Through the Eyes of Knotty 2

By Betty Malone Shells

Children live and learn to adjust to transitions in their homes and their communities, whether the conditions are conducive or not. Children are product of their parents. When the parents hurt, the hurt has a tendency of trickling down to the children, whether the children want it or not.

Parents often forget that the children have feelings and they hurt also. Whatever happens in the family unit has an impact on the children. In fact, it affects the entire family. The children often blame themselves for separations and divorces. Children should be children and not be placed in an adult role because of mistakes made by parents. Parent separations are heartfelt situations and hard jolts to the children. There is something called missed childhood and lasting affects placed on children emotionally.

This book will enlighten the reader on how to handle misfortunes and make the best of any given situation in the family and in the community. A child should enjoy his or her childhood. Because when they lose it, it can never be found again. Childhood should be enjoyed without being pressured into adults.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781504933940

Betty Malone Shells

Ms. Shells earned a degree in elementary education from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. She also earned a minor in early childhood education from the University of Florida, as well as exceptional education with emphasis in reading education. She earned a Certification in practical theology from International Seminary in Orlando, Florida. She is married and has four beautiful children and six grandchildren. She works faithfully in her local church as a minister of the Gospel, mother’s board vice president, and much more. To quote, Ms. Shells says, “If I can do it, so can you.”

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© 2017 Betty Malone Shells. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/06/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3395-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3394-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017900160

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Dedication Page

I Dedicate This Book My Dear Parents, My Husband,

Our Four Children, Six Grandchildren, My Siblings, God Children

And Our Several Adopted College Students.

I Love You Dearly…………..

Betty

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: The Way Things Were

Chapter Two: Knotty is Growing Up

Chapter Three: New Experiences for Knotty

Chapter Four: Different Adventures

Chapter Five: Knotty makes new choices

Chapter Six: Knotty Takes Charge

Chapter Seven: Springtime in Alabama

Chapter Eight: Sad Looks on Daddy’s Face

Chapter Nine: Coming to the realization

Chapter Ten: A New Beginning

Chapter Eleven: Getting to know you

Chapter Twelve: Love and Friendly Letters

Chapter Thirteen: Reflections

Chapter Fourteen: Waiting with Anticipation

Introduction

Children live and learn to adjust to transitions in their homes and their communities. Whether the conditions are conducive or not. Children are product of their parents. When the parents hurt; the hurt has a tendency of trickling down to the children whether the children wants it or not.

Parents often forget that the children have feelings and they hurt also. Whatever happens in the family unit has an impact on the children. In fact, it affects the entire family. The children often blame themselves for separations and divorces. Children should be children and not be placed in an adult role because of mistakes made by parents. Parent separations are heartfelt situations and hard jolts to the children. There is something called missed childhood and lasting affects placed on children emotionally.

This book will enlighten the reader on how to handle misfortunes and make the best of any given situation in the family and in the community. A child should enjoy his or her childhood. Because when they lose it, it can never be found again. Childhood should be enjoyed without being pressured into adult roles.

Chapter One

The Way Things Were

It was a bright and hot summer morning at Knotty house. The butterflies were flying and the bees were buzzing. Daddy was at work at the milling company. Ma and the older children were working in the cotton fields. Rossi was one of the older siblings but she could not work in the fields because she suffered from polio. So they were left behind to do chores and whatever else after chores were finished. Food was always left on the stove from breakfast just in case they became hungry. That was their snack. It was always a treat to wait for ma and the older siblings to come home from the fields. Ma would cook make a fresh hot meal with that famous Alabama sweet iced tea. In the meantime, Rossi would get tools for knotty and their younger siblings to have church as she called it. They would sing and beat on ma pots and pans for instruments. They would not dare use the pots if ma knew about it. Some way ma never knew because they had all of the pots back in their proper places. Some way they believed ma knew what her children were doing with the pots. She probably did not care because she had so many. Rossi always lead the songs. Knotty and her little sisters would help with the background and Rossi would preach. They would back Rossi by saying amen! When the siblings came home from the fields they had had stories to tell. They would say, a big snake attacked the dog! Trixie was the family pet. Everyone was a little nervous but they all went back to the fields. She was so cute and feisty. They would say, Trixie threw the snake into the air they would say with great excitement. Ma would always take a weapon to the fields because of incidents such as that one. No one was injured. Mom shot the snake. It appeared that the cotton fields were filled lots of action. Rossi, Knotty and the younger siblings were forbidden to go to the cotton fields. At the end of the week Ma and the older siblings would put their money that they earned from picking cotton together, count it and tuck it under the linoleum rug. Everyone knew where the money was but no one touched it. They always tried to pick a lot of cotton because the heavier their sack, the more money they made. One of the older sisters always had the heavier sack next to Ma. Time always appeared to pass very fast when they went home from the fields. Lunch was always prepared by Ma. After the one hour lunch break, they went back to the fields to pick more cotton. The cotton field was across the road from the family home. This big was known as the big house. There were many speculations that the house was a plantation home used during slavery as the master house. As they went back to the fields, knotty and her siblings would watch them until they were out of sight. Big Brother would drive the tractor very fast. He really did not desire to go to the fields. His body language revealed his feelings about the cotton fields. The tractor did not belong to the family. It belonged to someone call boss man. That is all everyone called him. Knotty thought that was a funny name. Before they left for the fields, Ma placed a big pot of green acre peas with ham on the stove. Knotty and Rossi were to watch the pot and make sure the pot would boil over. Ma would often finish up the cooking after everyone came home from the fields. The aroma saturated the air. Each day the entire family came home from work at five thirty including daddy from the milling company. Ma would add the okra to the green peas. She would often add corn to the meals. Tomatoes and onions were placed on the dinner table as a family tradition. A family affair. Knotty was a little girl who always tried to be happy at all times. But there was a time when she became very unhappy. She was experiencing some down time. She was very concerned about her top teeth not returning as fast as the other children did. She would get teased very often about sucking her finger and now she is being teased and called snagger tooth girl. She hoped that her teeth will be back when school starts back in the fall. She would hold her thumb in her mouth to cover her missing teeth. She only wanted them to think she was sucking her thumb to hide her missing teeth. She had long stopped sucking her finger. Summer was a very adventurous one. Knotty brother brought many snakes home to frighten his sisters. Knotty was chosen as a delegate to represent her church. The trip was designated to travel to Georgia. Knotty could not believe that summer was almost over. Knotty thought that it was a wonderful summer. There were no weird noises inside the house. Knotty thought she spoke too soon. One afternoon out of nowhere; a weird noise came from the hallway. Knotty and her siblings looked at each other with wondering eyes. What is that"? It sounded like pots and pans being thrown into the hallway. The family quickly ran to see what it was. They saw pots from the kitchen lying on the floor in the hall. Who put them there? No one knows who or what.

It was August an almost time to go back to school. It was time for the family to count the money they had earned from picking cotton. They would always count their money on the bed. They would add it all together. It then would be added equally among them. They would add their school clothing. Ma and daddy would buy knotty and the other siblings clothing and whatever they wanted and needed.

Knotty thought that the family was rich through her little eyes. Little did she know that it took that and daddy salary to support eight children. The money was gone after all the clothing and more grocery bought to be put into the freezer for the winter.

The family was sitting around listening to the radio and reading. They heard a sound made like a horse. It made a screaming sound as if someone had him in distress. No on appeared to be in shock. It was so familiar to hear strange things in that house. It was stated that maybe that old slave master thought all that money belonged to him and he did not want Knotty and her family to have any of it. It also said that there was money buried on the property from the slave era. Some of the thoughts were dispersed and the family continued with their routine schedule.

It was time for daddy to come home. He had to walk approximately one mile to get home. All of the siblings would run to the door and into the yard to greet daddy. They would see him afar with bundles of dry goods on his shoulders. He worked in a milling company which grounded corn into corn meal. He would bring bags of flour home as well. Rain or shine daddy would walk home from work. The siblings would run and meet him and help him carry the food. He would say, okay okay! He would almost be tumbled over by all of his children. Rain or shine, daddy provided for his family. The flour sack would always have some pretty flowers printed on one end of