memoir

Charley’s Tale Part 11

Charley was miserable with her measles, but worse than measles was the separation from Cora.  The child asked after her constantly.  Because she was unsure if she’d ever had measles, Dr Evans asked her not to visit Charley.  Ellen demanded Cora’s attention constantly, anyway.  Charles was afraid for Ellen to be alone with the baby, so Cora kept it at her side as she worked.  Ellen was still abed, but called for the baby, despite Cora’s assurances she’d bring the baby to the minute she stirred.  Ellen insisted on calling her Charlotte, though Charles had said that wouldn’t do.  She flew into a rage when he opposed her, so he avoided the subject.  Ellen had a wild look in her eyes, and Charles began sedating her when he had to be out, fearing Cora might not be able to handle her.

Back at Geneva’s house, Charley was settling in with Josie to read to her and play games.  The child had never held anyone’s complete attention before, so she revelled in it.  Her father and brothers came to visit daily.  Birdie made her special treats.  Her grandmother loved having her in residence.  Once the initial misery of her illness was past, she was quite content, never thinking to ask after her mother which was fortunate, since her mother continued to ignore her existence.

Charles had mentioned Charley and her measles to Ellen a time or two, but Ellen acted as though she didn’t hear. When the baby was three days old, Charles decided to take on the problem of agreeing on a name before Reverend Parker came by to discuss the christening.  Ellen had begun calling her Charlotte, over Charles’s objection.

“Ellen, please listen to me.  You’re still confused since this new baby surprised us.  That happens after a baby once in a while, but you’ll be clearing up soon.  Our other little girl is Charlotte.  She’s been with your mother because she has the measles, but she will be home with us soon. I’d like to name this baby after my mother and yours.  What do you think of Geneva Catherine?  We can call her Genny.”

Ellen flew into a rage at his words.  “Why are you tormenting me?  You’re trying to convince me I am crazy carrying on about that other Charlotte.  You’re not getting rid of me that easy! I know all about that trashy little nurse of yours!  Get out of here!  Cora! Cora!  Get my mama over here!  Cora!”  She hurled the knife off her breakfast tray at him.collapsing into a paroxysm of frantic weeping as Cora came in to help him settle her down.  Cora finally got her to take something to relax her, since she wouldn’t have anything from his hand.

As things settled down, Charles realized Ellen needed more help than he could give her.  He made a phone call to a colleague.

 

 

THE HAYES SISTERS PART 1

I love Patricia’s serials!

http://www.salpa58.wordpress.com's avatarThe Writers Desk

Clara Hays sat at her kitchen table sipping a cup of tea and reading the morning paper. She was enjoying the quiet and the sound of the waves from the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the jetty’s that ran along the beach. It was the end of April and the crowds would soon be swarming to the small town of Cape May. The peaceful town would soon be filled with people for the summer. Her sister Lena wasn’t an early riser nor a morning person so Clara had the kitchen to herself. The sisters lived in a big Victorian house left to them by their parents. Both ladies were in their seventies and had lived in the big old comfortable house all of their lives, neither was ever married, however, they were not virgins either. They just returned from a trip to Atlantic City late last evening. Both sisters liked to play…

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Hongry Little Billy

lbeth1950's avatarNutsrok

imageMother and Little Billy walked over to have coffee with Miss Alice many mornings after she got us on the school bus.  Of course he would have had breakfast before leaving the house with her.  One morning they got to Miss Alice’s before she’d had time to clear breakfast away.  A couple of strips of bacon and a few biscuits rested on a plate on the

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Mind Your Pees!

lbeth1950's avatarNutsrok

Kid peeingMother keeps a five-gallon thermos of ice water and a stack of plastic cups on her back steps for passersby in her neighborhood. She leaves a container for used cups so she can wash and reuse. Dozens of people stop by for water, every day,  mainly children. One day, a lone six-year-old stopped by, got a drink, turned his back to the street, peed in his

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Charley’s Tale Part 9

Charley’s fourth birthday marked a major turning point in her life.  Her mother unexpectedly went into labor.  At the age of forty-three, Ellen hadn’t had a menstrual cycle in eighteen months and of late had gained a few pounds.  She’d been extremely moody and fractious about her weight gain and loss of sexuality so her husband had steered clear of the sensitive subject

Coincidentally, Charley awoke with a fever and cough.  When Ellen’s screaming started, Charles did an exam and found her in labor.  Cora took Charley to Geneva’s house. Ellen  gave birth to a seven-month baby girl after twenty-four hours of bloody labor.  The baby was tiny, but perfect.   Ellen was ecstatic.  “I finally have a daughter.”

“Ellen, this is our second daughter.  Don’t forget Charley.”  Charles reminded her.

“I never had a girl named Charley.  That’s crazy.  I finally have my little girl.  My life is perfect.”  Ellen was euphoric.  Her eyes glittered strangely.

“No, Ellen, Cora took our girl Charlotte to your mother’s house while you were in labor.  This is our second daughter.”  Charles persisted.  I need to send Cora for Charley now you’ve delivered.”

“Cora’s not going anywhere.  I need her.  I don’t have a girl.  Let me rest.  Have Cora wake me when the baby needs nursing.  I think I want to name this one Charlotte after you since she’ll be the last.”

“Ellen, are you trying to tell me you don’t remember our little girl?”  He feared her mind was unhinged.

“This is my daughter.  Now, let me rest, Charles.”  Ellen closed her eyes. “Don’t be talking to me about another baby.  I won’t have you mocking me.”

Charles left the room puzzling over his wife.  He’d seen baby-blues before, and heard of madness after giving birth, though he’d never actually seen it.  He hoped Ellen would rally after rest.  She’d always been high-strung and subject to mood swings, but this was delusional.  Surely she’d rally when Charley came home.

Geneva called for him to come see to Charley.  As soon as he saw her, he knew she’d contracted measles.  “Miss Geneva, I am so sorry to put this on you, but I can’t bring her in the house with a new baby.  Can you keep her if I get someone in to help?  I’d send Cora but Ellen and the new baby are keeping her tied up.  Ellen seems a little confused and I don’t want her alone with the baby.”

“Of course, Charley will be fine here.  My help Birdie’s daughter Josie has already said she’ll help us out.  What’s wrong with Ellen? She’s always been notion.  Her daddy spoiled her so. Is the baby okay?”  Now Geneva was really worried.

“The baby is tiny, but I think she’ll be alright.  We’ve got her in a basket on the radiator, so she’s warm.  Cora’s waking her every two hours to feed and she’s always hungry.  That’s good.  Frankly, Ellen worries me.  She doesn’t remember Charley.  She says this is her first girl and wants to name her Charlotte.  I believe she will come to her senses in a day or two, but I am worried.”  Charles poured his worries out.,

“”One of my aunts was real queer after a baby.  She kept saying it wasn’t hers and she didn’t want anything to do with it.  She swore her husband had brought one of his women’s babies in.  Poor Wilbur sure was hurt hearing her say that.  He hadn’t ever been anything but good to her.  She finally came around but it was nearly six weeks.  Most of the time she did good after that, but she did have a few bad spells over the the years.  Ellen will do after her female problems settle down.   I sure hope so.”  Geneva’s words worried him.  He didn’t know if hearing the family history made him feel better or worse.

 

 

 

Doggonit, Give Me Some Directions that Make Sense

lbeth1950's avatarNutsrok

            I’m not good with directions.  In fact, I’d have to improve considerably to even be bad.  Useless terms like left, right, North, South, East, and West annoy me.  If people actually expect me to get somewhere, they need to be more specific.  “Turn off the interstate at exit 5.  Go the opposite direction you’ve been going and go three streets past Brookshire’s.   Drive just a minute or so and you’ll see a restaurant with the big cow in the parking lot.  Don’t turn there.  Drive to the next red light and turn on the street that turns between the WaWa and that hardware store with the inflatable lumberjack.  Watch for the ugly house with the silk flowers in the bucket of that tacky wishing well.  Pass it up, but now you need to start driving pretty slow.  You’ll see a big, old white house with a deep porch and…

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Charley’s Tale Part 8

Indulged since birth, Ellen was completely unprepared to deal with disappointment. She felt angry and cheated that Charley was so unlike the daughter she’d envisioned.  Rather than examine herself, she avoided the situation as much as possible.  In her mind, she was wronged, denied the child she was entitled to.

A few months before her fourth birthday, Charley and the four-year-old Barnes twins from next door were making mud pies in the back yard while Cora put the final touches on petit fours for a tea Ellen was hosting at Geneva’s house.  Ellen parked her car and walked in the back yard to find the three children muddy and naked as the day they were born.  Donnie, the little boy, inspected the two little girls and announced to no one in particular, “Charley’s peach ain’t like Sissy’s.  It’s got a little peanut on it.”

“What’s a peanut?” Charley asked.

“Boys got peanuts, girls got peaches.” shared Donnie.  “See.”  With that, Charley educated the girls about peanuts.

At Donnie’s horrifying announcement, Ellen grabbed a broom hanging near the back steps  and flogged all three children, shrieking “You filthy little beasts….”

The children had no idea what hit them as they cowered.  Cora came flying out the back door, restrained the mad woman, and told the children to run.  The twins fled screaming next door as Charley clung to Cora’s skirts, trying to escape her overwrought mother.

“Miss Ellen, you got to hit a holt of yourself.  They just babies.  They don’t know what they doing.  Git on in the house and let me take keer of this.”

With that, Ellen flew in the house, just as Mrs. Barnes showed up with two crying children.  “What’s going on.  The kids said Ellen whipped them with a broom!  Surely she didn’!”

“Oh, no ma’am.  They was makin’ mud pies and Miss Ellen come in the back gate an’ saw a snake slippin’ up on ’em.  She took a broom to it an run it off.   One of ‘me might a caught a lick. She’s all to pieces it skeet her so.  I need to git in an’ see ’bout her now.  I shore am sorry she skeet the younguns a whalin’ on that snake, but at least none of ’em got bit.”

Mrs. Barnes was mollified and left with her children. Cora took Charley in for a bath and went to check on Ellen, who’d shut herself in her room.

“Bring me my tonic.  My headache is killing me!” Ellen demanded as Cora helped her out of her muddy dress.  What am I going to say to Sarah Barnes?  I can’t go back to that tea like this.  You’ll have to call Mama and tell her to handle things.”  She fell on the bed crying.

“Now, don’t fret, Miss Ellen.  Miss Barnes done come over to see what happened.  I told her you seen a snake ’bout to git the kids an’ beat it off of ’em with the broom.  She was proud you saved ’em.” Cora explained.  “Do you want me to call over an’ let Miss Geneva know to go on without you?”

Hearing this, Ellen rallied, feeling quiet heroic. “No, just call and let her know I’ll be delayed changing clothes.  I’ll tell them all about it when I get there.  Help me into my new yellow organza.  I was saving it for Delores Parker’s wedding, but I’ll just have wear it today”

 

 

Charley’s Tale Part 7

Things settled into a new normal once Ellen reluctantly returned to her home.  Little Charley made every step Cora made, unless she was lucky enough to catch the boys playing indoors, when they captured her total attention.  Like all babies, the toys of the older children were the most delightful, especially when they grabbed them and ran.  Ellen punished the brothers for calling her Charley but soon tired of the effort and gave it up as a lost cause.

Ellen left more and more of the care of the children to Cora, immersing herself in her volunteer activities.  She was president of the Altar Guild, Secretary of the Missionary Society, headed up the Donation Committee, and Representave to the War Widows and Orphan Benefit Society.  Not only that, she was very active in her Sorority.  As a doctor’s wife, she was expected to take a leading role in the community.  She was formidable.  As the children grew, she began to host her social functions at her mother, Geneva’s house, ostensibly to lessen her mother’s.  Though her husband provided a gracious home, her mother’s home and things were far finer and didn’t come along with boisterous children.

Cora was relieved to have Miss Ellen occupied outside the house.  It was a relief not to deal with headaches, tears, and outbursts at the children, especially Charley.  The baby was completely as ease in Cora’s care, happily toddling behind her banging on pots and pans.  The boys were old enough to be outdoors most of the time.  The family was settling in comfortably.  Dr. Evans was gratified to have peace in his home thanks to Cora’s skillful management.

With the children out of sight, out of mind, Elle’s life suited her far better.  She only saw the children at bedtime, if at all.Being the wife of a handsome, prominent doctor suited her.  With her time  her own, she looked forward to a generous inheritance.  Unfortunately, she suffered a nervous setback should she receive an invitation to a baby shower or christening, but by and large, her life was good.

 

 

Joke of the Day

lbeth1950's avatarNutsrok

A blonde had just totaled her car in a horrific accident. Miraculously, she managed to pry herself from the wreckage without a scratch and was applying fresh lipstick when the state trooper arrived.
“My God!” the trooper gasped. “Your car looks like an accordion that was stomped on by an elephant. Are you OK ma’am?”
“Yes, officer, I’m just fine” the blonde chirped.
“Well, how in the world did this happen?” the officer asked as he surveyed the wrecked car.
“Officer, it was the strangest thing!” the blonde began. I was driving along this road when from out of nowhere this TREE pops up in front of me. So I swerved to the right, and there was another tree! I swerved to the left and there was ANOTHER tree! I served to the right and there was another tree! I swerved to the left and there was ….”
“Uh, ma’am”…

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