False Southern Gentility
Starvation
Leaning over the almost empty pot, Christine sighed, breathing in the scent of water and yams, "Tell me that we have something more than that. Anything? I thought that we had the small onions out in the field?" she asked as she looked the almost completely bare kitchen.
"Nothin' else left, we use tha last of the small onions day 'fore last, we've got a few days a yams left, maybe a week if ev'rybody tries not to eat...but the little ones are gettin' fussy, and Mary fain'd in the yard yesterde'.....we've got to do somethin', an' soon." her Mammy said as she stirred the pot slowly.
Christine lifted a small glass from the abrasive counter top and ran a light finger over the chipped rim, "Mother would have skinned my hide if she could see this....she would have just skin my hide. Where's Pa?" Christine asked as she sat the glass back down, sending a light ringing clink throughout the room.
"Your Pa is out in the yard. Now don't you go botherin' him!" Mammy said as she waved her spoon towards Christine, "You best be lettin' him rest, he's done got wore out, he's a might tired and hungry, you leave that poa' man ta rest!" she squawked as Christine walked into the parlor, her long skirts, clinging to her legs, wreaking of the red Earth outside the door, and tripping her every few steps.
She felt along her hips, where her hoops had sat, she smiled to herself, thinking of the parties and bazaars that she had attended in her former years of life. The numerous beau, laughing with her, dancing along side her, sweeping her onto terraces that glowed like ivory beneath the moonlight.
"Christine...are you in here, love?" Catherine asked as she walked into the room, her blond hair tucked away into it's tight net, her face drooping into dark lines as she sat down onto the small ripped Settee with a grimace. "What's wrong darling, what is it?" she asked as she looked at Christine's back with concern written all over her face.
Christine turned around, her brow raised, jaw set, and eyes blazing, "What do you want Mary? Hmm, I have heard what Mammy has to say, what have you to add to my shoulders? I know about Mary fainting, children fussing, and Pa sitting in the yard, what else do you have to lay onto my shoulders? Hmm, please, don't hesitate to fill the load, my shoulders are apparently strong enough to carry it all!" she screamed as she walked to the door, her fingers gripping onto the frame, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.
"I...I didn't...I wasn't....I wasn't coming to..." Catherine stuttered as Christine turned on her, words sizzling to her lips like hot flames.
"You weren't, you weren't, that's what everyone tells me! I wasn't, I didn't, all of you make me sick! I work, I till the ground, I plant and weed and clean and scrub, I ruin my hands day after day, and for what? Nothing! None of you care, none of you appreciate what I've given up!" she screamed as she turned away, lifted the small porcelain blue bird from the table and thrust it at the wall, sending it exploding into the air.
Catherine covered her mouth and stood, "You are not yourself, and I shan't hold a bit of what you've said against you, I will leave you at once." Catherine said as she stood and walked to the door, her eyes moving from side to side, trying to avoid Christine's harsh stare.
"Nothin' else left, we use tha last of the small onions day 'fore last, we've got a few days a yams left, maybe a week if ev'rybody tries not to eat...but the little ones are gettin' fussy, and Mary fain'd in the yard yesterde'.....we've got to do somethin', an' soon." her Mammy said as she stirred the pot slowly.
Christine lifted a small glass from the abrasive counter top and ran a light finger over the chipped rim, "Mother would have skinned my hide if she could see this....she would have just skin my hide. Where's Pa?" Christine asked as she sat the glass back down, sending a light ringing clink throughout the room.
"Your Pa is out in the yard. Now don't you go botherin' him!" Mammy said as she waved her spoon towards Christine, "You best be lettin' him rest, he's done got wore out, he's a might tired and hungry, you leave that poa' man ta rest!" she squawked as Christine walked into the parlor, her long skirts, clinging to her legs, wreaking of the red Earth outside the door, and tripping her every few steps.
She felt along her hips, where her hoops had sat, she smiled to herself, thinking of the parties and bazaars that she had attended in her former years of life. The numerous beau, laughing with her, dancing along side her, sweeping her onto terraces that glowed like ivory beneath the moonlight.
"Christine...are you in here, love?" Catherine asked as she walked into the room, her blond hair tucked away into it's tight net, her face drooping into dark lines as she sat down onto the small ripped Settee with a grimace. "What's wrong darling, what is it?" she asked as she looked at Christine's back with concern written all over her face.
Christine turned around, her brow raised, jaw set, and eyes blazing, "What do you want Mary? Hmm, I have heard what Mammy has to say, what have you to add to my shoulders? I know about Mary fainting, children fussing, and Pa sitting in the yard, what else do you have to lay onto my shoulders? Hmm, please, don't hesitate to fill the load, my shoulders are apparently strong enough to carry it all!" she screamed as she walked to the door, her fingers gripping onto the frame, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.
"I...I didn't...I wasn't....I wasn't coming to..." Catherine stuttered as Christine turned on her, words sizzling to her lips like hot flames.
"You weren't, you weren't, that's what everyone tells me! I wasn't, I didn't, all of you make me sick! I work, I till the ground, I plant and weed and clean and scrub, I ruin my hands day after day, and for what? Nothing! None of you care, none of you appreciate what I've given up!" she screamed as she turned away, lifted the small porcelain blue bird from the table and thrust it at the wall, sending it exploding into the air.
Catherine covered her mouth and stood, "You are not yourself, and I shan't hold a bit of what you've said against you, I will leave you at once." Catherine said as she stood and walked to the door, her eyes moving from side to side, trying to avoid Christine's harsh stare.