| General Fiction posted July 4, 2013 | Chapters: |
...12 13 -14- 15 
|
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Rabbit ends his summer stay
A chapter in the book Rabbit
Going Home
by bhogg
| Background The young boy, nicknamed Rabbit, learns his mother is having a baby. To make things easier on Mom, he and his older brother John are to stay the 1959 summer with Grandparents. |
I watched a movie with my grandma and grandpa about a cowboy about to be hanged. News to me, but it appears that the prisoner gets to choose their last meal. This guy had country fried steak, potatoes, gravy, biscuits and green beans. That was the way that I felt this morning.
Not that I was a prisoner, but my summer stay was ending. Late morning, my dad was picking me up to take me home to Alabama. Of course, my grandma's breakfast was everything I loved. She had eggs, country ham with red-eye gravy, grits, biscuits and sliced, fresh tomatoes. I couldn't help but think of that movie. It seemed a last meal.
My grandma was kind of teary eyed. She said, "Rabbit, you don't need to do any gardening work this morning. If you don't mind, just bring in the eggs. Then, you ought to go and say goodbye to Virge."
I suppose that some folks might think it strange. Virge was a ninety-year-old black man, but had been my best friend all summer. To be honest, best friend didn't really describe things. I loved that old man. Part of me wanted to just sneak home and not see him again. It was going to hurt so bad to say goodbye.
After gathering the eggs, I trudged up through the pastures to Virge's cabin, less than half a mile away. As I got near, I saw that he wasn't on his front porch. He was there though, because I could smell his Sir Walter Raleigh pipe smoke. He and my grandpa both smoked the same brand. Walking around the back side of his cabin, I spotted him.
As I approached, Virge gave me the shush sign and waved me forward. Going up to the back porch, it appeared that he was intently staring at the space next to his house. "Come here, Rabbit, and take a look at this."
What he was watching was his kitten, Buttons, stalking something in the weeds. Sidling up next to him, I asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Well Rabbit, this here is just fascinating. I know you got television and stuff, but entertainment don't get no better than this."
"What in the world are you talking about?"
"Just look at Buttons. He's been a housecat all his life. If he wasn't feeding off his momma's teat, he was getting food from me. But look at him. He's stalking our snake, Slick, who came out from under the house. See how Buttons is creeping up, hiding behind tufts of grass?"
"I see him, but I don't get it."
"The point is, he ain't never been trained to hunt. He's just doing it naturally. Not only that, but look at old Slick. He's agitating his tail among all them leaves so they rattle like a rattlesnake. Now that's not something he read in a book. He just does that naturally too. Do you know why?"
"No, I guess I don't."
"Well, it's called instinct. They don't have to learn it, they's just born with it. There are other types of learning. Do you remember when you used to get Skippy's leash out?
"Yes, I do. He would start doing his dance, because he knew we would take a walk."
"That's right, Rabbit. Old Skippy had learned that when you pulled that leash out he expected to go for a walk. He associated that leash with walking."
"Virge, how do you know all this stuff?"
"When your grandma brought me all those National Geographic Magazines, I read them. Between them and the Bible, I've learned all sorts of things."
"Those magazines came from my house in Alabama. I never read them. I did look at the pictures."
"Well, you goin' home today and I want you to promise that you are going to start reading them. That way, when you come back, we'll have all sorts of things to talk about. Let's go inside and get some iced tea."
We walked into Virge's cabin. He had an old icebox. Pulling out a hunk of ice, he put it into his ice bucket and whacked it into chunks with an ice pick. He then filled two mason jars with ice and tea. We didn't have any lemon, but we did put a couple of sprigs of mint in from his yard. I don't know why, but that chopped up ice always seemed to make the tea taste better. We walked out to the front porch and got in two rockers. The front porch was always in the shade, and generally there was a nice breeze.
For awhile, we just rocked. Finally, Virge said, "I am glad you come by. I know this is your last day here this summer. I want you to know that having you at your grandma's made my summer a heap better. We had us some good times."
"We sure did. I do want to get home, but I'm going to miss being here on the farm."
We rocked some more before Virge said, "How about one more game of checkers?"
Checkers was something that Virge taught me at the beginning of the summer. We played almost every day. I hadn't won yet, but was getting better.
"I'd like that game of checkers. I reckon it's just about time I won a game."
Virge pulled a small barrel between our chairs. The checker board was already there, so it looked like he was ready for a game. I was trying all the tricks he taught me over the summer and was doing pretty darned good. For awhile, I thought maybe Virge was letting me win. I took a peek at him though and suspect that he wasn't. His eyes were scrunched up more than usual. It looked like his wrinkles had wrinkles. He was trying hard.
Right when I thought I had him, Virge made me jump into a sucker play. He wound up getting one of my kings and two other checkers. It was all over. Pushing the barrel aside, Virge said, "Rabbit, you done real good. I've been playing checkers all my life and you durn near beat me. I compliment you on your play and also your attitude. Your brother John gets madder than a wet hen when he loses."
"Well, it may not have been in that National Geographic about learning, but there was something that you taught me earlier in the summer."
"What was that, Rabbit?"
"You taught me that if you try your best and things don't work out, just walk away with your head high and a smile on your face. I tried my best and almost beat you. Maybe next time I will. Anyhow, I'd better be getting back to the house. My dad will be there soon to pick me up."
As I got ready to leave, Virge said, "Now wait just a minute, Rabbit. Ain't you going to give old Virge a hug?"
Smiling at Virge, I said, "Guys don't hug. What if we just shake hands?"
He stuck his hand out and I reached out to shake. Of course, he tricked me a bit and grabbing my hand, pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back. He's an old man and don't get too many hugs.
As I left and got near the side of his yard, I turned around and hollered, "Virge, do you keep your Sir Walter Raleigh in a can?"
With a puzzled look, he replied, "I sure do, why?"
"Well, it's about time you let his ass out!" I could hear his deep from the gut laughter as I ran toward home.
Not that I was a prisoner, but my summer stay was ending. Late morning, my dad was picking me up to take me home to Alabama. Of course, my grandma's breakfast was everything I loved. She had eggs, country ham with red-eye gravy, grits, biscuits and sliced, fresh tomatoes. I couldn't help but think of that movie. It seemed a last meal.
My grandma was kind of teary eyed. She said, "Rabbit, you don't need to do any gardening work this morning. If you don't mind, just bring in the eggs. Then, you ought to go and say goodbye to Virge."
I suppose that some folks might think it strange. Virge was a ninety-year-old black man, but had been my best friend all summer. To be honest, best friend didn't really describe things. I loved that old man. Part of me wanted to just sneak home and not see him again. It was going to hurt so bad to say goodbye.
After gathering the eggs, I trudged up through the pastures to Virge's cabin, less than half a mile away. As I got near, I saw that he wasn't on his front porch. He was there though, because I could smell his Sir Walter Raleigh pipe smoke. He and my grandpa both smoked the same brand. Walking around the back side of his cabin, I spotted him.
As I approached, Virge gave me the shush sign and waved me forward. Going up to the back porch, it appeared that he was intently staring at the space next to his house. "Come here, Rabbit, and take a look at this."
What he was watching was his kitten, Buttons, stalking something in the weeds. Sidling up next to him, I asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Well Rabbit, this here is just fascinating. I know you got television and stuff, but entertainment don't get no better than this."
"What in the world are you talking about?"
"Just look at Buttons. He's been a housecat all his life. If he wasn't feeding off his momma's teat, he was getting food from me. But look at him. He's stalking our snake, Slick, who came out from under the house. See how Buttons is creeping up, hiding behind tufts of grass?"
"I see him, but I don't get it."
"The point is, he ain't never been trained to hunt. He's just doing it naturally. Not only that, but look at old Slick. He's agitating his tail among all them leaves so they rattle like a rattlesnake. Now that's not something he read in a book. He just does that naturally too. Do you know why?"
"No, I guess I don't."
"Well, it's called instinct. They don't have to learn it, they's just born with it. There are other types of learning. Do you remember when you used to get Skippy's leash out?
"Yes, I do. He would start doing his dance, because he knew we would take a walk."
"That's right, Rabbit. Old Skippy had learned that when you pulled that leash out he expected to go for a walk. He associated that leash with walking."
"Virge, how do you know all this stuff?"
"When your grandma brought me all those National Geographic Magazines, I read them. Between them and the Bible, I've learned all sorts of things."
"Those magazines came from my house in Alabama. I never read them. I did look at the pictures."
"Well, you goin' home today and I want you to promise that you are going to start reading them. That way, when you come back, we'll have all sorts of things to talk about. Let's go inside and get some iced tea."
We walked into Virge's cabin. He had an old icebox. Pulling out a hunk of ice, he put it into his ice bucket and whacked it into chunks with an ice pick. He then filled two mason jars with ice and tea. We didn't have any lemon, but we did put a couple of sprigs of mint in from his yard. I don't know why, but that chopped up ice always seemed to make the tea taste better. We walked out to the front porch and got in two rockers. The front porch was always in the shade, and generally there was a nice breeze.
For awhile, we just rocked. Finally, Virge said, "I am glad you come by. I know this is your last day here this summer. I want you to know that having you at your grandma's made my summer a heap better. We had us some good times."
"We sure did. I do want to get home, but I'm going to miss being here on the farm."
We rocked some more before Virge said, "How about one more game of checkers?"
Checkers was something that Virge taught me at the beginning of the summer. We played almost every day. I hadn't won yet, but was getting better.
"I'd like that game of checkers. I reckon it's just about time I won a game."
Virge pulled a small barrel between our chairs. The checker board was already there, so it looked like he was ready for a game. I was trying all the tricks he taught me over the summer and was doing pretty darned good. For awhile, I thought maybe Virge was letting me win. I took a peek at him though and suspect that he wasn't. His eyes were scrunched up more than usual. It looked like his wrinkles had wrinkles. He was trying hard.
Right when I thought I had him, Virge made me jump into a sucker play. He wound up getting one of my kings and two other checkers. It was all over. Pushing the barrel aside, Virge said, "Rabbit, you done real good. I've been playing checkers all my life and you durn near beat me. I compliment you on your play and also your attitude. Your brother John gets madder than a wet hen when he loses."
"Well, it may not have been in that National Geographic about learning, but there was something that you taught me earlier in the summer."
"What was that, Rabbit?"
"You taught me that if you try your best and things don't work out, just walk away with your head high and a smile on your face. I tried my best and almost beat you. Maybe next time I will. Anyhow, I'd better be getting back to the house. My dad will be there soon to pick me up."
As I got ready to leave, Virge said, "Now wait just a minute, Rabbit. Ain't you going to give old Virge a hug?"
Smiling at Virge, I said, "Guys don't hug. What if we just shake hands?"
He stuck his hand out and I reached out to shake. Of course, he tricked me a bit and grabbing my hand, pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back. He's an old man and don't get too many hugs.
As I left and got near the side of his yard, I turned around and hollered, "Virge, do you keep your Sir Walter Raleigh in a can?"
With a puzzled look, he replied, "I sure do, why?"
"Well, it's about time you let his ass out!" I could hear his deep from the gut laughter as I ran toward home.
 Recognized |
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List of characters:
Rabbit - young boy nine years old
Grandma Louise (on the father's side)
Grandpa Horace (on the father's side)
Grandma Nan (on his mother's side)
Pappy (Grandpa on his mother's side)
Virge Gates - 87 year old black man, Rabbit's good friend
Sugar Butts - Virge's nickname for his niece, Ms. Carry
Wesley - Rabbit's cousin
John - Rabbit's older brother and constant nemesis
Carol - First cousin, daughter of his mother's brother
Erin - Friend of grandparents, a live in babysitter for Rabbit
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Rabbit - young boy nine years old
Grandma Louise (on the father's side)
Grandpa Horace (on the father's side)
Grandma Nan (on his mother's side)
Pappy (Grandpa on his mother's side)
Virge Gates - 87 year old black man, Rabbit's good friend
Sugar Butts - Virge's nickname for his niece, Ms. Carry
Wesley - Rabbit's cousin
John - Rabbit's older brother and constant nemesis
Carol - First cousin, daughter of his mother's brother
Erin - Friend of grandparents, a live in babysitter for Rabbit
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