Rachel Morgan

English 10A #4

5/22/05

Journal entries from Where the Heart is

I wish that today had never happened. It started out with me losing my shoes. Then my boyfriend abandons me at Wal-Mart with $7.77. How could have such a thing happened to me? Did those math geniuses have to create such an unlucky number?

Anyways, today wasn’t altogether that bad. I met a unusual elderly lady by the name of Sister Husband. She though I was some Ruth Ann. Must have been her old age, I hope that I will not be like that. She gave me an Obadiah, matches, a phone book, emery boards, discount coupons, a map of the city, and an appointment book. Apparently she used to alcoholic.

I also met two other people today, Moses Whitecotton and Benny Goodluck. I got to take Moses’ picture and he gave me a satin baby book. Benny gave me a buckeye tree and I took his picture also. Moses told me to give the baby a strong name. That sounds like advice. The rest of the day just seemed to fly and soon Wal-Mart closed. Now I am just looking for a place to sleep and hide.

My buckeye is sick! I hope that Benny does not seed how bad its condition is in. I try to take it out every day so it can have sunshine, but there are those days when I feel just perfectly miserable and don’t feel up to taking the tree out. I have looked everywhere in Wal-Mart for ways to treat it, but I have not found anything. They seem to mention everything, but treating sick plants. Where do I look next? Would the library have the information I need?

I stopped by a small café to take a break from my walk. A waitress came up to me thinking that I was going to get something. I just wanted water. It would have been nice to get something different from Wal-Mart food for a change, but how would I if I have virtually no money? The waitress did not show interest for long. I understand, no tip, the world almost seems to revolve around money.

A little while later while I was still sitting in the café I heard sirens. They made me jump, scaring the life out of me. I thought for the first couple of seconds that they had discovered that I was living in Wal-Mart and had come to arrest me. That was when the waitress yelled that the parade was starting. I then hurried out and watched the band go by. For a minute there I felt extremely envious of the majorettes. They were girls my age that still had yet to see the things I had seen. They were girls my age but years younger.

I went to the library today! It was huge! The unusual thing was that the librarian was not there. There were some pretty cool books there. I saw one that was called the Dream House Encyclopedia. What I saw in there gave me some pretty neat ideas for what I could do when I get my house. There was a guy there who helped me find what was wrong with my tree. It has leaf rot, root damage, nematode symptoms, traces of powdery mildew, and may have nitrogen deficiency. My poor tree, I never knew that it could have so many illnesses at the same time.

After the library I went to Sister Husband’s house. I was hoping that I could plant my tree in her yard. If I was able to then my tree might be able to get better. I do hope that it will. It seems that my luck is like the tree right now. It seems not very healthy. Anyways, Sister Husband introduced me to Mr. Sprock. After being introduced she gave us buttermilk and cornbread. I had declined but she insisted and it tasted so much better than the Wal-Mart food I have been living off of for the past I don’t know how long.

Sister Husband told me that the man that I had met in the library was Forney Hull, and that his sister was the librarian. Apparently, the librarian was an alcoholic also. What is with me meeting so many alcoholics? So anyways, since the librarian is an alcoholic, Forney takes her place in the library. It is queer, this town is, it seems that every place I have been to there have been some sort of problem. This town seems very different though.

Would you believe this? Forney gave me a birthday dinner! For a few weeks before he was acting weird. He kept asking me questions that seemed to have no pertaining to the conversation that we had. Somehow they had been related to food. Why was I not able to predict this? I don’t know, but it was delightful and it was one of the best experiences that I have ever had.

Soon after the dinner though, there was a crash that came from upstairs. Apparently his sister had fallen. He dashed upstairs, in the meanwhile breaking a few of the dishes. I followed after him and soon encountered the librarian. She was almost positively scary! It wasn’t a pleasant sight to see. I certainly do not want to be an alcoholic right now.

Afterwards, Forney offered to drive me home, but I refused. I didn’t want him to know that I live in Wal-Mart. It is not a pleasant thing to admit. Sure, he might make me live with him in his house, but that just wouldn’t be proper. On the other hand, he might call the police and I may have to live in a jail. That would not be pleasant. I can’t tell him anyways, it would be too humiliating.

I had the baby a couple of months ago. It was a scary time. Publicity beyond what I could imagine. Getting all sorts of money and then losing to my mother who claimed she was going to get stuff for Americus. Yeah, that is what I named my little girl. Don’t you think that is a strong name? Meanwhile, I also got a job at the Wal-Mart store in this little town. Would you ever believe what is happening?

So, I took Americus to Mr. Whitecotton so that he could take pictures of my baby. I told him her name and introduced her to him. It took me forever to get her ready. I didn’t know what type of outfit she should go in. In the end, it was Forney and Mr. Sprock who decided on what she should go in. She looked awfully darling in the dress she wore and I couldn’t wait to show her off.

By the time the pictures were taken Americus looked in sad shape, or so I thought. Moses seemed dazzled by her. Americus was also dazzled by Moses. He took quite a bunch of pictures of Americus. Though, he didn’t take it with the camera that he took the others with. He took out a different one. He said that it was a Rollei. He also claimed that it was the best one ever made. It was amazing to see him work with the camera. I would like to be able to do that. Do you think he could show me how?

I can’t believe what had just happened! Americus was kidnapped! She is seven months old now. I can’t believe that the unlucky seven struck me again! How do I wish that they had never created the number seven. Life would be so much easier without it. After a while of thinking, we figured out that the woman who had come into the house to use the phone to call her husband took Americus. How do I wish that we were not so famous. I would give anything to get rid of the number seven and popularity. Why did I ever wish to popular when I was younger? It seems so ridiculous now.

After a while, we just sat down to try to calm down and remind ourselves that the police would be able to find Americus. Only trouble was that it was impossible to do that. It is so nerve wracking to know that Americus is missing. I do hope that they find her soon. I then went into her room to try to help with the pain that she was gone. Instead, I find a Bible. I know that she left it behind.

We gave the Bible to the police and it helped them find the kidnappers. I barely got any sleep while they were searching for them. Then, finally the police tell me that they had come from Mississippi and were staying a little West of the town. After that it was getting harder to just sit around. I had Forney drive me around town. It was good to get out of the house. Soon we came to a life-sized Nativity scene. There were policemen all around and then in the manger was Americus. It was so nice to see her again. I knew that I would keep her closer in check and eye now.

I was finishing my day up at Wal-Mart when a customer tells me that there was going to be something big coming. He said that the shrapnel that he got in Vietnam causes him to know when a storm is coming before even the weather bulletin. Still, the weather bulletin around here isn’t that great. It seems to be pretty unreliable from what I have seen.

I hurry home and the storm is really picking up. When I got there Sister Husband and Americus were fixing up a “cellar bag”. They said that the TV had put out a tornado warning. Apparently one had been spotted over Vian. Americus and I quickly gather her pets and head to Dixie’s cellar. We quickly got into her cellar and Mrs. Ortiz and her daughters were in there bailing out water. We lit the candles and turned on the radio to wait for the news and the storm to clear.

After a while Sister Husband still had not appeared and we were getting worried. The storm had not abated and in fact, it was getting worse. Glass was breaking, hailstones bounced down the cellar steps and they were huge! Soon, the hail ended and I hurried up the steps. I look out of the cellar and the clouds were moving extremely fast. Soon a tornado warning was going off and things were flying around. Then I saw it. I tried to hurry to our house to get Sister but then I realize that it was too late. I try to hurry back and just when I thought that I would not make it Mrs. Ortiz had grabbed my ankle and pulled me down her cellar. Then everything starts flying up out of the cellar. Finally, just when we thought all was lost it stopped and the cellar was dark and silent like a tomb.

Forney found Sister Husband. She was still alive which was quite miraculous. Though, she did not live long afterwards. She died five days after we found her. It was such a sad thing to see her go. Many people on the way of hearing that she died called her house to offer condolences. It was amazing how often the phone rings during something that happens like this. Americus has been playing doctor. Amazing as it all is, it has been very comforting to me when she does it.

The Wal-Mart was also destroyed in the tornado. Soon afterwards, they tell us that they will not be rebuilding it here. They will be rebuilding it in Poteau which is fifty-four miles from here! Even though it is quite a big distance away, I will continue working for Wal-Mart. I don’t want to try to find another job here. Anyways, Wal-Mart was where I had my baby. Could I give up on the store after I had gone through so much with them?

Mr. Ortiz gave me Sister’s Bible. It was amazing seeing all those dates and the types of hand-writing that was in there. As I looked through the names it was amazing to see how Sister Husband had a big family, but it is all gone now. Sister Husband had written Americus’ name in there. With Moses’ words in mind I wrote down Sister Husband’s birth and death date in the Bible. After doing so I cried. I don’t know how long I did. I just did.

After a while I had a few shocks to get over. Sister Husband leaving her estate and money to me, Sam Walton dying, getting a photography job, and then Lexie’s children getting raped. So I got the house I always wanted but with the expense of Sister Husband’s death. Soon after getting the house I had to have Lexie and her family come in and live with us. While she resided with us she had to take medical leave without pay and go through several surgeries.

It took quite a bit of adjusting. Lexie could only eat things that she could suck through a straw. Americus has been a great help. She helped the twins dress, fed the baby, brushed Pauline’s hair, and gave small treats to Brummett. Even with her help it was hard. Lexie did not have much energy. I did sign Brummett and Pauline for therapy. I knew that they would need it.

Some policemen came over with pictures that Lexie could look at. They wanted her to tell them if they people were Roger Briscoe, but they weren’t. I took Pauline and Brummett to their first therapy session. It did not seem to help much. Still, this is only the beginning. Brummett then moved outside to sleep. I don’t know why he did. If he prefers it out there, then let him be out there. If it may help him I don’t know.

I went to my first college class today! It was completely different than what I thought it would be like. I was there to take a photography class. I do hope that I learn something useful that would also help. We went to an outdoor lab and took pictures in a wooded area. Soon after we went to the dark room to develop them and as Jean called it “learning the secret of seeing into shadows.”

Lexie is doing better now. She has lost four dress sizes since her injury. I have been trying to interest her in food and new clothes, but just doesn’t seem to be working. Brummett has left to a boys’ summer camp called Outreach. I do hope that it helps him with his problems. Pauline on the other hand has nightmares. The psychologist says that she needs a strong male role in her life. I think that is what is making Lexie so depressed.

Next thing I know is that the library is burning down and Forney’s sister has died. It seems so hard without Forney being here with us, but there are still good things going on. Lexie got married to a fine young man. There family is quite big now. The man she married had two kids and with her five that made seven. So now she has a family of nine to take care of. Somehow though, I think that she will be perfectly fine. So here I am, completely opposite of what I was seven almost eight years ago. I am taking Billy Jack back to Tennessee. Only this time, I am driving and he will be remaining there. Life is so different then the way it used to be. Even though it has been hard, I am happy for the experiences that I have had.