to detract much from the story. Overall I thought it good and would recommend it to anyone who likes westerns.
This was a good book. The characters were well developed and the story was very interesting. The story proceeded at a good pace. There were a few typos,but not enough to detract much from the story. Overall I thought it good and would recommend it to anyone who likes westerns.
June 14, 2019
ANOTHER GREAT STORY
I gave this rating because this book was right up there in the series of C.J. Petit. It never fails. I could have read on an on like a never ending story. My next choice will obviously be another Petit book with lots of descriptive adventure, pitfalls, uplifting love and basically a Goodread for any adult.
I gave this rating because this book was right up there in the series of C.J. Petit. It never fails. I could have read on an on like a never ending story. My next choice will obviously be another Petit book with lots of descriptive adventure, pitfalls, uplifting love and basically a Goodread for any adult.
June 1, 2024
As always another wonderful C. J. Petit novel.
It really surprises me when I reread a novel and have not given it a 5 star rating and added my review. All 95 novels have been read at least twice with most being read 3-4 times. They are just as enjoyable to read again as they were the first time.
It really surprises me when I reread a novel and have not given it a 5 star rating and added my review. All 95 novels have been read at least twice with most being read 3-4 times. They are just as enjoyable to read again as they were the first time.
November 12, 2017
C.J. never lets me down
Overcoming, even just surviving a tragedy, is something most of us eventually have to do.
Finding out you can do more than simply exist afterwards is a true blessing.
I love that our hero helped others and brought down more than one "bad guy".
Overcoming, even just surviving a tragedy, is something most of us eventually have to do.
Finding out you can do more than simply exist afterwards is a true blessing.
I love that our hero helped others and brought down more than one "bad guy".
January 14, 2018
Bessie
This was another outstanding book and storyline. I really enjoyed all of the action and suspense. The best part was the wonderful love story. I plan on reading all of the books by this Author.
This was another outstanding book and storyline. I really enjoyed all of the action and suspense. The best part was the wonderful love story. I plan on reading all of the books by this Author.
March 6, 2018
Recovery
After losing his wife and young child when a tornado hits his home, Ed becomes a hopeless drunk. However after a chance meeting with friend he begins to become the man he was before his loss. Another fine Western from Petit full of action and suspense.
After losing his wife and young child when a tornado hits his home, Ed becomes a hopeless drunk. However after a chance meeting with friend he begins to become the man he was before his loss. Another fine Western from Petit full of action and suspense.
April 14, 2018
Bessie
Just finished another intriguing Western by C.J. Petit that held my attention from the very first page. Lots of action and conversation continued throughout the plot. I discovered a few more books by this author that are next on my list.
Just finished another intriguing Western by C.J. Petit that held my attention from the very first page. Lots of action and conversation continued throughout the plot. I discovered a few more books by this author that are next on my list.
May 20, 2018
Wonderful, Happy ending.
A reminder that there are many different kinds of people that have various dangerous afflictions that can have very harmful effects on the community they live in.
A reminder that there are many different kinds of people that have various dangerous afflictions that can have very harmful effects on the community they live in.
June 27, 2018
Bessie
After losing his wife and two sons to a tornado, Ed spends a year in the bottle. He "hears" from his late wife and starts putting his life back together. Great action and a wonderful ending.
After losing his wife and two sons to a tornado, Ed spends a year in the bottle. He "hears" from his late wife and starts putting his life back together. Great action and a wonderful ending.
July 5, 2018
4 Star's
After Ed Carson loses his wife and sons to a twister he spends a year drowning his sorrows with whiskey. When he comes to his sinses he must go and help his best friend defend his ranch from a neighboring rancher.
After Ed Carson loses his wife and sons to a twister he spends a year drowning his sorrows with whiskey. When he comes to his sinses he must go and help his best friend defend his ranch from a neighboring rancher.
January 6, 2019
Proofread please!
Author always creates good plots and characters, but does anyone ever proofread his books? I read at least half dozen and they all contains many errors. Kind of spoils what should be a good reading experience.
Author always creates good plots and characters, but does anyone ever proofread his books? I read at least half dozen and they all contains many errors. Kind of spoils what should be a good reading experience.
April 16, 2019
Though I'm still at the beginning, Ed has sort of gotten over his grief, he's stop drinking after a year since the death of his wife and kids,. He's rebuilt, refurbished and restocked his home. He's looking for love and still talks to his deceased wife. Can't wait till I get to the next chapter.
Read
June 4, 2019A good read as are most of those books by C. J. Petit. A man has a devastating experience that caused him to fall into a bottle. After a year, he with unexpected help, pulls himself out of the bottle, and returns to being a person that could be counted on to assist his friends.
December 24, 2019
Fantastic
A great interesting fun read. Full of excitement, fear, sorrow, and happiness as two people face difficult lives after the loss of their spouse's, but discover peace and love in each other.
A great interesting fun read. Full of excitement, fear, sorrow, and happiness as two people face difficult lives after the loss of their spouse's, but discover peace and love in each other.
April 12, 2020
Please Read.
Great story. Thank you C.J. for another fine book. It was wonderful to see how all of the characters had positive life changing things happen to them. Keep up the good work
Great story. Thank you C.J. for another fine book. It was wonderful to see how all of the characters had positive life changing things happen to them. Keep up the good work
April 24, 2020
Great story
Great story of harsh life in Texas. Ed loses wife and children in a tornado. Ed had to start over his life. He went to help his friend from a rancher who wanted his land. Good ending😁
Great story of harsh life in Texas. Ed loses wife and children in a tornado. Ed had to start over his life. He went to help his friend from a rancher who wanted his land. Good ending😁
June 22, 2020
Bessie
Well another wonderful book. But at least it's not 4or5 in the morning. It's only 11:37pm. But if I find one I haven't read,no telling what time it will be, before I get to sleep. Good readings folks. Good research, going back into history. Enjoy, I sure did. JD
Well another wonderful book. But at least it's not 4or5 in the morning. It's only 11:37pm. But if I find one I haven't read,no telling what time it will be, before I get to sleep. Good readings folks. Good research, going back into history. Enjoy, I sure did. JD
December 14, 2020
No
I give this only 1 star because of the language. It was a good story I enjoyed it very much With a vocabulary that the author has he could do a much better job By leaving out bad language thank you. Add dozen add anything to the book
I give this only 1 star because of the language. It was a good story I enjoyed it very much With a vocabulary that the author has he could do a much better job By leaving out bad language thank you. Add dozen add anything to the book
March 7, 2021
Excellent Western
Sometimes life hands out tragic circumstances, but God’s Grace can set things right as Ed and Anna soon discover with each other. A story with lots of twists and turns, evil villains.... and love. Excellent book.
Sometimes life hands out tragic circumstances, but God’s Grace can set things right as Ed and Anna soon discover with each other. A story with lots of twists and turns, evil villains.... and love. Excellent book.
July 4, 2021
Very interesting and some education with this exciting book!
Interesting about the weather, blowing a bolder up and water filling up the hole and also making a stream. The dogs riding on the horse.
Interesting about the weather, blowing a bolder up and water filling up the hole and also making a stream. The dogs riding on the horse.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews