Daddy.

[Amy M.Fitzgerald]

I was five when he became " not my Daddy". I was thirty eight when he became my Daddy again. He was dead.

Summertime... Waves of heat off the tarmac of a country road. Cowshit streaks in long rows on the cornfield behind my house.

Get a switch off that weepin' willow girl. You need a whoopin'.

I'd take my yellow Schwinn ten speed up to Muzikar's garage ... going for a soda pop. Frankie Muzikar's soda machine. Mountain Dew had just come out. It tasted like panther piss but it was "cool" to have the new soda pop so I drank it.

Sitting, back against John's grave stone. Speaking with my mind not my mouth. Some unseen dude that watched me in my bedroom mirror.

Got stung all up by hornets with my cousin Tammy. We were snotty nosed pre pubescent girls jumping on a railroad tie that their nest was in...

Jumping to the clang of the Bacon Hill church bell. Small. White. Country clap board, clap trap, bumpkin', Bible thumpin' church.

Get a switch off that weepin' willow girl. You need a whoopin'

Elderberries squeezed and rubbed on your mouth make ya' look bloody. Brothers Wally and Terrance would scare me. Turn their eyelids inside out. Smash Elderberries and chase me thru the cornfield till I damnable near puke. Assholes.

So I'd go across the way to Mr. & Mrs. Goff's house. Fine German folks. Words spoken quietly. Gruff gravel throated quiet words.

Go climb the apple tree out front girl an' git an apple.

Man! To be sitting in the virginal, Venus crook of the branches of that tree again! I'd sit in that "V" shape till my ass no longer felt a part of me. It was directly across from my front yard with the "whippin' weepin' willow".

That apple tree was my compadre! She and I got each other. Never had the crisp, sweet, tart, crunch of any apples like hers before or since. Makes the back of my throat, right by my ears ache with wanting that taste in my mouth again.

Then it was down to the creek. We cut a path. Then we cleared it out. Packin' down the earth. Me, Tam-Bo and Jeff my Cuz's, and my Bros. Ant like precision. Wally leading the way. We soul be playing until "HE" came home.

Get a switch off that weepin' willow girl. You need a whoopin'.

LASHES. Standing still. I fly away. I smell the cow whit streaks in the field. I sip Mountain Dew. Sting, sting, sting goes the hornets. Right in time with the church bells. Mrs.Goff's apples...making me smile. No bloody Elderberry smiles will scare you today girl. You can go to the creek!

The creek feels good when I sit on the sand under her waters. Makes the backs of my legs sting less. Summer sweat gets into them willow lashes ya know!

I was five when he became " not my Daddy". I was thirty eight when he became my Daddy again. He was dead. A.M. Fitzgeral

[annie g]

I like the connections. Makes me think how life changes but stays the same. 

[chris laro]

Hey Amy I did read this yesterday or so and enjoyed it. Good words and descriptive imagery Watch spelling though and edit more. Peace talk later on other site.

chris