Cathy Pierce
This is a true story.... Long Johns & Buckshot
"What do you want to be when you grow up Glenda?"
Pearl Jenkins Hood asked her young granddaughter.
"I want to be a singing star...and I want to fly someday, just like the airplane we saw last month!"
Little blonde haired Melva said,
"Gramma, I want to be a Mommy!"
The Girls made the old woman smile, she wiped her hands on her apron, they had finished their baths and the bathwater still needed to be dumped.
"Now you girls get in bed, put your gum on the bed post"
Both girls took a wad of chewing gum out of their mouths and stuck it on the headboard.
"Will Uncle Delbert be home from training soon?"
The grandmother got a faraway look out of the window,
"He should be home for a visit any day now."
She walked to the window and looked out into the night...faintly she could see a movement in the yard. It frightened her. Her eyes squinted and her mouth puckered up.
"GIRLS, STAY IN BED!" she was as stern as she had ever been with her granddaughters.
Pearl headed towards the door where the shotgun rested behind the door. She peered out the door and yelled "Who is out there?! I've got a gun!....."
Glenda jumped out of bed and little Melva soon followed... they ran to their granny's side.
They could see the Silhouette of a man standing there, between the clotheslines.
"Now, go on! I ain't got no money! Go on or I'll shoot!"
The old woman raised the shotgun and gave a final warning.... then shot the gun into the night at the figure, and it dropped to the ground.
The 2 girls' jaws dropped, and Pearl slammed the door shut, bolted and locked it tight with a buttlerknife jammed in the door.
They could barely breath...the old house wasn't too much better than a cabin. No electricity. No Plumbing. The lanterns threw mystical things into the dark corners it shed. The boards on the floor creaked as Pearl lead the 2 frightened girls back to bed.
The next morning Pearl was very surprised when her son Delbert opened his bedroom door and came out.
"Whyyy Glory Be to Jesus!!! My son is home again!!!"
"I got back yesterday, the war efforts can do without me before I get shipped out, now where are those Long Johns I hung on the line when I got here last night?"
Without missing a beat, sweet Pearl said
"Let's hope you fair better in the War than your long johns did at home! They are out there full of buckshot!"
“I’m just thankful I wasn’t in them!”
he laughed, soon Pearl was laughing, as well as Glenda and Melva.They didn’t know what the future held, but that moment bonded them all.
"What do you want to be when you grow up Glenda?"
Pearl Jenkins Hood asked her young granddaughter.
"I want to be a singing star...and I want to fly someday, just like the airplane we saw last month!"
Little blonde haired Melva said,
"Gramma, I want to be a Mommy!"
The Girls made the old woman smile, she wiped her hands on her apron, they had finished their baths and the bathwater still needed to be dumped.
"Now you girls get in bed, put your gum on the bed post"
Both girls took a wad of chewing gum out of their mouths and stuck it on the headboard.
"Will Uncle Delbert be home from training soon?"
The grandmother got a faraway look out of the window,
"He should be home for a visit any day now."
She walked to the window and looked out into the night...faintly she could see a movement in the yard. It frightened her. Her eyes squinted and her mouth puckered up.
"GIRLS, STAY IN BED!" she was as stern as she had ever been with her granddaughters.
Pearl headed towards the door where the shotgun rested behind the door. She peered out the door and yelled "Who is out there?! I've got a gun!....."
Glenda jumped out of bed and little Melva soon followed... they ran to their granny's side.
They could see the Silhouette of a man standing there, between the clotheslines.
"Now, go on! I ain't got no money! Go on or I'll shoot!"
The old woman raised the shotgun and gave a final warning.... then shot the gun into the night at the figure, and it dropped to the ground.
The 2 girls' jaws dropped, and Pearl slammed the door shut, bolted and locked it tight with a buttlerknife jammed in the door.
They could barely breath...the old house wasn't too much better than a cabin. No electricity. No Plumbing. The lanterns threw mystical things into the dark corners it shed. The boards on the floor creaked as Pearl lead the 2 frightened girls back to bed.
The next morning Pearl was very surprised when her son Delbert opened his bedroom door and came out.
"Whyyy Glory Be to Jesus!!! My son is home again!!!"
"I got back yesterday, the war efforts can do without me before I get shipped out, now where are those Long Johns I hung on the line when I got here last night?"
Without missing a beat, sweet Pearl said
"Let's hope you fair better in the War than your long johns did at home! They are out there full of buckshot!"
“I’m just thankful I wasn’t in them!”
he laughed, soon Pearl was laughing, as well as Glenda and Melva.They didn’t know what the future held, but that moment bonded them all.
