9-29-08...MISS DODD
Miss Dodd was a small woman, all crippled up so she walked like a spider. She had a walking stick that she would sometimes swing around like she was going to hit someone. She had a big smile always on her face with snuff stains on her chin, down each cheek, and all over her dress. Miss Dodd couldn't talk plain and her voice was gravelly. We were scared spitless of her. When we would go with our parents to Keys store(the only one close enough to walk to) sometimes she would come down the road talking to herself. I tell you now my bones would shake and my chin would quiver. Our parents tried to tell us she was a gentle soul and wouldn't hurt a fly but we were not having any of that business. Nosireee, We were just flat out scared. No two ways about that. Nope. As we got a little older we were allowed to walk up to the store by ourselves but if we saw Miss Dodd coming down the road we just very politely turned around and went right on back the way we came, faster than we came. The four of us were in the store one day and Miss Dodd just rumbled in the door singing. Now at the time we thought she was screechin' at us. She swung her stick in the air like we had seen her do before. Still dont know what that was all about, dont guess anybody did. She was just accepted the way she was. Well by most people she was but when it came to Brenda and I, now that was a different story! Yep. Clydene lets run! Brenda grabbed her brother and went draggin' him and I did the same with my brother. The boys were protesting big time. They were planning on a strawberry drink and just wasn't scared of that lady. Goofy things anyway, didn't they know she would probably boil and eat them. Lela Key knew we were scared of Miss Dodd so she tried to stop us, but heck fire we were gettin' outta there. Only problem Miss Dodd had stopped right inside the store and there was no other way out. Lela was talking but Miss Dodd couldn't hear good and we weren't listinin', we were planin' our great escape. Mama had told me that Miss Dodd was confused but she was a sweet lady. Shoot! Did she think I believed that? Heck no i never believed that and neither did Brenda. The boys were too goofy to know any better. They'd believe anything long as they got that strawberry drink. We ground to a halt about halfway to the door where Miss Dodd was standing and just stood there not knowing what the heck we were'a gonna' do. Miss Dodd looked at us and smiled that big snuffy smile and started toward us. Brenda grabbed hold of my arm and started trying to drag me back the other way, Clydennneee come on. I still had hold of my little brother but when Brenda jerked me he jerked free of me and took off to the drink machine where Brenda's brother already was. I froze, I mean slap'dab froze till my bones locked up. As Miss Dodd came forward Lela Key took hold of us and I think I must have flew in the air a foot or two, sure seemed like it. Breeennndddaaa, Her helper came I told you she had a helper, I just knew she did. Lela wrapped her big arms around us and held on tight talking in a soothing voice. She turned us around and hugged us to her ample boosm and kept talking till we calmed down. She led us over to the drink machine where our Brothers waited and got us all a strawberry drink. She took us out on the high porch where there was a bench built across the front and stayed with us till Miss Dodd got what she came after, paid Wallace Key and came out the door, smiled at us and just went on down the steps like nothin' had happened. I dont know what Lela said to us that day, think it must'v run off my brain but I do know she talked to our Mama's about it and it was several years before we got to walk to Keys Store alone again. I don't know what happened to Miss Dodd either, wish I did. We saw her several times after that but we were not quiet as scared of her again. Now I said "NOT QUIET AS SCARED" Did ya notice that. we were still scared, just not as much. I'm happy that Miss Dodd didn't really know how scared we were of her. Poor old lady. Didn't seem to have anyone to take care of her. I really dont know about that. Wish I did. Bless her heart.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
THE BULLY
9-26-08...THE BULLY
I don't know exactly when it happened but at one point Brenda decided she needed to take care of me instead of the other way around. She matured way before I did and that was probaby where she got that protective Mother instinct. We were in Jr. High and we both played on the basketball team. There was a big (and I mean big as in strong muscled up) girl on the team. she was older than us and she was a bully in capital B's. Seemed everyone was afraid of her and she knew she was the best player on the team. She pushed all us smaller girls around. We were in the gym practicing one day and she decided I wasn't doing what I should. She said, Clydene why don't you quit this team you aint no good anyhow. Well the coach usually took care of things but I was fed up to my eyeballs with her stuff. She reached to take the ball away from me and I flew at her with my spurs all out and I had daggers in my eyes I know. Now I'm here to tell ya I was fed up and I wasn't a takin' this any more. I threw the ball and hit her in the face and pounced on her like a cat. Well my head came to about her waist and my hard head hit her belly and she went WHOOSH as the air left her rotten body. I grabbed on to something and held like a vice. Now it didn't take long for her to get her wind back and she was probably gettin' ready to skin me like a cat fish. The coach was there but he was useless to my way of thinkin', little wimp was probably fraid' of her too. Anyway just as she started to pick me up and slang me to kingdom come, I heard Brenda, She's not a gonna hurt my cousin and I felt the bully grunt and come forward a tad as Brenda jumped up on her back and climbed on up a ways till she could get her around the neck and choke the stuffins out of her. Well heck fire if Brenda can climb up that mountain so can I. I wrapped my legs around and ooched' my way right on up there to her face and started workin' her over. Now she was a BIG! strong girl and she was stumblin around like a buckin' horse tryin' to slang us off. Coach was ringin' his hands and hollerin' GIRLS GIRLS Now stop this right now. Well heck fire he'd outta' stopped her before we had ta' do it now shouldnt' he. HUH? This ol' bully was mean and ugly but we little bitty things were a force to be reconed with and we were madder'n'a'ol'wet hen! Finally someone or perhaps all three of us wore out and we all fell to the floor in a heap. I heard the Coach sigh a big sigh of relief as he said You all get up right now and get to the Principal's office. Which we proceeded to do with the whole team right behind us. Seemed they all wanted to see that the Bully got what was comin' to her and tell Miss Sula Kate it was all her fault. Coach made them all sit in the study hall and took us on in. We were all kinda' nervous now. Never knew what Miss Sula Kate was gonna' do. Well we were all three lookin' at each other and we got tickled. I mean lose your breath giggles. Coach didn't think it was funny and was explaining what had happened while we three just got hysterical with the giggles. Well you'd have to know Miss Sula Kate to understand this, but she got tickled to. We each got a lick from a paddle which did hurt a little bit but heck fire didn't matter to us. I'd like to say the bully was reformed after that but NO, didn't happen. But if she even knew how to be friends with anyone (which I doubt,) she was almost friendly with us from then on. Still picked on all who would let her but not us. NOPE NOT US. We had learned a long time ago how to take care of bullies, only now Brenda didn't run off on me the way she used to. YEP We were quiet a pair. YEP SURE NUFF WERE.
I don't know exactly when it happened but at one point Brenda decided she needed to take care of me instead of the other way around. She matured way before I did and that was probaby where she got that protective Mother instinct. We were in Jr. High and we both played on the basketball team. There was a big (and I mean big as in strong muscled up) girl on the team. she was older than us and she was a bully in capital B's. Seemed everyone was afraid of her and she knew she was the best player on the team. She pushed all us smaller girls around. We were in the gym practicing one day and she decided I wasn't doing what I should. She said, Clydene why don't you quit this team you aint no good anyhow. Well the coach usually took care of things but I was fed up to my eyeballs with her stuff. She reached to take the ball away from me and I flew at her with my spurs all out and I had daggers in my eyes I know. Now I'm here to tell ya I was fed up and I wasn't a takin' this any more. I threw the ball and hit her in the face and pounced on her like a cat. Well my head came to about her waist and my hard head hit her belly and she went WHOOSH as the air left her rotten body. I grabbed on to something and held like a vice. Now it didn't take long for her to get her wind back and she was probably gettin' ready to skin me like a cat fish. The coach was there but he was useless to my way of thinkin', little wimp was probably fraid' of her too. Anyway just as she started to pick me up and slang me to kingdom come, I heard Brenda, She's not a gonna hurt my cousin and I felt the bully grunt and come forward a tad as Brenda jumped up on her back and climbed on up a ways till she could get her around the neck and choke the stuffins out of her. Well heck fire if Brenda can climb up that mountain so can I. I wrapped my legs around and ooched' my way right on up there to her face and started workin' her over. Now she was a BIG! strong girl and she was stumblin around like a buckin' horse tryin' to slang us off. Coach was ringin' his hands and hollerin' GIRLS GIRLS Now stop this right now. Well heck fire he'd outta' stopped her before we had ta' do it now shouldnt' he. HUH? This ol' bully was mean and ugly but we little bitty things were a force to be reconed with and we were madder'n'a'ol'wet hen! Finally someone or perhaps all three of us wore out and we all fell to the floor in a heap. I heard the Coach sigh a big sigh of relief as he said You all get up right now and get to the Principal's office. Which we proceeded to do with the whole team right behind us. Seemed they all wanted to see that the Bully got what was comin' to her and tell Miss Sula Kate it was all her fault. Coach made them all sit in the study hall and took us on in. We were all kinda' nervous now. Never knew what Miss Sula Kate was gonna' do. Well we were all three lookin' at each other and we got tickled. I mean lose your breath giggles. Coach didn't think it was funny and was explaining what had happened while we three just got hysterical with the giggles. Well you'd have to know Miss Sula Kate to understand this, but she got tickled to. We each got a lick from a paddle which did hurt a little bit but heck fire didn't matter to us. I'd like to say the bully was reformed after that but NO, didn't happen. But if she even knew how to be friends with anyone (which I doubt,) she was almost friendly with us from then on. Still picked on all who would let her but not us. NOPE NOT US. We had learned a long time ago how to take care of bullies, only now Brenda didn't run off on me the way she used to. YEP We were quiet a pair. YEP SURE NUFF WERE.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
OL' TIP
9-24-08...OL' TIP
As I look out my kitchen window across the field there are trees and a fence. There is a small outbuilding of some kind there also and it looks for all the world like the view from our back porch when i was a child. That view was the big persimmion tree where Brenda and I played, ate green persimmons, made a fort of saplins underneath it. We spent many a day in that special place where we told secrets, hid our goodies, and watched the sow have 6 little piglets one day. Facinating. A paradise all our own. The railroad track was just to the right and that was where we first met Ol Tip. Tip was a big beautiful Collie dog of unknown age. He was walking down the track. We heard a train coming and started calling the dog to come to us, which he did. Waggin' his tail and lickin' our faces. He was skinny and started drinking out of the glasses of kool-aid we had brought out with us. We poured both glasses out in an old pie pan we had been making mud pies in. He drank it all and kept licking the dirty pan. Brenda go ask Auntie for something to feed him. No she will tell us to run him off. She wont let us keep him. Then I'll go ask my Mama. Clydene how many times have I told you not to pet strange dogs. She came with me to see the dog and I guess she had in mind to run it off and save us from a mean dog. Ethel, Come down here Mama hollered. Auntie came and either cause' Tip won them over or because we begged so convincently Tip got to stay. He lived at both houses. He was at the bus stop with us every morning and there to meet us every evening. We both claimed him but I sure thought he loved me more. I did all I could to keep him at my house and Brenda did the same. Even the boys got in on this and it soon was an all out war between the clans. One day Brenda and I had a knock down drag out brawl. Scratchin' and clawin' and smakin', and even some of my famous bitin'. We were like two wild cats. Of course the boys ran and got our Mamas and the fight was over, but not for long. We would let it go for a day or two and here we would go again. Mama told me one day,"Now Clydene if this don't stop your Daddy is going to give Tip away". Oh No Mama, I love Tip and he's mine. Clydene he was a stray and Brenda loves him too. You two are going to have to share him or he can't stay. I guess auntie told Brenda the same thing cause' the fighting stopped. At least it stopped till' I heard Brenda outside one day calling Tip. "Brenda, shut up, Tip is here eating his supper. You shut up Clydene, He's my dog and you know it. Tip got started out there and I was callin' him back, Brenda was doing the same. Poor Ol' Tip got so confused, he'd start toward Brenda, I'd call him and he'd turn toward me. We just kept on till' Tip just turned and ran off the other way. Tip ran out to the Railroad track and started running up the way where we had first saw him. We both watched in horrow as a train bumped him and threw him over in the grass. He's dead we both hollered and ran toward him. We were both cryin' and slobberin' all the way. When we got there Tip was laying on his side whinning and his leg was bleedin'. We fell down on our knees there in the grass and stickers of some kind. Brenda grabbed hold of me as usual. (In crisis grab Clydene) I threw my arm around her and we cried and hugged for a long time. The boys and our Mama's came. Auntie went and got an old quilt that we had for a pallet in our fort. She rolled Tip over on the quilt and she and my Mama Carried him over to our fort which was the closest place. Tip wagged his tail and looked at us with love in his big brown eyes. Auntie got a straight board and Mama got some rags and they made a cast for Tips leg and tied it on with some elastic. Most dogs would growl or bite when they are hurt, but not Ol' Tip. Nosireee. Tip knew we all loved him and wouldn't hurt him. That night Brenda and I got to stay in the fort with Tip. The next night our Parents had a serious talk with us and we learned a hard lesson. We were so busy being jealous that we almost got Tip killed. Maybe He was running away from us and our bickering over him. We all worked at nursing Tip back to good health and he once again was our faithful companion but he walked with a limp the rest of his life. That was our reminder of how we had acted and we were sorry. We loved each other but we had our squabbles just like all kids do. Didn't matter though. I could call Brenda right now and ask for anything and she could do the same. The bond is strong in our family. Very strong! YEP!!!!
As I look out my kitchen window across the field there are trees and a fence. There is a small outbuilding of some kind there also and it looks for all the world like the view from our back porch when i was a child. That view was the big persimmion tree where Brenda and I played, ate green persimmons, made a fort of saplins underneath it. We spent many a day in that special place where we told secrets, hid our goodies, and watched the sow have 6 little piglets one day. Facinating. A paradise all our own. The railroad track was just to the right and that was where we first met Ol Tip. Tip was a big beautiful Collie dog of unknown age. He was walking down the track. We heard a train coming and started calling the dog to come to us, which he did. Waggin' his tail and lickin' our faces. He was skinny and started drinking out of the glasses of kool-aid we had brought out with us. We poured both glasses out in an old pie pan we had been making mud pies in. He drank it all and kept licking the dirty pan. Brenda go ask Auntie for something to feed him. No she will tell us to run him off. She wont let us keep him. Then I'll go ask my Mama. Clydene how many times have I told you not to pet strange dogs. She came with me to see the dog and I guess she had in mind to run it off and save us from a mean dog. Ethel, Come down here Mama hollered. Auntie came and either cause' Tip won them over or because we begged so convincently Tip got to stay. He lived at both houses. He was at the bus stop with us every morning and there to meet us every evening. We both claimed him but I sure thought he loved me more. I did all I could to keep him at my house and Brenda did the same. Even the boys got in on this and it soon was an all out war between the clans. One day Brenda and I had a knock down drag out brawl. Scratchin' and clawin' and smakin', and even some of my famous bitin'. We were like two wild cats. Of course the boys ran and got our Mamas and the fight was over, but not for long. We would let it go for a day or two and here we would go again. Mama told me one day,"Now Clydene if this don't stop your Daddy is going to give Tip away". Oh No Mama, I love Tip and he's mine. Clydene he was a stray and Brenda loves him too. You two are going to have to share him or he can't stay. I guess auntie told Brenda the same thing cause' the fighting stopped. At least it stopped till' I heard Brenda outside one day calling Tip. "Brenda, shut up, Tip is here eating his supper. You shut up Clydene, He's my dog and you know it. Tip got started out there and I was callin' him back, Brenda was doing the same. Poor Ol' Tip got so confused, he'd start toward Brenda, I'd call him and he'd turn toward me. We just kept on till' Tip just turned and ran off the other way. Tip ran out to the Railroad track and started running up the way where we had first saw him. We both watched in horrow as a train bumped him and threw him over in the grass. He's dead we both hollered and ran toward him. We were both cryin' and slobberin' all the way. When we got there Tip was laying on his side whinning and his leg was bleedin'. We fell down on our knees there in the grass and stickers of some kind. Brenda grabbed hold of me as usual. (In crisis grab Clydene) I threw my arm around her and we cried and hugged for a long time. The boys and our Mama's came. Auntie went and got an old quilt that we had for a pallet in our fort. She rolled Tip over on the quilt and she and my Mama Carried him over to our fort which was the closest place. Tip wagged his tail and looked at us with love in his big brown eyes. Auntie got a straight board and Mama got some rags and they made a cast for Tips leg and tied it on with some elastic. Most dogs would growl or bite when they are hurt, but not Ol' Tip. Nosireee. Tip knew we all loved him and wouldn't hurt him. That night Brenda and I got to stay in the fort with Tip. The next night our Parents had a serious talk with us and we learned a hard lesson. We were so busy being jealous that we almost got Tip killed. Maybe He was running away from us and our bickering over him. We all worked at nursing Tip back to good health and he once again was our faithful companion but he walked with a limp the rest of his life. That was our reminder of how we had acted and we were sorry. We loved each other but we had our squabbles just like all kids do. Didn't matter though. I could call Brenda right now and ask for anything and she could do the same. The bond is strong in our family. Very strong! YEP!!!!
Monday, September 22, 2008
CHILDISH FEARS
9-22-08...CHILDISH FEARS
There were two ladies that I came in contact often whom I was very scared of. They were (how do I phrase this?) Huge, old, slightly 'different'. They both walked everywhere they went. One of them walked up the road every morning while we were standing at the school bus stop. She usually just went on by not even glancing at us, which suited us just fine. This one morning she stopped right in front of us and just stood there looking at us. We were probably shaking so hard our teeth were rattling. As usual, Brenda grabbed hold of my coat tail and held on. She whispered, Clydene whats she'a'gonna do. Shhh! Brenda, be real quiet and still, maybe she wont see us. Now how stupid was that thought? Of course she saw us! And boy did we see her. I guess because of her size and age she wheezed and grunted as she walked along. Well here she was wheezin' and gruntin' and splutterin' so close to us that we imagined we saw fire coming out of her mouth and ears just like a dragon. Clydene we better run. Yep, lets go. She was standing there taking up the space we needed to use to head out and so we started backin' up. She spoke. The first time we had ever heard her voice and let me tell you that put the fire in our britches and we backed up fast. Brenda its a witch, it's a witch. Brenda froze in her tracks and she had a death grip on my coat tail so I didn't move as fast as I wanted to. Brenda, turn loose of me, come on. well Brenda just got a tighter hold on my coat and wrapped her other arm around my neck. Now I was splutterin' and gruntin' worse than that lady was. About that time we heard water runnin'. we looked and there was a big stream of water comin' down from under her long dress and hittin' the ground. There were little muddy droplets bouncin' up from the ground and steam comin' up with it. "SHE'S A FIXIN' TO BLOW FIRE OUTTA HER DRESS BRENDA, COM'ON. By then Brenda was shaking so hard she turned loose of me about the time I pushed her backwards. We both went sprawlin' backwards right in to the ditch behind us head over heals. Brenda went in first and me right on top of her in to the ditch about half full of cold water. Heck we didn't even feel the cold water. Brenda got hold of me again and almost choked me to death. I threw my arm backwards and hit her right in the mouth. She had a loose tooth and that dad burned thing got its self pulled right then. She still didn't turn loose of me, she was moaning and groaning and almost sounded as bad as that lady did. We were flat scared outta' our ever lovin' goards!! Well that lady just finished up her steamin on the road and looked once at us and grunted and puffed on up the road like she didn't see us shakin' there in that ditch. We heard the bus honkin' as we tore out down the road toward home. We liked to have never made our Mama's understand that there was a fire blowin' kid eatin' witch up there and it pushed us in a ditch and flew off on its broom. It took our Mama's even longer to make us understand what had really happened. Seems they knew about the lady and she did that all the time. Just stopped when the urge hit her and let the fire fly, so to speak. She didn't come that way again while we were standing there and one day Mama said that the lady had fallen up on the corner and broke her hip. It took 4 strong men to load the poor thing in the back of a pickup in the rain and haul her to the hospital. She never walked again to my knowledge. I feel so sorry about what happened to her now, but at the time I was about as scared as I ever had been before or maybe since. I kid you not, I'm sittin' here almost shakin' outta the chair right now just remembering it. Scared the stuffins outta me!!!! Hey I gotta go to the bathroom right now. Yep, good thing Brenda don't have her grip on me now. I'd have'ta take her with me. YEP!!!
There were two ladies that I came in contact often whom I was very scared of. They were (how do I phrase this?) Huge, old, slightly 'different'. They both walked everywhere they went. One of them walked up the road every morning while we were standing at the school bus stop. She usually just went on by not even glancing at us, which suited us just fine. This one morning she stopped right in front of us and just stood there looking at us. We were probably shaking so hard our teeth were rattling. As usual, Brenda grabbed hold of my coat tail and held on. She whispered, Clydene whats she'a'gonna do. Shhh! Brenda, be real quiet and still, maybe she wont see us. Now how stupid was that thought? Of course she saw us! And boy did we see her. I guess because of her size and age she wheezed and grunted as she walked along. Well here she was wheezin' and gruntin' and splutterin' so close to us that we imagined we saw fire coming out of her mouth and ears just like a dragon. Clydene we better run. Yep, lets go. She was standing there taking up the space we needed to use to head out and so we started backin' up. She spoke. The first time we had ever heard her voice and let me tell you that put the fire in our britches and we backed up fast. Brenda its a witch, it's a witch. Brenda froze in her tracks and she had a death grip on my coat tail so I didn't move as fast as I wanted to. Brenda, turn loose of me, come on. well Brenda just got a tighter hold on my coat and wrapped her other arm around my neck. Now I was splutterin' and gruntin' worse than that lady was. About that time we heard water runnin'. we looked and there was a big stream of water comin' down from under her long dress and hittin' the ground. There were little muddy droplets bouncin' up from the ground and steam comin' up with it. "SHE'S A FIXIN' TO BLOW FIRE OUTTA HER DRESS BRENDA, COM'ON. By then Brenda was shaking so hard she turned loose of me about the time I pushed her backwards. We both went sprawlin' backwards right in to the ditch behind us head over heals. Brenda went in first and me right on top of her in to the ditch about half full of cold water. Heck we didn't even feel the cold water. Brenda got hold of me again and almost choked me to death. I threw my arm backwards and hit her right in the mouth. She had a loose tooth and that dad burned thing got its self pulled right then. She still didn't turn loose of me, she was moaning and groaning and almost sounded as bad as that lady did. We were flat scared outta' our ever lovin' goards!! Well that lady just finished up her steamin on the road and looked once at us and grunted and puffed on up the road like she didn't see us shakin' there in that ditch. We heard the bus honkin' as we tore out down the road toward home. We liked to have never made our Mama's understand that there was a fire blowin' kid eatin' witch up there and it pushed us in a ditch and flew off on its broom. It took our Mama's even longer to make us understand what had really happened. Seems they knew about the lady and she did that all the time. Just stopped when the urge hit her and let the fire fly, so to speak. She didn't come that way again while we were standing there and one day Mama said that the lady had fallen up on the corner and broke her hip. It took 4 strong men to load the poor thing in the back of a pickup in the rain and haul her to the hospital. She never walked again to my knowledge. I feel so sorry about what happened to her now, but at the time I was about as scared as I ever had been before or maybe since. I kid you not, I'm sittin' here almost shakin' outta the chair right now just remembering it. Scared the stuffins outta me!!!! Hey I gotta go to the bathroom right now. Yep, good thing Brenda don't have her grip on me now. I'd have'ta take her with me. YEP!!!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
I CAME IN KICKING AND SCREAMING
9-21-08...I CAME IN KICKING AND SCREAMING
I was born on a hot August day in 1944. My Mama had kidney poison and almost died. I asked her one day, Mama did I almost die as well? Heck no Clydene, she said, you came in to this world kickin' and screamim' and you haven't stopped since!! When I think back on all the honery things I've done I know she was tellin' the truth when she said that. I must have been a mess all my life and with the help of my side-kick Brenda there was no stopping me. What a relief it must have been to our Mama's when we started to school. Out of their hair for a while. I figured they both sighed with relief every morning when we got on the school bus. Now I cried for a long time in school. Miss Sallie gave me lots of paddlins', shamed me to the others, ignored me and everything she could think of. Just didn't work. Mama would get me ready every morning and send me up the road to catch the bus. I tried and tried to sneak back to the house and 'miss' the bus. I knew there was no way for Mama to get me there if I missed the bus. That Woman always caught me and sent me right back up that road. Heck fire, I never got away with that even one time. One night when Brenda stayed at my house I devised one of my brilliant plans. Brenda we'll get sick and they wont make us go. How Clydene? Well I had to think on that for a spell but I came up with a brilliant plan. YEP A Stupendous plan (as in stupid). Mama kept ex-lax for the obvious reasons. I knew that if she ate too many of them she had PROBLEMS!! I saw her do just that a few times and I knew she was , shall I say disabled? indisposed? for a while. Heck Fire Brenda that'll do it. And they are chocolate and I bet they are good!! EX-LAX came in a cute little blue box all wrapped up like a candy bar. Shoot I'd always wanted to taste them and I knew where she kept them too by golly. I got me a chair and climbed up to reach them on a shelf in the old pie safe. Boy! Brenda it's a whole box. Recon how much we should eat Brenda said. Well I heard Mama say she took too much so it must be a lot. Heck we just divided them and ate the whole durn box. That outta work. well shoot fire Brenda it aint working I said sometime in the night. Guess that aint'a'gonna keep us outta school after all. SHOOT!! Well I don't know how long it took but Yep it did work. It worked big time!! I woke up with the most awful ache in my stomach I ever had. Oh Brenda, go get Mama, I'm sick! Clydene I'm sick too, You go get her. OOOHHH Brenda I'm dyin' I'm dyin' Get Mama Quick. I'm dyin' too Clydene. Whadda we a'gonna do? Well we knew right away what we were gonna do. Yep no doubt about it. we knew!!! No details are necessary here. Make your own opinions. I'm just saying that was another time I put some more gray hairs in my Mamas head. And we didn't have to go to school either. We hadn't counted on being so sick we wouldn't enjoy a minute of our day outta school. Yep I came in kickin'and screamin' all right. My Mama was 76 when she died and I had kept her on the ball all her life. She loved me unconditionally though. Thats how Mamas are aint it?
I was born on a hot August day in 1944. My Mama had kidney poison and almost died. I asked her one day, Mama did I almost die as well? Heck no Clydene, she said, you came in to this world kickin' and screamim' and you haven't stopped since!! When I think back on all the honery things I've done I know she was tellin' the truth when she said that. I must have been a mess all my life and with the help of my side-kick Brenda there was no stopping me. What a relief it must have been to our Mama's when we started to school. Out of their hair for a while. I figured they both sighed with relief every morning when we got on the school bus. Now I cried for a long time in school. Miss Sallie gave me lots of paddlins', shamed me to the others, ignored me and everything she could think of. Just didn't work. Mama would get me ready every morning and send me up the road to catch the bus. I tried and tried to sneak back to the house and 'miss' the bus. I knew there was no way for Mama to get me there if I missed the bus. That Woman always caught me and sent me right back up that road. Heck fire, I never got away with that even one time. One night when Brenda stayed at my house I devised one of my brilliant plans. Brenda we'll get sick and they wont make us go. How Clydene? Well I had to think on that for a spell but I came up with a brilliant plan. YEP A Stupendous plan (as in stupid). Mama kept ex-lax for the obvious reasons. I knew that if she ate too many of them she had PROBLEMS!! I saw her do just that a few times and I knew she was , shall I say disabled? indisposed? for a while. Heck Fire Brenda that'll do it. And they are chocolate and I bet they are good!! EX-LAX came in a cute little blue box all wrapped up like a candy bar. Shoot I'd always wanted to taste them and I knew where she kept them too by golly. I got me a chair and climbed up to reach them on a shelf in the old pie safe. Boy! Brenda it's a whole box. Recon how much we should eat Brenda said. Well I heard Mama say she took too much so it must be a lot. Heck we just divided them and ate the whole durn box. That outta work. well shoot fire Brenda it aint working I said sometime in the night. Guess that aint'a'gonna keep us outta school after all. SHOOT!! Well I don't know how long it took but Yep it did work. It worked big time!! I woke up with the most awful ache in my stomach I ever had. Oh Brenda, go get Mama, I'm sick! Clydene I'm sick too, You go get her. OOOHHH Brenda I'm dyin' I'm dyin' Get Mama Quick. I'm dyin' too Clydene. Whadda we a'gonna do? Well we knew right away what we were gonna do. Yep no doubt about it. we knew!!! No details are necessary here. Make your own opinions. I'm just saying that was another time I put some more gray hairs in my Mamas head. And we didn't have to go to school either. We hadn't counted on being so sick we wouldn't enjoy a minute of our day outta school. Yep I came in kickin'and screamin' all right. My Mama was 76 when she died and I had kept her on the ball all her life. She loved me unconditionally though. Thats how Mamas are aint it?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
WORK
9-16-08...WORK
A couple of boys came to our door yesterday and asked if we had any work for them. That was sad to me. They said their Parents sent them. I know the Parents and I see them working and hiring others to help them. These boys just ride up and down the road all day on their motor bikes. When did things change so drastically. I figure the Parents can't get much work out of these boys and have to hire help. Then they send them to neighbors begging for work for us to pay them when we probably couldn't get any work out of them either. Brenda and I and our Brothers worked at home. If we worked anywhere else Daddy took us with him to pick strawberries, cotton, cucumbers, peas, peaches, grapes, ect. We bought school clothes with this money. We still worked at home. It was our home too my Daddy told us and we were expected to contribute. Thats just the way it was. We didn't even question it. No allowance. Heck I didn't know what that was. We gathered eggs, Fed the Chickens and hogs, fed the horse that daddy used to plough with, hoed the garden,gathered the produce and helped put it away for the winter. I remember helping Mama carry no. two washtubs full of veggies from the garden. Then shuck, snap, peel, wash and cook. Then put it in jars and can it in a pressure cooker for winter. Girls helped clean house, wash the clothes on an old wringer washer, hung them on the line, brought them in when they were dry and sprinkled them and ironed everything. The boys pushed the old lawn mower which was just that, a push mower with no motor. I'm sure some of you will remember them, cut weeds with a big blade with a sharp hook and long handle. You swung the blade against the weeds and it cut them. I can't remember what they were called. They milked the cow and any other thing daddy needed their help on. What in the world is going on now! No respect for Parents, teachers or anyone in authority. It is so sad. We were taught these things. We were diciplined when we needed it, and we needed it. We were not handed everything on a silver platter we earned it. What in the world will those two boys do when they must be out on their own? I shudder to think. We had a carefree life and a simple one but we learned what must be done to survive with diginty in this wicked world of today. We had lots of fun and happiness with hardly anything at all. I feel sorry for some of the young people in the world today. They've really got it rough!!!
A couple of boys came to our door yesterday and asked if we had any work for them. That was sad to me. They said their Parents sent them. I know the Parents and I see them working and hiring others to help them. These boys just ride up and down the road all day on their motor bikes. When did things change so drastically. I figure the Parents can't get much work out of these boys and have to hire help. Then they send them to neighbors begging for work for us to pay them when we probably couldn't get any work out of them either. Brenda and I and our Brothers worked at home. If we worked anywhere else Daddy took us with him to pick strawberries, cotton, cucumbers, peas, peaches, grapes, ect. We bought school clothes with this money. We still worked at home. It was our home too my Daddy told us and we were expected to contribute. Thats just the way it was. We didn't even question it. No allowance. Heck I didn't know what that was. We gathered eggs, Fed the Chickens and hogs, fed the horse that daddy used to plough with, hoed the garden,gathered the produce and helped put it away for the winter. I remember helping Mama carry no. two washtubs full of veggies from the garden. Then shuck, snap, peel, wash and cook. Then put it in jars and can it in a pressure cooker for winter. Girls helped clean house, wash the clothes on an old wringer washer, hung them on the line, brought them in when they were dry and sprinkled them and ironed everything. The boys pushed the old lawn mower which was just that, a push mower with no motor. I'm sure some of you will remember them, cut weeds with a big blade with a sharp hook and long handle. You swung the blade against the weeds and it cut them. I can't remember what they were called. They milked the cow and any other thing daddy needed their help on. What in the world is going on now! No respect for Parents, teachers or anyone in authority. It is so sad. We were taught these things. We were diciplined when we needed it, and we needed it. We were not handed everything on a silver platter we earned it. What in the world will those two boys do when they must be out on their own? I shudder to think. We had a carefree life and a simple one but we learned what must be done to survive with diginty in this wicked world of today. We had lots of fun and happiness with hardly anything at all. I feel sorry for some of the young people in the world today. They've really got it rough!!!
Monday, September 15, 2008
CLUBS
9-15-08...CLUBS
We didn't have a lot of toys and things to play with when we were growing up so we had to improvise big time. Brenda and I decided we would form a sewing club. The boys, not to be outdone, formed a building club. We asked for the things we would need. Grandma gave Brenda and I some old scraps too small for her quilts and a needle each, some thread, and we even got a shiny thimble each. Daddy got some lumber scraps and one old hammer and some used nails which the boys had to pull out of the boards. Boy Howdy we were in business. Grandma showed us how to sew all the little pieces together in lots of layers to make pot holders and we went to work. We had cigar boxes to keep our 'stuff' in and were cautioned to keep it put up. Now girls you can't have any more so be careful and not lose those things. OK Granny, we wont. We did good for a few days then we got bored and wanted some 'pretty' colors to work with. Now girls I dont have any more Granny said. I told you that to start with. Well shoot fire Brenda, she's got mor'n enough. No used to be so stingy. Heck I know where she has a old dress of mine that is tore. We'll get that, it's pretty red and white. Now Granny was gonna' fix that dress for me to wear, but somehow I'd forgot that fact. We snuck' in the room where Granny kept her stuff'. There it is Brenda, get it and I'll get her scissors to cut it up with. Which we did. Never for any reason were we supposed to touch Grannies scissors. NEVER NEVER!! We'll hurry and get the dress cut up then we'll put the scissors back Brenda, Granny'l never know. Granny's scissors were very sharp and to be used only by her. She made quilts, sheets, and most of our clothes. Well the first thing I did was cut right through that dress and in to the dress I was wearing. Now I had two ruined dresses. Oh well this is just an old ever-day dress Brenda, It is green so now we'll have two colors. WHOOOPPPEEE! I went and put on another dress (we didn't wear pants then) and we ran in Mama and Daddies bed room. We sat down there and threaded our needles. I lost mine right away. We looked and looked. That durn needle was flat out gone. We were afraid to go back to Grannies scraps to hunt another needle. You cut and I'll sew Brenda. No I wanna sew. OK we'll take turns. Brenda we better go put the scissors back we got plenty cut . Heck fire Brenda had her dress cut now and it was yellow. We gathered up sewin' stuff' and put it away and went to Brenda's house so she could get another dress on. Before we left we heard Daddy saying, Boys, I picked up a bunch of nails in the yard, and WHERE IS MY HAMMER? Seems they had not been doing very well on their club business either. We decided we better kinda lay off our sewing club for a few days. Daddy started to get in bed that night and kinda scooped up that blamed needle with his knee. WOOOPPPS, THEM DURNED CLUBS ARE GONNA COME TO A SCREECHING HALT!!!! The next morning Granny was lookin' for the dress to fix, and first thing she noticed was somebody had been in her sewing boxes. Now how the heck did she know that? Huh? Also that morning Mama found some pieces of the dress material in the bedroom floor. CLLLYYYDDDEEENNNEEE, GET IN HERE. Well it didn't take much detective work for it to be all figured out. Parents and Grandparents are just too dad blamed smart aint they? We not only all four gt spankings but Grandma Patched the one dress that survid with all the colors of the other dresses that were ruined and Brenda and I had to take turns wearing it to School. Me first grade, Brenda second grade. We only had to wear it one time but that was ENOUGH! Yep sure was. It was so hard for our Parents to keep us clothed then. Daddy worked hard and always provided for us but we never had extra. I've said it before and I'll say it again. We deserved every spanking we got and shoulda' got a lot more of them. We reaped the cream of the crop when we got our wonderful Parents. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!!!! NOPE!
We didn't have a lot of toys and things to play with when we were growing up so we had to improvise big time. Brenda and I decided we would form a sewing club. The boys, not to be outdone, formed a building club. We asked for the things we would need. Grandma gave Brenda and I some old scraps too small for her quilts and a needle each, some thread, and we even got a shiny thimble each. Daddy got some lumber scraps and one old hammer and some used nails which the boys had to pull out of the boards. Boy Howdy we were in business. Grandma showed us how to sew all the little pieces together in lots of layers to make pot holders and we went to work. We had cigar boxes to keep our 'stuff' in and were cautioned to keep it put up. Now girls you can't have any more so be careful and not lose those things. OK Granny, we wont. We did good for a few days then we got bored and wanted some 'pretty' colors to work with. Now girls I dont have any more Granny said. I told you that to start with. Well shoot fire Brenda, she's got mor'n enough. No used to be so stingy. Heck I know where she has a old dress of mine that is tore. We'll get that, it's pretty red and white. Now Granny was gonna' fix that dress for me to wear, but somehow I'd forgot that fact. We snuck' in the room where Granny kept her stuff'. There it is Brenda, get it and I'll get her scissors to cut it up with. Which we did. Never for any reason were we supposed to touch Grannies scissors. NEVER NEVER!! We'll hurry and get the dress cut up then we'll put the scissors back Brenda, Granny'l never know. Granny's scissors were very sharp and to be used only by her. She made quilts, sheets, and most of our clothes. Well the first thing I did was cut right through that dress and in to the dress I was wearing. Now I had two ruined dresses. Oh well this is just an old ever-day dress Brenda, It is green so now we'll have two colors. WHOOOPPPEEE! I went and put on another dress (we didn't wear pants then) and we ran in Mama and Daddies bed room. We sat down there and threaded our needles. I lost mine right away. We looked and looked. That durn needle was flat out gone. We were afraid to go back to Grannies scraps to hunt another needle. You cut and I'll sew Brenda. No I wanna sew. OK we'll take turns. Brenda we better go put the scissors back we got plenty cut . Heck fire Brenda had her dress cut now and it was yellow. We gathered up sewin' stuff' and put it away and went to Brenda's house so she could get another dress on. Before we left we heard Daddy saying, Boys, I picked up a bunch of nails in the yard, and WHERE IS MY HAMMER? Seems they had not been doing very well on their club business either. We decided we better kinda lay off our sewing club for a few days. Daddy started to get in bed that night and kinda scooped up that blamed needle with his knee. WOOOPPPS, THEM DURNED CLUBS ARE GONNA COME TO A SCREECHING HALT!!!! The next morning Granny was lookin' for the dress to fix, and first thing she noticed was somebody had been in her sewing boxes. Now how the heck did she know that? Huh? Also that morning Mama found some pieces of the dress material in the bedroom floor. CLLLYYYDDDEEENNNEEE, GET IN HERE. Well it didn't take much detective work for it to be all figured out. Parents and Grandparents are just too dad blamed smart aint they? We not only all four gt spankings but Grandma Patched the one dress that survid with all the colors of the other dresses that were ruined and Brenda and I had to take turns wearing it to School. Me first grade, Brenda second grade. We only had to wear it one time but that was ENOUGH! Yep sure was. It was so hard for our Parents to keep us clothed then. Daddy worked hard and always provided for us but we never had extra. I've said it before and I'll say it again. We deserved every spanking we got and shoulda' got a lot more of them. We reaped the cream of the crop when we got our wonderful Parents. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!!!! NOPE!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
FIRST GRADE 1950
9-12-08...FIRST GRADE 1950
I talked to a couple of my school classmates just recently. We talked about School days of course. The conversation got on our First Grade teacher, Miss Sallie. There are conflicting memories but I just have my memories so that's all I can relate to. Miss Sallie had been a very gifted and educated teacher in her time. She was old as dirt I think and her mind tended to wander. My friend Ruby says she just loved Miss Sallie to pieces. My friend Tommy and I both remember her being very weird. My first grade was tramatic any way you look at it with me bawling every day and Brenda across the hall wettin' her pants. I had plenty of adventures but today it's Miss Sallie I'm focusing on. Miss Sallie had a big knot of hair that hung kinda' hap'hazzardly on the side of her head. Probably was supposed to be on top but I think it slipped. She had big thick glasses that made her eyes look big and buggy. I dont remember much teachin' going on. She told us stories. She would take her desk chair and move it in the middle of the floor near our desks. She told stories like, Jack and The Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs and other children stories of the time. I don't remember her telling them the way I heard them from my Parents, or anywhere else for that matter. She just scared the ever'lovin' stuffins' out of me. I was so sure her stories were all true and factual. The one story I remember her telling that wasn't any I ever heard then or since then was just horrifying to me. She said that when she got ready for bed each night a little elf, that lived in her watch, jumped out and hopped around her bed and chattered and giggled. Then she said when she got ready to come to school the next morning the little elf got back in her watch and stayed there all day. She would take that little gold watch off and put it up to her ear and listen. We got to listen too if we dared, which I did, and of course the watches ticked then. Sooo! The elf took form ,at least in my mind it did, and became reality. The one time I told someone about it they laughed at me and called me a liar. Guess I told the wrong person. Miss Sallie never married and lived with her Mother next door in the house she was probably raised in. She took us over there all the time and I was just scared spitless. I couldn't really remember but I thought her Mom was still there and My Friend Tommy confirmed that she indeed was. I got a clear picture from his description of her. Solid white hair pulled up on her head in a not too tidy bun. Kinda big and has long hairs growing out of her chin. That old house as I remember it was like the story of Hansel and Grettle that Miss Sallie had told us. So Of course the lady was the witch in the story as far as I was concerned. I hated going over there but My Friend Ruby told me she just loved going. I remember one day I said to my friend Billie, lets run and we started to do just that but Miss Sallie saw us and told us, Come on now girls, we are having an adventure, there is more to learning than books. Well for my part of that I'd rather have been back where the books were! I just knew that little elf was lurking around there getting ready to jump on my back and chatter in my ears and I sure didn't want that. The house was dark, drab, and musty smelling to me. Horrible Horrible Horrible. Now I realize now that Miss Sallie must have taught us something, that is just not the part I remember. Surely to Goodness we learned, at least some of us did. As I remember there were about 15 in our first grade class but 9 of us is all that made it to the second grade. And it was us 9 for the next 11 years. We graduated in 1962 and we aint any of us no dummy. We had to of learned. That was Miss Sallies last year to teach. The next year Miss Bonnie was the first grade teacher. Miss Bonnie had never married either. Sometimes I think those were the smartest people but they were weird to me then and still are. Yep my first grade of school was certainly a big adventure. But I did ok. No worse for the wear. Yep did pretty good I'd say. YEP
I talked to a couple of my school classmates just recently. We talked about School days of course. The conversation got on our First Grade teacher, Miss Sallie. There are conflicting memories but I just have my memories so that's all I can relate to. Miss Sallie had been a very gifted and educated teacher in her time. She was old as dirt I think and her mind tended to wander. My friend Ruby says she just loved Miss Sallie to pieces. My friend Tommy and I both remember her being very weird. My first grade was tramatic any way you look at it with me bawling every day and Brenda across the hall wettin' her pants. I had plenty of adventures but today it's Miss Sallie I'm focusing on. Miss Sallie had a big knot of hair that hung kinda' hap'hazzardly on the side of her head. Probably was supposed to be on top but I think it slipped. She had big thick glasses that made her eyes look big and buggy. I dont remember much teachin' going on. She told us stories. She would take her desk chair and move it in the middle of the floor near our desks. She told stories like, Jack and The Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs and other children stories of the time. I don't remember her telling them the way I heard them from my Parents, or anywhere else for that matter. She just scared the ever'lovin' stuffins' out of me. I was so sure her stories were all true and factual. The one story I remember her telling that wasn't any I ever heard then or since then was just horrifying to me. She said that when she got ready for bed each night a little elf, that lived in her watch, jumped out and hopped around her bed and chattered and giggled. Then she said when she got ready to come to school the next morning the little elf got back in her watch and stayed there all day. She would take that little gold watch off and put it up to her ear and listen. We got to listen too if we dared, which I did, and of course the watches ticked then. Sooo! The elf took form ,at least in my mind it did, and became reality. The one time I told someone about it they laughed at me and called me a liar. Guess I told the wrong person. Miss Sallie never married and lived with her Mother next door in the house she was probably raised in. She took us over there all the time and I was just scared spitless. I couldn't really remember but I thought her Mom was still there and My Friend Tommy confirmed that she indeed was. I got a clear picture from his description of her. Solid white hair pulled up on her head in a not too tidy bun. Kinda big and has long hairs growing out of her chin. That old house as I remember it was like the story of Hansel and Grettle that Miss Sallie had told us. So Of course the lady was the witch in the story as far as I was concerned. I hated going over there but My Friend Ruby told me she just loved going. I remember one day I said to my friend Billie, lets run and we started to do just that but Miss Sallie saw us and told us, Come on now girls, we are having an adventure, there is more to learning than books. Well for my part of that I'd rather have been back where the books were! I just knew that little elf was lurking around there getting ready to jump on my back and chatter in my ears and I sure didn't want that. The house was dark, drab, and musty smelling to me. Horrible Horrible Horrible. Now I realize now that Miss Sallie must have taught us something, that is just not the part I remember. Surely to Goodness we learned, at least some of us did. As I remember there were about 15 in our first grade class but 9 of us is all that made it to the second grade. And it was us 9 for the next 11 years. We graduated in 1962 and we aint any of us no dummy. We had to of learned. That was Miss Sallies last year to teach. The next year Miss Bonnie was the first grade teacher. Miss Bonnie had never married either. Sometimes I think those were the smartest people but they were weird to me then and still are. Yep my first grade of school was certainly a big adventure. But I did ok. No worse for the wear. Yep did pretty good I'd say. YEP
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
HOG KILLIN'
9-9-08...HOG KILLIN'
Daddy always raised a hog for winter meat. Usually he and Brenda's Daddy got together and helped each other on their hogs. But this one year both of them were working in the coal mines in Oklahoma and they hired a man to do it for them. He brought some people with him and of course Brenda and I and the boys were there to watch. No need to explain the procedure to the ones who already know about killing hogs and I doubt the rest of you really want to know. I'll just say it was a bloody job. These men were German and lived on what we called Catholic hill, the reason being that the big beautiful Catholic Church sat atop the Hill and looked down on the town of Altus. Hence, CATHOLIC HILL. Anyway this old man did a few things different than we did. First thing was they drank some of the blood and saved some for blood puddin' Yep, sure did. I nudged Brenda and said lets ask for a drink of that. YEWWW Clydene I aint'a gonna drink blood. Well I am I said. I asked if I could have a drink and (i'll call him Frank) said, Are you sure? Yep I'm sure. Then go ask your Mama first. If she says OK then I don't care. How does it taste? Sweet he said. OH Boy I sure nuff' liked sweets. Come on Brenda Lets go ask. Mama said no don't do that I'm afraid it will make you sick. But Mama. No buts you just do as I say. Well shoot fire I said to Brenda, Im'a gonna' get me a drink of it anyway. Well Frank probably knew that Mama would say no cause he said you girls better not try it. Well Heck, I wanted a drink of that pretty sweet red blood. ( i gag just thinking about it now) The blood for the puddin' was in a white bucket. The men had drank right out of the bucket so By Golly I could to. RIGHT? WRONG! Brenda come on and help me. No Clydene I said I aint'a gonna' do it. You don't have to drink none just help me hold the bucket. NO! Clydene you better not. Shut up Brenda and come help me. You Shut up Clydene. Of course Brenda did help me. Brenda take hold of the bottom of the bucket and help me hold it up to my mouth. When she started up to my mouth we both spotted the tattle tail boys running likity' split' toward the house. Hurry Brenda there a gonna tell. No Clydene don't do it. To which I jerked the bucket up to my mourh, Brenda turned loose and I not only got a drink of blood but I got a blood bath. Yep, the bucket was on my head like a big hat comin' down over my face and Brenda took off. Little traitor took off home as fast as she could go and left me there with a bucket on my head and that sticky stinky blood all over me. Brenda's Brother and My Brother Norman both took off with Brenda and left me to face Mama alone. It was chilly outside then being early fall so Mama took me to the back porch and cleaned me up the best she could. Then she heated water for a warm bath which felt great. When I was finally clean and dry I got a blisterin' on my backside and I threw up like a buzzard. Nope, Don't want no blood puddin, and no sweet blood to drink ever again. I spilt' the man's puddin' blood too which I had to tell him I was sorry for doing. Frank was laughing so hard at me he could hardly answer. By then Brenda,her Mama and the boys were back and they all laughed till they cried. HECK! Weren't funny to my way of thinkin'. I think I need to vomit so excuse me Please!!! SHOULDA LISTENED YEP SURE SHOULDA' LISTENED!!!
Daddy always raised a hog for winter meat. Usually he and Brenda's Daddy got together and helped each other on their hogs. But this one year both of them were working in the coal mines in Oklahoma and they hired a man to do it for them. He brought some people with him and of course Brenda and I and the boys were there to watch. No need to explain the procedure to the ones who already know about killing hogs and I doubt the rest of you really want to know. I'll just say it was a bloody job. These men were German and lived on what we called Catholic hill, the reason being that the big beautiful Catholic Church sat atop the Hill and looked down on the town of Altus. Hence, CATHOLIC HILL. Anyway this old man did a few things different than we did. First thing was they drank some of the blood and saved some for blood puddin' Yep, sure did. I nudged Brenda and said lets ask for a drink of that. YEWWW Clydene I aint'a gonna drink blood. Well I am I said. I asked if I could have a drink and (i'll call him Frank) said, Are you sure? Yep I'm sure. Then go ask your Mama first. If she says OK then I don't care. How does it taste? Sweet he said. OH Boy I sure nuff' liked sweets. Come on Brenda Lets go ask. Mama said no don't do that I'm afraid it will make you sick. But Mama. No buts you just do as I say. Well shoot fire I said to Brenda, Im'a gonna' get me a drink of it anyway. Well Frank probably knew that Mama would say no cause he said you girls better not try it. Well Heck, I wanted a drink of that pretty sweet red blood. ( i gag just thinking about it now) The blood for the puddin' was in a white bucket. The men had drank right out of the bucket so By Golly I could to. RIGHT? WRONG! Brenda come on and help me. No Clydene I said I aint'a gonna' do it. You don't have to drink none just help me hold the bucket. NO! Clydene you better not. Shut up Brenda and come help me. You Shut up Clydene. Of course Brenda did help me. Brenda take hold of the bottom of the bucket and help me hold it up to my mouth. When she started up to my mouth we both spotted the tattle tail boys running likity' split' toward the house. Hurry Brenda there a gonna tell. No Clydene don't do it. To which I jerked the bucket up to my mourh, Brenda turned loose and I not only got a drink of blood but I got a blood bath. Yep, the bucket was on my head like a big hat comin' down over my face and Brenda took off. Little traitor took off home as fast as she could go and left me there with a bucket on my head and that sticky stinky blood all over me. Brenda's Brother and My Brother Norman both took off with Brenda and left me to face Mama alone. It was chilly outside then being early fall so Mama took me to the back porch and cleaned me up the best she could. Then she heated water for a warm bath which felt great. When I was finally clean and dry I got a blisterin' on my backside and I threw up like a buzzard. Nope, Don't want no blood puddin, and no sweet blood to drink ever again. I spilt' the man's puddin' blood too which I had to tell him I was sorry for doing. Frank was laughing so hard at me he could hardly answer. By then Brenda,her Mama and the boys were back and they all laughed till they cried. HECK! Weren't funny to my way of thinkin'. I think I need to vomit so excuse me Please!!! SHOULDA LISTENED YEP SURE SHOULDA' LISTENED!!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
I IRONED MY HAIR
9-8-08...I IRONED MY HAIR
I have curly hair and I've always hated it. Never could do anything with it. When everyone started wearing long pony tails I couldn't wear one. My very curly hair would just squirm out of the band I used to hold it. We heard about some girls ironing their hair and making it perfectly straight. I wantd that for mine so of course I drafted Brenda's help. We heated the iron and I put my hair over the board and she started ironing. Seemed to be working too but all at once she touched my ear with the hot iron and I squealed bringing Mama running. WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TWO DOING SHE HOLLERED. Mama I want my hair to be straight I said. No you sure do not Mama said. But Mama, No Buts put that iron up. Oh my gosh Brenda look at this, I have one streak of straight hair. I can't leave it like this. We have to get the rest done. Well if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. Aint that what Grandma always said? Sure was. Were'a goin' to Brenda's Mama. Ok behave yourselves your Auntie don't feel good today. Oh yeaw, we knew that. Brenda had done told me her Mama was sleeping. Yep. Now we wouldn't be interupted while we finished our ironing. YEP!! We went in and stayed very quiet. Got the iron and set up the board. Brenda turn it up all the way so it will work faster. Well those ol' irons got very hot. VERY VERY HOT! When it heated up I laid down my hair again and Brenda went to work. Now Brenda don't touch my ear this time, be more careful. Shut up Clydene, we have to be quiet. Well you'd sure better not burn me again. Clydene be still or I will. Brenda hurry up I can't stand this way all day. Shut up! You shut up! There I stood slightly bent with my hair draped over that board. Turn your head over the other way. When I turned my head my hair from the other side dropped down over my eyes and nose. Brenda I smell smoke. No you don't Clydene shut up. Brenda my hair is in my face and it tickles and it stinks. (I can almost smell it now) We were beginning to get loud and I was squirmin'. Brenda touched my cheek with the iron and I kicked out and hit her on the ankle, she jerked and burned my hand with the iron and the race was on, the jig got jagged, and two girls hit the floor kicking and scratchin' and screamin'. My Auntie ran in and said what is burning. OH MY GOD WHAT IN THE WORLD, WHAT ARE YOU BURNIN'. Nothin' Auntie/Mama we yelped. Auntie jerked us up and got a look at me and socked my head down in a bucket of water. I come up splutterin and cryin'. My face ear and hand hurt and when I reached to wipe the wet hair outta' my face a big hunk of hair came right out in my hand. Seems my hair had almost started flamin' and probably would'a if Auntie hadn'ta almost drowned me. Mama cried when she saw my hair then she absolutely blistered my butt till it burned as bad as my face. Brenda got a spankin' too though I really didn't figure she shoulda' cause it was my idea and my hair. We were 12 at the time and thought we knew everything. Everybody else was doing it so why couldn't we> HUH WHY!!? My hair was cut almost like a boys hair so I sure didn't wear a pony tail for a while. In fact I never could wear a pony tail. My hair is still curly and frizzy and I have learned to deal with it. Sure don't want my hair ironed again. NOPE, and I sure nuff' don't want Brenda ironing it. NO WAY NO HOW NOPE!!!
I have curly hair and I've always hated it. Never could do anything with it. When everyone started wearing long pony tails I couldn't wear one. My very curly hair would just squirm out of the band I used to hold it. We heard about some girls ironing their hair and making it perfectly straight. I wantd that for mine so of course I drafted Brenda's help. We heated the iron and I put my hair over the board and she started ironing. Seemed to be working too but all at once she touched my ear with the hot iron and I squealed bringing Mama running. WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TWO DOING SHE HOLLERED. Mama I want my hair to be straight I said. No you sure do not Mama said. But Mama, No Buts put that iron up. Oh my gosh Brenda look at this, I have one streak of straight hair. I can't leave it like this. We have to get the rest done. Well if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. Aint that what Grandma always said? Sure was. Were'a goin' to Brenda's Mama. Ok behave yourselves your Auntie don't feel good today. Oh yeaw, we knew that. Brenda had done told me her Mama was sleeping. Yep. Now we wouldn't be interupted while we finished our ironing. YEP!! We went in and stayed very quiet. Got the iron and set up the board. Brenda turn it up all the way so it will work faster. Well those ol' irons got very hot. VERY VERY HOT! When it heated up I laid down my hair again and Brenda went to work. Now Brenda don't touch my ear this time, be more careful. Shut up Clydene, we have to be quiet. Well you'd sure better not burn me again. Clydene be still or I will. Brenda hurry up I can't stand this way all day. Shut up! You shut up! There I stood slightly bent with my hair draped over that board. Turn your head over the other way. When I turned my head my hair from the other side dropped down over my eyes and nose. Brenda I smell smoke. No you don't Clydene shut up. Brenda my hair is in my face and it tickles and it stinks. (I can almost smell it now) We were beginning to get loud and I was squirmin'. Brenda touched my cheek with the iron and I kicked out and hit her on the ankle, she jerked and burned my hand with the iron and the race was on, the jig got jagged, and two girls hit the floor kicking and scratchin' and screamin'. My Auntie ran in and said what is burning. OH MY GOD WHAT IN THE WORLD, WHAT ARE YOU BURNIN'. Nothin' Auntie/Mama we yelped. Auntie jerked us up and got a look at me and socked my head down in a bucket of water. I come up splutterin and cryin'. My face ear and hand hurt and when I reached to wipe the wet hair outta' my face a big hunk of hair came right out in my hand. Seems my hair had almost started flamin' and probably would'a if Auntie hadn'ta almost drowned me. Mama cried when she saw my hair then she absolutely blistered my butt till it burned as bad as my face. Brenda got a spankin' too though I really didn't figure she shoulda' cause it was my idea and my hair. We were 12 at the time and thought we knew everything. Everybody else was doing it so why couldn't we> HUH WHY!!? My hair was cut almost like a boys hair so I sure didn't wear a pony tail for a while. In fact I never could wear a pony tail. My hair is still curly and frizzy and I have learned to deal with it. Sure don't want my hair ironed again. NOPE, and I sure nuff' don't want Brenda ironing it. NO WAY NO HOW NOPE!!!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
HALLOWEEN WALKS
9-5-08...HALLOWEEN WALKS
I was in a store yesterday and saw rows and rows of candy labeled Happy Halloween. When I was growing up we had a similiar celebration but nothing like "trick or treat". We didn't go in for ghosts and goblins and witches. Just not a part of halloween then. We didn't run up to doors in droves and holler "TRICK OR TREAT". When we were very young. Older kids would walk with us around a couple of what is called blocks now. Just dirt roads then and we walked up each one. People who wanted to would invite us in and give us a treat which was usually a piece of fruit or homemade cake or pie, and sometimes even a popcorn ball. YUMMY! When we got old enough to walk in a group and walk farther from home it was still the same. At least till one night when some, (now how do I be nice about this,) honery boys who lived near by wanted to do things like we had been hearing about kids doing elsewhere. They started following us and wanting us to walk with them. Well I'm not mentioning any names here but they were bullies. They thought everyone was scared of them. We had been raised across the way from them and we just were not afraid of them. They started cutting down trees across the road, turning over toilets, turning out chickens, things like that. I think Brenda and I were about 10 at the time and we got tired of them. HECK FIRE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! We came up with a plan to scare the pants off them. It was very dark on the road which was lined with big trees on each side. Not much light got through. Brenda and I got in a ditch (seems we were awfully fond of ditches back then) and waited. We had found a piece of pipe of some kind about the size of a gun barrell. We had it and an old bucket and some large rocks. We were behind a house where we figured they would be turning the out house over. Now Brenda get ready I hear em comin', She was ready. In fact I think she enjoyed it all as much as I did that time. She usually tried to talk me out of things she was scared to do. The boys came up the road and started heaving on the back of the outhouse which was not an easy task. We sneaked out of the ditch, I stuck the pipe in one back and Brenda dropped a big rock in the bucket. Oh my Gosh let me tell you those boys started trying to run at the same time hollerin' and screamin' Please Mr (no name) don't shoot PLEASE!! We said not a word but I poked the pipe in the biggest bullies back again and he came unglued. Stood right there and wet his pants and cried like a baby. Brenda dropped another rock in the bucket for good measure and I poked the pipe at another one of them and we took off running and giggling and saying pee-pee-pants pee-pee pants, giggle- giggle- giggle- he's a big baby pee-pee pants, giggle giggle. Clydene ther'a'gonna kill us! No they aint I said cause Im'a'gonna tell Daddy on them. I knew they were a little bit afraid of my Daddy, though I can't understand why except maybe somethin' I'd said in the past, like maybe he was Indian and knew how to scalp people. Do ya think that mighta been it? Anyway they knew who we were because the next morning when Daddy went out to the toilet he said he could see where it had been turned over and then someone had set it back up. Now who do you recon coulda' done that?? Guess we made a believer outta them cause they sure wasn't taking any chances with my Daddies toilet. NOSIREEE. Those boys did grow to respect my Daddy when they found out what a nice gentle man he really was. I never did cotton to them though. Nope, they just never grew out of being a bully. But that night by golly we sure took em' down a notch. YEP!!!
I was in a store yesterday and saw rows and rows of candy labeled Happy Halloween. When I was growing up we had a similiar celebration but nothing like "trick or treat". We didn't go in for ghosts and goblins and witches. Just not a part of halloween then. We didn't run up to doors in droves and holler "TRICK OR TREAT". When we were very young. Older kids would walk with us around a couple of what is called blocks now. Just dirt roads then and we walked up each one. People who wanted to would invite us in and give us a treat which was usually a piece of fruit or homemade cake or pie, and sometimes even a popcorn ball. YUMMY! When we got old enough to walk in a group and walk farther from home it was still the same. At least till one night when some, (now how do I be nice about this,) honery boys who lived near by wanted to do things like we had been hearing about kids doing elsewhere. They started following us and wanting us to walk with them. Well I'm not mentioning any names here but they were bullies. They thought everyone was scared of them. We had been raised across the way from them and we just were not afraid of them. They started cutting down trees across the road, turning over toilets, turning out chickens, things like that. I think Brenda and I were about 10 at the time and we got tired of them. HECK FIRE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! We came up with a plan to scare the pants off them. It was very dark on the road which was lined with big trees on each side. Not much light got through. Brenda and I got in a ditch (seems we were awfully fond of ditches back then) and waited. We had found a piece of pipe of some kind about the size of a gun barrell. We had it and an old bucket and some large rocks. We were behind a house where we figured they would be turning the out house over. Now Brenda get ready I hear em comin', She was ready. In fact I think she enjoyed it all as much as I did that time. She usually tried to talk me out of things she was scared to do. The boys came up the road and started heaving on the back of the outhouse which was not an easy task. We sneaked out of the ditch, I stuck the pipe in one back and Brenda dropped a big rock in the bucket. Oh my Gosh let me tell you those boys started trying to run at the same time hollerin' and screamin' Please Mr (no name) don't shoot PLEASE!! We said not a word but I poked the pipe in the biggest bullies back again and he came unglued. Stood right there and wet his pants and cried like a baby. Brenda dropped another rock in the bucket for good measure and I poked the pipe at another one of them and we took off running and giggling and saying pee-pee-pants pee-pee pants, giggle- giggle- giggle- he's a big baby pee-pee pants, giggle giggle. Clydene ther'a'gonna kill us! No they aint I said cause Im'a'gonna tell Daddy on them. I knew they were a little bit afraid of my Daddy, though I can't understand why except maybe somethin' I'd said in the past, like maybe he was Indian and knew how to scalp people. Do ya think that mighta been it? Anyway they knew who we were because the next morning when Daddy went out to the toilet he said he could see where it had been turned over and then someone had set it back up. Now who do you recon coulda' done that?? Guess we made a believer outta them cause they sure wasn't taking any chances with my Daddies toilet. NOSIREEE. Those boys did grow to respect my Daddy when they found out what a nice gentle man he really was. I never did cotton to them though. Nope, they just never grew out of being a bully. But that night by golly we sure took em' down a notch. YEP!!!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
RUNNING BAREFOOT
9-2-08...RUNNING BAREFOOT
We grew up poor. We had most essentials but shoes were not as essential as they are now. I looked out yesterday at the carpet of lush green grass and thought to myself. Now Self, Wouldn't you just love to feel that green grass under you feet again. Yep I sure would. The first thing I did wrong was step outside the door barefoot because right outside the door the ground is covered with gravel. Folks, not only does my mind not work well anymore but my feet never will work well again after stepping down in that hard gravel. And I wanted to wiggle my toes in that grass so bad that I just went on through the gravel to get to it. STUPID!!! And when my poor feet hit the grass what should I step in (ON RATHER) but a dad burned ol mean ol red wasp. OOOHHH my Gosh that hurt. No other open doors to get back in the house so here I go back through the gravel to get inside. I can relate to anyone who says, OH MY POOR ACHING FEET ,TODAY BY GOLLY YEP I CAN. Well I said all that to come to this! We went bare foot all summer when we were growing up. We had a pair of Church Shoes that were white. Always white. When school started we got a pair of School shoes which were always black. If you are thinkin' why just white or black. Well I'll tell ya" I don't really know. Anyway the rest of the time we were barefooted. Yep, even in the winter. And we were not always sick and snotty nosed either. NOPE, We were tough. Which brings me to the rest of the story. Brenda and I asked one day if we could walk over to Hall Parks' Store. We each had a nickle to spend. Now that would buy a lot of candy. Penny candy to be exact. Hall would take a sack and put his big hand down in that candy box and fill up that little sack and we would be on our way. Boy howdy now we were in hog heaven. On the way back one day we decided to wade the ditches. That ol' dirt road (no gravel, just dirt) was kinda hot on our feet even if they were toughened to the consistency of leather. It was a dry summer and not much water in the ditch but it was pleasantly muddy. Only thing was that people littered and there was lots of thingies in that ditch. We got interested in what we might find so we just decided to sit down there for a spell and explore. We would scoot along on our butts a ways and stop a bit. All this time we were dragging our candy sacks along in that muck. That candy was not wrapped nice and neat the way it is now. Just a layin' there in the sacks which were gettin' soggy. The bottoms finally drug outta them sacks and we strung our candy for a ways before we noticed it. I started to reach in to my sack and all that I came up with was air. Brenda's was the same. BBRREENNDDAA, look! The candys gone. There is some of it back there. So we turned around and started scootin the other way on our buts pickin up candy as we went. We were putting it in our mouths, no pockets and we sure wadna gonna waste that candy. No sireee, we were gonna eat ever last bite of it. When we figured we had it all we got back on the road and happily skipped along with our mouths bulging like a squirrel with his jaws full of hicker= nuts. We couldn't talk our mouthes were too full. I looked over at Brenda and saw somethin' hanging out of her mouth and it was wigglin at the end. Brenda what is that? When I said that a bunch of my candy came out and landed on the road which I proceeded to pick up and put back in my mouth. Oh my I can feel the grit in my teeth as I speak. YUKKY. wasn't yukky then though. No tellin when we'd get another nickel. But back to Brenda. I got up close to her and saw that a big ol red worm was danglin outta her mouth. BREEENDA, spit it out(there went my candy on the dirt again) NOOO CLLLYYYDDDEEENNNEEE WHY? And there went her candy on the dirt. But that fat ol red worm was still a hanging there. I slapped at it to get it off her mouth and she thought I was hittin her and she slapped me back. Well folks down we went back in the mucky ditch just a clawin and a scratchin' like two wild cats. Brenda quit! You quit first! Brenda you've got a worm in your mouth! And by golly she did. Half of one anyhow. OH GOOD GRIEF Clydene, you made me spit my candy out. Well heck fire Brenda I spit mine out too. We looked at each other and there we were in all our glory. Black muck all over us. We got so tickled we forgot about that candy and started running home. We had a ball that day even if we fought like tigers and never did get to eat all our candy. And our feet were fine. At least they were after we got them clean. A few scratches didn't bother us. And it was Ok for us to get mucky. They'll clean up my Daddy said. The dirt'll come off but they'll never have these days again. He was so right. Those days are gone and I'm so blessed that I could enjoy them so much. Also blessed that We didn't have persnikety Parents. YEP WE SURE WERE BLESSED!!! I just can't walk outside with such ease anymore. DURN IT ANYWAY!!!
We grew up poor. We had most essentials but shoes were not as essential as they are now. I looked out yesterday at the carpet of lush green grass and thought to myself. Now Self, Wouldn't you just love to feel that green grass under you feet again. Yep I sure would. The first thing I did wrong was step outside the door barefoot because right outside the door the ground is covered with gravel. Folks, not only does my mind not work well anymore but my feet never will work well again after stepping down in that hard gravel. And I wanted to wiggle my toes in that grass so bad that I just went on through the gravel to get to it. STUPID!!! And when my poor feet hit the grass what should I step in (ON RATHER) but a dad burned ol mean ol red wasp. OOOHHH my Gosh that hurt. No other open doors to get back in the house so here I go back through the gravel to get inside. I can relate to anyone who says, OH MY POOR ACHING FEET ,TODAY BY GOLLY YEP I CAN. Well I said all that to come to this! We went bare foot all summer when we were growing up. We had a pair of Church Shoes that were white. Always white. When school started we got a pair of School shoes which were always black. If you are thinkin' why just white or black. Well I'll tell ya" I don't really know. Anyway the rest of the time we were barefooted. Yep, even in the winter. And we were not always sick and snotty nosed either. NOPE, We were tough. Which brings me to the rest of the story. Brenda and I asked one day if we could walk over to Hall Parks' Store. We each had a nickle to spend. Now that would buy a lot of candy. Penny candy to be exact. Hall would take a sack and put his big hand down in that candy box and fill up that little sack and we would be on our way. Boy howdy now we were in hog heaven. On the way back one day we decided to wade the ditches. That ol' dirt road (no gravel, just dirt) was kinda hot on our feet even if they were toughened to the consistency of leather. It was a dry summer and not much water in the ditch but it was pleasantly muddy. Only thing was that people littered and there was lots of thingies in that ditch. We got interested in what we might find so we just decided to sit down there for a spell and explore. We would scoot along on our butts a ways and stop a bit. All this time we were dragging our candy sacks along in that muck. That candy was not wrapped nice and neat the way it is now. Just a layin' there in the sacks which were gettin' soggy. The bottoms finally drug outta them sacks and we strung our candy for a ways before we noticed it. I started to reach in to my sack and all that I came up with was air. Brenda's was the same. BBRREENNDDAA, look! The candys gone. There is some of it back there. So we turned around and started scootin the other way on our buts pickin up candy as we went. We were putting it in our mouths, no pockets and we sure wadna gonna waste that candy. No sireee, we were gonna eat ever last bite of it. When we figured we had it all we got back on the road and happily skipped along with our mouths bulging like a squirrel with his jaws full of hicker= nuts. We couldn't talk our mouthes were too full. I looked over at Brenda and saw somethin' hanging out of her mouth and it was wigglin at the end. Brenda what is that? When I said that a bunch of my candy came out and landed on the road which I proceeded to pick up and put back in my mouth. Oh my I can feel the grit in my teeth as I speak. YUKKY. wasn't yukky then though. No tellin when we'd get another nickel. But back to Brenda. I got up close to her and saw that a big ol red worm was danglin outta her mouth. BREEENDA, spit it out(there went my candy on the dirt again) NOOO CLLLYYYDDDEEENNNEEE WHY? And there went her candy on the dirt. But that fat ol red worm was still a hanging there. I slapped at it to get it off her mouth and she thought I was hittin her and she slapped me back. Well folks down we went back in the mucky ditch just a clawin and a scratchin' like two wild cats. Brenda quit! You quit first! Brenda you've got a worm in your mouth! And by golly she did. Half of one anyhow. OH GOOD GRIEF Clydene, you made me spit my candy out. Well heck fire Brenda I spit mine out too. We looked at each other and there we were in all our glory. Black muck all over us. We got so tickled we forgot about that candy and started running home. We had a ball that day even if we fought like tigers and never did get to eat all our candy. And our feet were fine. At least they were after we got them clean. A few scratches didn't bother us. And it was Ok for us to get mucky. They'll clean up my Daddy said. The dirt'll come off but they'll never have these days again. He was so right. Those days are gone and I'm so blessed that I could enjoy them so much. Also blessed that We didn't have persnikety Parents. YEP WE SURE WERE BLESSED!!! I just can't walk outside with such ease anymore. DURN IT ANYWAY!!!
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