Listen To Me Honey Read Online Free PDF Page B

broken wires. Deer jump back and forth. Sometimes,
they don't clear the top wire. They break it off. We don't want the
cattle to get out on the neighbor's land.”
    Tansy stuck the frazzled broom in
the pail of water. “This is my old broom. All I use it fer is to
wash off the porch floor and the outhouse.” She pressed the broom
down and sweep back and forth fast, causing dirty water to fly.
Tansy did that several times until she was satisfied the floor
looked clean enough.
    “Now
I'll take a break. Ya wet down that rag in the pail and rub some
lye soap on it. Ya can scrub the seat,” Tansy
instructed.
    Amanda pushed the rag back and
forth slowly on the wood.
    “Put
some elbow grease into it. That's what cleanin' is all about.
Remember cleanliness is next to Godliness,” Tansy quoted. “That
applies as much to outhouses as it does to people and
houses.”
    So Amanda picked up speed and
scrubbed. She might get done with this nasty job faster if she
hurried.
    Finally, Tansy said, “Good enough.
Drop that rag in the pail and take this can of powdered lime.
Sprinkle handfuls in both holes until the lime is gone. I'll rinse
out the rag and get rid of the water.”
    When they finished, Tansy said,
“How about ya and me take a break. Be time to fix lunch soon. Want
a glass of homemade lemonade?”
    “Sure.”
    “Go
hang the rag over the clothes line for me,” Tansy said.
    While Amanda did that, Tansy hung
the mop and broom back between the two nails that kept them against
the porch wall next to Tansy's good broom.
    “Your brooms are upside down,” Amanda observed.
    “That's the way to store a good broom. Keeps the corn
straws from gettin' bent out of shape,” Tansy explained.
    Back in the kitchen, Tansy flopped
her straw hat on the peg and ordered, “Ya get the pitcher out of
the ice box. I'll get the glasses.”
    They sat at the table, and Tansy
poured. “Feels good don't it to sit down after ya been
workin'?”
    “Yes. What are we going to do this afternoon?”
    “I
don't know yet. We'll think of somethin'. Say, what day are we
supposed to put ya back on the bus?” Tansy asked
    Amanda picked at the checkered red
and white tablecloth as she sipped her lemonade.
    Tansy's eyes narrowed as she
pressed on. “Yer mom did give ya a return ticket, didn't
she?”
    “No.” Amanda ran a finger up and down her frosty glass,
leaving a clear track.
    “Don't tell me she gave ya the money to buy the return
ticket here?” Tansy said disbelievingly.
    “Are
you kidding? Mom wouldn't trust me with money like that,” Amanda
declared.
    Tansy asked, “Mind telling me what
made yer mom so mad at ya?”
    “Grandma, I wouldn’t be here at all if I hadn’t wanted to
get a tattoo with my friends,” grumbled Amanda. “They got one, so I
got a little butterfly on my ankle, but tiny didn’t matter to Mom.
She acted as though that tattoo was going to turn me into a
prostitute.”
    Tansy patted her hand. “Yer mother
worries about ya, and so do we.”
    “I’ll tell you right now, next time I won’t say anything to
Mom when I'm going to do something with my friends. If she finds
out she might send me to Siberia and leave me there like she did
this time,” said Amanda, pouting.
    Tansy frowned. “Listen to me,
Honey. Ya should always confide in yer folks, and don't exaggerate.
Arkansas is far from Siberia. I'm here to tell ya.” Suddenly, it
dawned on Tansy what Amanda said. “Did ya say leave ya like this
time? What day are we supposed to take ya back to Saddle to get on
the bus?”
    Amanda bit her lower
lip.
    “Well, speak up,” Tansy probed.
    “There's no hurry,” Amanda said quietly.
    Tansy's eyes narrowed over her
glasses. “I'm almost afraid to ask why, but I think I better know.
Why ain't there a hurry?”
    “I
don't have to go back for the rest of the term. I was suspended
from school for the last six weeks,” Amanda said in a low voice,
looking at the table.
    The bottom of Tansy's glass hit the
table hard.