[ SHOWGSD-L ] The New Year's Resolution (Part 2)
- From: Barbara Galasso <uwish@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:52:33 -0500
Morning comes too quickly and momma comes in to wake us children and
tells us to hurry up and get washed and dressed so we can have our
breakfast before we go to school. "And Robby, don't forget to brush
your teeth and Penny have Jane put a comb through your hair" mom
instructs them. And Robby being as feisty as ever adds, "And I don't
want any sticky old oatmeal again for breakfast this morning." "Oh
hush," I tell him, It's good for you." "It sticks to your ribs and
keeps you warm." He's not convinced and answers me back, "Well I'm not
eating any of it". "Well good then, go to school hungry, " I tell him
because that's all we have". "Momma says to to me, "help them will you
Jane, so they don't miss the school bus." "Yes momma" I tell her, " I
will," and in the mean time I try to get myself washed and dressed for
school also.
I walk Robby and Penny to the end of the driveway and make sure they get
on the school bus safely. I wave good-bye to them and tell them to have
a good day at school. I have another 45 minutes before my bus comes, so
I turn and head back up to the house. I see momma going to the chicken
coop to the collect the eggs and poppa is going to the barn with Dusty
trailing behind him. I walk up to the barn and then as I near it, I
hear poppa talking to someone in there. I draw up a little closer to
see who it is he's carrying this conversation on with. I peek inside,
hoping he doesn't see me spying on him. Poppa's lifting the hay with
the pitchfork to add warmth to the stalls where the three cows we own
call home. He leads old Nellie out and pulls up a stool next to her
getting ready to milk her. Dusty is whining and barking with his tail
wagging happily behind him as he follows my father around as he usually
does when poppa is doing his chores. He's carrying his big ball in his
mouth with all the teeth marks in it and drops it eagerly at poppa's
feet. He looks at him and while barking at poppa, he pushes the ball
with his big black nose towards my father to tempt him to throw it for
him. When my father ignores him, he whines some more.
Poppa says to him, "Oh hush Dusty, you sound like an old nagging woman,
I tell you right now". "What do you think I have to do all day is play
with you?" "The trouble with you is you never learned how to earn your
keep around here." "You're nothing but a spoiled brat," poppa scolds
him. "But all of that's going to chance soon," he tells the dog who
sits there with a quizzical look on his face as poppa goes on. "Yes
sir, all that's going to chance soon," he says again. He points a
finger at the dog and says, "you will learn what real hard labor is and
you'll earn your keep all right, Mister big shot," he lectures him.
Dusty whimpers and lays down next to poppa with his head between his two
front paws and his big black eyes looking up at my father as he
continues his conversation with the dog. "Yes sir, hard labor never
hurt anybody," he goes on. "You think you're a big strong boy now, you
just wait until old man Harkins gets you". "Then you'll appreciate how
easy you had it around here," he tells him with authority. "Yup, things
are certainly going to be changing around here, I can assure you of
that." Dusty takes another look at poppa, and rolls on his side looking
for his belly to be scratched. Poppa stops what he's doing and before
he realizes it, he starts to scratch and pet Dusty forgetting he's
milking Nellie. He has a captured audience with Dusty as he continues
his storytelling. "I'll tell you when I was a young boy, my daddy had
me running the whole farm by the time I was 12". "No lazy keepers in my
dads house," he tells Dusty. "And the old mutt that we had slept
outside all year round." Daddy didn't want any flea bitten dogs in the
house," I can tell you that much." "He didn't lay in front of the
fireplace like someone I know does," he says looking down at the big
guy. Dusty licks poppa's hand to let him know he's still listening to
his ramblings.
"Now don't get me wrong Dusty," poppa continues. "You've always been a
good dog and never gave us any trouble." "Heck, you were born in my
hands, the night your poor mother Gretchen died giving birth to you."
"You've been there protecting and playing with my children ever since
you could wobble up on those strong legs of yours". "But you've got to
understand Dusty, why I have to do what I have to do my boy" It's
because of my young ones that depend on me to support them and feed
them." "That's the only reason I'm selling you to old Mr. Harkins," he
tells the dog. Dusty whines and whines some more as if he understands
what poppa is saying to him. "Darn Dusty, he says, "Don't do this to
me", as he wraps his arms around the big dog who is sitting up next to
him by now. "I love you too my boy." "I really do," he says wiping
the tears away from his eyes. "I don't want to have to sell you," he
cries. Just then momma sees me peeking in the barn and says, "Jane
what are you doing standing out here in the cold?" Poppa hears our
voices and with that, the bond that just happened between the man and
his dog is broken and poppa quickly turns away and starts milking old
Nellie again.
Momma's in the house knitting new gloves for Robby and Penny's hands to
keep them warm from this brutal winter weather we're having this year.
The children are playing a new board game and poppa is reading his
"Farmer's Almanac" magazine. I'm listening to the old second hand radio
poppa picked up for me that only plays four stations but it's playing
beautiful Christmas music. Poppa cut down a small evergreen tree
yesterday from the back woods and last night we all decorated it like we
do every year with old Christmas remnants from years gone by. Momma and
I hum along to one of the Christmas carols and all seems well in our
little cabin on Christmas Day. We can't afford a turkey for dinner,
but momma's cooking a meat loaf in the oven that she made into the shape
of a turkey.
Poppa interrupts our merriment and says, "I saw Mr. Harkins two days
ago in the village." "He says he'd like to pay us a visit some time
this week." "Is that okay Mildred?," poppa asks momma. Robby pipes in
now and says "I don't like grumpy old Mr. Harkins, poppa". "Me neither"
says Penny in her little squeaky voice. "What's he doing wanting to
come here for anyway?" Robby asks. Poppa says, "Oh he's just coming
by to wish us a happy holiday and to give us some of that spiked rum he
makes". "Yuk," Robby says. "That stuffs nasty". "Well it's not meant
for children anyway," he tells Robby. "And don't you be so fresh young
man," he warns him. "In my day, children didn't speak until they were
spoken to", he scolds him. "You better learn your place young man," he
cautions him. "Do you understand me boy?", poppa asks, looking for an
answer. "Yes sir, poppa, I'm sorry Robby says. With that Penny sticks
her tongue out at Robby and poppa says, "and that goes for you too young
lady, do you hear me?" Robby covers his hands over his mouth to conceal
his giggle as it's Penny's turn to take a scolding from poppa. Penny's
bottom lip starts to quiver and says, "yes poppa, but Robby started
it." Momma, being momma knows this is a good time to interrupt and say,
"who wants some nice warm apple cider?" Everyone chimes in, "we do".
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