I come from a long line of storytellers.
Long before the printing press, and long before literacy became commonplace, generations used oral tales to preserve cultural folklore and pass along family stories. Now, we celebrate World Storytelling Day on the Spring Equinox here in the northern hemisphere. In addition to exchanging stories in our own communities, the Internet helps us share stories across cultures. This year I’m sharing a true tale told by my father when I was young.
“Who’s He Talking To?”
Church is a big deal for most folks in my hometown as it is in practically every part of Arkansas. True to form, there are many stories of my line of Cotners and their interaction with ministers, preachers of the gospel, and the corporate social body known as church.
My grandfather and grandmother were Methodists and attended the United Methodist church in Booneville.
The first ever story about church that sticks in my mind was told to me by my dad relating a story concerning the first time, as a very young boy, he attended Methodist services with his mother.
Seated there with the rest of his family on the pew among the faithful that Sunday for dutiful worship, dad—ever the fact-based skeptic—listened intently for some time to the sermon. The minister was playing his part, delivering the message with vigor, waving hands and arms and often looking up to the ceiling imploring the Almighty for one thing or the other as if God were some cheap vending machine that—if enough selfish prayers were plopped into it—would dispense a little treat out and down to the aluminum tray at the bottom for its users to enjoy.
Finally, curiosity got the best of my dad and, in a lull in the preaching he turned to my grandmother and loudly asked, “Who in the world is he talking to?”
With the kindness, compassion, understanding, and motherly love only my grandmother could have shown, she whirled around on the pew and slapped my dad hard on the head and said, “Shut up!”
As the story goes, about half the congregation laughed and the other half seemed angry at my dad’s questioning. No one ever redressed my grandmother and no one ever gave my dad an intelligent, rational, thoughtful, answer to his question.
So, needless to say the blow and the incident left quite the impression on my dad; and I’m not just talking about the big red welt that came up on the side of his head.
This story, along with the fictional tale inspired by my dad’s experience, is included in my short story collection Storytellin: True and Fictional Short Stories of Arkansas.
Definitely a thought provoking story, nicely told, Jack. It also induced a smile or two. Your dad has my sympathy and understanding on this one. 🙂
I’ll finish reading your book this weekend, and wondered whether you have an email address I can contact you on to discuss where you’d like me to review it. Of course, I’ll put it on Amazon to start with. My email adress is on the sidebar of my blog. If you just cointact me, I’ll get back to you. 🙂
Thank you, Millie. Email on its way to you. – Jack
Oh wow! I come from a long line of storytellers as well! Wow! This is awesome. My Pa and his Pa and then my family from Finland, all storytellers. Interesting! I like you! You write about Booneville, home of Wal-mart. What a beautiful place!
Hello, MichelleMarie. I think it is interesting to keep our family stories alive and share them with others. It helps keep family members, past and present, in our hearts and minds. Thank you for visiting my site and posting. Very much appreciated. -Jack
Love, love,love family stories. That grandma sounds like a real sweetheart.
Yes, loved her but she was a bit hard to live with. She had an old red milk cow that had an even worse temperament. The two of them made 5 in the mornings hard to survive.
Did you have to milk?
I was too young at the time but later, starting around the age of ten, yes, but not with that old red cow. Milking wasn’t as bad as having to walk down the hill below the barn to gather the cows and bring them to the milking stalls in the barn.
Really. Our cows came up to be fed. I hated milking.
There were always those few that stayed along the creek and among the persimmon thickets that had to be bribed up to the barn with a bucket of feed, though most did cooperate (for the most part).