Within each of us there lives a Child, whom we may or may not know . . . (C.G.Jung)
BessieJune
Janelle Elise, she drew this here picture a me, said it was ’cause I was always thinkin’, that my mind was so full a things that sometimes my body didn’t know what it was a’doin’. She mighta said that when Matilde was a’fussin’ me fer spillin’ somethin’ or trippin’ over the ole cat what lives here and fallin’ into her applesauce she was a’makin’. Have I told you about the ole cat? I call her SallySam, after that doll I already tole you about that I had when I was little. Here’s what SallySam looks like.
She’s real fat and lazy, almost always a’layin’ around on a bed somewheres. But all the girls mostly love ‘er, mebbe not Barefoot Woman so much, but she might not be usta to cats. We gotta watch her around the customers, tho’, she’s got a bad temper and scratches and bites real easy. We got a lotta animals, tho’ SallySam’s the only one what lives inside.
I think I’m mostly tired a’talkin’ in My Story about the girls that live here. ‘Ceptin’ for ones that come and go, I mostly covered ’em all anyways. Mebbe I’ll tell ya about the animals ’cause I sure love animals. Here’s the pig, her name’s Joey, and I made Matildie promise not ta butcher her, an’ she rolled ‘er eyes, but I don’t think she will.
An’ the pony — he goes by the name a Al, and he’s pretty bad-tempered, too, I mostly leave him alone unless I got a carrot.
An’ we got some yard chickens that I named, but they ain’t too long for this world, what with Matildie and the coyotes, so I try not to get too fond a them.
And last, but not least, is this scruffy ole dog what hangs around lookin’ for a handout. I’m hopin’ Matildie’ll let me keep him here, cause I’m here more than I am at my pa’s. Sometimes I think I oughta just move in.
These girls, and these animals, they’re like my family. It’s real lonesome at home, with Pa workin’ most a the time. An’ I think the girls are like family to each other, too, even tho’ they squabble and don’t get along too good sometimes. And I think each of ’em, in their own way, care about me, too.
I wonder. D’ ya have a pretty good feel a things from My Story? I could tell ya some more things, but mebbe I better let Miz Suze read this whole thing first, so I know if I’m all wet or not. I’d like to tell ya somethin’ about her, but it feels real strange, kinda not-respectful-like. An’ she’s kinda close to her chest, don’t let a lot slip about ‘erself. I think her and AutumnGlory and Matilde prob’ly talk. Somethin’ AutumnGlory let slip one time made me think Miz Suze mighta had a baby that died. If that’s true, that’s real sad.
I think I’ll stop again. I ’bout plumb run outa things to say. Or leastwise, things to say that seem right somehow.