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Welcome to another ‘Tickle-me-Thursday’ and here is another short story from the upcoming book, Georgia Sunrise.. The author, Don Bowen, has graciously given his permission to share some of his humorous stories exclusively on the Examiner. After the story, there is a recipe for ‘Tomato Gravy.’ Enjoy!
On Sundays all the families go to Granddaddy’s house. I get to play with all my cousins. We always got good stories to tell each other. We played hard all day, out of one thing and into another.
The challenge of the day was to try and outsmart the old rooster Granddaddy had. He would spur your legs, fly on your shoulders, and pick at your eyes and ears. I guess he had to show all the other chickens that he was the boss of the yard. When he tired, he would disappear and come back later ready to fight again. I know he was glad when the little tricycle motorists went home.
Granddaddy had two old mules that did nothing during the week, but eat grass and whatever they could get into. Those old mules on Sunday evening would pull the wagon that we all rode in going to church. All week long I had been planning to give them old mules some pep in their walk, you know, a little energy. I sneaked out behind the barn and pulled enough turnips from my Granddaddy’s turnip patch. He had at least an acre of turnips and I knew he would not miss a few. So, I pulled off the roots, just enough so the mules could munch on them all afternoon. I could not wait until it was time for church.
All the kids would take a bath in a wash tub on the back porch. I made sure that I got my bath first for two reasons. The first, I did not want to bathe after the other brats. The second, it would give me the opportunity to mess with them while they were in the tub. I would get a handful of dried cow chips and sneak up to them, and when my Aunt had her head turned, I would throw some in the bath water. My aunt would dip it out and keep on washing while the kids would cry and try to tell on me.
Finally, came the time to hook up the mules to the wagon. The old mules had built up so much gas, my daddy and others had trouble putting the rope around them. Granddaddy and Grandmother sat in the seat directly behind the mules, while the rest of the grown people sat in chairs behind them. Well, the mules had so much gas that every time their feet would hit the ground, they would break wind.
Grandmother spit and asks Granddaddy what was wrong with the mules. We kids ran along side the wagon and played all the way to church. We were dirtier now than before we took a bath.
Here is Don Bowen’s recipe for ‘Tomato Gravy.’ Yum!
After frying pork chops or ham, use the pan drippings and oil residue as a gravy base. Put in about 3 or 4 tablespoons of flour, dash of salt and pepper. Brown the flour while raking a spatula in it. When it turns a good brown shade, pour in a can of squashed tomatoes and stir until it is well mixed. Turn down the heat to low or off.
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