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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781463422448 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 10/10/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 60 |
| File size: | 360 KB |
Read an Excerpt
"Mama said ..."
By Bonnie J. Edwards
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Bonnie J. EdwardsAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4634-2344-5
Chapter One
It was another hot day for students as they made their daily trek at the end of the school day. The heat reflecting from the freshly laid asphalt street sucked away the little bit of energy Bonita had as she approached home. The skies were radiating eighty eight degrees on her shoulders and carrying a bundle of books only added additional stress to her petite physique as Bonita struggled with each step. With a quick but short stride Bonita runs along her tree lined neighborhood flanked with brick tutor houses seeking refuge of the cool comfort of her own home."Hi Mama. I'm home."
Mama is in the kitchen as Bonita enters the front door. She kicks off her shoes and throws her book bag down on the sun porch. Bonita was met with an abundance of sun rays through the curtain covered windows upon entering the living room of her house. Relieved to be home, she threw her book bag down on the floor. Mama was always on Bonita along with her six brothers and sisters about throwing their bags and coats on the sunroom floor. Mama would say, "Pick up your belongings and take them to your bedroom where they belong." She was very particular about the way we took care of our house. Bonita's mama loved a clean house, literally, Bonita's mama believed in the old adage, "Home is where the heart is." Mama believed that a cluttered house makes for an unhappy home.
"How was your day at school, Bonita?" The question repeated itself everyday but it gave Bonita a sense of security just to hear it. Mama's voice was like a song bird in a garden but Bonita was happy to know that mama was nestled in the kitchen preparing dinner. Bonita, a bright cheerful girl who loves being around her mother as much as she enjoys hanging out with her friends charges into the kitchen where mama is cooking her popular dish everybody in the house likes, yum, yum good, chicken.
Bonita enters the kitchen, "Nobody can cook chicken like you mama and you always make sure we have a good meal and desert to satisfy our sweet tooth."
"School was alright, mama."
Bonita shows little enthusiasm for what happened in school today. Bonita really enjoyed school but not as much as she enjoys her friends. They meant everything to her. It was not uncommon for Bonita to bring friends from the neighborhood home to meet her mother. These would be children her mother never met before.
Bonita's mama would greet them with smiles and hugs as if they were her own. Mama's smiles were always warm and friendly so the neighborhood kids looked forward to visiting the Gladney's house. Mama didn't mind the kids from the neighborhood visiting as long as she was home to check them out. The scrutiny never bothered Bonita because she knew her mama had genuine concern for her and her friends.
"What do you mean alright, Bonita? It was alright, said Bonita.
"What did you learn in school?" Mama would ask. "We learned a lot."
Bonita's response had the tone of evasiveness.
"Describe what you learned, Bonita."
Bonita tries to change the subject. "Mama it's hot in here. Why can't we get air conditioning?"
It was a hot day and Bonita was already feeling worn from the heat. Discussing school really wasn't what she wanted to do. Bonita thought about her attitude for a moment and her conscience asked her "How dare I give the impression to mama that I don't want to be bothered, as hard as mama works to provide for us." Bonita realizes she needs to get rid of her "Ms. It ... plus a bag of chips" attitude. Bonita might have been naive but she wasn't stupid. Bonita begins to reflect;
... Mama believed in giving all of us a chance to talk about what was on our mind. Every once in a while I would find myself sitting at the kitchen table discussing the day's events with mama. Sometimes I had the nerve to complain about the time spent answering mama's questions but mama always remained calm and patient with me. I knew I had to open up and be honest about how my day went because Mama wasn't settling for less. I was always amazed at mama's ability to be there to listen to me and my other six siblings. We are really blessed to have a mother like mama.
Bonita goes to the front of the sun porch and grabs her book bag and started dumping everything in it on the kitchen table.
Mama inquired, "What do you have here Bonita?"
Bonita plucks out a tom notebook with markings all over it. She pulls out a slew of loose papers turned in every direction. Then she finally lugs out her tattered five inch math book from the bowels of one of many school book bags.
"Good Lord, Bonita. Have you no sense of organization." Bonita looks amused even though she is still tired from the heat.
"We worked on math, reading, writing, and oh, science." It all appeared to be a cluttered mess to mama, "Where is your home work?"
"It's right here."
Mama was persistent, "What are you suppose do tonight?"
"Math."
That answer wasn't complete, "Don't you think you need to get to work on it?"
"Yes mama," Bonita replies with a descending tone while clenching her teeth.
"Mama, I'm going to be honest. I don't get it.
"Get what?"
"This math stuff," says Bonita.
Mama is looking a bit puzzled, "I can see you are tired and you seem to be stressing out about this homework assignment."
"Mama, I am stressing." Bonita is a bit more vehement, "I don't get it! And I'm never going to get it." Bonita takes a deep breath. There is a pause in the conversation. This allows Bonita to calm down a little. Thomas, Bonita's twin brother steps in the kitchen and invites himself into the conversation.
"What's going on?" Thomas' diction always had a slang tone about it. He is so cool and compassionate about his twin sister. When Bonita is not feeling well, Thomas suddenly feels bad too. This is no joke. Thomas shows genuine concern for his twin sister. He was this way in elementary school and he is even more protective in school high.
"This math assignment!" The bitterness in Bonita's voice was certain.
Thomas steps closer to Bonita. She is sitting down across from mama. Mama is patiently looking on as Thomas rolls up his shirt sleeves and takes his seat in the brightly lit kitchen next to Bonita. Thomas looks at Bonita and offers her a bit of home grown wisdom.
"Bonita," Thomas would start out, "you know that mama will always say, you get out of life what you put into life." Bonita looks puzzled,
"What are you talking about Thomas?"
Thomas continues, "If you work hard at it with the right attitude, you will understand your assignment."
Bonita asks Thomas, "What do you mean about attitude?" Thomas just sat in silence.
"I'm not upset, Thomas I just don't understand my math assignment."
Mama chimes in, "Thomas don't worry about Bonita right now, you concentrate on your homework too. Your sister LeAnn will help Bonita."
Thomas listens to mama and slowly strolls toward the kitchen door with one last comment for Bonita,
"Remember, you get out of life what you put into it. Good attitude and hard work will set you free ... we can figure this out together," the echo of his voice slowly fading as he leaves the room.
Mama and Bonita have taken ownership of the kitchen again. As the evening wore on, a stream of sunlight made its way through the room. It was almost as if the colorful daisies that were imprinted on the cabinets blossomed with each breath of sunshine. Bonita's concentration would be interrupted by the thought that those daisies appeared to be dancing right off the canvas of Mamas' kitchen cabinets.
"Bonita, are you listening?"
"Ah, yeah, mama I'm listening."
"Well, it's time to get to work," mama said.
"I don't get math."
"What part don't you get, Bonita?"
"All of it, mama."
Mama repeated herself, "Well, LeAnn can help."
"Do I have to?" Bonita sighs.
"Yes, you have to get your school work done because your teacher will be expecting it tomorrow. Bonita, let me tell you something. Your brother made a good point about the importance of getting out of life what you put into life. Do you understand what your brother was saying to you?"
"Yes, mama, Thomas was saying to me that if I tried harder with an open mind I could probably understand my assignment."
"That's right, Bonita. It is normal to get frustrated over your homework assignment especially if you don't understand it. But if you continue to tell yourself I can't do this, you won't do it. But if you say to yourself I think I can, what do you think might happen Bonita?"
"I might get it?" Bonita began to feel the spirit of her mother's wisdom, "Yes, Bonita. So don't give up on yourself. Keep an open mind. Remember what Daddy always says, "Once you get your education, you got it. No one can take it from you!"
Mama continued to cook, facing the sink across the kitchen where Bonita is sitting. Bonita sat in silence starring at mama washing the dishes effortlessly rinsing the pots and pans.
Bonita shuffled through her ninth grade papers. She gathered them and headed toward the living room. With books in her hand, Bonita flops on the living room floor. The gold plush carpet cushions her as she lands flat on her bottom. The comfort of the floor puts Bonita in a reflective mood;
... I have the entire space to me for now, that is until the rest of the family comes home. But for now, 1 have full claim to the living and dining room, most importantly, 1 have the undivided attention of mama. When my younger brothers (they are twins too), Randy and Andy come home they will get the attention from mama. But mama is so good to us; we don't know who's getting more or less attention. Mama makes all of us feel like we're number one. She takes time for each and every one of us. We don't have time to bicker and fight at each other because we all feel important. 1 wonder if all my friends get that kind of attention from their mama. When daddy comes home he makes us feel important too. Most times he is tired after working hard all day. His feet are tired and worn when he comes home after standing on his feet all day and night at the brewery. "Grab my bucket," "daddy would say, and put some hot water in it as hot as 1 can stand it." One of us, whom ever is in eyeshot of daddy runs to the bathroom like we were in a competition vying for daddy's attention and approval. One of us grabs the bucket and runs the water as hot as he can stand it, and the lucky one cautiously takes the blue bucket loaded with water—splashing along the way to daddy where he is patiently waiting to soak his tired, worn feet. Most times he is either sitting at the edge of his bed or sitting in his lazy boy chair.
Chapter Two
For now, Bonita has free reign of the house. That's the way she prefers it, quiet with a feeling of solitude. Bonita lay on the floor indecisive about which homework to tackle first. She takes a moment to stare through the French doors that separated the sunroom from the living room. Without any real reason Bonita begins looking from right to left marveling at the many windows that seem to stand in unison like soldiers saluting all who enter her fortress. The front door opens with a squeak and through the leaded glass a voice emerges from the silence."Hey, mama!"
Bonita is still spawned across the living room floor.
"Hey, LeAnn."
"Why are you stretched out across the living room floor when you could be sitting at the dining room table working on your homework?" LeAnn asked.
Bonita is wondering where her big sister is coming from with such a question. She thinks to herself, "Who is this bothering, me or LeAnn?" Suddenly, Bonita realizes her private claim to mama and having the house to herself is over. Shortly, the living room floor will be the pathway for more footsteps, the sofa will not look so neat, and the firm pillows will be tossed about. Loud noises will vibrate from the television console. The perfect stream of sunlight passing through the colored leaded glass windows will soon be interrupted by the shadow images of her brothers and sisters.
"LeAnn is that you?" Mama shouted from the sweltering kitchen. The aroma of glazed baked chicken, ham, black eyed peas and tender green beans pleases all.
"Yea, mama it's me. It smells good in here. What are you cooking, mama?"
"How was your day at school, LeAnn?"
"We practiced our drill and I came up with some new techniques.
Everybody seemed to like the new techniques. It was hard but we had fun."
LeAnn is a drill team captain at Washington high school in Milwaukee. A lot of the girls at school like and rely on LeAnn. She is very smart and enjoys school. LeAnn is truly a born leader. More than that, LeAnn is known to Bonita as "big sis." She takes her role very seriously. She is the only one in the house that gets to have her own room. I guess why not, she is the eldest of seven.
Bonita reflects on a moment she had with her sister, LeAnn. She remembers the one time her mother asked LeAnn to comb her hair.
Bonita reflects on that fateful day,
"That day I could have gone the whole day without having my hair combed. I didn't have much hair and I wanted to preserve the little bit I had."
Everybody knows you don't mess with "big sis." Mama and daddy rely on LeAnn a lot when they are not at home. Yeah, LeAnn had a huge responsibility. Funny, everyone in the house has strong personalities. LeAnn's was the strongest because she is so opinionated. Cal is the next in charge, he has the reputation as a lady's man and he is quite athletic. Cal was happiest when he was dating. His chrome tire rims on his classic Monty Carlo would always announce his arrival. All of Bonita's brothers are athletic. Thomas has a love for football. He is fast and very strong. The younger twins are built for basketball. Both played in some version of a basketball league. Clarisa is the most quiet of all of us but all so talented. She is an amazing artist. Sometimes Clarisa would reveal her talents to us. To be a young person, she is extremely fashion conscious.
"Your sister needs your help with her home work," mama said to
LeAnn.
Bonita is lying on the floor feeling overwhelmed by all the work.
"Where's everybody, mama?"
"Your dad is working at the business, the boys are playing ball at the Y, Cal is practicing with his buddies and Clarisa, and Thomas are watching television downstairs."
LeAnn sits down on the floor with Bonita and proceeds to look at her assignments.
"I don't understand any of this!" says Bonita. "I'll help you understand. Let's sit at the dining room table. The light is better. Look at this math problem. What are they asking you to do?"
"Well, I think subtract this number from this number."
"Not quite, read the problem."
I don't understand what they are asking me to do."
"Bonita, look at the problem. If you took this from this, what's left?"
"I don't know!"
"It's right there in front of you," LeAnn expresses a tone of irritation.
LeAnn is not having any luck with Bonita. She gets impatient and Bonita shuts down. Mama enters the living room from the kitchen and sits down in her lazy chair.
"Mama I tried! Bonita's brains must be wired differently. She can't seem to concentrate."
"Bonita, what's the problem?
Bonita quietly returned to floor.
Mama always had a reassuring voice, "Bonita, God never said life would be easy. We will have good and bad days."
"I hate this!" Bonita wasn't hearing it today, "I can't do it. I hate this!"
Mama knew the clues, "Bonita, those are pretty harsh words. Is there something else on your mind you want to talk about?"
"This class is boring!"
"What do you mean this class is boring?"
"All we do in class is sit in our seats and listen to the teacher."
"Bonita, you are in school to learn and not to play."
"But, mama! You don't understand!"
"Bonita I understand that this is a problem for you."
"But, what I don't understand is why this math has you so upset."
"You would be upset too if you didn't understand it, mama."
Chapter Three
At this point Mama knew she had to break it down to Bonita's level, "That may be true, but believe it or not you do have some control over your situation. Bonita, remember last Sunday in church during Rev. Glory's sermon, you grabbed my arm when Ms. Hallie jumped up from her seat screaming, hollering and waving her hands before her beautiful hat flew across the pew?""Yes, mama I remember and I was worried about her. She is always so nice to me."
Mama often used stories to explain Bonita's day to day concerns, "Ms. Hallie is one of the elders in church who always appear cool and calm not to mention, every Sunday she wears such beautiful suits."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from "Mama said ..." by Bonnie J. Edwards Copyright © 2011 by Bonnie J. Edwards. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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