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    CLJobe
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

David C. McLavic - 12. Chapter 12

Later that evening during supper, Uncle Carl asked us if Mom helped us with our chores. Before I or Carl could answer, Mom got up from the table and ran out the back door.

“Dad, we saw her at the other house.”

I could see Uncle Carl getting mad as he listened to Carl. It didn’t take Uncle Carl to put two and two together.

“So she didn’t help with the chores?”

“No, Dad.”

The look on Uncle Carl’s face told me Mom was going to feel the switch that Uncle Carl had in his hand. But Uncle Carl had something else in mind.

The next morning before Mom had a chance to go to the other house, Uncle Carl grabbed her as she left her room. The yelling woke us up. We quickly dressed, I told Beth Ann to stay in bed and we would come back for her. Dressed we followed Uncle Carl and Mom outside. They headed directly to the chicken yard. With Uncle Carl behind her, she was going to get this morning’s eggs. If she dropped an egg, she got the switch across her buttocks. I counted five times. With the eggs gathered, they headed for the barn. What surprised me was that Mom knew how to milk the cows

Carl and I headed to take care of Sir Galahad. I felt sorry for Mom but Uncle Carl showed no mercy. I assumed the hatred Uncle Carl had for Mom was beyond reason. Whatever Mom did when they were growing up left a lot of hatred in Uncle Carl for Mom.

Breakfast that morning was very quiet. Mom had to help Aunt Martha to serve, although she stayed away from Uncle Carl. After breakfast, Uncle Carl told Aunt Martha to sit and have another cup of coffee, Mom would clear the table and clean up the kitchen. Mom got up and took her dishes into the kitchen. Uncle Carl stood by the kitchen door and watched. If he thought she was too slow, he would hit her with the switch to speed her up.

This continued until Mom stopped showing up for breakfast. Lunch was now the only opportunity for Uncle Carl to hit Mom. That lasted one day and then Mom stopped eating with the family. We hardly saw Mom.

One night we heard Uncle Carl yelling. “You still haven’t learned anything. You would sneak around and steal from your sister. Your own mother said you were the devil. Well, I’ll beat the devil out of you and if you die I’ll feed you to the pigs.”

Then we heard Mom cry, Uncle Carl was beating her. We could hear the beating. Beth Ann was crying, Carl looked at me and I knew there was only one thing I could do. I’ll call Dad and get him to come and take us home.

In the morning it was as if nothing happened except Mom wasn’t there. After Carl and I did the chores, we went to town. There I called Dad from Jim’s house. I left two dollars to cover the call. Dad said he would make arrangements for us to come home. The problem I had, I didn’t want to go home. I still had 6 weeks before I had to be home.

During the first week of July, activity on the farm increased. The Fourth was celebrated at the Farmers Market. This was followed by the berry season. North of the farm was a creek. Carl said they owed the land where the berries grew. He said his dad likes blackberry pie and berry jam. For the next two weeks, we picked blackberries after doing our chores.

The last week of picking berries, we heard someone singing. Carl made a sign to be quiet, he followed the sound. Mom was sitting on an old broken chair eating blackberries.

Carl didn’t say anything but I was afraid he would tell his dad. Thankfully he didn’t at least it appeared Uncle Carl didn’t say anything about Mom. At the end of the berry-picking season, Dad called. He told me there were train tickets at the Pittsburgh train terminal. “Have Mom pick them up as they are in her name.” Now I needed to find Mom. I had an idea where she could be hiding.

I do not approve of beating anyone to the point of causing a permanent scar. A slap with the hand, below the belt, usually did the trick.
Copyright © 2023 CLJobe; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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I find it really weird that Uncle Carl is even thinking of using a switch on his adult sister, especially when she has a husband who probably wouldn't even do it (not that he might think of it sometimes).  The woman is bad news, but the example that is being left to the kids is not very good.

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Like @Terry P said this is an adult even considering the older/younger siblings dynamic. I don't even believe you should do that to a kid.Is there something about thier culture or background that explains this?

Now having said all that on some level Mom probably deserves that(I still wouldn't do it) What in the world did she do to earn so much hatred from Carl?

 

Edited by weinerdog
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16 hours ago, Terry P said:

I find it really weird that Uncle Carl is even thinking of using a switch on his adult sister, especially when she has a husband who probably wouldn't even do it (not that he might think of it sometimes).  The woman is bad news, but the example that is being left to the kids is not very good.

Ann is the youngest of the two sisters. Carl and Ann's enmity goes back a long time. It is obvious there is no love between them. Carl treated her differently when the family was there, but that has changed.

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16 hours ago, weinerdog said:

Like @Terry P said this is an adult even considering the older/younger siblings dynamic. I don't even believe you should do that to a kid.Is there something about thier culture or background that explains this?

Now having said all that on some level Mom probably deserves that(I still wouldn't do it) What in the world did she do to earn so much hatred from Carl?

 

For example, when Carl was dating her older sister, he would buy flowers, candy, and small gifts. Ann would take these and treat them as hers. She would eat all of the candy, for example. When anything was said, her father would take her side or console her. The mother complained that Ann wasn't doing her chores, and the father made excuses for her. In today's lingo, she was a spoiled child who expected everyone to give in to her. Carl was taking the opportunity to 'get even' 

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