by Roxe Anne
“Okay, Mama, but if you change your mind I can be ready real fast.”
Laughing, Mama tells Billie, “If I change my mind, you’ll be the first to know. Katie, I should be back by suppertime if anyone asks. If we’re lucky, we’ll eat catfish tonight for supper.”
I don’t think that is what Katie wants to hear from Mama. She hates eating fish and the smell makes her sick.
“Mama, I don’t know anyone as lucky as you are at fishing except Uncle Jimmy!”
“Thanks, Katie. If you have time, you can peel and slice some potatoes for supper. Remember to put them in a bowl of cold water so they don’t turn brown.”
“I will, Mama. And, Mama is Frank eating supper with us tonight?”
“We’ll have to just wait and see. I don’t know what his plans are.”
Mama gets dressed up real pretty for fishing today. I hope she doesn’t tangle her fishing line and fall in.
“Katie, why do you think Mama got so dressed up to go fishing? I’ve never seen her look like that when she fishes with me,” I comment.
“Maybe her having so many new clothes from Frank and Uncle Riley means she doesn’t need somewhere special to wear them all, Missy.”
“That’s probably true. Don’t you wish we had that many clothes, too?”
“Not if I have to sleep with Frank to get them!” Katie says disgusted.
• • •
“Sandy, what are you barking at, girl?” Katie asks her.
Pretty soon we hear the garage door open.
Smiling and carrying packages, Frank asks Katie, “Where’s Dot, I have a surprise for her!”
“Mama’s not home right now, Frank. She said she will be home in time for supper.”
“I thought she has the day off.”
“She did. She went fishing with Aunt May.”
“During the week, isn’t that unusual? Why didn’t she take you kids with or at least Billie? She always takes him with her fishing.”
“Mama said Aunt May wants to talk to her about something private, Frank. You’re just going to have to wait and ask Mama those questions. She doesn’t tell us everything she does. She is an adult, and we’re just kids!”
“You’re getting a little too smart for your own good, Katie. I’m going to have to put you in your place one of these days. God, how I hate smart aleck kids. And stop calling me Frank. I’m, Uncle Frank, to you.”
Frank goes to Mama’s bedroom carrying his packages. He stays in her room for a long time.
• • •
“Katie, why do you think Frank keeps buying Mama presents?” I ask confused.
“Well, Missy, I think he’s trying to buy Mama’s love but it isn’t working.”
Still puzzled, I say, “I thought Mama told Frank to move out.”
“She did. I don’t think Frank buying Mama presents is going to help him stick around this time!”
Katie whispers to Billie and me. “Let’s go outside and play cards until Mama gets home. I don’t think we should be inside with Frank right now. He seems different lately, like he’s not all there!”
“Come on, Sandy, you better come outside with us, too. Frank just might kick you again.” I tell her, worried Frank is going to injure her one of these days.
Sandy is always happy whenever anyone, except Frank, talks to her. She just wags her little tail forever.
I wish we didn’t have to sit outside. It is sure hot. I don’t know how Mama and Aunt May are going to catch any fish. Mama has a better chance than Aunt May. If anyone can catch a fish today, it will be Mama using her vanilla.
• • •
Just as Mama said she would, she arrives home with catfish wrapped in brown paper at suppertime. She has already skinned and cleaned the catfish.
“Mama, I thought I would get to help you clean those catfish!” Billie cries.
“When I took Aunt May home, we cleaned them at her house.”
“Darn, I bet Bobby got to help you clean those fish!”
“No, Billie, he was off playing somewhere and I didn’t even see him or Rita. No one helped Aunt May and me clean our fish,” Mama tells him, giving him a great big kiss.
“Katie, where’s Frank?”
“He was in your bedroom the last time any of us saw him.”
“What was he doing in my room? I told him to move out!”
We all just shrug our shoulders. We sure can’t keep track of what Frank does. For that matter, we can’t keep track of what Mama does either. It really is too bad we didn’t just bury him in our compost heap out back. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about him moving out or fighting with Mama. And we wouldn’t have to answer questions about where either one of them are.
• • •
Mama sets the catfish down on the kitchen counter. Then she storms off to her room to confront Frank. We just know there will be another fight soon. I hope we got to eat our supper first, I am hungry.
Mama comes out of her bedroom wearing a brand new outfit.
She whirls around showing off her new yellow dress. “Kids, look what Frank bought me! Isn’t this wonderful?”
“Mama, the dress is really pretty, especially on you,” Katie tells her.
“Don’t sound so sad. Does it really look that bad on me?”
“No, Mama, how can anything look bad on you? You always look beautiful no matter what you wear!”
“It’s a shame I have to take this dress off to cook those darn catfish. I sure wouldn’t want it smelling like the river and I sure don’t want grease splattering all over it. You, kids, set the table and don’t forget to set a place for Frank. I’m going to change.”
Frank peeks through the door to the kitchen. He just gives us kids his big evil grin. We all know Frank will be around for a few more days. Mama needs to stop accepting Frank’s presents every time they have a fight. When is she ever going to learn? The first time one of them has a drink or she looks at a man, they will be fighting again. When I say my prayers, I am just going to have to ask God why he keeps sending that evil man back to us!
“Dot, these catfish sure taste good. You and May must have caught a lot of fish today for us to have this many to eat!”
Mama winks at us kids. “You know me. I can catch anything using vanilla. And Rita and Bobby weren’t going to be home for supper tonight so May gave me most of her fish.”
Our supper sure tasted good. We had catfish, fried potatoes, corn muffins and ears of sweet corn for supper. The only drawback; there will be plenty of dishes for us to wash later. As usual, Katie didn’t eat the fish but this time, she won’t be able to get out of doing the dishes.
• • •
At bedtime, we hear Mama and Frank screaming at each other. I try putting a couch pillow over my head, but I can’t drown out what they’re screaming.
“How come those kids of yours are calling me Frank?”
“I told them you are moving out, and they don’t need to call you Uncle Frank anymore I also told you to sleep in the study. You’re not moving back into my bedroom now or ever!”
“But, Dot, I bought you those new clothes, and we had supper together just like normal.”
“You being in this house isn’t normal. And sleeping with some slut sure wasn’t going to get you back in my bedroom!”
“You’re going to regret telling me to leave. You might just end up like that no good friend of yours, Roger. It really was convenient for Dan to die so I could have you. You know, Dot, if I can’t have you, no other man is going to have you either. I’ll make sure of it!”
Frank comes out of Mama’s bedroom slamming the door. He goes to the study and brings out a suitcase.
“What are you kids staring at? Aren’t you supposed to be in bed by now?” He says, not waiting for an answer; slamming the garage door on his way out.
Mama comes out of her bedroom next with her hair all messed up. Her face is beet read and her mascara is running.
Katie walks over to Mama and gives her a kiss on
the cheek. “Are you okay, Mama?”
“That depends if Frank moves out!”
“Why do you stay with him, Mama? He scares us! He keeps threatening to kill you. You almost killed him! And why does he keep bringing up Daddy’s accident?”
Mama begins picking at her bright red fingernails. “Frank’s just blowing off steam. He’s just trying to make himself look big. He won’t be around much longer. I promise!”
“Mama, maybe today’s our lucky day. Frank took his suitcase when he left!”
“I wouldn’t count on us being that lucky. Frank’s like a bad dream, he just keeps reappearing nightly.”
• • •
The next morning when we get up, Sandy comes to my bedroom window and begins barking. When Katie and I look out, we see Frank sleeping in our hammock close to Mama’s bedroom window in his boxer shorts.
“Oh, no, what if the neighbors see Frank like this. I’ll never live it down!” Katie says, humiliated by the scene she is witnessing.
“We’d better go and tell Mama, Katie. I don’t think she’s going to be happy with Frank. She thought he moved out for good this time.”
“Come on, Sandy, let’s go tell Mama.” I say, following Katie to Mama’s bedroom.
“Mama, Frank’s sleeping outside your window on our hammock in his underwear!” I say, trying to wake her.
Mama yawns and then bolts upright. “He’s what? You’re kidding me! I thought he didn’t come home last night.”
We leave Mama alone to get dressed. I thought for sure she was going to jump out the bedroom window to smack old Frank.
“Oh, Missy, the kids already tease me about having two men living here. Now, what are they going to say?” Katie says in tears, covering her face.
“Maybe Mama will get him in the house before anyone else sees him. It is still early.”
Katie wipes her face on the sleeve of her robe. “Oh, let’s hope so, Missy!”
It isn’t long before we hear Mama screaming at Frank. He tells her he isn’t going to let another man sleep in her bed. He moved the hammock outside her window to make sure of that. It was hot out there last night so he took his clothes off to cool off.
Sandy’s barking gets louder the more Frank and Mama argue. We try getting her to come in the house with us but she won’t leave Mama’s side. She’s making sure Frank doesn’t touch her.
“Why don’t you get rid of your dog, Dot? She’s not good for anything except barking. She needs to go to the pound and be put to sleep. If you can’t do it, I’ll do it for you!”
“Don’t you talk about my dog like that, Frank Billings. She’s not going anywhere. You are!”
Frank kicks Sandy’s side. “Like hell, I am!”
Sandy being kicked by old Frank makes her mad. She goes straight for Frank’s bare feet and tries biting them. The more he kicks at her the madder she gets.
“Ow, you damn dog. Don’t you ever bite me again!”
“Leave my dog alone, Frank!”
“Come on, Sandy. Let’s go in the house. Having you is much better than having any man around!” Mama tells her dog.
Old Frank must have seen the neighbors staring over the fence. He turns his back and puts his clothes on. The next thing we hear is his car screeching down the road.
• • •
Frank is gone for a couple of days. Mama seems really happy. She is smiling and singing country western songs to the radio just like old times. She will just be singing and Sandy will be howling along.
She takes Billie fishing by himself. He is so happy to have all her attention. They pack a picnic basket full of Billie’s favorite foods. When they return home, Mama even lets him help clean their fish.
Katie sits out on a quilt reading a book while trying to get her tan back. It has been a while since either of us has felt safe enough to wear a bathing suit in our back yard. Now, with Frank and Sammy gone, we both feel more relaxed.
I just sit in the shade and read my books. Once in awhile I take a break and try drawing our red barn with apple trees in front of it. It sure is peaceful without Frank and Mama fighting. Mama doesn’t need any man around, she has us. And she already told Sandy she is better than any old man.
• • •
Frank finally shows up on our doorsteps again a couple of days later; bringing Mama more gifts. This time he even brings Mama a pearl ring. It has the biggest pearl on top of a gold band I have ever seen. He tells her the ring is as pure as their love. Yuck!
Mama still makes him sleep in the study. She doesn’t know who he has been sleeping with while he was gone. Who knows, he might have been staying with Caroline again. He says he stayed with Sammy, but I don’t think Mama believes him.
On Mama’s next day off and after Frank leaves for work, she tells us she is going fishing again with Aunt May. What is so important Aunt May has to talk to Mama in private? Maybe she and Uncle Jimmy aren’t getting along. He was flirting with Caroline a lot at Grandma Irene’s birthday party. Maybe they got into a fight over Caroline just like Mama and Frank did. I will have to ask Rita and Bobby the next time I see them.
Mama actually beats Frank home. She has supper ready when he walks through the door. We are eating catfish again. No one set a place for Frank at the table. We didn’t know if he would be home today or if he moved out again.
“Katie, set a place at the table for Frank.”
“No need, Dot. I already ate. I see you’re having catfish again. Is this starting a tradition on your day off? To go fishing and have catfish for supper?”
“We are hungry, and our supper is done. If you don’t have anything nice to say, you can leave while we eat!”
Frank stomps into the next room. The rest of our meal is pleasant and peaceful. Mama doesn’t let Frank get to her. She is in a really good mood.
Mama and Frank don’t argue. He just stays in the study all night long. We even talk Mama into playing rummy with us. She seems happier than she has in months despite the fact she loses every game of rummy and old Frank is in the study.
It isn’t like Frank to stay in his room. He isn’t even picking a fight with Mama. Maybe he is sick or maybe he found a new place to live while he was gone and is packing. Tomorrow is a new day, anything can happen with Frank still around.
When I wake up, there are two red finches outside my bedroom. The sun is beating through the lace curtains. I just want to lie in bed and read one of my books from our study.
“Kids, wake up and throw down your dirty laundry. It’s a beautiful day to hang the laundry outside.”
I don’t know how any day can be a beautiful day to do work, especially laundry. Laundry means Katie and I will be spending the entire afternoon ironing. This includes ironing Frank’s boxer shorts!
We hear Mama knocking on the door to the study to wake Frank. At least we know he didn’t sleep in her room last night. Maybe there is hope of him moving out yet.
“Frank, throw out your dirty laundry. I’m going to do the wash.”
“You sure you want to do my laundry?”
“I don’t want those smelly socks of yours stinking up my new study!”
Katie and I get a tickle out of Mama telling Frank his feet stink. We wanted to tell him that many times before. I sure don’t want my books smelling like his feet.
Mama drinks coffee while sorting out the laundry in the kitchen. She is singing and dancing along with the radio. She seems happy until we hear a scream come out of her like some horror flick.
“Frank, you sorry bastard; get in this kitchen!”
“What’s your problem now?”
“Who have you been sleeping with this time?”
“No one. I promise. I have been in the study by myself!”
“Since when did you start wearing pink lipstick?”
“Now, Dot, give me a break. I am hard up, but I wouldn’t resort to wearing lipstick of any color. The last I looked I was still a man even though I haven’t been able to use my tools lately!”
&
nbsp; “Then whose lipsticks do you suppose is on the collar of this white shirt?”
Mama holds up Frank’s white shirt so close to his eyes I think he is going to be wearing it on his face soon.
“Dot, it must be yours! You’re the only person I’ve been with since I slept with Caroline.”
“Caroline wouldn’t wear pink lipstick either. So who is it, Frank?”
“It must have rubbed off of some waitress when she served me my food!”
“Funny, Frank! When I serve my customers, I never get lipstick on their collar. I have heard better lies from ten-year-olds. Try again. Better yet, just get out of my sight. I take that back. Get the hell out of my house. I want you out today or I’m having Riley come and throw you and your stuff out!”
“Dot, you don’t mean it.” Frank whines.
“Try me. I’ll have him here in twenty minutes!”
“Don’t you go calling Riley. He’s been questioning me enough lately. Just give me a few days to find another place first!”
Mama goes through her laundry basket and throws Frank’s laundry in his face. “Do your own damn laundry from now on. And, Frank, what have you done that Riley’s questioning you?”
“As if you don’t know. Riley still has a thing for you!”
Mama looks at Frank and smiles. If we are lucky, she still has a thing for him, too.
Us kids get a tickle out of Mama throwing Frank’s dirty underwear in his face.
“What are you brats looking at? You probably put the pink lipstick on my collar to get me into trouble with your Ma. You are always causing us trouble. Do you have any pink lipstick, Katie?”
“Frank, I don’t ever want to hear you talking to my kids like that again. You got yourself into trouble; no one else did that for you. Katie wouldn’t put lipstick on your shirt. Stop making excuses. No one here believes you anymore. Now get out!”
• • •
Frank doesn’t come home for supper. Mama makes us liver and onions and mashed potatoes with onion gravy for supper. Katie doesn’t care much for meat, especially liver. She makes herself a grilled cheese and onion sandwich. Mama always says just because liver is real cheap it doesn’t mean it has to taste bad. When Frank is home, he doesn’t even let Mama have beef liver in the house. He says liver is for fish bait. We only use chicken liver for our bait, not beef liver. Besides, Mama says liver is supposed to be good for you!