| General Fiction posted March 28, 2013 | Chapters: |
...9 10 -11- 12... 
|
  |
Ongoing summer adventures
A chapter in the book Rabbit
Ch. 10, Part 2. Fishing
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. |
I started out being mad, but once Virge had Erin and I giggling our heads off, it was all over. We just headed down the hill to the lake to go fishing.
My grandparents' lake was beautiful, though on the small size by design. When built twenty years ago, the contractor wanted to make it larger. Given its location at the bottom of a natural basin and being spring fed, the contractor said, "We can make it as big as you want. It's a natural site." They made it five acres, large enough for lots of fish, but small enough to comfortably canoe around.
Many of the lakes in those days were fed by natural wash. This one, fed by two different springs, tended to be colored shades of green and rarely stained. One of the springs even had a name, Little Blue. People in the county would come by and fill jugs with the cool and pure water. A spring in the next county was named, Blue Springs. Owned by a millionaire and developed, it made Little Blue seem a size appropriate name.
Virge gave Erin some of the history. Our fishing trip ended when he told her, "Rabbit and I cleaned out around old Little Blue last week. It was so hot, we just went over and soaked our feet in the spring. It don't matter what time of year it is, that old spring just keeps pumping out water at sixty degrees."
Being cool in the middle of a hot Mid-West Georgia summer, made it special. In winter, you could see steam rising, because at sixty degrees, the temperature tended to be warmer than the outside air. Erin almost squealed when she asked, "Can we just soak our feet first?"
What could Virge say? I've already told you she was real cute.
Anyhow, we headed over to the spring. Over time, it had been lined with rock. There were two large ones that you could sit on. We all went over and took off our shoes. Trying to be a gentleman, I reminded Erin, "If you want to take a drink, you might want to before Virge and I stick our feet in." A metal dipper hung on a post for just that reason. We all took a big drink before sitting down. There might be better tasting water somewhere in the world, but I sure ain't found it.
As we settled in, Virge asked Erin, "Did I ever tell you about the first time that me and Rabbit went fishing?" I just looked at Virge. How could she have heard? He just met her twenty minutes ago.
Politely, she said, "No, but I wish you would."
"Well, Missy, you just sit back and I'll tell you the story. It's a good one."
"When Rabbit was six years old, he asked me to take him fishing."
Erin interjected, "Wait, first you have to tell me how he got the nickname."
"I gets to take all the credit. The first time I saw him sitting on the front porch, it came to me. He was just sitting there. Those big old eyes was looking all around and them big old ears was moving side to side. He wasn't saying squat. I told his grandma that he was like the rabbit. He was just taking it all in. Ain't nobody going to get one by the Rabbit. Anyhow, it just stuck."
Erin smiled. "Okay, let's hear the fishing story."
Alright, here goes. I told Rabbit that the best bait was worms, and the best place to get them was his grandma's garden where she kept her compost pile. We got us a couple of cans and headed over. I handed Rabbit a shovel. I told him to brush the stuff off'n the top of the pile.
He's a pretty good boy and generally does what you ask. All of a sudden he piped up and said, "Virge, that ain't stuff. That's cow poop. That stuff is nasty."
I told him, "Now Rabbit, ain't nothin' God made nasty. Let me show you something."
I brushed the top off the pile and worms started going everywhere. We scooped them up and put them in the cans. Looking at Rabbit, I explained to him, "God is pretty smart. Them cows poop and your grandma throws it here with all dat other stuff. Them worms then eat it all up and den dey poop too. It becomes that dark ol dirt you see right there. Your grandma take all that dirt and spread it around all her vegetables. It makes em grown big and strong."
He looked at me and said, "That still sounds nasty."
I had to ask him, "Did your grandma make you one of her mater sandwiches for lunch, one of those good un's on loaf bread, slobbered up with mayonnaise?"
Of course, he looked puzzled, but asked, " How did you know?"
I told him I wasn't no mind reader. The proof was on the front of his shirt!
I then told him the science of the whole thing. "Rabbit, through that mater and down through dat dirt, through dem worms, and through all that other stuff, you done et some of that cow poop!"
After a bout of laughter, Erin asked me, "Rabbit, do you remember that."
With a sheepish grin, I replied, "I do remember. It seemed a bit dumb to me, but Virge doesn't let me down on nature stuff. Listening to him, it actually made sense."
Virge interjected, "What else did I teach you that day? I know you ain't forgot, because I see you practice what I taught you all the time."
I smiled before replying. "Virge told me that I wasn't fishing, I was feeding. I used to take the whole worm and sometimes two, and wad them all up on the hook. I couldn't figure out why Virge always caught more fish than me. He showed me how to break a single worm into thirds and string just the small part over the hook rather than a big old blob. That way, when the fish smelled the worm, he'd take a bite and most likely get a part of the hook."
"And what else did I tell you?"
Rolling my eyes, I said, "I really do listen to you sometimes. You told me that fishing was a good lesson in life. Don't matter if it's bait or fish, don't use more than you need."
Virge smiled at Erin and she gave him a big one right back. She finally said, "When I get to that school in Macon, I hope I can be half the teacher as your are, Virge."
We all talked some more and at the end of it, didn't do any fishing. I didn't mind just sitting around. When Virge is in storytelling mode, it's worth just sitting back and listening.
We headed back up the hill, and Virge split off to his cabin and Erin and I back to the house.
When we got back to the house, Erin said to me, "That was great. I hope you didn't mind not going fishing. It was just so interesting to hear Virge tell his stories. He's very fond of you. You two made me all sweaty with all that walking around. I'm going to take a bath. Give me twenty minutes and I'll make us some supper."
We split ways, me going upstairs to my bedroom and Erin to the downstairs bath. I hung out up there for awhile and then headed back down the stairs. When I got near the bottom, I noticed that the door to the bathroom was partially open. Looking through the crack of the door, I froze in my tracks. My line of sight was to a mirror, but in that mirror, I saw Erin. She was buck naked! Her leg was up on the edge of the bath and she was drying it.
I can't explain it, but I had a strange feeling. I didn't want to keep going downstairs and I didn't want to go back up either. The sight before me froze me. All of a sudden, she looked up in the mirror and saw me. Taking a step toward the door, she closed it.
My older brother, John, tells me lots of stuff. Most of it is trash, but he did tell me there was a certain way you could tell a girl's true hair color. He is often wrong, but maybe not this time. Erin was a red head.
I hustled into the kitchen and started setting the table. In a few minutes, Erin walked in. She was dressed, with her hair wrapped up in a towel. She paused for a moment before asking, "You weren't peeking in on me were you?"
I know I blushed when I replied, "No, but I should have told you that this is an old house. It's done settled and relaxed over the years. That bathroom door is going to spring open every time unless you latch it."
Erin smoothed her hair out with her hand. "I believe you, Rabbit, so I should just apologize for embarrassing you."
"You didn't embarrass me."
"I didn't?"
"Well, no. You were the naked one."
Erin laughed. "Get on over here, Rabbit, and finish setting the table."
We spent three more days together. It was really fun having me an older sister. I believe it was fun for both of us. If you ain't never lived on a farm, you just ain't lived. We did it all. Virge even let her ride one of the mules. I was glad to see my grandma and grandpa get back, but sad too. I knew Erin would be going to Macon.
The day they got back, Erin and I helped get things re-organized. We then packed up her car. Standing beside it, she said, "I told you when I got here, I was going to enjoy having a little brother. I got more than that. I found a person who was willing to include me in his life and be my friend. We can't really be brother and sister, but can we always be friends?"
I had to pause for a minute, smile, and just let life catch up with me. "Erin, I would be honored to be your friend for the rest of my life. You just need to know one thing."
With a puzzled look, she asked, "What's that?"
"Well, you could never be my teacher."
"Why's that?"
"Because, standing in front of that room, it wouldn't matter what you said or how smart you were. I'd always remember how you looked naked."
I believe that Erin was taken back. At least, she stepped back and kind of squinted at me. We then played blink..... I lost, I blinked first. Actually, it wasn't a blink. It was a wink which I combined with the widest, white tooth smile I could conjure up.
She broke up in laughter and tousled my hair. "You know, Rabbit, I wish you were fifteen years older."
"Me too Erin. Me too."
My grandparents' lake was beautiful, though on the small size by design. When built twenty years ago, the contractor wanted to make it larger. Given its location at the bottom of a natural basin and being spring fed, the contractor said, "We can make it as big as you want. It's a natural site." They made it five acres, large enough for lots of fish, but small enough to comfortably canoe around.
Many of the lakes in those days were fed by natural wash. This one, fed by two different springs, tended to be colored shades of green and rarely stained. One of the springs even had a name, Little Blue. People in the county would come by and fill jugs with the cool and pure water. A spring in the next county was named, Blue Springs. Owned by a millionaire and developed, it made Little Blue seem a size appropriate name.
Virge gave Erin some of the history. Our fishing trip ended when he told her, "Rabbit and I cleaned out around old Little Blue last week. It was so hot, we just went over and soaked our feet in the spring. It don't matter what time of year it is, that old spring just keeps pumping out water at sixty degrees."
Being cool in the middle of a hot Mid-West Georgia summer, made it special. In winter, you could see steam rising, because at sixty degrees, the temperature tended to be warmer than the outside air. Erin almost squealed when she asked, "Can we just soak our feet first?"
What could Virge say? I've already told you she was real cute.
Anyhow, we headed over to the spring. Over time, it had been lined with rock. There were two large ones that you could sit on. We all went over and took off our shoes. Trying to be a gentleman, I reminded Erin, "If you want to take a drink, you might want to before Virge and I stick our feet in." A metal dipper hung on a post for just that reason. We all took a big drink before sitting down. There might be better tasting water somewhere in the world, but I sure ain't found it.
As we settled in, Virge asked Erin, "Did I ever tell you about the first time that me and Rabbit went fishing?" I just looked at Virge. How could she have heard? He just met her twenty minutes ago.
Politely, she said, "No, but I wish you would."
"Well, Missy, you just sit back and I'll tell you the story. It's a good one."
"When Rabbit was six years old, he asked me to take him fishing."
Erin interjected, "Wait, first you have to tell me how he got the nickname."
"I gets to take all the credit. The first time I saw him sitting on the front porch, it came to me. He was just sitting there. Those big old eyes was looking all around and them big old ears was moving side to side. He wasn't saying squat. I told his grandma that he was like the rabbit. He was just taking it all in. Ain't nobody going to get one by the Rabbit. Anyhow, it just stuck."
Erin smiled. "Okay, let's hear the fishing story."
Alright, here goes. I told Rabbit that the best bait was worms, and the best place to get them was his grandma's garden where she kept her compost pile. We got us a couple of cans and headed over. I handed Rabbit a shovel. I told him to brush the stuff off'n the top of the pile.
He's a pretty good boy and generally does what you ask. All of a sudden he piped up and said, "Virge, that ain't stuff. That's cow poop. That stuff is nasty."
I told him, "Now Rabbit, ain't nothin' God made nasty. Let me show you something."
I brushed the top off the pile and worms started going everywhere. We scooped them up and put them in the cans. Looking at Rabbit, I explained to him, "God is pretty smart. Them cows poop and your grandma throws it here with all dat other stuff. Them worms then eat it all up and den dey poop too. It becomes that dark ol dirt you see right there. Your grandma take all that dirt and spread it around all her vegetables. It makes em grown big and strong."
He looked at me and said, "That still sounds nasty."
I had to ask him, "Did your grandma make you one of her mater sandwiches for lunch, one of those good un's on loaf bread, slobbered up with mayonnaise?"
Of course, he looked puzzled, but asked, " How did you know?"
I told him I wasn't no mind reader. The proof was on the front of his shirt!
I then told him the science of the whole thing. "Rabbit, through that mater and down through dat dirt, through dem worms, and through all that other stuff, you done et some of that cow poop!"
After a bout of laughter, Erin asked me, "Rabbit, do you remember that."
With a sheepish grin, I replied, "I do remember. It seemed a bit dumb to me, but Virge doesn't let me down on nature stuff. Listening to him, it actually made sense."
Virge interjected, "What else did I teach you that day? I know you ain't forgot, because I see you practice what I taught you all the time."
I smiled before replying. "Virge told me that I wasn't fishing, I was feeding. I used to take the whole worm and sometimes two, and wad them all up on the hook. I couldn't figure out why Virge always caught more fish than me. He showed me how to break a single worm into thirds and string just the small part over the hook rather than a big old blob. That way, when the fish smelled the worm, he'd take a bite and most likely get a part of the hook."
"And what else did I tell you?"
Rolling my eyes, I said, "I really do listen to you sometimes. You told me that fishing was a good lesson in life. Don't matter if it's bait or fish, don't use more than you need."
Virge smiled at Erin and she gave him a big one right back. She finally said, "When I get to that school in Macon, I hope I can be half the teacher as your are, Virge."
We all talked some more and at the end of it, didn't do any fishing. I didn't mind just sitting around. When Virge is in storytelling mode, it's worth just sitting back and listening.
We headed back up the hill, and Virge split off to his cabin and Erin and I back to the house.
When we got back to the house, Erin said to me, "That was great. I hope you didn't mind not going fishing. It was just so interesting to hear Virge tell his stories. He's very fond of you. You two made me all sweaty with all that walking around. I'm going to take a bath. Give me twenty minutes and I'll make us some supper."
We split ways, me going upstairs to my bedroom and Erin to the downstairs bath. I hung out up there for awhile and then headed back down the stairs. When I got near the bottom, I noticed that the door to the bathroom was partially open. Looking through the crack of the door, I froze in my tracks. My line of sight was to a mirror, but in that mirror, I saw Erin. She was buck naked! Her leg was up on the edge of the bath and she was drying it.
I can't explain it, but I had a strange feeling. I didn't want to keep going downstairs and I didn't want to go back up either. The sight before me froze me. All of a sudden, she looked up in the mirror and saw me. Taking a step toward the door, she closed it.
My older brother, John, tells me lots of stuff. Most of it is trash, but he did tell me there was a certain way you could tell a girl's true hair color. He is often wrong, but maybe not this time. Erin was a red head.
I hustled into the kitchen and started setting the table. In a few minutes, Erin walked in. She was dressed, with her hair wrapped up in a towel. She paused for a moment before asking, "You weren't peeking in on me were you?"
I know I blushed when I replied, "No, but I should have told you that this is an old house. It's done settled and relaxed over the years. That bathroom door is going to spring open every time unless you latch it."
Erin smoothed her hair out with her hand. "I believe you, Rabbit, so I should just apologize for embarrassing you."
"You didn't embarrass me."
"I didn't?"
"Well, no. You were the naked one."
Erin laughed. "Get on over here, Rabbit, and finish setting the table."
We spent three more days together. It was really fun having me an older sister. I believe it was fun for both of us. If you ain't never lived on a farm, you just ain't lived. We did it all. Virge even let her ride one of the mules. I was glad to see my grandma and grandpa get back, but sad too. I knew Erin would be going to Macon.
The day they got back, Erin and I helped get things re-organized. We then packed up her car. Standing beside it, she said, "I told you when I got here, I was going to enjoy having a little brother. I got more than that. I found a person who was willing to include me in his life and be my friend. We can't really be brother and sister, but can we always be friends?"
I had to pause for a minute, smile, and just let life catch up with me. "Erin, I would be honored to be your friend for the rest of my life. You just need to know one thing."
With a puzzled look, she asked, "What's that?"
"Well, you could never be my teacher."
"Why's that?"
"Because, standing in front of that room, it wouldn't matter what you said or how smart you were. I'd always remember how you looked naked."
I believe that Erin was taken back. At least, she stepped back and kind of squinted at me. We then played blink..... I lost, I blinked first. Actually, it wasn't a blink. It was a wink which I combined with the widest, white tooth smile I could conjure up.
She broke up in laughter and tousled my hair. "You know, Rabbit, I wish you were fifteen years older."
"Me too Erin. Me too."
 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 ...
You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.
© Copyright 2024. bhogg All rights reserved.
bhogg has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
