Ruby

Ruby gon’ like dis fa sho. What you talkin ’bout Kitten? Bertha she gon’ like it I tell you. Look at dis. My quilt is gonna be da best at da fair. I always told you your quilts was good Kitten. But Bertha, she don know I’m gonna give it to her after. For a birthday present.

My name is Bertha Clementine Smith. Kitten calls me by both names when it suits her. Da old folk tease me cause I got two names as far a Kitten knows. I’m da oldest of three sisters. I came first den Ruby den Kitten. My ma is named Malie. After her ma. We been on this farm as long as I can remember. Even when da war was full blast.

Kitten be in da mind of tellin me to go to da store on da way back. Bertha what you cookin up na. Don’t you worry bout dat. You’ll know soon.

Bertha! Bertha! da cow don got loose. Ruby was yellin my name from inside da barn. Dat one stuck in da middle of da two of us most times. Ruby kept to herself most. She lost a bo in da war. He lied bout his age to get in so he could kill some white folk. He had a mean streak, dat one.

I’m comin Ruby. da cow answered to me and payed no tention to anybody else. Must be cause I rasied it from a calf. It took me a good hour dis time to get dat cow. I din have no time to be messin wit no milk cow.

We goin to da fair and I had to get dressed. I put on my best for da quilt show. Kitten was real good at sowin. Ma taught her first das why she won all da contest at da fair. She was da first to learn how to read too. Das why she was so smart. den me, den Ruby. Ruby always was quiet. So we din know if she knew how to read before me.

We never did get to da store. I was gonna cook Ruby a pie. But a storm come up after Kitten won her blue ribbon. Ruby was cheerin the loudest at the fair. I know I said she was solum. But every now and den she wasn’t. We saw da rain cloud fo it got to us and started a runnin.

Bertha I just knew my birthday was gonna be sunny, and look here a cloud cum up to ruin it. Don’t worry bout the cloud ain’t no rain started yet. Just den the rain started. And it was a powerful rain too we had to grab hands and slow down. Cause the wind picked up and started whis’lin a jig.

Kitten started to fear we was not gonna get home in one piece. So Kitten yelled at me pray! Bertha pray! I was always talkin to the Lawd bout somin. So I guess I should say somin to Him bout dis. But I was not a feared like Kitten so I told her in the loudest voice I could muster. “Kitten you pray dis time. The Lawd can hear ya you don’t have to yell to me”

Kitten started yellin at the top of her voice. What can I say it musta helped her nerves.

Lawd! Please help us get home fo dis storm carries us away to meet you. I had a real good day today on Ruby’s birthday but don’t let the devil ruin it all. Amen!

Ruby said somin for the first time since cheerin at the top of her voice for Kitten. I wish dat you would pray quiet like Kitten. Da Lawd can hear us even if we don’t say da words out loud. You startin to make me scared I a was not feelin dat way a minute ago. We all got each others hans real tight and we walkin real slow like. Da wind is starting to stop whis’lin. Its my day and I’m not gonna let the devil ruin it. The Lawd is already helpin me.

Ruby started to say somin I thought she was mumblin to herself bout Kitten. But she was prayin that the storm would stop. Afterwards, she told me her prayer was somin like dis.

Lawd I thank you for another birthday and I ask you for another. Calm my sisters restless soul so that she would learn to hear you when you talk to her. It is very important that we trust you and not lean to our own understanding, in these evil days, and foolishly do things that would cause us harm.

We have found ourselves in harms way Lawd not cause we have done somin against you. But even if we did cause the storm like Jonah of old. We trust that you will be merciful to us and send us a big fish too.

Dats when I stopped her. Why did you pray dat Ruby. Cause, I didn’t know why the storm came to us so sudden like. Thought we had don somin bad that we didn’t know bout. Ok I said. He knew bout all our bad stuff way fo we did it dint He. Yes, I guess so Bertha. You can’t guess bout dat Ruby you must be sure. Ok I’m sure. Well fine den. He was beat and killed fo all we did Ruby why would He send the storm? If you put it dat way He won’t punish us since He punished Jesus for all our bad.

Ok, Ruby take it back. Take what back? What you just said to God. And pray again. Ok.

Thank You Jesus for being punished for all my bad and my sisters bad too. Thank You for being merciful and saving us. Even if we don’t listen to You when You talk to us. And finally Lawd thank You that You don’t answer every prayer. Amen, I said first, Amen, Kitten said and finally Ruby said Amen.

The End See Jonah 1.

Ruby a tale of flash fiction Dedicated to my mother Carrie in Black History Month of 2010, which should be renamed to American History Month.

(c) copyright 2010-12 Shundra L. Moore, all rights reserved
Note: this story is not in the public domain

February 11, 2010 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Author Shundra L. Moore, Black History Month, Christian Fiction, flash fiction, Ruby | Leave a comment