Moments (standard:drama, 1495 words)
Author: Liz	Added: Mar 19 2002	Views/Reads: 3164/2163	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Moments happen with every second, minute,every day..

Moments By Liz 

The day that Jimmy John Madden sat with his back hunched over the glass
of whiskey down at Josies bar was the day he came face to face with His 
father. Jimmy John had only been nine the spring his father had left. 
He had stood out in the road and watched the car drive away spitting up 
dust. Three chickens had walked out across the road cackling and 
pecking at the roads settling dust. Jimmy John, nine years old and 
small for his age had been dressed in dusty overalls, gritty gray tank 
top and barefoot. He had kneaded his toes right into the soft spring 
ground feeling pebbles and sticks poke his toes. 

Later that night he had sat on the couch and picked out the dried mud
from under his toenails with a pocket knife. He had done all of this 
while watching his Mother pace and wring her hands. Her swollen stomach 
had seemed to heave with guilt. Inside lay number seven on the Madden 
children. Jimmy John was in the middle. He had three older brothers 
living out west with families of their own. Sometimes they got letters 
or cards. When folks got out of this place usually it was forgotten. 
His sister Hannah was twelve. She had stringy blonde hair and was 
always licking her upper lip making it look red and scaly. She had been 
branded ‘fish lips'. Fish lips was in the corner crying softly as Jimmy 
John picked the dirt. Baby Tessie was sitting on the floor. A dingy 
nappie on her. A single gold curl on her head. Three fingers in her 
mouth and wide silent eyes. 

Jimmy John had quit school by the time he was twelve. He had outgrown
being the runt and now stood taller than most fourteen year olds. His 
arms became strong and larger. Fish Lips by this time has stooped 
licking her lips and was forever checking her complexion in the cracked 
mirrors around the house. Baby Tessie was full of blonde curls and 
learning to tie a nappie on Nathan. mother no longer stood and wrung 
her hands. She spent her days and nights in her room. Shades drawn and 
a cool rag on her forehead. One evening Jimmy John was surprised too 
hear her soft voice calling for him. When he entered her room he didn't 
know where to sit. Uncertain he stood awkward by the bed. 

“J.J. I want you too promise too take care of the babies.” 

“ I promise.” 

She had turned her head and reached her arm out. Jimmy John dodged it
afraid to grab it too roughly. 

“ And always make sure they eat.” 

“ I'll make sure they eat.” 

Sometime during the night she had died. Jimmy John had sat on the wooden
rocker on the front porch and rocked slowly. After her strange way of 
calling him in he had sat with her. He watched the sun come up and 
ignored the  cries of his sister when she found Mother in her room. 
Stiff from death. Jimmy John borrowed a suit from a farmer he worked 
for too go too her funeral. Fish Lips had worn and old dress of his 
Mothers and Baby Tessie had cut the length of one of fish lips old 
ones. Nathan dressed casual in a sleeper. The townsfolk had been kind 
and a few brought pies. Two apple and one peach. After watching his 
Mother lowered into the ground Jimmy John ushered his siblings home and 
went back to work the next day with the a piece of the peace pie in his 
lunch. 

Christmas he would chop a cedar down off the hill and drag it home. One
year a new puppy for the two youngest ones rewarded Jimmy John with 
hugs. Flushing bright red he had went too his room and watched them 
play through a crack in the door. When Fish Lips stayed out with Edmond 
Green from down the road he would sit on the rocker. Big hands clenched 
on the sides and ears perked up straining to hear any noise of her 
coming up the drive. Early in the morning when she would come back 
home. He would leave for work and work longer than needed to and come 
home late and close his room door with a soft click. This lasted for 
only three months till Edmond Green came to Jimmy John's job. Farmer 
Howell Lead him out too the barn where he stuffed hay in the loft. 
Edmond cleared his throat and watched Jimmy John's muscles flex under 
the white shirt. 



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