Where have you been? Billy Boy Part III

Mo Mo Mony.

Yes I love my Mony

Mo Mo Mony.

Those were the sounds, Little Billy heard, as he slipped open the window screen in Mamma and Daddy's bedroom. He dropped out a white cup towel, a black magic marker, scissors, rubber bands, and a rubber knife in a plastic sheath. He had just two more rooms to dust mop, and he was free to go out and play.

Mary and Cathy were singing at the top of their lungs, as they washed down the walls and ceiling in the kitchen. Dana was playing puppy again, following mamma around with a rag in her hand acting like she was cleaning as she kept Mamma talking by asking her question after question. As long as mamma was talking, she wouldn't be thinking of other things that needed to be done around the house. So I guess that it was worth not bringing to mamma's attention, that she wasn't washing the walls like she was supposed to be, with Cathy and Mary.

I was there, finally, at the top of the stairs, leading down to the kitchen. I got a dust pan and swept all the lint and candy wrappers into it and threw them in the trash. Now, to act really busy, in a hurry. My plan was, to run by mamma in the living room. As I was saying "I'm Done" and out the door before she could say anything. The plan worked perfect, except for just one little added twist. I just had to brush against Dana as I went by. This sent her running off to the bathroom to wash off my germs. It was the way, I always got her out of the way when I wanted something, or needed center stage for a while. Sure it was sort of mean, but what the heck? It didn't hurt anyone and it worked like a charm every time.

Once, I was outside, I realized I was into enemy territory again. So I grabbed my stuff and up I went higher and higher in the tall elm tree just outside the front door. I used my trusty pocket knife again to cut and strip a branch so I could use the rubber bands to attach them to it and draw a cross bones and skull on the cup towel. I mounted it high in the ships mass over looking the entire house. In fact I was high enough to see from the Macmillan's to the Morrells, I could see the Crawford's house and the McAllister's.

And I could see off in a distant shore my Fort, just by the bridge, and if I looked close enough I could see the old windmill. It was if it was slowly calling me, as it stood tall, just beside "Frog Lake", and the Grapevine.

Now. the music was really fitting I could hear, Cathy and Mary singing "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay", a little out of tune, if you asked me, but it was a girl thing anyway. I couldn't spend my time sitting on the dock!

So I sailed on, feeling the tree sway back and forth with the wind. It was just like a ship mass, high above the waves. It really was an amazing feeling, for such a little boy. So far above the world, able to see off into the distance. Why, it seemed as though I could even hear a lot better from up there, without all the lower level interference. High above the chaos, that existed in the real world below. And the sounds that I heard, were clear and so pretty, the Sparrows chirped, and the Mocking Birds sang. As if, they too, felt the joy of music like Cathy and Mary as they sang, in the house below.

As I looked out, between Aunt Louie's house and Aunt Era's. I could see Lloyd walking home from the post office and I looked up and felt very blessed. I knew, if I had been given all the gifts I had, I should use them to help others much less fortunate than me.

So spinning a elm leaf in my teeth with the cool grin of Tarzan I was having an identity crisis again.

If I could be someone, whom might it be? Perhaps Shane, Tarzan, Superman, or Spiderman, whom would it be? Then I decided, I would be "Billy the Kid" only a nice one. I could use the name because it was really mine and I could gain the same fame except for helping others not hurting. It was going to be so much fun, I had so many places to go and things to do.

But, little did Billy really know, about what he was to face. The TV hadn't really been straight with him. Sure there were going to be hard times. Ones like, when Matt Dillon was captured and Kitty went to help, and was taken captive too. But things didn't always work out the same way. All the problems he and his sisters would face would not all have a happy ending, at first. And although it seemed that drama had always followed him, he had to explore really hard. If he was to find the answers to overcome the many tests, he would face along the path of life. He had always had the deep glowing down inside telling him he was here for a purpose.

With the Heart of an explorer, he was determine to find those answers. When he did, Ahoy, he would tell the others, and they would share a new frontier together.

There were going to be many trials and tests, but for every one the answer was there. Hidden just like a treasure. Little Billy was determined to keep searching. He knew, if he just took the time to concentrate, and allow his mind to wonder, he would discover the answers. By slowing down and using his imagination, just a bit.

So he sat there, swaying in the tree thinking about the grasshoppers. How they would jump and fly if he approached them. Why would he shoot them? Why not just shoot sticks and glass and cans? So that is what he decided to do. He saw a grass hopper on the branch next to him and he thought. If I could just get him to listen to me and do what I asked him to do. If he would obey me and jump on command, and follow me where ever I went!

How cool would that be?

Although there are millions of grasshoppers all over the world, if this one would listen to me and obey me I would be rich. I could charge people to come see him! Then he thought about what his mother had told him about God.

She said he looks down on us like I was looking right now at the ground. Far below here on Earth, we look as small as grasshoppers to him. So I said to myself, "Now if I am like a grasshopper to God". And there are millions and millions of people, I could be special in the same way! I could stand out just by obeying him and doing what he says for me to do. And he could show me off to all the Angels and say "See here, this is a special one, because he too, although small and insignificant obeys me, and that makes him worth watching out for."

Then again, I heard a whistle loud and long, it was the "Fire Whistle at the Fire Station.

Telling the whole town, stop what you are doing. Saying take a break from your work, and rest a bit. It is lunch time. So down the tree I went like a flash of lighting and down the road two blocks to the "Red Fire Hydrant" I ran.

No one came today except me, I guess the girls were all busy with girl stuff inside. It was going to be me and Daddy alone as he would stop to pick me up and I could ride the rest of the way home with him.

It was a short time, indeed, but a very special one. It was the gesture of showing him I loved him and that all the hard work he was doing was appreciated.

A small thing, from a small boy. But that is one of the treasures I have found in my life. The feeling that I get, when one of my kids take the time to show or tell me they care. Showing that all the years we have spent raising them, were worth it. "at last."

It is also, one of the lessons Little Billy would want to help others to reflect on.

Now the smoke from the dusty road, is bellowing out, a better feeling as it goes skyward and the truck gets closer and closer to home. This time there is no fear, and no trembling, because my Daddy has the controls and he always wins.

I climbed in and looked up at him forgetting that I had painted a patch over my eye with the magic marker when I was a pirate earlier. He looked at me and just smiled, he didn't say much.

But daddy never really did.

++++++++++++++++ TO BE CONTINUED ++++++++++++++++

Daddy asked "What's for lunch"?

"Beans, again".

"You don't like them"

"Kind of, but I get tired of them"

"Some day you will appreciate them. There are allot of kids that are going hungry"

"I know" I said, Thinking Beans? I will like beans? Not hardly!

Billy turns to watch the weeds whisk by the truck. His nose touching the door and his eyes barely able to see out. He would day dreaming the rest of the way home.

Daddy didn't like it much, but rarely said anything as they stopped. Little Billy stood up grabbed the headache rack, pulled himself out and Jungle-gymmed all the way to the back of the truck and the down to the ground.

"How was work"? Mamma asked, as she gave Daddy his food first. Like she always did, after all, he was the Dad.

"I ran into Minnox again, He was all over us like a Duck on a June-Bug. I told him if you don't stop following me around I am going to take this hammer and"

"Daddy! Mamma said

"Well!"

"I know"

By now, we all had our plates full except Dana. She was waiting for Mamma to dish hers out.

Cathy was making sure the bean juice didn't run into her French Fries and Catsup. Mary had gotten up to get a glass of milk for everyone. I was eating the edge all the way around the cornbread patty before I soaked it in the bean juice. Man I sure like those things in fact I always managed to take one with me out in the pasture in a napkin. Sometimes, I even tied it in a handkerchief and put it on a stick and played hobo.

Mamma! Look At Cathy! She was sticking food out on her tongue at me again.

"Cathy Lynn, if you don't stop that, I am going to make you go out and get a switch off the tree"!

That took the grin off her face real fast, and put it on mine. However it didn't last long before she was chewing with her mouth open real wide showing the food again. We all knew that mamma wasn't going to send Cathy out for a switch it had to be really bad for that. Plus she had worked so hard, washing the walls with "Spic and Span" in the kitchen with Mary. Mamma was just trying to keep everything under control, including Daddy! He sure had been different since Mr.Faulk had died. He didn't get along with Minnox at all. Something about politics he had said before.

Little did Billy know, just how happy he was, not knowing those things yet.

Well guess who I saw today? Daddy said

"Who?", we all answered like a bunch of owls in a choir.

"Old Man Killion" he was reading meters near the dorm where I was putting in a new door with Bill Albcrumbie. He said that the "Post" was full again. You kids wanna go this week-end?

Now we were all whooping and a hollering and running around. Sit back down Mamma said, and finish lunch. Mary helped me with the cornbread patties and "Aren't they good?

I made the sound like I was gagging and Mary gave me "The Look". I can't explain it but once you see it, you know she means business.

Cathy ran around the table, grabbed a cup towel and wiped Daddy's head off. It always had tons of sweat running down it when he ate hot food. And the Chili-Macho was extra hot this time. Mamma had gotten some fresh peppers from June Morrell's garden and over did it just a little.

"Billy", said Daddy, "you need to chop the weeds from around the shower drain this afternoon. And clean it out some". Now all three girls were giggling and grinning at me with smirks.

"It won't take long" said mamma, but I still could feel my heart shrinking. I "did not" like chopping weeds, but to go to Marathon this week-end, I would be able to handle it, I guess.

Soon Daddy had taken a short rest and was leaving back for work, the table was clear and it was "Nap Time"

I was standing in the kitchen making, space noises and weird voices talking into the Swamp Cooler.

"Hit the Hay, Big Boy" Mamma said. So I crawled under the light blue green chenille bedspread. With the air conditioner blowing right on me. I sure loved that smell. Daddy had just taken the water hose and wet it down real good right before he left back for work.

Day dreaming again, "The Post" 30 miles to Marathon right on South 385. Left, over the old wooden bridge, left again and we would be there. I could have driven it with my eyes closed. And still can today, a place of "complete joy" we would open the old green metal cooler, grab an "RC Cola". Daddy would have a "Lone Star Beer" and Mamma a big smile.

She loved swimming so much. She could float on her back, read a book and smoke a cigarette at the same time. One of these would take her from us.

But for now, time to swim!

Mark-o ... Polo we was the mantra. We played and we splashed, could life get any better?

But as little Billy laid there and thought about the coming week-end, he wondered? Would he really ever be hungry and appreciate beans?

Yes he would, appreciate beans that is. And much, much more, he would love the smell of chilly-macho, corn bread patties. He would miss the sight, of Daddy's head running sweat as the family all set around the table eating.

He would miss hearing Daddy talk about work and waiting to see how mamma would head him off and cool him down. He would miss the six eyes of his sisters that would in pairs each have their own agenda.

The lessons of responsibility, cooking, cleaning and yes, even chopping weeds. The joy that those simple tasks would bring today! And the discipline that gave us the guidance we have today. How Mamma and Daddy would always put on a united front for us kids. Our personalities, as they blossomed. From "The Look" of Mary to "The Food Tongue" of Cathy and the pouting cheeks of the Baby Dana.

The joy of being able to just play hobo, and never really having to live that way. The freedom to live, move from town to town. The privilege to choose our work, to choose our friends and the incredible blessing of having our family chosen for us, our parents and brothers and sisters.

So be it the miraculous workings of the universe, or just the persistence and passion of two special people who loved children and wanted to raise a family. With the courage and strength to reach out and adopt and thus touch the life's of four young children in a permanent way. As I remember Daddy sitting, whittling on a block of wood. Quietly. under the Honey-Suckle bush out back. As he was being mirrored by me and my small pocket knife.

Did he really know he was cutting and carving my life with his words at the same time?

But how could he teach us to stay true to each other, and never drift apart? The words will forever echo in time and in my mind. "We got you kids because we love you and don't ever forget that" he would say.

As age, stress and time beat them down like the railroad spikes in the train tracks near to our old home. Their minds were often as confused as Rex's, when thoughts that were just there a seconds ago seemed forever lost. No matter how they struggled to find them.

What instrument could we use to measure their life's and accomplishments? With precision, examining the good they did, and forgetting the mistakes they made.

Only with the "Heart of a True Explorer". Yes, Little Billy's, as he forged ahead on a different, yet such a similar path.

"TWEEEEEEEET" Billy jumps up, startled, and awkward. In a half way confusing manner, as he hears the loud whistle blow.

And sees Cathy at the foot of his bed, with her Majorette whistle in her mouth. She got it with her new baton. You see, she wanted to be the head twirler in the band when she got older.

I just needed some cool-aid and then out to get the weeds done.

++++++++++++++ TO BE CONTINUED ++++++++++++++

Swoosh, "Timber", Little Billy yelled under his voice. Another tree had fallen with a single blow, from the axe of the "Jolly Green Giant". It was a game he played as he chopped weeds. The ants were people, lady bugs were angels, lizards, and horned toads were dinosaurs. It was the only way he could handle chopping weeds. He would imagine, that he was 300 feet tall and as he stood high above the earth, and he could do what ever he wanted. But for now, it was getting the mighty river flowing again. "Come back here" he taunted Rex, his dog had started helping by digging along beside him. Soon however, after a few seconds, he had lost interest and was off looking for a lizard.

There was one really cool thing about chopping weeds, the fire! After Billy, chopped all the weeds down and stacked them up. They would dry out, and Daddy and Mamma trusted him to burn them. That always got a crowd, Mary, Cathy and Dana. They would all come out to help burn the weeds and play in the fire.

"Sure is looking Good, Big Boy" Mamma said, as she went by with a huge basket of clothes, to hang on the line. Rex came darting over to her just incase she had something for him to eat.

"Go On, Get" she told Rex. He would grab clothes out of the basket, and try to pull the ones she hung up down if she didn't run him off. So away Rex went again.

"Zip ah dee do da,

zip ah de day"

Mamma sung as she slid the clothes pins down the wire in front of her making room for the next shirt.

"Can't I do this tomorrow"? Billy begged, as he weaved in and out of the wet clothes smelling the fresh scent.

"No way Jose, your daddy would skin both me and you alive"! she exclaimed, "but after you are done there will be fresh homemade Coconut Cream pie".

Ok, Billy said as he skipped back over to his mighty axe.

"Now where was I" he wispered.

"What?"

"Nothing, I was talking to myself".

"Playing Giant again"?

"Yep"

"You have quite an imagination, son. Don't ever loose it, it sure will make life a lot easier". She said as she walked back toward the house, still singing.

He thought, "Zip ah dee do da, zip ah de day"? People sure do say and do some stupid things. Like yesterday when the phone ran and Cathy and Mary were watching "American Bandstand" on TV and Mamma made them turn it down. I said. "Look at how that looks without the sound"! They look like a bunch of people that were in some poison ivy.

"Get out of here", they said.

No sir, I don't dance he thought, people just do some stupid things. Now Billy stood there hand on hand resting his chin on the hoe. He was getting more and more excited about going swimming this week-end. However, he kept being snapped back to reality, when he saw how many weeds he had left. Looking down at the fallen trees below he thought, man I hate chopping weeds!

Work, work,work, I wonder how Daddy does it. Day after day, week after week, work, work, work. Who made up these rules, that we had to work 40 hours a week? The entire year, except holidays and vacation time?

You see, while Daddy was young and healthy, they used him up. Then after he got old and tired they tossed him back like a fish we would throw back in the river, that we didn't have any use for.

It just wasn't right, was it?

Little, did Billy know, and if you could have told him, the valuable lessons he had learned that day. Life, wasn't really all that fair, people would take advantage of you. Most people wanted money, and they did what it took to get it. You see, they thought it would bring them happiness. So they, used others and took advantage of others like they did Daddy.

Sure they paid him, but what did he sell his life for? Twenty thousand a year? It made Billy sad to think of all the things he could have done with his Dad, had he not spent so much time working to pay the bills. Forty hours a week, fifty two weeks a year less one (off, as they say) for forty years that's 81,600 hours Billy had missed.

What lessons he could have learned, if that time had just been, spent with him. Now he knew why Mamma told him, never to loose his sense of humor and imagination.

If he had, it would become so easy to view people at work, for what they could do for him. It would be so easy to take advantage of them. Plus he would listen to others as they talked behind their backs.

This was one of the most important lessons he would learn in life. Right here, the pain that comes when people are selfish and insensitive and talk about others. He knew first hand how, it could hurt. The feeling of listening to people, tell him something that one of his sisters, or others he cared for, had thoughtlessly said about him.

How it would hurt more than in his mind. He could feel it way down in his gut. He would lean over, and feel the joy of life just ooze out.

Oh how sad, when emotions would take over, and ugly things were said.

When all the good things he had done, all his life, were forgotten. If only just for the moment, and his mistakes were served up to him with words of pain.

That is why, he loved Rex so. That dog was always happy to see him. Even after he had done something stupid, and gotten spanked.

With tears on his cheeks and sadness in his heart. Rex was wagging his tail as if to say, "It will be ok, no, it is ok!" You did wrong and you suffered now lets go explore. You see, Rex was always forgiving and never once did he remind Little Billy of the mistakes he had made.

He just taught him to go on, to forget it, remember the lesson so as not to repeat it. But to live today, as if the treasure out in the pasture, well, today just might be the day he found it.

And now Billy understood the value in dancing. It might look funny, but if we don't take ourselves too seriously, and worry too much about pleasing everyone. Well, we could enjoy life so much more, we could make it through those many hard days at work. Maybe that is what kept daddy going? You think? Knowing the value of family, and how hard it would be to make them happy and in the end make them proud. His Dad, no doubt, wanted to carve out a simple place in the hearts of his kids that they would always remember, a special place just for him. A place no one else could go, Daddy's spot and Mamma's too.

At times we seem to play giant, we look down on people and use our power over them in ways that are not so good.

That might be why, Little Billy sings allot, still, he knows like Mamma said. "Son keep your sense of imagination, so you can make it".

Wag that tail, like Rex, look silly ever once in a while, it will do you good.

It will help you put it all into prospective. Never take family for granted, things might get tough, and loud, the earth might even shake a bit like when the train went thundering by. But remember how fast it was gone? Life is just that way. Life is loud, and at times, scary, but it still goes by too fast. So never miss out on any of the hours left after the 81,600 that are already taken away.

Dig now, the treasure is really closer than we think and yet if we delay it is still so far, far away.

"Dig, dig", Cathy and Mary were saying as they both perched so sassy, up on the window with their noses pressed against the screen.

I am, I thought, are you?

Then I heard them whistle as my hand slipped off the end of the hoe and I almost fell flat. They started laughing at me, that was ok, remember, whatever it took to hear them laugh together again.

They had whistled at Rex, he was running across the back yard along the fence. So it was a call to action again, he had cornered a dinosaur along the fence, down flew the hoe and off Little Billy ran. Wait Rex, "I will help you", he knew that working together they could catch a dinosaur or anything else life might throw their way.

He hoped others realized that too, how working together, they could do anything.

And that whistle it was always a call to action. Still today when Billy hears a whistle, he thinks, "What good thing can I do right now, for someone. How can I help someone to enjoy their day, just a bit better"?

You see we really are 300 feet tall, and we can do anything, if it is for the good of others. And remember in that big world of grasshoppers out there, we might just be one person, but to one person, we might just be the world.

"Pies Ready, Billy" Mamma said

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