Journal Entry 3
Arlene
But like the tortoise, I shall win. – Arlene page 29
As soon as the whistle blows, some folks will stream from the mill to their houses to get their dinner pails – fro some of the houses are empty all day, with everyone at work. I suppose their dinners are cold, sorry things with nobody to cook for them. The whistle sounds, there is confusion I keep my eye peeled for Daddy and Josh. Josh has been sent up to carding, he puffs out his chest thinking he is important. When he came home with a torn sleeve he wore it like a medal. He had come close to the rumbling pulleys, he had dared them like in a game Snake in the gutter, eating bread and butter. Daddy finds me first. He already has his daily quota of lint in his hair, on his shirt. Covering him like snowflakes. They open their pails and smile at me and see two biscuits hot and buttered. Mama is easier to find, she and Mrs. Ethel are already sitting in their room off the spinning room where the women sit and eat. She smiles as her takes her pail corners of her eyes creasing. Once I have gave Pauline her pail I have a memory surface in my brain. She was mocking me on the playground at recess, even the teacher smiled. She was dragging her foot behind her everyone was laughing. P – is for perfect – Pauline. A – is for awkward – Arlene. I think of Pauline her dinner brought to her eating out in the sun. Arlene, Arlene?. I thought the voice was in my head. I turn and see Miss Bertha a granny old woman, she calls when someone is sick. She calls to me. Its Frances. She sent word. I’ll need your help. Her face reminds me of a shrivelled apple. It’s her time. She says. As we walk in Harrell’s house it is just like ours. But different. Ill stalk up the fire. Mrs. Harrell’s neck and face glisten with perspiration her face is screwed up. I see Miss Bertha take out a knife, she slips it under the bed. To cut the pain. She says. I did not take Ropy his dinner. Says Mrs. Harrell. I’m sure he can live without dinner for one day. Miss bertha says taking a hair brush and starting to braid Mrs. Harrell’s hair. I hear Mrs. Harrell screaming. I go in search of Percy, he is not sleeping he is crouching beside his bed. Percy. I say he take steps away from me. Ma – ma. He whispers. Your Mamas fine you are just going to have a little brother or sister soon. I hear Mrs. Harrell again, Percy looks at the door with a quivering lip. I decide on cornbread. But before I get a chance to make it, Miss Bertha comes to the door. Come quick! I need your help. She says. It is time. I need you to put your hand on her belly and when I tell her to push, bear down on her. Mrs. Harrell is whimpering. Push , dearie. Push hard. Miss Bertha says to her. Miss Bertha peers between Mrs. Harrell’s legs. Just a little bit more. Just a bit more. Just a bit. Miss bertha was whispering. Frances don’t fight me on this, there is still work to be done, you can rest later. She grabs a hand full of snuff and walks over to Mrs. Harrell with it. Be ready to bear down. She tells be. Miss Bertha rubs it in her nose and, KER – CHOO! KER – CHOO! KER – CHOO ! Mrs. Harrell sneezes, but I push down anyway. That’s it! that’s it! It’s a boy!. Although the baby is here already I have to still do lots of work. The after birth comes easy. I hear Miss Bertha say to Mrs. Harrell. After I am sent home Pauline tells be I have a sweeping job at the mill, Jimmy has got his thumb snatched by the spinner. This sweeping job is not all that bad. I feel guilty. But I continue to sweep, I see a little grey spider in the windowsill and see it perching itself proudly on its web. On Saturday well we are walking to the store I hear my money clinking in my pocket, what shall it be peppermints or horehound? Johnnycakes or butterscotch? I choose peppermints. Pauline wants jacks but she only has twenty – seven cents. We shall have the jacks I hand her my money and we share the jacks.
Arlene
But like the tortoise, I shall win. – Arlene page 29
As soon as the whistle blows, some folks will stream from the mill to their houses to get their dinner pails – fro some of the houses are empty all day, with everyone at work. I suppose their dinners are cold, sorry things with nobody to cook for them. The whistle sounds, there is confusion I keep my eye peeled for Daddy and Josh. Josh has been sent up to carding, he puffs out his chest thinking he is important. When he came home with a torn sleeve he wore it like a medal. He had come close to the rumbling pulleys, he had dared them like in a game Snake in the gutter, eating bread and butter. Daddy finds me first. He already has his daily quota of lint in his hair, on his shirt. Covering him like snowflakes. They open their pails and smile at me and see two biscuits hot and buttered. Mama is easier to find, she and Mrs. Ethel are already sitting in their room off the spinning room where the women sit and eat. She smiles as her takes her pail corners of her eyes creasing. Once I have gave Pauline her pail I have a memory surface in my brain. She was mocking me on the playground at recess, even the teacher smiled. She was dragging her foot behind her everyone was laughing. P – is for perfect – Pauline. A – is for awkward – Arlene. I think of Pauline her dinner brought to her eating out in the sun. Arlene, Arlene?. I thought the voice was in my head. I turn and see Miss Bertha a granny old woman, she calls when someone is sick. She calls to me. Its Frances. She sent word. I’ll need your help. Her face reminds me of a shrivelled apple. It’s her time. She says. As we walk in Harrell’s house it is just like ours. But different. Ill stalk up the fire. Mrs. Harrell’s neck and face glisten with perspiration her face is screwed up. I see Miss Bertha take out a knife, she slips it under the bed. To cut the pain. She says. I did not take Ropy his dinner. Says Mrs. Harrell. I’m sure he can live without dinner for one day. Miss bertha says taking a hair brush and starting to braid Mrs. Harrell’s hair. I hear Mrs. Harrell screaming. I go in search of Percy, he is not sleeping he is crouching beside his bed. Percy. I say he take steps away from me. Ma – ma. He whispers. Your Mamas fine you are just going to have a little brother or sister soon. I hear Mrs. Harrell again, Percy looks at the door with a quivering lip. I decide on cornbread. But before I get a chance to make it, Miss Bertha comes to the door. Come quick! I need your help. She says. It is time. I need you to put your hand on her belly and when I tell her to push, bear down on her. Mrs. Harrell is whimpering. Push , dearie. Push hard. Miss Bertha says to her. Miss Bertha peers between Mrs. Harrell’s legs. Just a little bit more. Just a bit more. Just a bit. Miss bertha was whispering. Frances don’t fight me on this, there is still work to be done, you can rest later. She grabs a hand full of snuff and walks over to Mrs. Harrell with it. Be ready to bear down. She tells be. Miss Bertha rubs it in her nose and, KER – CHOO! KER – CHOO! KER – CHOO ! Mrs. Harrell sneezes, but I push down anyway. That’s it! that’s it! It’s a boy!. Although the baby is here already I have to still do lots of work. The after birth comes easy. I hear Miss Bertha say to Mrs. Harrell. After I am sent home Pauline tells be I have a sweeping job at the mill, Jimmy has got his thumb snatched by the spinner. This sweeping job is not all that bad. I feel guilty. But I continue to sweep, I see a little grey spider in the windowsill and see it perching itself proudly on its web. On Saturday well we are walking to the store I hear my money clinking in my pocket, what shall it be peppermints or horehound? Johnnycakes or butterscotch? I choose peppermints. Pauline wants jacks but she only has twenty – seven cents. We shall have the jacks I hand her my money and we share the jacks.
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