Even from the earliest days, Mama always let me build a fire under the old blackened wash tub. When the water came to a rapid boil Mama would lift up the tub by herself to pour it into the ancient washing machine.
Maybe Mama was that strong because she was born to harsher times: Times when the curfew laws were enforced with the long horse whip; times when thicknin' gravy really made with milk was served as a celebration; times of violence when threatening men with guns at the door were in deadly anger met.
Half Choctaw, she seldom spoke; once she even knocked me across the room for failing to hear her nod. I learned to watch her eyes when I entered her presence after being gone a short time. Fierce and angry waves often heaved in scathing turmoil from azure depths within her eyes and bade me tread lightly. Even at the best of times, words frothing with anger could explode like pistol shots from her churning tongue.
Only once did she find time to tell us how she came to marry Daddy. Mama said Aunt Ruth stopped her one night out on the darkened porch. "There's a new man on Snake Island, and he's MINE!"
"No he's not," Mama bristled instantly. "He's MINE!"
I was about seven when Mama told us the tale. She ended the short narrative with a sad shaking of her head, and the ebbing words still sigh inside my soul. "I've wished a thousand times I had let Ruth have the old fool!"
Me and Lib glanced knowingly at each other. We had been wishing the very same thing. Daddy made us work; Mama made us candy. Just as simple as that, we knew Mama was the good guy. So, no matter how hot it got, we gladly followed her anywhere she went in the blistering sun. If we wanted to go she said I had to pull Lib in the wagon, and as we struggled to keep up with her down those dusty, winding roads, I'd cry out as I lunged against the wagon tongue, "Mama, Mama. Wait on me. I'm a going too!"
Those days are gone; with my youth they have fled. Mama's work is done. Her once piercing blue eyes now tug inwards with constant pain. Once she could heave tubs of boiling water up by herself alone. Now she needs our help to glance out upon the quay.
The curling currents of time are snatching her away; away from us into the sunset; the sunset that comes but once to man, to no more be. The white-frocked priests in our glimmering glass temples have given up. After doing their best, Mama's doctors have told us to stand helplessly aside and let the waves of time hurl her beyond our ken. They say there is no need for Mama to struggle on like she does as her life seeps away. "She is only making it worse. There is no way she can win."
The wave of her life is wringing out like a breaker against the writhing shore. And no man helpless, can stem that darkened tide. But Mama never quit on a thing, and I know she won't give up the fight now.
As I gaze beyond her hospital bed, through her window to the open sea, I find myself wondering if all of life is like that vast ocean with waves of time throbbing beneath the mariner's moon. Are we all tramps poised forever like a speck of flotsam, each perched on our own frothing wave? Won't my life and yours yet erase, like Mama's, upon some unknown shore, always reached too soon.
All those ancient mariners of Mu, Crete, and Greece; we know they once frolicked ahead of us on life's same tossed ocean score. Like us, they also felt securely blessed while their history reached a billowed crest. Yet we see them here no more. No eye can pierce the shallows where their shades are now so humbly beached.
Only our faith in God whispers what haven awaits the soul, or what silent bay is ever reached. Just as all those lives on ancient waves ahead of us have crashed in with crescending roars and clawed defiant their way, clinging in death against all the distant shores, so too will our own lives soon vanish from view.
The currents of eternity are sweeping Mama closer, ever closer to the battered cove, as part after defiant part in her body flinches from the stern commands she yet snaps their way. Her dim-lit eyes have clearly seen the reefs that churn the waters flooding home. And though I'd do anything to row her backward against the ripping tide, she hears the siren calling from those boulders dark and green.
Mama's almost gone now. She is too limp to
hold even in my arms to weep. I can only kiss once more her troubled brow. Then as another
moment together is ripped forever aside I hear those ancient words rumble again now,
pleading from my longing heart inside --- "Mama, Mama. Wait for me.
I'm a going too!"
the end
You can download the complete
book
for reading offline by
Clicking HERE.
The Main Index Depot The Literary Treasures Index Depot The Novels Index Depot
Let us
help you catch all the insurance protection
you need for the money you are spending. Compare
what you have to pay now with the family-friendly
values we find.
See if the savings don't average 46%
better than what you expect.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*
Let us
help you catch all the insurance protection
you need for the money you are spending. Compare
what you have to pay now with the family-friendly
values we find.
See if the savings don't average 46%
better than what you expect.
This ad was way down the page, and it was still selling well.
Start your own web site.
|
Compare Your
Premium Costs Against
the Best Insurance Company Rate In Your State
Is Your Insurance
|
Is Your Insurance
We also have RENTERS Insurance
Learn to write, learn what to write about, by
studying the results you
can get instantly with this brand new software. Twelve
other strategies
make this book a welcome addition to any web marketer's resource
shelf
.
Drag
Down
The High Cost of Insurance
Compare Your
Premium Costs Against
the Best Insurance Company Rate In Your State
Drive
Down
Let us help you find all the insurance protection you need for the money you are spending. Compare what you have to pay now with the family-friendly values we find. See if the savings don't average 46% better than what you expect on ALL Your Insurance Needs:
Compare Your Premium Costs Against
Down*
DriveDown
The High Cost of Car Insurance
*
Good Insurance; GREAT PRICES!
Click This Button And See
If We Can't Save you Over $100
Tell Your Friends about
us.
Share this page With Your Friends..
Use our
Easy Bookmarker
Just type in the subject or words you were hunting for in our Site Search
form below.
It is set to begin with the Tale Wins Directory that has about 1,300 pages.
If your subject comes under travel or vacations, tick on Share Your State before
you click SEARCH.
And for a ton of arcane knowledge, tick the Spin A Silver Dollar before you
click SEARCH.
Altogether there are over 16,000 pages available to you
|
Here is a for Our Visitors Click HERE and Print Your Own Prescription Drug Card. It is ready to use instantly and it doesn't cost a thing to use it. There are absolutely NO HIDDEN CHARGES! Your druggist will love you; so will your banker for that matter. Huge discounts are built right in for You and for ANYONE in your family. There are NO claim forms to file either. This card does it all, INSTANTLY. Here's the best part . . just as soon as you see how great this free card is . . PRINT
ONE FOR EVERYONE YOU KNOW |
*
Tell Your Friends about
us.
Don't just bookmark this page,
Share It With Your Friends..
Easy Social Bookmarker
Click HERE to set up bookmarker for EACH PAGE
*
Down
Click
HERE to see how many Hundreds of Dollars
You can SAVE on Your Family's Health Insurance Needs.
Click on ANY type of Insurance To Access Your FREE SAVINGS Quotes.
We'll show you the best
bargains in:
Health Insurance *
Car Insurance
*
Life Insurance *
Home Insurance *
Long Term Care Insurance *
Renter Insurance
Cancer Insurance *
Burial Insurance *
Disability (or accident) *
Business Specific
Small Group *
Annuity *
Family Dental *
yachts, boats,
motorcycles, etc.
And if you know you REALLY
can't afford health insurance
Click HERE
to review our second-best option.
Click HERE to find the homes you
want
AT HUGE DISCOUNTS.
See if we can't save you $100 or more.
Click on any type of insurance you want to save money on.
*
Click on ANY type of Insurance To Access Your FREE SAVINGS Quotes.
We'll show you the best
bargains in:
Health Insurance *
Car Insurance
*
Life Insurance *
Home Insurance *
Long Term Care Insurance *
Renter Insurance
Cancer Insurance *
Burial Insurance *
Disability (or accident) *
Business Specific
Small Group *
Annuity *
Family Dental *
yachts, boats,
motorcycles, etc.
Click on ANY type of Insurance
To Get Your FREE Instant Quotes
FREE,
INSTANT QUOTES
*
*
How Much Money Are
You Losing?
Find
YOUR Bottom Dollar Buys on
car insurance, life, health, long term care,
medicare and yes, even motorcycles.
The most exciting Places on Earth
* Direct Contact with your car insurance company *
Direct Contact with
your health insurance company
Direct Contact with
your life insurance company *
Direct Contact with
your dental insurance company *
The United States
Alaska
* Canada *
Spain *
England and the United Kingdom *
Africa *
South America *
Europe *
Australia
New Zealand
* The Far East *
Just For Kids *
Fishing Adventures *
cars *
Adventure *
horses *
birds
Parks
*
Festivals and Events
* camping *
crystals *
travel shop *
travel tips *
Your Vacation World
Discover EVERYTHING here! *
FREE ADVERTISING
*
Free Books to Read.
You can SAVE up to 90% off Retail
ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES
Free
Romance Novels
Compare Your
Premium Costs Against
the Best Insurance Company Rate In Your State
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Save BIG Money
On ALL Your Medical Needs
Tell the Whole
World behind you who you are.
Don't make them guess; let them KNOW.
Let them know who you are and what you do.
Every time you stop in traffic -- every time someone pulls up
behind you,
These chrome plated custom car signs tell people who you are.
Prettier than license plate holders and far classier than bumper stickers.
Personalized Plates broadcast to
the people watching YOU!
|
For Let Us Show
You Thirteen Ways to |
Good Insurance; GREAT
PRICES!
Click This Button And See
If We Can't Save you Over $100
STALKING
Bargains?
YOU Can Drag Down
the High Cost of Health Insurance!
SLASH Your Premiums so deep the Red Ink Pours Out!
Yes!
Let Us Show You Thirteen Ways to Drag Those High Prices DOWN:
Free Auto Insurance Help * Free novels to read online * Vacation Hot Spots of the World * Free Health Insurance Help * Free Software Helps You Succeed * Be Your Own Banker and Be RICH! * Buy Your Land and Homes DIRT CHEAP!
|
This key can put you The New Age Work at Home
Plan: “Internet-Based Financial Independence
|
NAVIGATION
Tips for writing better * Books for writers * Cafe Hemingway * Learn how to Hyphen-ate * Easy Research for writers * Big Screen writing * Proposals for Nonfiction * Free Plots to use * Ring in Writing Assignments * Read My News * * Writer's Showcase * Using transition words * Abe Linkin Page * Writing for Kids * Protect Your Work *
The X-Files
Acne Before Breakfast
Allergies and their toll
Bargains
Birding Basics
Cancer Campaigns
Crafts you can do
The Tooth Fairy
Diabetes Articles
Diet Aids
Gardening Tools
Help at Work
Home Improvement
HomePreneurs
Pain Control
Personal Improvement
Prevention
Miniature Horses,,
Free E-cards
The Tale Wins Affiliate Contract
Potential Earnings Disclaimer
STOP THE SPAM.
Quit being Buried Alive
Essays about the Family
Masters of Disguise
Search Me! Vital
Information from ten thousand sources,
just type in your query and let it rip!
Building web pages * Are you feeling hopeless? * How to Avoid the High Cost of Conventional Promotions and Still Sell More Books. * Don't be Buried Alive! * Better Query Results can be YOURS! * FREE Calculator * Miniature Horses,, how would you rewrite this article? * Settings that take your breath away? * Get Your Own FREE Business Cards * Free E-cards * How and Why you need a copyeditor * Specialty Niches on the web could be YOUR step up. * What the heck is a meme? * Writing In Your Sleep * The Tale Wins Affiliate Contract * Potential Earnings Disclaimer * Break Into Technical Writing. * Write a better Query * Make your query a KNOCKOUT * humor for writers * Free pictures you can use * * Privacy Policy * Get published *
Insurance Information for Writers * Be Your Own Banker * Promote Your Own Web Site * Understanding Copyright * Free humor * Dealers Wanted * Help * postcards for writers * Free Software for writers * Practice Makes Perfect * Learn to use the new Talk and Type software. * Piggyback the Hollidays for Free book publicity. * Create a bottomless notebook to spark new story ideas any time you need them. * Using Description to Drag your readers into your story. * Break into a Food Writing Career. * The Secret of Success, according to Lucy Goosey. * Just The Writer... when the movie makers take over the book, where does the writer go? * 800 words and phrases that SELL! * How To Write Powerful SpeechesLearn to Write From Examples
Travel the World, and get paid for it * Secrets of birding * Electronic Publishing * Essays
Family Essays * Freedom Essays * Helpful Articles * Humor * Inspirational Essays
Understanding the World of Insurance * Essays on Money * Resources for Writers
Social Essays * Free Software for Writers * The Native American World * War
Treasures for Kids * Novels to read online * The Almighty Dollar * Lin Stone
Keep up with all your new articles and freebies.
Copyright
© 2006 by
Earl H. Roberts
3262 Watergate Road
Clinton, Arkansas 72031
Share Your State is your guide to Vacation in Europe -- in style, find the top summer vacation spots, discover the best vacation rentals, tour Hawaii, find those hot spots where family vacations are fun, and to explore cruise opportunities around the world.
AMERICA'S LEADING PLACE to find 100% FREE offers, samples and trials.
|
The Self-Improvement Industry is BOOMING! If
You Know How To "Copy And Paste,"
Click Here NOW |
Turn Any Text Article Into a Search-Engine-Friendly Web Page -- in Mere Seconds! NO HTML KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED. Simply enter a few details and in less than half a dozen mouse clicks you have a perfectly formatted web page JUST THE WAY YOU WANT IT! You can control table sizes, border thickness, background colors to match your existing web pages. Edit and Change article titles, sub headlines and paste in fresh content at the click of a button. With Article Page Machine's excellent save template feature you can create dozens of new web pages in just a few minutes - Great for use with software like CB Text Ad Generator or Adsense and simple enough for anyone to use.
Quit Leaving Your Success
|
Put Audio on your site, Quickly, EASILY, and professionally. No monthly fees. No special equipment to buy. No experience necessary. You are going to love this little jewel as much as I do.
Expired Copyrights
|
Our Expired Copyrights
Can Make Writers Rich!
Drag
Down
|
How Much Money Are
You Losing?
We also have RENTERS Insurance
|
Learn how to make your own yogurt, then stun your family with delicious yogurt biscuits better than grandma used to make. Complete information is yours for free.
See if we can't save you $100
or more.
Click on any type of insurance you want to save
money on.
0
|
Drag
Down Compare what you have to pay now with the values we find for your family. See if the savings don't average 36% better on your: Health Insurance * Life Insurance * Auto Insurance * Dental Insurance * Home Insurance * Long Term Care Insurance * Insurance Bargains It's simple, it's quick, and
yes! |
Is YOUR Favorite Company Listed?
Family-Friendly Insurance Company Web Sites
