| General Fiction posted March 25, 2013 | Chapters: |
...8 9 -10- 11... 
|
  |
Ongoing summer adventures
A chapter in the book Rabbit
Laughter Among Friends
by bhogg
| Background The young boy, nicknamed Rabbit, learns his mother is having a baby. To make things easier on Mom, he and his older brother John are to stay the 1959 summer with Grandparents. |
When I went to bed last night, I had two brothers. This morning, when I woke up, my grandma said, "Congratulations! You now have a sister to go with those two nasty brothers." How about that? I wonder if it will be any different having a girl in the house. I didn't have to wait long to find out.
My day was pretty normal. I did my morning chores and then went with my friend Virge to hunt for arrowheads. It's a good day when you find one arrowhead. We found two.
Lunch was even special. Grandma put out some cold fried chicken and left-over potato salad. There were fresh sliced tomatoes on the side. Looking me in the eye, she said, "Grandpa and I are driving over to Alabama tomorrow. Your dad will need some help, and then when your mom comes home with your sister, she will need some help. It's too early for you to visit them, so we're going to leave you here."
I'm pretty sure she could see the disappointment in my face. "Now, Rabbit, I know you're anxious to see your new sister, but it isn't a good time."
Actually, she read the disappointment right, but it wasn't about my sister. I figured for sure that I would have to go over and stay with my other grandma, which meant, time with my brother John.
I breathed a sigh of relief when she said, "This time, we're going to let you stay here. Miss Erin, from our church, will be staying with you. Two summers ago, she was playing piano for us. Lately, she's been off in college. In a few weeks, she is going to Macon to teach school. Do you remember her?"
"I think so. Does she have red hair, freckles across her nose and wears braces and glasses?"
"Well, I think you've got the right girl, but she doesn't wear braces anymore. Do you think you'll be alright with her?"
"Sure. I'll still be able to visit with Virge won't I?"
"Of course you will, honey. Erin will be coming by tonight, so let's go straighten up the guest bedroom."
Erin came by after dinner and we got re-introduced. I was a little tongue tied, because she was beautiful. Those freckles seemed to smooth out a little and her hair wasn't put up like it used to be. It flowed free. It was a beautiful red and curly. No braces and no glasses either. I stammered, "It's nice to meet you again, Miss Erin."
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rabbit. Don't you think we ought to just call each other Erin and Rabbit?"
It did make sense. Mr. Rabbit sounded pretty stupid.
She went on, "This is going to be a grand adventure for us both. I grew up with two sisters, so never had a brother. You've never had a sister, so now we can learn together."
When she smiled at me, I knew everything was going to be okay.
The next morning, my grandparents loaded up their Plymouth station wagon and headed to Alabama. Erin and I stood together on the front porch and waved goodbye. She looked down at me and said, "Your grandma told me that you have chores every morning. Would you like for me to help you?"
"You could, but they're not hard. It's just taking care of the chickens and seeing if any beans or tomatoes need picking. Plus, I don't see you helping me dressed like you are."
She paused for a moment and then laughed. "I guess you think I'm a silly city girl. I don't suppose that a sundress and sandals are the best thing for farm wear. I do have some jeans and tee shirts. I'll change."
As I was brushing my teeth, I heard Erin cry out, "Ouch, ouch!"
Running in to her room, I practically shouted, "What's wrong?"
"I was just raising my window and I got stung by two huge hornets. I didn't know it would hurt so bad."
The guest room wasn't used too often. I walked over and could see some agitated wasps flying around a small nest at the corner of the window.
"Erin, let's go out to the kitchen. Those old wasps will calm down after awhile and I can spray them. For now, I can help ease the pain for those big stings on your arm."
On the way to the kitchen, I grabbed a package of my grandpa's chewing tobacco. I sat her down in a chair and cut a small plug of tobacco off. Putting the tobacco in a coffee cup, I poured a small amount of water on it and mashed it down with a spoon. When it formed a paste, I applied it over the sting area.
She was looking at me with a puzzled look the whole time. Finally, she said, "You know, that really works. The pain has gone away. Who taught you how to do that?"
"My friend Virge Gates taught me this summer when I got stung by a bunch of yellow jackets."
"Is Virge a boy that lives nearby?"
"He lives nearby, but he ain't no boy. Virge is almost ninety years old. You can see the corner of his cabin from the front porch. It's not even a half mile away. He helps my grandma and grandpa out around the farm. You can meet him today. He was going to come by and take me fishing. Would you like to go?"
Smiling, she said, "I'd love to go. I've never been fishing and Virge sounds like an interesting man. Sounds like a real adventure."
Virge came by at two in the afternoon. I made the introductions and wasn't surprised that Virge knew her. He at least knew her daddy and grandpa and remembered her as a little girl. Within minutes, it was like they were the best of friends.
Halfway down to the lake, Virge suddenly stopped. "Oh my goodness. here's a treat for both of you. Close your eyes and open your mouth for a big surprise."
When our eyes were closed, Virge put a green persimmon in each of our mouths and said, "Take a bite."
For a minute, think about putting the bitterest lemon you've ever had in your life in your mouth and taking a big bite. Think about how your face would scrunch up and you almost suck your lips back in your mouth. If you have that picture, know that the green persimmon was ten times worse. I heard Erin screech, "ugh" and then she spit it out. I did the same.
All the while, Virge was laughing. I could see that Erin was smiling, but I was mad. I never yell at Virge, but I did this time. "That ain't funny at all. That thing tastes terrible."
"Rabbit, I couldn't help myself. That's something that my daddy did to me about eighty years ago. I never thought about it till we walked by that tree. You might have thought it funny if you'd have seen the look on both of your faces. Plus, you know how old Virge likes to give lessons and I reckon there's a lesson in this one too."
"Yeah, I learned the lesson alright. Trust no one."
"No, the message is much simpler than that. It's, don't never close your eyes and open your mouth."
Virge started laughing again and this time, Erin was joining in. Not me, I was still mad. "I still think it was mean."
"Well, it would hurt me to have you mad at me. Would it be better if I took a big old bite of a green persimmon for you?"
I thought about this for a moment before I replied, "Yeah, I reckon that would be better."
True to his word, Virge pulled a big green persimmon off, closed his eyes, opened his mouth and took a big bite. The effect was almost immediate. His cheeks pooched in and his mouth formed a tight little O. I have to admit that I laughed. He looked wierd.
Virge asked, "So now you think it's funny?"
"I sure do. You should have seen the way you looked. Your face normally looks like a prune. Now it looks like a dried up old prune with wrinkles."
With that, the three of us just howled. After Virge caught his breath, he said, "You know that there's another lesson in all this?"
Erin and I looked at each other puzzled. Finally, she asked, "What's the lesson?"
Virge smiled and said, "When friends laugh together, there ain't no room for anger."
My day was pretty normal. I did my morning chores and then went with my friend Virge to hunt for arrowheads. It's a good day when you find one arrowhead. We found two.
Lunch was even special. Grandma put out some cold fried chicken and left-over potato salad. There were fresh sliced tomatoes on the side. Looking me in the eye, she said, "Grandpa and I are driving over to Alabama tomorrow. Your dad will need some help, and then when your mom comes home with your sister, she will need some help. It's too early for you to visit them, so we're going to leave you here."
I'm pretty sure she could see the disappointment in my face. "Now, Rabbit, I know you're anxious to see your new sister, but it isn't a good time."
Actually, she read the disappointment right, but it wasn't about my sister. I figured for sure that I would have to go over and stay with my other grandma, which meant, time with my brother John.
I breathed a sigh of relief when she said, "This time, we're going to let you stay here. Miss Erin, from our church, will be staying with you. Two summers ago, she was playing piano for us. Lately, she's been off in college. In a few weeks, she is going to Macon to teach school. Do you remember her?"
"I think so. Does she have red hair, freckles across her nose and wears braces and glasses?"
"Well, I think you've got the right girl, but she doesn't wear braces anymore. Do you think you'll be alright with her?"
"Sure. I'll still be able to visit with Virge won't I?"
"Of course you will, honey. Erin will be coming by tonight, so let's go straighten up the guest bedroom."
Erin came by after dinner and we got re-introduced. I was a little tongue tied, because she was beautiful. Those freckles seemed to smooth out a little and her hair wasn't put up like it used to be. It flowed free. It was a beautiful red and curly. No braces and no glasses either. I stammered, "It's nice to meet you again, Miss Erin."
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rabbit. Don't you think we ought to just call each other Erin and Rabbit?"
It did make sense. Mr. Rabbit sounded pretty stupid.
She went on, "This is going to be a grand adventure for us both. I grew up with two sisters, so never had a brother. You've never had a sister, so now we can learn together."
When she smiled at me, I knew everything was going to be okay.
The next morning, my grandparents loaded up their Plymouth station wagon and headed to Alabama. Erin and I stood together on the front porch and waved goodbye. She looked down at me and said, "Your grandma told me that you have chores every morning. Would you like for me to help you?"
"You could, but they're not hard. It's just taking care of the chickens and seeing if any beans or tomatoes need picking. Plus, I don't see you helping me dressed like you are."
She paused for a moment and then laughed. "I guess you think I'm a silly city girl. I don't suppose that a sundress and sandals are the best thing for farm wear. I do have some jeans and tee shirts. I'll change."
As I was brushing my teeth, I heard Erin cry out, "Ouch, ouch!"
Running in to her room, I practically shouted, "What's wrong?"
"I was just raising my window and I got stung by two huge hornets. I didn't know it would hurt so bad."
The guest room wasn't used too often. I walked over and could see some agitated wasps flying around a small nest at the corner of the window.
"Erin, let's go out to the kitchen. Those old wasps will calm down after awhile and I can spray them. For now, I can help ease the pain for those big stings on your arm."
On the way to the kitchen, I grabbed a package of my grandpa's chewing tobacco. I sat her down in a chair and cut a small plug of tobacco off. Putting the tobacco in a coffee cup, I poured a small amount of water on it and mashed it down with a spoon. When it formed a paste, I applied it over the sting area.
She was looking at me with a puzzled look the whole time. Finally, she said, "You know, that really works. The pain has gone away. Who taught you how to do that?"
"My friend Virge Gates taught me this summer when I got stung by a bunch of yellow jackets."
"Is Virge a boy that lives nearby?"
"He lives nearby, but he ain't no boy. Virge is almost ninety years old. You can see the corner of his cabin from the front porch. It's not even a half mile away. He helps my grandma and grandpa out around the farm. You can meet him today. He was going to come by and take me fishing. Would you like to go?"
Smiling, she said, "I'd love to go. I've never been fishing and Virge sounds like an interesting man. Sounds like a real adventure."
Virge came by at two in the afternoon. I made the introductions and wasn't surprised that Virge knew her. He at least knew her daddy and grandpa and remembered her as a little girl. Within minutes, it was like they were the best of friends.
Halfway down to the lake, Virge suddenly stopped. "Oh my goodness. here's a treat for both of you. Close your eyes and open your mouth for a big surprise."
When our eyes were closed, Virge put a green persimmon in each of our mouths and said, "Take a bite."
For a minute, think about putting the bitterest lemon you've ever had in your life in your mouth and taking a big bite. Think about how your face would scrunch up and you almost suck your lips back in your mouth. If you have that picture, know that the green persimmon was ten times worse. I heard Erin screech, "ugh" and then she spit it out. I did the same.
All the while, Virge was laughing. I could see that Erin was smiling, but I was mad. I never yell at Virge, but I did this time. "That ain't funny at all. That thing tastes terrible."
"Rabbit, I couldn't help myself. That's something that my daddy did to me about eighty years ago. I never thought about it till we walked by that tree. You might have thought it funny if you'd have seen the look on both of your faces. Plus, you know how old Virge likes to give lessons and I reckon there's a lesson in this one too."
"Yeah, I learned the lesson alright. Trust no one."
"No, the message is much simpler than that. It's, don't never close your eyes and open your mouth."
Virge started laughing again and this time, Erin was joining in. Not me, I was still mad. "I still think it was mean."
"Well, it would hurt me to have you mad at me. Would it be better if I took a big old bite of a green persimmon for you?"
I thought about this for a moment before I replied, "Yeah, I reckon that would be better."
True to his word, Virge pulled a big green persimmon off, closed his eyes, opened his mouth and took a big bite. The effect was almost immediate. His cheeks pooched in and his mouth formed a tight little O. I have to admit that I laughed. He looked wierd.
Virge asked, "So now you think it's funny?"
"I sure do. You should have seen the way you looked. Your face normally looks like a prune. Now it looks like a dried up old prune with wrinkles."
With that, the three of us just howled. After Virge caught his breath, he said, "You know that there's another lesson in all this?"
Erin and I looked at each other puzzled. Finally, she asked, "What's the lesson?"
Virge smiled and said, "When friends laugh together, there ain't no room for anger."
 Recognized |
|
List of characters:
Rabbit - young boy nine years old
Grandma Louise (on the father's side)
Grandpa Horace (on the father's side)
Grandma Nan (on his mother's side)
Pappy (Grandpa on his mother's side)
Virge Gates - 87 year old black man, Rabbit's good friend
Sugar Butts - Virge's nickname for his niece, Ms. Carry
Wesley - Rabbit's cousin
John - Rabbit's older brother and constant nemesis
Carol - First cousin, daughter of his mother's brother
Erin - Friend of grandparents, a live in babysitter for Rabbit
*** This is a novel, so if some things don't make sense, please be aware that there are previous chapters. I wish I could make each chapter a stand alone masterpiece, but ...
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Rabbit - young boy nine years old
Grandma Louise (on the father's side)
Grandpa Horace (on the father's side)
Grandma Nan (on his mother's side)
Pappy (Grandpa on his mother's side)
Virge Gates - 87 year old black man, Rabbit's good friend
Sugar Butts - Virge's nickname for his niece, Ms. Carry
Wesley - Rabbit's cousin
John - Rabbit's older brother and constant nemesis
Carol - First cousin, daughter of his mother's brother
Erin - Friend of grandparents, a live in babysitter for Rabbit
*** This is a novel, so if some things don't make sense, please be aware that there are previous chapters. I wish I could make each chapter a stand alone masterpiece, but ...
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