mama’s aim.
Thank God I was daddy’s favorite because if I wasn’t, the flogging, whipping, beating, whatever you want to call the deadly wrath of mom would have continued for thirty minutes. But after fifteen minutes daddy intervened and told mama that was enough.
We were made to stay in bed for the rest of the evening without our delicious dinner. Tears and pain from mama’s anger continued no less than ten minutes after mama had stopped beating us.
After an hour of being separated from the rest of the family Shazier and I thought of ways to interact with the rest of our traitorous family.
Mama, I got a sore from my whipping can you come see? Shazier asked shouting from our bedroom.
No! Mama shouted from the living room.
Ten minutes later, mama, I’m thirsty can I have some water? I yelled from the bedroom.
No! Mama again shouted this time from the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, mama, we’re hungry, Shazier yell from the bed.
Mama yell back then you should have thought of that before you ruin that dress.
I didn’t ruin the dress, Ronnie put the bleach on it.
Go to sleep, mama yelled her final command.
One hour later, Mama, I got to go to the toilet, I yell from the bedroom my lie.
Mama knew for sure that was a lie because the toilet was on the back porch and there was no light in the outhouse. Mama knew I was afraid of snakes and one was spotted on the toilet seat which from that day forward I would not use the back porch toilet.
Use the pot mama yelled back laughing at us.
Mama, can we get up? No! Mama yelled. Mama can I read a book? Mama knew I didn’t like to read so that was an easy no. Mama, can I have some water? Again no was my Mama’s answer. Mama, can we turn on the light? No! Mama got tired of us trying to find a reason to be let out of solitary confinement with our Mama? Mama? Mama? Mama?
Mama could be heard giving us her no’s from the kitchen. What on earth is Mama doing so long in the kitchen? Shazier asked me.
I don’t know maybe she decided to give us our dinner you made us missed.
I did not make us missed dinner, if you hadn’t got your clothes ruined I wouldn’t be stuck in this bed with you, Shazier voiced angrily.
Come here you heathens, mama called to us after another hour had passed.
Shazier and I almost trip over each other racing off bed and out of the room.
My sisters and dad were already sitting at the kitchen table when we arrived.
Sit down you two heathens, mama commanded to Shazier and I, and a small bowl was placed in front of us.
Daddy had the biggest bowl or the biggest of everything because he was the man of the house. And as poor as we were that was the sign my mama gave him as respect, the biggest and the best of everything.
Mama went back to the stove and removed the lid from a pot. The steam and the odor from the pot meant one thing. Halleluiah! Mulberry dumplings, our favorite spring dessert that could only be served once a year. You could smell the butter, vanilla, sugar and mulberries simmering with small bits of flour dumpling floating in the mix.
Mama was impressed that we were able to get such a bounty of beautiful mulberries and the best thing for such a bounty was mulberry dumplings. Mama started with daddy, then went in reverse this time serving from the youngest to the oldest giving me the greater amount this time.
Mama why is Ronnie getting the greater amount? My oldest sister complained.
Because you didn’t sacrifice your skin for the mulberries, mama laughed her answer.
Fair enough Diane my sister replied, now contented with her own generous bowl of flavorful buttery mulberry dumplings.
Everyone heads were bent down over their bowls of mulberry dumplings, including mom, when daddy felt it was safe enough to speak to me.
Ronnie? You do understand you still have to go to church?
How daddy, I don’t have any clothes.
Well you should have thought of that, before you brought us this beautiful bounty of mulberries.
Everyone at the table laughed at me unmercifully until all bowls were empty and we were all told to go to bed.
Mama! Can I have some water? My sister Ziller yelled from the bed.
No! Mama yelled back.
Mama! It’s hot in here, can we have the fan?
No! Mama yelled back.
Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama! Each one of us did our best to get mama to let us out of the bed no matter what lie we told, and each time mama laughed to herself and gave us the all- knowing NO!
Mama! Do I still have to go to church next Sunday? I yelled.
Yes! And don’t ask me again. Yawl better go to sleep, mama yelled back, or I coming in there with my belt.
That was all that was needed to get us to behave, find our respected spots in the bed and the five of us went off fast to sleep.
Mrs. Hattie saw me at church and asked, so you found my mulberry tree huh?
Yes Mamm, I replied in shame.
What happen to your pretty Easter dress you had on last Sunday?
Put bleach on it trying to get the mulberry stains out of it. I ruined it and daddy said I had to come to church anyway.
Well that would explain why you are wearing your play clothes and shoes to church. Did the Lord tell you not to go under my tree in your new Easter dress?
Yes Mamm.
Did the Lord bless your family with a good mulberry dumpling?
Yes Mamm.
Well then, it proves that the Lord does work in mysterious ways.
Thank you all for enjoying my story. As true as it is my brother and I enjoyed our little adventures, God rest his soul. I miss him and I miss Mulberry Dumplings. Because of the rapid growth in Orlando most if not all of the Mulberry trees have been cut down, and Mrs. Hattie has long passed on now and her beautiful tree was one of the last ones to go in 1996 when they tore her house down to make way for a new street.
Recipe for Poor Man’s Mulberry Dumplings
Don’t measure use your taste buds, and have fun.
2-4 cups of water (depends on the amount of Mulberries)
Sugar, vanilla, butter, flour, mulberries
Bring water to a boil, add sugar, butter and vanilla.
Water and flour for the dumplings (all purpose is best but self- rising okay) mix together until you have a very dry loaf. Roll out loaf very thin and cut into strips 1-2 inches long and 1 inch wide, no balls please, Yuk, add to boiling mixture. Cook until dumpling is firm but not gooey where they break apart. If your mix turn into a paste add more water, sugar and vanilla to thin out your mix.
Rinse mulberries very good. They don’t need to cook but you want them to stay in the mix long enough to deliver their flavor and turn the water a beautiful dark purple.
Done!
Serve, hot, cold, by itself or with vanilla ice cream. Yum.
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