My Blind Date

By Sue Ellyn Carpenter Barton

This true story of a young woman's remembrance of her spoiled childhood to her preteen years is told comically and includes her many shenanigans with her classmates at school and her three older sisters, who she is convinced are ruining her life. And it continues through her teenage years where she turns into a spoiled teenager. Her Dad, who is her best friend, unknowingly helps her remain the brat she is, but despite all odds, she turns into a young woman and does what she believes is the unthinkable when she asks for a blind date.

While she is a deacon's kid, a missionary's kid, and a preacher's kid, she believes she is a long, tall, totally out-of-proportioned Sally and has become a hopeless basket case of zero mentally, though she is a straight A student.

Meanwhile, when a blind date is successfully set up for her, she is convinced he is going to hate her or he is going to think she is ugly or vice versa. However, when blind eyes meet, surprisingly, she encounters the military man of her dreams and falls deeply in love with him. Right away, sex becomes an issue, however, at thirteen years old, she has vowed to God that she will remain a virgin until she is married.

The story turns passionate while she struggles to keep her vow to God, but eventually, she revisits her stance on sex and believes God probably didn't hear her when she made a decision so young about sex, since she didn't know what it was like to be in love. However, he is a man in every sense of the word and desires a sexual relationship with her. Still, the two are confronted with many disappointments, separations, and events, both good and bad, that could have easily toppled their relationship. As a result, does he leave her because she won't have sex with him? Or...does she keep her vow to God and he agrees to wait with her? Or...does he pressure her until she has a sexual relationship with him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886441185

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: My Daddy

Chapter 2: My Daddy Makes Me Laugh

Chapter 3: Laughter

Chapter 4: Laughter Is Like a Medicine

Chapter 5: Yes, I Did

Chapter 6: Blind Eyes Met

Chapter 7: Uncle Sam's Calling

Chapter 8: Absolutely Not

Chapter 9: The Letter

Chapter 10: Mother Was Right

Chapter 11: California Talk

Chapter 12: Airport Trouble

Chapter 13: Right There in the Flesh

Chapter 14: The Pleading

Chapter 15: The Phone Call

Chapter 16: That Hurt

Chapter 17: I Said Goodbye

Chapter 18: Blind Date

About the Author

cover.jpg

My Blind Date

Sue Ellyn Carpenter Barton

ISBN 979-8-88851-649-2 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88644-120-8 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88644-118-5 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Sue Ellyn Carpenter-Barton

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

While recalling this true story, I relived all the beauty these pages contained. Behind every door of remembrance, I searched the deepest annals of my mind's eye and used every corner of my heart's longings and desires to write and dedicate the love story of My Blind Date to…William Russell Barton.

In loving memory of

Cheryl Yvonne Caskey-Walters

September 20, 1949–December 22, 2020

My lifelong friend from second grade until she entered the presence of the Lord

Acknowledgments

To God, who met us at the marriage altar and joined our hearts for a lifetime, I am most grateful. Only You could take the two of us and make us one. I am so grateful You joined us till death do us part.

To Reverend Lester and Zelma Carpenter, my parents, who have since entered the presence of the Lord, I am infinitely grateful for their tight reins. Those reins gave the love between Russell and me no place to go but deeper, resulting in a love we've had for each other that will last a lifetime, like theirs. I am so thankful God placed me in their care as a child. How I wish it was possible to thank them yet again.

To Dr. Douglas Brown, my surgeon and friend, I thank you for your encouraging words when life was hardest for me and for urging me to finish these pages. I will always be grateful to you for telling me, over and over, you can.

To Dr. Calvin Phelps, my former pastor, many years ago, I so appreciate you for sparing no words when complimenting any writings I had done and for all the inspiration you provided to me. I will always remember you, wherever you are.

To Mrs. Jim Fannin, wife of a former Louisiana State senator, I acknowledge your uplifting words and your looking forward to reading any book I would write in the future. Your encouragements still ring in my ears.

To Ms. Marlon Hodges, I acknowledge you for remaining my friend throughout the years and for building confidence in me to write during my high school years. I will always appreciate and admire you.

To Mrs. Mitzi Smith, I appreciate your correction of any misuse of words in my manuscript and your ear and your time when I needed the approval of various paragraphs. You are my forever friend.

To Susan and Rusty, our adult children, I'm quite sure I've included events and feelings and desires in these pages that I've never told you in the past. However, I hope you experience tears and laughter while reading them. You two have become everything your dad and I wish we had become.

To my daughter-in-law, Angela, I thank you so much for your understanding of me during the many months, with long hours, I spent held up in my room while writing these pages. I thank you for being a wonderful daughter-in-law.

To my grandsons, Landon, ten, and Noah, seven, and my step-great-grandson, Rowan, five, I thank you for allowing MeMe to write in quietness when you'd rather have disrupted the world's silence in the room. I thank you for playing in your room when you'd much rather have been playing in mine. I thank you for all the precious joy you bring to me.

To my sisters, Odell, Carolyn, and Sheral, I am thankful you stood with me all those years when I was a brat and became wonderful sisters, who've prayed for me during my struggles to put these words on paper. You are the best.

To the reader, may you share a laugh with me or, by chance, find yourself within these pages. And if you are in search of a life's partner, I am sincerely hopeful these pages will help in your search. And if you are parents, may you find some guidance in these pages for your youth who face so many struggles in today's world. May you be blessed and perhaps shed a familiar tear with me.

Introduction

The purpose of this book is to promote abstinence before marriage. It depicts why it is so important to a marriage. After all, abstaining before marriage pleases God, and it keeps one from defiling their marriage bed, and it avoids the emotional attachment both experience after a sexual encounter.

In today's world, sex is everything. Upon meeting a person, sex must take place that very night, or so it seems. Preteens are having sex with other preteens, teenagers are running wildly with sex, and young adults seem to believe it's the thing to do. The whole world is doing it is the take for all to consider.

Told both comically, as a child, and passionately, as a young woman, the writer makes a promise to God to abstain from all sex until marriage in this true love story. However, when this deacon-missionary-preacher's daughter meets her military blind date, he is the man of her dreams.

Before his honorable discharge from the military, he sees the world and then returns home for a visit. There he begins a dating relationship with her and surprisingly falls in love with her. However, sex is foremost on his mind.

The story begins when the writer is born and goes on through her elementary years where she carries out her many shenanigans, as a child.

She remembers her momma telling her one Sunday that she better not catch her talking in church "or else." However, she unknowingly answered a grown-up's question during a prayer. The next minute, she said she was airborne with her momma while leaving the church, but then she found herself at the switch tree.

By the eighth grade, her momma said she'd had a growing spell during the summer and grew to her horrible maximum height. And although she daily checked the progress of her chest, hips, and legs in the mirror, she was convinced she was a "long, tall, totally-out-of-proportioned Sally" with a long neck; too-white skin; and strawberry-blonde, Ann Margret hair color.

In her early teenage years, she believed she had acquired "a rare, undiagnosed teenage illness." Still, she gave her heart to God and vowed not to have sex until she was married.

Despite an abundance of friends, she disliked herself to the extreme. After all, she had grown to five-foot-ten and wore a size 8 shoe and a size 6 dress. She often complained that she could have used a little fat here or there and wished someone was like her for once in her life.

During her mid teenage years, she believed she was terminal and in the final stages of her illness, but no one even noticed how gravely ill she was. After all, she had committed the worst-of-all dating rules when she unashamedly asked for a blind date and was forever doomed.

In her late teenage years, after meeting her blind date, she began to doubt that God even heard her vow because she was so young. After all, she was in love with her blind date, and he had fallen in love with her. But he wanted a sexual relationship with her. She knew she had to tell him her reasoning for saying no.

He was not pleased in the least and could not believe she had promised that to God. He said she did not understand that this was not a high school problem. He was a man and had been sexually active for several years.

However, she knew she could fix the problem between them. All she had to do was say yes to him because she was terrified he would break up with her. She said being in love had caused her to rethink her stance on sex because the temptation not to wait had become so great. So does she engage in a sexual relationship with him, or does he wait with her? Does she have sex with him, or does he leave her? Or does she have sex with him because God never heard her vow?

This book is a must-read for preteens, teenagers, and young adults, as well as all other dating individuals. Also, it's important for parents of these age groups to read the book in order to teach their youth and others, as well.

By understanding the writer's subject matter, a new approach can be had, and indelibly advantageous. Because there are so many unwanted pregnancies, separations, and divorces in today's world, it is worth a try and worth the read.

Chapter 1

My Daddy

(Read r as w; otherwise, r is silent)

My momma went to a big hospital, and seven minutes afte(r)that, my daddy said I got he(r)e. Momma said my daddy wasn't 'posed to be in the (r)woom; but when he told D(r). Ma(r)tin, "I was the(r)e for the gettin' and I'll be the(r)e for the havin'," the docto(r) let him stay, anyways. After he laid me on my momma's chest, my daddy was sca(r)ed and said, "Doc, what 'bout he(r) ea(r)lobes?" They was af(r)waid my ea(r)s would stay tu(r)ned down for the (r)west of my whole life. But D(r). Ma(r)tin was (r)wight when he said they would tu(r)n up like my siste(r)'s ea(r)s in a few days. And by the time we left the hospital a week late(r), my daddy and momma was happy with the way I tu(r)ned out, least that's what they told me, anyways.

My daddy said he nicknamed me, Scoot-a-bug, 'cause I got he(r)e so quick. But my momma said I tu(r)ned into a scoot-a-bug 'cause it wasn't long 'fore I lea(r)ned to get into Odell's, Ca(r)wolyn's, and She(r)wal's stuff; and they had bunches of t(r)wouble catchin' me. They was my th(r)wee big siste(r)s, and they made my life mise(r)wable.

My momma said I neve(r) liked to play inside with Odell and Ca(r)wolyn when I was a little, bitty baby gi(r)l; but she said, when I got tall 'nough, I could play outside with She(r)wal. When that day finally got he(r)e, I lea(r)ned to (r)wun from the backya(r)d to my momma's kitchen as soon as I hea(r)d he(r) yell, "Suppe(r)time." I could get to the table 'fore eithe(r) one of my siste(r)s. But my daddy said to (r)wun that fast, I needed to eat a whole bunch 'cause it took lots of food to fill up just one of my legs.

One day, I saw myself in a mi(rr)wor. I didn't like what I saw at all. I sca(r)ed myself. But when I told my daddy, he said he loved me, just like I was. He said he wouldn't change one thin' 'bout me if he could. I didn't unde(r)stand it, but if my daddy liked me that much, I 'cided to like myself. It wouldn't be long 'fore I lea(r)ned to like myself a whole bunch—too much, my momma said.

My momma told me my daddy had been spoilin' me as long as she could (r)wemember, and she said my siste(r)s helped too. That's why I blamed all of them for tu(r)nin' me into the b(r)wat they said I was. But I neve(r) felt bad 'bout it, not even a little bit, since it wasn't my fault that I was a little bossy. 'Course, I don't (r)wemember none of this, but my siste(r)s said they'd make su(r)e I hea(r)d all 'bout it, and they'd neve(r) let me fo(r)get it, and they didn't. If it hadn't been for my daddy, they would have (r)wuined the (r)west of my whole life.

I loved when my daddy came home f(r)wom wo(r)k eve(r)wy day. It was my favo(r)wite time of the day. Eve(r)wy day I asked my momma, ove(r) and ove(r), how much longe(r) I'd have to wait for my daddy. I stood on the po(r)ch watchin' 'til I saw his g(r)ween t(r)wuck comin' down the lane. My momma wouldn't let me (r)wun to him 'til he stopped, but when he did, I (r)wan as fast as I could. When I got to his t(r)wuck, I (r)weached, as high as I could, for the handle to help him open his doo(r). He always smiled at me and said, "Hello, Scoot-a-bug, how's you(r) hamme(r) hangin'?" That's 'cause my daddy built stuff, and he hung a hamme(r) on his belt eve(r)wy day. He asked my momma and siste(r)s 'bout thei(r) hammer(r)s too.

For some (r)weason, my momma got a new switch eve(r)wy mornin' and put it whe(r)e I could see it all day long. She said it was a (r)weminder, but I didn't know what a (r)weminder was or whe(r)e my momma kept he(r)s, anyways. But when she (r)weached for he(r) switch, I sc(r)weamed like she was killin' me, even 'fore she sta(r)ted nettlin' my legs with it. That's what she called it, "nettlin'," but I thought it was what my daddy said—a nea(r)-death expe(r)wience. I made my momma think so, anyways. And she seemed to stop a little soone(r) when I'd hold my b(r)weath. My daddy felt the same way I did 'bout my momma's switch 'cause he left the (r)woom when he saw he(r) pick it up.

My hamme(r) wasn't hangin' ve(r)wy well when my daddy came home, and I told him eve(r)wythin' I could (r)wemember that happened to me that day. I don't know why, but my momma found a (r)weason to use he(r) switch on me eve(r)wy day, sometimes mo(r)e than once. When I told my daddy how I saw thin's, he'd sit me in his lap and say the same thin' to my momma eve(r)wy time, "Mothe(r), did you have to do that to Daddy's little gi(r)l?" Then he'd hold me close and whispe(r), "You know you'(r)e gonna have to do what Mothe(r) says, don't you?" Then he'd hug me (r)weally tight, for a little while, and by the time he put me down, my hamme(r) was hangin' a whole bunch bette(r).

My momma said I was th(r)wee and a half yea(r)s old the fi(r)st time my daddy took me to New Me-he-co, whe(r)e they lived a long, long, long time ago. We was goin' "to a vacation," my momma said. My daddy bought my momma a new g(r)way ca(r) with (r)wed on the inside, for our ve(r)wy long t(r)wip. I thought we'd neve(r) get the(r)e. I got (r)weally ti(r)ed, and sometimes I c(r)wied. I asked my daddy when we was goin' to get the(r)e a bunch of times, but we just kept goin' and goin' and goin'.

One day, I got (r)weally thi(r)sty, so my daddy stopped to buy us somethin' to d(r)wink, but my momma came back f(r)wom the sto(r)e with all da(r)k bottles. I c(r)wied 'cause I figu(r)ed they didn't make g(r)wape ones no mo(r)e and I'd neve(r) have one to d(r)wink, for the (r)west of my whole life. My siste(r)s sta(r)ted fussin' at me, like I had done somethin' (r)weally bad, but they had their da(r)k ones to d(r)wink, and I figu(r)ed that was the (r)weason why. My daddy laughed 'bout it and said, Leave Scoot-a-bug alone. Then my momma walked back in the sto(r)e, and I don't know how she did it, but she came back with a g(r)wape one. I guessed they made a new one for me. That's all I (r)wemember 'bout goin' to a vacation, but that was somethin' (r)weally bad that happened to me. I 'cided (r)wight then and the(r)e, I did not want big siste(r)s no mo(r)e, not even a little bit.

'Nother (r)weally bad thin' happened to me, when we went to Milam's sto(r)e to buy my momma a bi(r)thday p(r)wesent. Odell and Ca(r)wolyn wanted me to stay in the ca(r) with my momma 'cause they said I'd tell the sec(r)wet, but I wanted to help pick out my momma's p(r)wesent too. My daddy said I could, but my siste(r)s made me p(r)womise I would not tell my momma what we picked out for he(r), 'fore I could get out of the ca(r). I p(r)womised.

My siste(r)s shopped and shopped, but I got (r)weally ti(r)ed. I thought they was neve(r) goin' to make up thei(r) minds. Finally, they bought my momma a watch. It was boo-ti-ful. I kept tellin' them what I thought 'bout it, but for some (r)weason, they neve(r) wanted to know what I thought 'bout nothin'.

When we got back in the ca(r), my daddy took us to buy an ice c(r)weam cone. I was so p(r)woud of myself for bein' good and not tellin' the sec(r)wet, but I thought it would be okay to give my momma a little hint. So I said, "Momma, I can't tell you what it is, but it's somethin' you wea(r) on you(r) a(r)m."

All of a sudden, my siste(r)s sta(r)ted sc(r)weamin' so loud at me I couldn't hear myself think a single wo(r)d. I c(r)wied 'cause my hea(r)t was b(r)woken, but I hadn't told the sec(r)wet. My daddy laughed and laughed and said, Leave Scoot-a-bug alone. I felt much bette(r) 'bout it. My daddy and momma laughed a bunch mo(r)e, but my siste(r)s didn't laugh, not even a little bit.

My daddy said he was a deacon, and I was a deacon's kid when I was fou(r) yea(r)s old. We went to a chu(r)ch called a Home in a Welcome, or somethin' like that. So the way I acted in chu(r)ch was ve(r)wy impo(r)tant to my momma. I thought mommas and daddies neve(r) sat togethe(r) 'cause mine neve(r) did. I always had to 'cide 'fore chu(r)ch whethe(r) I wanted to sit with my daddy in a f(r)wont bench or with my momma in a singin' bench. That's 'cause my momma liked to sing. And I couldn't move afte(r) chu(r)ch sta(r)ted, or my momma would get ve(r)wy upset. I wasn't 'posed to talk in chu(r)ch eithe(r), but sometimes I fo(r)got. I don't know why it was such a big deal, but it was to my momma. It was a (r)weally big deal.

My daddy said she was (r)wuinin' a t(r)wee outside 'cause she pulled switches f(r)wom it eve(r)wy time we went the(r)e for a long, long time. She said she was t(r)wyin' to imp(r)wove my behavio(r) in chu(r)ch. But I didn't know I had a behavio(r) or whe(r)e it was pa(r)ked at chu(r)ch, but my momma said she was goin' to colo(r) it for me, anyways. I didn't unde(r)stand, but that's what she told my daddy, anyways.

My momma told me a bunch of stuff I was 'posed to do and was not 'posed to do eve(r)wy time we went to chu(r)ch. When I did somethin' she told me not to do, she would take my a(r)m, pull it up (r)weally high and (r)wun 'til we was bo(r)ne in the ai(r), my daddy would say. I neve(r) knew why she was in such a hu(rr)wy, but I always made a bunch of (r)wacket when we went to the t(r)wee. I 'cided I did not like chu(r)ch no mo(r)e, not even a little bit.

One Sunday mornin', my momma said, "I'd bette(r) not catch you talkin' in chu(r)ch, or else. I knew what else" meant, so I p(r)womised. I wasn't 'posed to talk to othe(r) child(r)wen, but it was okay to talk to g(r)wown-ups if one of them talked to me. I was su(r)e I would not fo(r)get, so I 'cided to sit with my momma in a singin' bench.

I was quiet as a little mouse, playin' with the songbooks that was stacked on the end of the bench whe(r)e I was sittin'. I was havin' a bunch of fun, goin' highe(r) and highe(r), puttin' the songbooks unde(r) me. I put one foot ove(r) the songbook on one side, and I st(r)wetched, (r)weally far, to put my othe(r) foot on the othe(r) side to keep the books f(r)wom fallin' down. And I stood up eve(r)wy time I put 'nother one unde(r) me, but I had to bend way down to see whe(r)e to put the next songbook. I was ve(r)wy ca(r)eful 'cause my momma would've been ve(r)wy upset if one of them had fallen, 'cause that would've made a whole bunch of (r)wacket.

I was mindin' my own business and not bothe(r)win' nobody that mornin'. And I hadn't even thought 'bout talkin' to othe(r) child(r)wen when Ms. (R)Wuth, who was sittin' (be)hind me, whispe(r)ed to me and asked me what I was doin'. I was 'bout ten songbooks high. I don't know what was funny, but I always answe(r)ed g(r)wown-ups, like I was 'posed to, and I took my time tellin' Ms. (R)Wuth how much fun I was havin'. I told he(r) I (r)weally liked goin' highe(r) and highe(r). I told he(r) I had not fo(r)gotten and talked to othe(r) child(r)wen eithe(r). But I didn't know someone was p(r)wayin' a p(r)wayer, and I didn't know I talked to Ms. (R)Wuth, like she had a hea(r)win' p(r)woblem, but my momma said I did.

All of a sudden, when someone said, Amen, my momma pulled my a(r)m in the ai(r) and left the chu(r)ch with me in a (r)weally, big hu(rr)wy. I was t(r)wyin' to tell he(r) 'bout Ms. (R)Wuth, but we was movin' so fast I was out of b(r)weath and couldn't say a single wo(r)d. I didn't know if my behavio(r) came to chu(r)ch that mornin' or not, but I didn't see it no whe(r)e. If I had seen it, maybe I wouldn't have had to go to the switch t(r)wee. I was goin' to ask my daddy to help me find my behavio(r), but I fo(r)got.

My momma said I had st(r)waw-be(rr)wy-blonde hai(r), but I hated it. Nobody had my hai(r) colo(r) but me. I didn't know what st(r)waw-be(rr)wy-blonde was, anyways. And I had ten big f(r)weckles on my nose and cheeks and I hated them too. But my daddy told me how p(r)wetty my hai(r) was and how much he loved my cu(r)wls and my ten big f(r)weckles. I love my daddy.

My daddy loved to laugh and made me and my siste(r)s laugh 'bout a whole bunch of stuff he said. When he played with us, he called us "bi(r)ds." And when one of us didn't feel well, we was always sick with the same thin'. If my momma didn't feel good, he'd tell the (r)west of us, at the b(r)weakfast table, somethin' like, "Now you, bi(r)ds, take it easy on Mothe(r) today 'cause she's got a poot-c(r)wossways." One time, the docto(r) w(r)wapped up She(r)wal's hand in a whole bunch of white stuff 'cause she cut he(r) hand, and 'nother time the docto(r) gave "Ca(r)wolyn" some big sticks to walk on 'cause she hu(r)t he(r) ankle, but my daddy said they had a poot-c(r)wossways too. He said if we'd laugh, whoeve(r) felt sick would feel a whole bunch mo(r)e bette(r), and we did.

Eve(r)wy summe(r), my daddy took us "to a vacation." We played games and sang songs in Momma's ca(r) 'cause it took a long, long time to get to a vacation. When my daddy needed to go potty, he would say, "I'm gonna stop by this gas station and d(r)wain my (r)wadiator." Momma made my siste(r)s and me d(r)wain our (r)wadiators too. I didn't want to d(r)wain my (r)wadiator, but my momma said I had to. My daddy said my momma was a doozy, too. He liked her a whole, whole, whole bunch. And my momma said my daddy didn't laugh ve(r)wy much when he was a little boy, so he wanted to make su(r)e we laughed. I love my daddy.

Eve(r)wy mornin', my daddy woke up my siste(r)s so they could get (r)weady for school. He'd come to our doo(r) and holle(r) (r)weally loud, "(R)Weveille! (R)Weveille! Hit the deck! Hit the deck!" My momma said my daddy went to a Number-Two war on top of a Na-vee, and that's why he holle(r)ed, "(R)Weveille." Sometimes, 'fore my siste(r)s knew what they was doin', they'd jump out of bed. My daddy thought it was (r)weally funny to see how fast they could move, but my siste(r)s didn't think it was funny, not even a little bit.

One mornin', my momma wanted me to go to school and my daddy did too, but I didn't see a bit of need for it. I hated eve(r)wy thin' 'bout it, like gettin' up so ea(r)ly. Most mornin's, f(r)wom the time my daddy holle(r)ed, "(R)Weveille," I crwied 'cause I wanted to stay home and play outside. C(r)wyin' had always wo(r)ked for me, but for some (r)weason, I had to go to school, anyways.

My teache(r), Ms. Pa(r)ker was nice most of the time, but she didn't make me like school eithe(r), not even a little bit. She wanted us to w(r)ite our names and numbe(r)s all the time. Eve(r)wy time I 'cided to do somethin' else, she'd tell me to w(r)ite them again. But I got (r)weally ti(r)ed of w(r)itin' 'cause my siste(r)s had played school with me eve(r) since my daddy and my momma b(r)wought me home to live with them. What I was 'posed to lea(r)n in school, I al(r)weady knew. And I got just as ti(r)ed d(r)wawin' and colo(r)win' stick people and cuttin' out pictu(r)es and pastin' them on pape(r) bags.

Eve(r)wy mornin', when my momma wanted me to go to school, I t(r)wied all kinds of stuff to get to stay home and play outside. My momma said I was gettin' on he(r) ne(r)ve, but I didn't know my momma had a ne(r)ve or whe(r)e she put he(r)s, anyways. She said she'd give Odell or Ca(r)wolyn some money to buy some new colo(r)s or paste for me when the bus stopped by the sto(r)e if I'd stop c(r)wyin' and go on to school without givin' he(r) no mo(r)e t(r)wouble. Sometimes, that didn't wo(r)k, but most times, new stuff made colo(r)win' time a bunch mo(r)e fun, so I got a tea(r) out when I could.

Somehow, I ended up on the school bus anyways, even with a little (r)wacket. My big siste(r)s 'cided they didn't like school mornin's eithe(r) 'cause they said it got (r)weally loud at our house 'fore school. They said I was the one makin' all the (r)wacket, but I was su(r)e they didn't want to go to school some mornin's and they made a little (r)wacket too.

Ms. Pa(r)ker wanted our mommas to make us a colo(r)win' bag and put a st(r)wap on top. We was 'posed to b(r)wing it back to school with new colo(r)s, paste, scisso(r)s, and a pencil in it. It wasn't long 'fore a colo(r)win' bag was hangin' on the back of eve(r)wybody's desk. But my bag got (r)weally fat 'cause my siste(r)s had been buyin' a whole big bunch of new colo(r)s and pastes for me since I c(r)wied most days. It looked like one of my daddy's cows 'fore she found he(r) baby calf. No one's colo(r)win' bag was as fat as mine. I guess eve(r)wybody liked school, or they would've had a whole bunch mo(r)e colo(r)s and pastes like I did.

One day, I told my daddy I couldn't see ve(r)wy well, so he told my momma to take me to see a docto(r) that looked in child(r)wen's eyes. After D(r). Caldwell looked in mine, he said I needed some (r)weadin' glasses. I helped my momma pick out some light-blue ones for me. When I t(r)wied them on, I could see a whole bunch mo(r)e bette(r). I told my momma, but the docto(r) wouldn't let me b(r)wing them home with me. My momma said it was 'cause he had to put some glass in them. I didn't tell my momma, but I could see a whole bunch mo(r)e bette(r) 'fore he put glass in my blue glasses. He should've listened to me, but nobody eve(r) did, 'cept my daddy.

My momma thought I would neve(r) like school, so she was happy when I came home tellin' he(r) 'bout my f(r)wiend, Mitzi. I liked he(r) a lot, and I told my daddy all 'bout he(r). I thought she was p(r)wetty 'cause she didn't have st(r)waw-be(rr)wy-blonde hai(r) or a single big f(r)weckle on he(r) nose and cheeks. He(r) hai(r) was white, and I guess she liked school. She wasn't the baby of he(r) family, like me, so she let me ‘cide what we'd play on the playg(r)wound. I was a little bossy, but I don't think Mitzi minded, not even a little bit.

School was okay when we was outside 'cause Mitzi and I could laugh, (r)wun, play, and tell each othe(r) sec(r)wets. Nobody eve(r) said we was too loud or to sit down when we was on the playg(r)wound. I neve(r) unde(r)stood why we couldn't spend mo(r)e time outside, but just 'bout the time we was (r)weally havin' fun, Ms. Pa(r)ker would tell us to come back inside. And when we did, eve(r)wy time I said somethin' to Mitzi I thought was impo(r)tant, she would shush me.

My daddy told me he and my momma found me unde(r) a stump when I was a little, bitty baby gi(r)l. He said they fell in love with me the minute they saw me and wanted to take me home to live with them. I knew they liked me a whole big bunch, and I told my f(r)wiend, Mitzi, all 'bout myself. Eve(r)wy day, I told he(r) somethin' my daddy told me.

Somehow, my daddy got milk f(r)wom one of his cows, and somehow, my momma made c(r)weam f(r)wom it. Eve(r)wy mornin', she put some of it ove(r) my co(r)nflakes and milk for b(r)weakfast. For some (r)weason, my daddy didn't get milk no mo(r)e, so my momma couldn't make c(r)weam no mo(r)e. But I couldn't eat my co(r)nflakes without my daddy's milk and my momma's c(r)weam, and since sto(r)e-bought milk and c(r)weam didn't taste the same, I neve(r) d(r)wank milk or ate c(r)weam again. Without my co(r)nflakes, I did not want to eat b(r)weakfast eve(r) again. My momma said she was wo(rr)wied 'bout me. She said I was a picky eate(r).

Eve(r)wybody ate eggs for b(r)weakfast at my house, but I didn't like the way they smelled, so I neve(r) t(r)wied them. My momma wanted me to eat, so she fixed all kinds of stuff for me to t(r)wy,