DREADED OL' FEATHERS

2-17-09...DREADED OL' FEATHERS

DREADED OLD FEATHERS

My Mama always knew when something was wrong with me. If I was sick, Mad, troubled, upset, or if I had done something I didn't want her to know about. I think all Mamas are like that. I remember my son telling me one day when he was about six, "Mama that is the only thing I don't like about you. You have eyes in the back of your head". Yep! I guess they all do and I had to agree with Richard because I didn't like that much about mt Mama either. Nope!
One day Brenda and I were on the back porch playing. I think we were about five. Daddy had killed a chicken for Sunday dinner. Mama and Grandma had picked the feathers and put them in a cotton sack made for that. Grandma would make pillows when she got enough. She also made a feather bed.
Now little miss brave britches me was afraid of those feathers. Not the chicken, just the feathers. Go figure that out if you can. There was no way I was gonna' touch those feathers. Heck fire just no way!!
That day daddy had left a bottle of black shoe polish out there where he had shined his Sunday shoes. Of course we got it down and was gonna' do who knows what with it. We didn't have shoes on so why in the world we messed with that shoe polish I'll never know. First thing we did was squabble over it and spilled it all over the place. Clothes were lying there waiting to be washed on Monday. Of course that was the place we spilled the most of it. We looked down and there in all their glory was all my families undies all covered in black shoe polish. Oh good grief, now what, "Brenda look what you done". "No Clydene I didn't do it You did". Of course we both did it that was as plain as the black undies to see. "Well heck fire Brenda, I don't know what we are gonna do now". "Cover them up with sumpthin". We both looked around to find our cover and the only thing was that big sack of feathers. Well Guess what? Yep we did! Poured that sack of feathers all out on the black drawers. Oh my gosh was that a mess. Brenda went home and I went in the house. I thought our little caper was covered up forever. Course it wasn't. Nope!
Later that evening Mama found the mess and called me out. "What Mama"? "Clydene how did these feathers get out on the floor"? "Heck I don't know Mama". Mama knew I was telling a fib just by lookin at me. "Now Clydene I don't know why or how but I know you spilled these feathers and I want every last one of them put back in that sack. NOW"! Well heck she'd just as soon have told me to pick up a bunch of frogs. "No Mama I can't!" "Yes you can Clydene and you will"! Mama went back in to wash supper dishes and left me to do the job telling me before she went that she would be back and the feathers better all be back in the sack. Well I had no idea what I was gonna' do but I sure as shootin' wadna'gonna touch them feathers. By golly No I thought, I ainta'gonna do it Nope!
I sat right down on the steps and just pretended I didn't hear what Mama said. I saw Brenda in her yard and hollered for her to come down but she said Auntie said no. Well I thought Brenda outta' pick up the feathers don't ya know. She wasn't afraid of them and I was.
When Mama came back and the feathers were still there she was not very happy about it. "Clydene I told You to pick up these feathers. Why didn't you"? "I can't Mama". "Yes you can Clydene". I kept telling her I can't I can't I can't. Finally Mama said "Why can't you"? Then it was "CAUSE". I was really getting flustered and so was Mama. Finally I yelped out "Cause I fraid you'll see that shoe polish". Oh Good Lord, Now how stupid was that. Even at five I think I was usually brighter than that.
Mama finally got the story out of me and I got a talking to plus a slight tanning. I found out years later that Mama was so busy trying to keep from laughing at me she couldn't do much spankin'. Guess I lucked out that time. HUH? I did have to pick up the feathers. I got over my fear of them whatever it was. The clothes had to be soaked in bleach overnight and If I remember right all the shoe polish came out. But the floor underneath had a couple of black boards in it for a while. Every time I played out there again I remembered the feather incident and what Mama told me about lying and trying to cover up my mistakes instead of correcting them. Another lesson learned! YEP!!!

MY BIG LITTLE BROTHER

NORMAN AND I Then and now.

2-16-09...MY BIG LITTLE BROTHER

My brother Norman was only a year old when I started to school. Not old enough to miss me but I sure missed him. I thought he was my baby and was afraid someone would come steal him while I was gone. He was such a cute little baby and as he grew he was so sweet. Kind hearted big smile and very sensitive.
I was the opposite. Loud and flighty, didn't smile as much. But I was sensitive to my brother. No one better have bothered him then. No one better bother him now!
One day in school I saw Norman scuffling with some boys at recess. I charged across the grounds like a mad bull and tackled all three of them. Gave them a few scratches and told them to leave my brother alone. Now I know that the only reason they didn't box me around was because I was a girl, guess I had an advantage, but they left my brother alone by golly. YEP! I could get on to him but no one else could.
Then when Norman was around 4 he would run up the lane to meet me when I got off the school bus. He was really missing me then. I can still see that big sweet smile and hear him calling, Sister, which is what he called me. He would take my book satchel and proudly carry it as it drug the ground almost, as he told me everything that he had done that day. We didn't often have sweets or pops but when we did Norman would proudly announce the news to me.
Anything I asked him to do he was willing to do for me no mater what it was. He covered for me at times to keep me out of trouble. Never tattled on me. But even when we were young Norman would try to give me advice. “Now Clydene I don't think this is a good idea” he would often say. But If I insisted he was right there to help me. As I've said often, We got in to mischief together and we got out of it together.
One day we were squabling and fussing at each other. My new words were I hate You and I got my face slapped every time I said it by my Mama. I told Norman I hate you and he slapped the tar outta' me. I was stunned to say the least. Well stunned was probably not the word for it. I was red hot mad! Norman had never done that to me. He had always been gentle and easy going. I was stubborn and wanted my way. I just could not believe that my little brother had hit me. I flew in to him like a wild cat. Well This time Norman fought back. It didn't last long cause Mama was on the scene fast and put a halt to it It was all my fault and I knew it but Norman wasn't saying a word, so I didn't either. Well, I didn't say anything till my Mama decided to spank us both. That's when my big sister instincts kicked in. “No Mama you can't” I hollered. “What do you mean I can't Clydene, if you keep on you will get double”. “I don't care Mama, You aint a gonna spank my brother, you just aint”! Whack! Well by golly I did get double but when she turned to Norman I came unhinged again. I got spanked again but I finally got through to Mama that Norman shouldn't have a spanking because It was all my fault. I didn't tell her he slapped me because I figured I needed it. He had seen Mama do it when I said those hateful words so he did it to. My brother was learning to defend himself and I was proud of him even if I was the first to face his defense.
He was The Greatest Brother anyone ever had. We are now as we were then, very close and have a great love for each other. My Little brother towers over me now but he is still my Little Brother. We were the only two kids and we are all that is left now. Bit what a hum-dinger of a good life childhood we had. YEP!!!