by: Margaret
It was one of those strange times when you hovered between unconsciousness and
wakefulness. Bo Duke knew that he was dreaming. Surrounding him were the physical
objects of home… a picnic table draped over with white linen, bowls of red beans and
rice, potato salad, fried chicken, and of course the General parked near the front door of
the farm. He knew somehow, however, that none of what he saw was real. He knew he
was dreaming. He could have easily woken up. In fact, the subconscious clock in his
head was telling him that morning was nearby and that the alarm would soon go off. It
would be kinder to just get up and turn it off before it rattled his nerves once again. But
he decided to stay in slumber’s grip. He was enjoying where he was.
In his mind’s eye, the whole family was together, relishing each other’s company.
They were all outside participating in their ritualistic after_church brunch. The day was
sunny and mild, with just a hint of a breeze. The grass and bushes had an unusually green
hue to their foliage, a beautiful one. The roses were in full bloom, and they looked like a
handful of red and yellow buttons thrown across the siding of the house. It was nothing
less than Eden with sparrows and the chickens prancing around the picnic table, but
unlike real life with no pestering insects to aggravate the serenity of the feast. Daisy was
in her Sunday dress fussing over the table. She picked at the daintily painted plates and
bowls, trying to get everything to look just perfect. She wasn’t having much success,
though, thanks to a particularly annoying family. Uncle Jesse and Luke leaned over her
shoulder and cracked jokes with each other as they stole bits of food here and there when
she wasn’t looking. Their quick hand motions, however, could not escape the corner of
her eye. She turned around and saw their cheeks full like squirrels. She playfully scolded
the men for acting like children. But Luke and Jesse just chuckled at her remarks. Then
Daisy giggled, and soon everybody was doubled over with stomachs that ached from the
laughter.
Bo watched silently from the far end of the table. He smiled lovingly at his
family’s frisky mood. Nothing in the world made him happier than to watch his family at
play. The unusually intense sense of humor was also irresistibly alluring, and it took
about half a second for the young man, ususally the biggest tease in the whole family, to
decide to join in the fun. He pushed his wooden stool back and took a few steps toward
the trio. Just then, an unnatural movement from the corner of the house caught his eyes.
He stopped. What he saw lasted for only a second, but he could have sworn that a flash of
long, blonde curly hair jogged past him. Curiosity took hold of him, and he decided to let
the play wait for a little while. He left his family and made his way past the cars and the
front porch to the edge of the house. The sight of a small girl in a baggy shirt and dirty
jeans was surprising, but it was her glumness that shocked him most of all. She was a
cute little thing, with a small nose, pouty cheeks, and curls on her head just like
Goldilocks in the fairy tale with the three bears. What puzzled him, however, were the
tears that ran down her cheeks and chin. They flowed like water droplets that fell from
the nozzle of a broken faucet. A deep, almost parental concern overwhelmed him,
making him blink slightly in utter surprise; that was not his normal style. Uncle Jesse had
taught them all concern for others, though, and so he approached her,anxious to know
what was wrong.