Creative Writing
» FI CT I O N
Written by Kerry Burke
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Illustrated by John Crews
Daddy named me Josephine, after his mother, and Mama named me Elizabeth, after her sister who died. I guess they put the names together and came up with Josephine Elizabeth — Jo Beth for short. But I’m not called by any of those names. My name’s Mosey Jo. Mama started callin’ me Mosey when I was real small ‘cause I took my time doin’ everything. I was slow to crawl, slow to walk and slow to talk. ‘Cause I’m my mama’s only child, she never knew I was slow at that baby stuff ‘till my Aunt Tedi came over and started fussin’ over me. Aunt Tedi made faces at my mama and told her to quit carry’n me ‘cause I was like a growth on my mama’s hip. My mama told her ain’t nothin’ wrong with lovin’ a chile and maybe she could stand to learn a thing or two ‘bout lovin’ babies ‘cause her baby boy Baxter is all grown and nothin’ but trouble. He comes ‘round here ever so offen. Like when he needs something. He come here lookin’ for Daddy to give him money ‘cause Aunt Tedi done kicked him out again. Somethin’ bout him breaking a mirror with a bottle, but it was her fault she made him crazy mad. He smells bad, my cousin Baxter. He smells like a greasy ashtray. Mama says he smells of the devil and all his temptation. What Daddy says bout him, I’m not saying ‘cause last time I said it, I got a bar of soap in my mouth. But like I was sayin’ before, I like takin’ my time doin’ some things.
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