Ten-year-old Heather was sooo bored. It was another boring holiday, another boring family get-together, the same boring food, the grownups sitting around outside and talking about the same old boring stuff. The other kids were playing the same boring games. Heather didn't want to play with them. They were a bunch of babies anyway.
She couldn't take it anymore. She went over to a picnic table and got herself a cup of black cherry Kool-Aid. She looked around and decided she would go over where her granny and Aunt Wanda were sitting under a shade tree and talking about sewing and other boring things. Heather started to interrupt them, talking about things that she liked. Granny didn't mind, because Heather's her favorite, but Aunt Wanda seemed to be getting more upset each time Heather broke in.
After Aunt Wanda started giving her dirty looks, Heather started like she was going to walk away, when she tripped and fell forward and spilled her Kool-Aid on Wanda's lap.
Wanda screeched and quickly got up. "Oh, you little shit!" She yelled at Heather.
"Wanda, watch your dang mouth here," Granny said sternly. Then in a gentler voice, she said to Heather, "Honey, are you alright?" Heather stood up and smiled at her and nodded.
Wanda, red-faced and furious, yelled, "Mom, are you kidding me? Didn't you just see what that little brat did to me?"
Granny shouted back at her, "Wanda, it was just an accident, and I know she's sorry! And you better quit calling her names!"
Wanda started screaming, "Like hell it was! It was on purpose and you know it! My dress is ruined! She needs her butt spanked!"
Granny then started to scream herself. "You won't lay a finger on that baby! It was an accident! And if these kids get upset because of your hollering, I'm gonna be really mad!"
The argument went on, becoming angrier and about other things besides Heather. They were both crying. Heather's mom (who was totally ignoring her), Aunt Margaret, Uncle Larry, and a cousin Heather barely knew, came over and were trying to calm the women down, but it sounded like they were getting upset as well, and taking sides. All the other grownups stopped what they were doing and quickly started walking that way. The other kids had stopped playing and were watching the situation and looking scared.
Heather ran off by herself up the street, her face sullen, but satisfied in her heart and mind. She learned that sometimes a girl has to make her own fun.
She couldn't take it anymore. She went over to a picnic table and got herself a cup of black cherry Kool-Aid. She looked around and decided she would go over where her granny and Aunt Wanda were sitting under a shade tree and talking about sewing and other boring things. Heather started to interrupt them, talking about things that she liked. Granny didn't mind, because Heather's her favorite, but Aunt Wanda seemed to be getting more upset each time Heather broke in.
After Aunt Wanda started giving her dirty looks, Heather started like she was going to walk away, when she tripped and fell forward and spilled her Kool-Aid on Wanda's lap.
Wanda screeched and quickly got up. "Oh, you little shit!" She yelled at Heather.
"Wanda, watch your dang mouth here," Granny said sternly. Then in a gentler voice, she said to Heather, "Honey, are you alright?" Heather stood up and smiled at her and nodded.
Wanda, red-faced and furious, yelled, "Mom, are you kidding me? Didn't you just see what that little brat did to me?"
Granny shouted back at her, "Wanda, it was just an accident, and I know she's sorry! And you better quit calling her names!"
Wanda started screaming, "Like hell it was! It was on purpose and you know it! My dress is ruined! She needs her butt spanked!"
Granny then started to scream herself. "You won't lay a finger on that baby! It was an accident! And if these kids get upset because of your hollering, I'm gonna be really mad!"
The argument went on, becoming angrier and about other things besides Heather. They were both crying. Heather's mom (who was totally ignoring her), Aunt Margaret, Uncle Larry, and a cousin Heather barely knew, came over and were trying to calm the women down, but it sounded like they were getting upset as well, and taking sides. All the other grownups stopped what they were doing and quickly started walking that way. The other kids had stopped playing and were watching the situation and looking scared.
Heather ran off by herself up the street, her face sullen, but satisfied in her heart and mind. She learned that sometimes a girl has to make her own fun.
