Too Many Goodbyes

By Maudie Gunier

This is a true story about a young boy with a little fiction added throughout. It begins in Guntersville, Alabama in 1932 when Charles Thomas Parker is born on a river boat on the Tennessee River. At five years of age, He and his mother, Naomer, move to Oakland, California. and then to the mountains of the Gold Rush Country. Charlie is boarded out in a number of homes. Some homes good and some he is starved, beaten and mistreated.

After several years his mother marries, and Charlie finally has the farm and animals he has always wanted. At this age he is a Huckleberry Finn type of character in a small town with his dogs Venture, one of the first Rottweilers in United States, and a pup that is part wolf. He and his dogs and a colt that he raised from a baby. live near the Mokelumne river.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Nov 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781426964244

Maudie Gunier

Maudie Gunier has been published in magazines, newspapers, and poetry books. She worked for three different California newspapers from the 1960s through the 1980s as a reporter and feature story writer. Gunier has three children, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She lives in Tennessee.

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To Many Goodbyes

Maudie Gunier

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© Copyright 2011 Maudie Gunier.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

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ISBN:

978-1-4269-6329-2 (sc)

ISBN:

978-1-4269-6424-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: xxxxxxxxxx

Trafford rev. 11/10/2011

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The small girl lay on the lumpy mattress on the old iron bed staring up at the ceiling. The faded walls of the room held a few pictures, and was really the front room, but the large bed on which she lay, was placed in one corner to provide a place to sleep for her older brother. A pot belly stove stood in the middle of the room, the only heat for the four room house with it’s thin board walls. It was clean t hough, her mother, Mae Rosie, saw to that. She scrubbed the old wooden floors down on her hands and knees at least every other week, and swept the floors every day.

The girl got up and walked across the room to look out the screen door. It was so quiet, she wondered where her family had disappeared to while she had fallen asleep in the late morning hours.

Miss Willer Mae, Miss Willer Mae, your sister done had a big baby boy, and my mammy hep deliver him, Sophy hollered to the eight year old, as Willer Mae came out of the house slamming the screen door with the screen partly torn off. Willer Mae rubbed her large brown eyes with slightly dirty hands, which turned her olive skin tan around her eyes.

Ha,ha, I got to see him afore you did, and he ain’t even my kin. He’s white alright, just like you. Sophy jumped around as she told her friend about the new baby. I was peeking through the winder when my mammy turned him upside down and hit his bottom, and he let out a holler like ah never heard afore.

Naomer had a baby and ah missed it? Willer Mae asked, as though it was just sinking into her half awoke mind. Let’s go see it.

The little girls skipped, hopped and ran the quarter mile to the house boat anchored to the Tennessee River bank. The green foliage along the bank waved gently in the mid July afternoon. It had been very hot and sultry, but Mother Nature decided to give the people of Guntersville, Alabama a chance to recouperate from the past days of scorching heat on this summer day in 1932.

The girls walked up the plank leading to the houseboat from the bank. Willer Mae opened the door and stuck her head inside the small room. Can me and Sophy see the new baby?

Why sure child, ya’ll come on in, Sophy’s mother, Weze said, and led the way to the small bedroom. Willer Mae’s mother and two older sisters were gathered around Naomer on the bed as she held her precious new baby.

The baby was uncovered from his homemade flannel quilt where two large dark round eyes darted out from the cover, than closed to go off to sleep, as if bored with the whole room full of women. Straight red hair stood up on his little head consuming all the attention, like a signal from a light house.

Now, would you young’ns go down to the holler and tell Bo and the other men that he has a new baby boy. They’re down there chopp’n wood and building on the neighbor’s new home, Mae Rosie told the girls, as she covered the baby back up and fluffed up her exhausted daughter’s feather pillow. And Willer Mae, when you get back, you get up yonder to the house and get washed up. My lands! I don’t know how ya girls get so much dirt on you," she said.

If’n your mother knew you took a nap like that, Sophy whispered, Why she’d wupped you good. That’s why I’s like being dark, cause my dirt don’t hardly show none.

The young girls followed the winding path through the heavily wooded area. They had lived in these woods all their lives and hardly ever paid any attention to the hooting of the owls or other strange noises in the deep woods unless it was to scare one another. A Doe and her young Fawn walked across the path in front of them and turned to look back when she heard the giggling of the girls.

Oh look, Willer Mae, Sophy said, as she pulled one of Willer Mae’s long dark braids to stop her.

What a cute little Fawn. Come here little baby, Willer Mae slowly walked forward, but the Doe sensed danger and darted away with the spotted fawn at her heels. They continued walking to the clearing in the woods where the five men were cutting down trees and building on a home. They heard the laughter of the men ring out in an echo through the woods.

Let’s hide behind this here tree, Willer Mae said, and see what they’re a doing afore we barge in on them. They squatted down behind the tree, turning their full attention toward the men who were sitting around a large sawed off tree stump, each holding a handful of cards.

I’ll raise you two cents, R.T., one of the younger men said as he raised the jug of homemade white lightening over his shoulder and took a long swig of it. Hey, pass that jug over here. You young’ns are drink’n it all, they heard Willer Mae’s father, Carl, say.

Ooh–, they’re playing poker and drink’n shine, Sophy volunteered. Your mammy would be madder’n a ole hornet’s nest if’n she knew.

Well, I won’t tell on em and you better not either, Sophy, ya hear?

Well, if ya let me play with your jump rope, I’s guess I won’t tell, replied Sophy.

Let’s go tell them about the baby, Willer Mae said, ignoring the jump rope issue as she started running toward the men. Bo, Bo, they sent us to tell you Naomer had a baby boy.

A couple of the men grabbed up the cards and one hid the moonshine jug down by his legs before he thought the girls saw it. Bo grinned as he jumped up reaching for the sky. Wa hoo! he hollered, a boy, a boy, hear that daddy? I got me a boy.

The men all shook his hand and patted him on the back with their congratulations as the two little girls watched. You better go see that new son of yours, Bo’s father told him.

Willer Mae and Sophy followed Bo through the woods back to the house boat talking along the way. What does he look like, Willer Mae? Bo asked. Well, Willer Mae slowly said, as if in thought.

I know one thing for sure, Sophy jumped in volunteering, he has a head full of bright red hair.

Ha! Just like mine, said Bo.

No, much, much brighter red than your’ns, Bo, Willer Mae finally added.

Pass the cole slaw, please Ma, Willer Mae’s brother, R.T. said, as the family sat around the supper table that evening.

Naomer and Bo sure have a fine baby boy there, Carl said, and shoved a big piece of corn bread into his mouth.

My lands, we tied him in a tea towel and hung him from the fish weighing scales and he weighed nine pounds seven ounces. I told Weze I ain’t never seen a baby around these parts that big before, laugh Mae Rosie.

Oh, I wish Naomer and the baby could stay with us for awhile, cried Willer Mae, So’s ah could hep her take care of him.

Well, darling, ah suspect ya’ll be there a plenty, and Francis and Maggie too, answered Mae Rosie. Bo’s ma, Granny Parker. Can’t do too much with her arthritis acting up all time.

Francis and Maggie both giggled. Yeah, ah know Francis and Maggie will be there a lot. Especially with Bo’s younger brother living there now, teased R.T.

Oh, shut up and mind your own business, R.T. Francis said. At least he’s a lot better looking than that homely ole girl in town ya’ll like. Yeah, R.T., Maggie jumped in.

Now young’ns, let’s cut the fuss’n. Their father scolded, Francis and Maggie has ta hep Naomer with that there baby during the day, so’s there ain’t no use argu’n about it.

Everyone was quiet for awhile until Willer Mae asked, What did they name the baby? Knowing she was probably the only one that didn’t already know.

Mae Rosie proudly answered, Charles Thomas Parker. Now ain’t that a name fit to be president of the United States someday! she exclaimed.

President! Ha, he’ll be lucky if he ever gets out of Guntersville, answered R.T.

And what’s wrong with Guntersville? asked Maggie, I like it here and ah hope ah live here all my life.

You probably will. You’ll marry some ole farm boy and have a dozen ornery kids, he said, as he grinned and spooned some turnip greens onto his plate. Maggie kicked him in the leg underneath the table. Ouch, he hollered, Ah feel sorry for your future husband and your future kids, he said, as Maggie kicked him again.

This time Ma spoke up, "now children, let’s all cut out this fuss’n and try to finish our supper in peace. The family became quiet again. Their Pa’s word was law, but when Ma got a hold of them, she met business. Mae Rosie looked at her family. R.T. was almost grown. And Francis and Maggie were in their early teens. Willer Mae, her baby, was the only one that wanted to be held and cuddled anymore. They all had olive complections and dark hair after her mother’s Indian heritage.

Miss Willer Mae, Sophy hollered, as she walked up to the screen door. My mammy’s over yonder at your’ns sister’s houseboat help’n with the baby. Do ya want to go see the baby with me?

Well, ah guess so. Francis and Maggie are there too a clean’n house for Naomer. The summer heat beat down on the girls as they walked and skipped along the path to the houseboat. The humidity was high and sweat ran down their faces. Oh, it’s so hot today! Exclaimed Willer Mae. Pa said it’ll probably rain this afternoon and cool it down some. I’m just a sweat’n June Bugs. And look at them little critter grasshoppers just a jump’n around today.

They’s must be sweat’n June bugs too, answered Sophy, as she wiped the sweat from her forehead with her dress tail.

Willer Mae danced around pulling her dress over her head. Sophy I’s tak’n my dress off and a jump’n in that water in my underpants. Ah can’t stand this here heat any more.

Oh, that’s what I’s gona do to, Sophy cried as she copied Willer Mae and pulled her dress off throwing it on some bushes. They played at the edge of the water, remembering the warning of their folks not to get in the river without older people around. They were both good swimmers as they had lived by the river all their short eight years of life, and was taught to swim almost before they could walk by their siblings. The girls splashed each other and laid down in the cool water up to their necks. Willer Mae’s long braids felt heavy on her back. She brushed the few strands of misplaced hair in front from her forehead. Oh, this cold water feels so good, she said to Sophy as she ducked Sophy’s head under water.

Hey, don’t do that, Missy, because I’ll call out Mr. Water Moccasin snake to get ya, she replied. I wonder if that ole snake is still around here? Nobody’s seen him for a long time, but ya never know. He might be a sneaking up on us right now, Sophy teased. An hour must have passed before the girls decided they were cool enough to start back down the hot trail to Naomer’s riverboat.

Oh, Missy Willer Mae get out of the water quick, cause that ole snakes coming up behind ya, Sophy said from where she had just climbed out onto the bank.

Oh Sophy, quite teasing. That ole snake ain’t around here today.

Miss Willer Mae, I’s ain’t a kidding. Now get out, Sophy abruptly ordered her, and picked up a long stick. Stepping down into the water Sophy put the stick between Willer Mae and the snake, as Willer Mae looked back and screamed. The snake was just a few feet behind her. Get out, screemed Sophy, as she shoved the snake back with the stick. Willer Mae quickly scrambled onto the bank followed by Sophy leaving the stick behind with the snake.

Ooh, that was close, cried Willer Mae. You saved my life, she told Sophy, as she hugged her close. Let’s get out of here before that ole snake decides to come out of the water. They stayed on the dirt path along the river to see little Charles Thomas.

Aw wonder why there ain’t never nobody around that old Feldstead home? Willer Mae asked, as she pointed south into the woods where they could just barely see a big old weather beaten house among the thick trees and brush. Let’s walk over to it, Willer Mae excitedly said.

Oh, aw don’t know, Miss Willer mae, my mammy say’s it’s haunted.

Passh, my ma says there ain’t no such a thing as haunted houses, Willer Mae said, as she started walking toward the weed grown path that led to the old home, with Sophy following behind.

Well how does she know? asked Sophy. "It could be and it couldn’t be. My folks says Mr. Feldstead poisoned his wife and daughter and than hung hisself, but someone came along and found them and took the wife and daughter to the doctor and they’s got okay. But than they’s moved away and no ones ever heard from them since.

It looks like it was a nice home one time, Sophy, was they rich?

My folks says they was, but they started having money troubles, as to why the father did that, and wanted to kill em all. In fact, my daddy, when he was real young, used to to do yard work and hoe their garden for them. He said Mr. Feldstead was real strange. The girls stopped in front of the house and stared up at the two story home with some of the window shutters barely hanging on to it. Ain’t it creepy," quivered Sophy.

You’re just a lettin your magination run away with you, Sophy. I bet it’s beautiful inside.

Well, I’s leav’n. I’s not going into a creepy ole house where some crazy ole man hung hisself, cried Sophy.

Sophy, come on, please, let’s go in and see what it looks like, begged Willer Mae.

You go ahead. I’s a waiting right here for you, but you better not scream for no reason and scare me half to death. After all, aw saved ya from that ole snake today.

Okay than, I’ll just go by myself, but don’t expect to play with my jump rope any more, Willer Mae said trying to act mad like she really meant it.

Aw don’t care. I’s ain’t a goin in there and ya shouldn’t neither.

Willer Mae opened the big heavy door and peered inside. Some mice scurried into hiding, but she was used to mice and hardly noticed them as she glanced around the large living room. A musty odor enveloped everything. An old faded rose colored chair sat next to a beautiful rock fireplace which covered an entire wall. The poker and small shovel still lay on it’s hearth. Scattered ashes lay about from a fire there years before. The rest of the down stairs was almost bare except for a huge table with a cutting board on top in the kitchen.

Some grey squirrels ran across the room when they heard Willer Mae enter the kitchen, but she paid little attention to them and kept on with her venture of the downstairs to the front door where Sophy was waiting on the path below. Come on, Sophy, there was nothing downstairs cept some old mice and squirrels, and they ran away. Please go with me upstairs.

Are ya sure ya didn’t see or hear anything scary? No nothin, answered Willer Mae. Alright, but ya have ta play whatever I’s want to play for two weeks, okay? And ya have ta let me play with your’ns jump rope. Okay, Willer Mae agreed.

They climbed the winding stairs slowly holding on to the once beautiful oak banister, afraid of what they may find at the top. Sophy, isn’t this here stairs beautiful? Can ya magine the ball dances they had here years ago. And the garlands of Pine and Holly decoratin this here banister at Christmas?

I’s too scared to talk, answered Sophy.

At the top was a very wide hall with doors leading into five bedrooms. The old wood floors were almost bare of the carpeting from age, mice and other rodents which had taken the house over. The bedrooms were bare of furniture except for the last one they entered where a small bed was with a faded pink canopy top and matching bedspread. A dresser set beside it, and an old tarnished silver brush and mirror lay on top.

Oh, the daughter must of had this here room, said Willer Mae.

"Well, I’s hope she’s