CANT BELIEVE WE WENT THERE

10-17-08...CANT BELIEVE WE WENT THERE

When Brenda's older Sister started driving she sometimes would take us places that we could not go by ourselves. That is when we started seeing how other people did things that we were never allowed to do and indeed did not even understand. She knew better than to do anything wrong because she knew that we both had motor mouthes and the first thing we would do was spill the beans. She didn't want us with her anyway but my Auntie would say, Either you take them or you don't go. And of course she was threatened to within an inch of her life if she didn't watch us. She had a boyfriend and wanted to see him but my Auntie didn't like him and said no. She took us to the Little Big town of Altus one night with the intention of dumping us at "Teen Town" and going off with her boy friend. Well we were good babysitters for her and watched her close but she was there one minute and gone the next.Clydene we better go find her or we will all get in trouble. We are supposed to stay close to her. Brenda she probably got in (i'll call him Terry) Terries car but I know what it looks like, Lets go outside and look.We walked up and down the street which was only about one block with stores on only one side of the road. We didn't see the car or her so we walked across the road to the Park where some couples were sitting on the picnic tables smooching. "OMG" Did you see what they were doing. My sister sure better not be doing that. Well they were not in the park but I saw the car, I thought. It was parked on over across the highway in front of a place called (I'll call it BUBBA JOHNS). Brenda look where they are. Well I'll tell you right now, she is gonna' get in trouble. Just wait till we tell. Yep, just you wait till we tell.Boy we went prancing across the park to the Highway, crossed the highway,( which we were not supposed to do) and went right on up to the door. Clydene it sure is loud in there, I don't wanna' go in there. Brenda we gotta get her out of there or we are'a'gonna be late gettin' home and we will all be in trouble.Now it's not that we didn't kinda know what we might see in there, that was just it, we kinda' knew. We opened the door and peeked in. The building was a long one. As I remember the bar was right across from the door. People were sitting there on stools. Then there were booth's all along the walls, red I think' and the wooden floor looked slick. Smoke and other smells blasted us in the face, and loud talkin' and laughin' like you never heard. It just scared the ever lovin' tar out of us. Of course Brenda was behind me and I turned around to run and we hit head on smack dab, forehead, nose, chin, smack! I saw stars and she said so did she. Clydene, I see her, there she is, go get her. Heck no I aint'a gonna go get her, she's your sister, you go. OK, but you gotta come with me. Well go on then and I foller' ya'. No, Clydene you stay right beside me. She grabbed hold of my arm with her vice grip that she always used on me and off we went. Well we were about half way there when the one we thought was Brenda's sister looked around at us. OH MY GOSH, that was the ugliest woman I had ever seen, and it sure nuff wasn't who we thought it was. HECK FIRE NO. That woman woulda' scared the britches off a witch. PSEW I mean ugly. I turned round and dug out on that dad-blamed slick floor with Brenda draggin along behind me stuck to my arm as usual. We both hit the floor with Brenda on top of me still holdin' on to my arm. She was'a holdin' on so tight my arm was goin' to sleep. That girl had a grip I tell ya'. Brenda get off of me and turn me loose, durn you anyway. I'd a been out side by now if it hadn'ta been for you! As I lay there squashed on the floor under Brenda, I saw a big ol' pair of boots a'comin' towards us. I mean to tell you now I was gonna' move and Brenda better not be there when I did, cause she would'nt see anything but my dust as I left. Yessiree! I was'a leavin'. I come up and dumpped Brenda off my back but that little nut still had my arm. Heck I couldn't feel the durn thing by now, and I don't think she coulda' turned loose if shed'a wanted to cause her fingers were already sunk to the bone in my flesh. I mean we were growed' together, smack-dab growed' together. Now Brenda was under me. Two big ol' hands reached down and picked us up and pulled us toward a big ol body. Couldn't see the face, didn't wanna' see the face. I started kickin the shins and stompin on them' ol' big boots, heck I even bit that big meaty arm. Hey Clydene, calm down now and quit bitin' me. What in the world are you two girls a'doin' in here anyhow? Now I thought I knew that voice but I wasn'ta staying round' to be sure so I kept up my attack. We were 13 I think and with us growed together the way we were it was not easy for him but he picked me up with Brenda danglin' on and looked me right in the face and said STOP IT AND STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!! Well heck fire Brenda it is (i'll call him Jack), It's our Aunts husband. He was the Deputy in Altus at the time. Brenda's sister had gone back in the Teen Town and we were gone so she'd sent Jack to find us. He was frantic, big sister was frantic, and we were just relieved that some big monster didn't have us in his grip. Jack took us outta there fast as he could. He put us in his car and drove us across the highway, marched in there and got big sister by the arm and brought her out. Now you girls have got some big explaining to do. You two stay in my car and You big sister get in that car and I'm'a gonna' follow you home and we are gonna' talk to your Mamas and Daddys. Which he did, and we did, and big sister did. Seems she had been in the shadows smooching her boyfriend when we went a lookun' for her. We all three got in a big heap of trouble but big sister got the most trouble over it cause me'n' Brenda told the whole dang story to our Parents. Yep told ever last detail and enjoyed the tellin of it. YEP!!! I never was in that place any more, NO WAY NO HOW! NOPE NEVER!!!

HEY YOU ARE NOT WELCOME

10-13-08...HEY YOU ARE NOT WELCOME

Now I am from the South and we fellers down here are full of Charm and Hospitality. We welcome people in with a smile and a friendly howdy, com'on in sugah'. Well now it takes a lot for me to go back on my rasin' but a lady came to my door this past week that just wouldn't let me be charming or gracious.
She drove right on up to my door in a big white van. Moses didn't like her right away and started showin' his teeth and growlin' real low like. She came up to the door with a big false smile pasted on her face. I know about fake smiles cause I've seen a few. A fake smile just don't make it all the way up to the eyes. The lips are puckered out and the teeth are'a'showin' but look in the eyes. A real smile lights up the eyes and this lady was fakin' it big time. I was taught to always say Please and Thank you mam or sir but no thanks, and to say it sweet like. She had a big ol' book of some kind and I knew right away she was gonna' try to sell me somethin'.
She walked on up to the door with that fake smile on her face. I opened just the storm door a smidgen and stuck my head around the door with the sweetest smile on my face I could muster. Yep" A fake smile! YEP! What's good for the goose. Right? She said "Good afternoon Mam. Could I talk to you for just a minute or two"? Yep I said. And you never heard such a speel in your life as that ol' heiffer' started puttin' out. Oh My what a beautiful dog you've got there. She reached toward him and he snapped at her so I had to pick him up to keep him from wiping that fake smile off her face. Mine was gone a'ready. She didn't miss a beat. "Oh You have such a beautiful entryway. Can I come in and take a better look?" "Well I don't think that's" I started to say necessary but by then she had her foot on the floor just inside the door. She just walked right on in gushin' the whole time. "Oh your walls are so pretty! Is that cedar"? Well any fool outta' know cedar when they see it. Wouldn't you think? YEP! Moses was growlin' and snappin' and I was hanging on tight but he wanted a piece of her arm so bad it was gettin' harder." Oh she said "Could you do my eyelashes like yours"? Now come on, my southern charm was'a'goin' north fast. In fact it was almost to the north pole by now. "I have a chance to take all my family on a free trip to Las Vegas if I win this" (now by now I was not even listenin' to her prattle' and I wanted her gone.) I said "Honey I don't even know what you want with me. Could you please just tell me why you came to my door"? You notice I didn't say "And force your way into my house with no invitation"? Nope My charm was still working even if it was gettin' thin. "I'll go get the boy who came with me and have him bring the cleaners in"she said.
"HEY WHAT IN THE STUFFINS ARE YOU'A TALKIN' ABOUT LADY"? Now I was gettin steamed and my hackles were up worse that Moses's was. " I'm going to clean this floor for you" She said as she started out the door. Well I was gettin' a big mad on now and my southern charm was replaced with some good red faced, madder'n a hornet. down home fightin' mad. "NO I DON'T THINK SO THANK YOU ANYWAY". "Oh it will just take a few minutes with our new" ( don't know what she called it cause even my ears were poppin' by now) "No, Lady, I don't want you to clean my floors" "OK"? Moses was gettin' really mad now and when he gets too upset he has seizures "Lady if you start up some kind of machine in here Moses is going to bite you". Heck fire he has had all his shots so maybe her sour blood wouldn't kill him. I was about ready to tell him to bite the heck outta' her. "Well can't you put him in another room until we are done"? Well that done' it up good. Sorry Daddy but this time I think you would approve> "Now listen to me you hussy. You forced your way in to my house with your big motor mouth and fake smile, Started lying like a mangy dog with all that sweet talk, and now you tell me to lock my dog up so you can do what I done told you I don't want you to do! This is my house, this is Moses' home and my floors are already clean, my entryway aint nothin special, just the room where I hang my plants, and I don't want to buy your fancy machine, I just want you out of my house. RIGHT NOW! "Oh wont you just let me do the carpet in your entryway? You could put your dog in another room couldn't you"? " Now lady I'm about to unleash my dog on you. You dont have much sense do you? You don't even know the meaning of NO!!!" I started toward her .(now Daddy you know I wouldn't hit her, Don't You?)
"You are without a doubt the most stupid woman I have ever met. Now if you are not out of my house in 2seconds flat I will put you out and my dog will bite your butt as you go" "GOT IT"? She opened her mouth like she was gonna' argue with me but she was backing toward the door and all she did was splutter a tad bit.
I don't like to get mad and lose my manners with anyone but that ol' hag was just all I could handle. YEP! Funny thing is My floor really did need cleanin' but I'll do my own cleanin' THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GET OUTTA MY TERRITORY

10-6-08...GET OUTTA MY TERRITORY

My growing up years were happy. I did not know what I would have to face when I was out from under my Parents protection. I skipped down dirt roads, got dirty, got honery, got in to trouble often, got out often, but my deeds were all really harmless. I just lived in a fairy tale world with no cares,or worries of any kind. Kids today just have too much to get them in trouble that is not so easy to put behind them. What a shame. I get so homesick sometimes for those good old days of my childhood. Reliving the memories makes me happy. I can put everyday problems aside for a spell and just enjoy. So today as I am feeling low and fighting a heartache that I can do nothing about I can go back in time and stay for a spell. We were always so excited when the March of Dimes came to our school. They gave out cards that held ten dimes. We were to go through our neighborhoods and collect dimes for the cure of polio. Brenda and I knew where to go and we always got our cards full for which we got a prize when we took them back to school the next day. I can't remember what the prize was but it was a good'n we thought.One day we messed around too long and as we started up the road we saw Travis going to our houses! How dare he to invade our territory! That smart elec had already sold all his garden seeds in the spring and beat us out on that. Well! This just wadn't a'gonna work, No sireee. Nope, not this time.It was cold that day but we had our mufflers on to keep our hands warm. Well we wer'a gonna need our hands so the mufflers were left by the road hangin' on a tree and we tore out. By then we had learned how to protect what was ours and that house was ours and he wadn'a'gonna get it this time.Heck fire no!! Durn him anyhow. Brenda, I've just plain had it with him aint you? Yep sure nuff have Lets get em'! Like I said, we knew what to do and we knew how to do it fast. We also knew that we really shouldn't do it. Yep. But we done it anyhow. We went charging up the road intending to hit him in the back and knock him down, then we were'a'gonna run up to the house and beat him to the draw. Well just as we got there Travis heard us coming and turned around and run toward us. Well durn him anyway, he wasn't supposed to do that. He knew bettern' to try to out do us now didn't he. Yep! Nope! Guess he didn't. We had to do some fast thinkin' there, and we didn't have no time to talk it over. We were gonna' sidestep him and go on up the road while that rat went on the other way. Good plan, but it didn't work out quiet the way it shoulda'. Brenda was too close to the ditch on her side and the goof just ran on off in there. When Travis turned round to laugh at her, I shoved him right on in there with Brenda. Come on Brenda hurry will you. I grabbed hold of her outstretched hand and tried to help her up but the dad blamed little nut caused me to fall in there with her and Travis. We were all a squabling to get out at once and just kept tumblin back down. There was no mud or water in the ditch this time so we didn't ruin nuthin' but our pride. We both pushed Travis down and slung dirt in his face and up we came. Lets go Brenda. We got'im' beat now by golly. Well we had beat Travis again but when we got to the house there were three durn kids already there and it was too late. Our neighborhood was gettin too many people movin in now. It was never the same any more. Our territory wasn't just ours anymore. We no longer got to roam all over and not be bothered with outsiders. We thought every nook and cranny around there was ours exclusively. Was for a few years but no more. Nope! we had to learn the world didn't spin around us. We had to learn to share and have lots of other friends. Wasn't easy and didn't come fast. We didn't give up easily. Still had to defend our territory from time to time. Yep. Got lots more tannins' with peach tree switches. We were just plain hard headed. At least that was what my Daddy said. To which Mama replied, Well she learned from the master hard head now didn't she Clyde? HE HE HE

OUR WORM FARM

10-3-08...Our Worm Farm

We never had any spending money and never really expected any. No one else had any either. At least not anyone we knew or was friends with. A friend of ours told us that the big red worms we often found to fish with could be raised and people from the cities would buy them. He said we had to get something big and fill it with dirt from the creek. We got an old iron kettle that Mama had discarded cause it had a crack in it. We filled it with some slimy slippery dirt and we were all set. Travis said if you break the worms in two pieces then two worms would grow ,and to keep it watered. He also said that we could get hair from a horses tail and put it in water and it would become a worm. He told us we could sell city folk a worm for one cent. Well Heck fire we were a'gonna get rich by golly. Yep Rich! We dug a bunch of worms and put em' in the big potfull of dirt. Now we counted them every day and seemed like they were not making more. Heck fire there were less one day. Well Shoot fire Brenda, that ainta'gonna work. Durn that Travis anyway. Next day in school we cornered Travis and called him the worst thing we could think of. You liver lillied liar Travis. He asked us a few questions and said, You goofy girls, I told you to break em in two. When we got home from school we run down in the pasture and was a'gonna break them things in two but we didn't have a dab blamed worm to break. We checked our bucket of horse tail hairs and no worms there either. Well we just proceeded to dig us more worms and break em in two. Well I guess you know that those dead worms didn't get away like the live ones had. Nope they just sat there in that slimy dirt that was green and stinky by now. Several days later in school we spotted Travis talking to some other boys on the playgroung. Come on Brenda were'a'gonna beat the daylights outta him. We started over there and heard what he was saying so we just stood there and listened. That dad blamed lilly-livered skunk was a'makin fun of us. Boy I got them ol' girls good. Them boys was'a'laughin' their goozles off. Lets get em' Brenda said. Oh no Brenda, wer'a'gonna get him all right. We're gonna get him good. But not here cause we'll get in trouble. We'll do it at home. We had to wait several days but we knew Travis would come riding down on his bicycle one day, and he did. He was a skinny ol' thing and we knew we could over power him. Heck I coulda' done that by myself. Heck yeaw. He started tellin' our Brothers what he had done and how he had fooled them stupid girls and they were all'a laughin'. We just waited till he got through with his tale and we put our plan in to fast action. We had that pot of slimy, stinky, green by now and slightly stagnated with a film on top. Kinda thick and easy to manage. Throw him down Brenda and hold on. (Brenda was bigger than me then and a lot heavier) She ran and pounced on his back and knocked him to the ground. We both sat on him and rubbed rotten worm smush all over him, heck we even put a few hands full in his mouth. Now you smart elec swamp rat that'll teach you to laugh at us now wont it? Huh? Wont it. We were 10 and Travis was 8, all old enough to know better but boy was that sweet revenge. Boy howdy was it fun. Travis shoulda known Brenda and I didn't get mad, We Got Even. Our Brothers laughed, and the kids in school all laughed the next day when we told em'. Our Mamas didn't really see much humor in it but our Daddies sure did. Heck our Daddies laughed harder than the kids did. So did Travis's Daddy. Now his Mama was a different story. I recon she carried a grudge against us for many years. I worked with her when I was 18 yrs old. I helped her cook in a Nursing Home. She threw a big spoon of hot mashed potatoes on me one day and claimed she didn't mean to do it. Well I just smiled and said Oh I know you didn't. Oh but she wasn't foolin' me, that ol' bag did it on purpose. I got her back but good a few months later. But that's another story for another day. Yep Dont mess with me'n'Brenda. NOPE! You could really raise worms that way but not broke in two and it had to be a lot bigger container than we had. Travis's Dad was doing that but we didn't know the details at the time. I really dont know if Travis even knew how but I suspect he did cause he thought it was so funny. Well you smart elec, We got the last laugh. YEP!

MISS DODD

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.

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.

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!!!!

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!!!

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?

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!!!

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!

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

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!!!

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!!!

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!!!