Escape from Crete
Amanda wanted wings so badly she could spit.
“Stop bugging me about them wings,” her Momma said. “You gotta be patient.”
Amanda pitched a regular conniption. Tore ribbons from her braids, stomped on her baby-doll and held her breath, but Momma paid no mind. Just kept stirring the gumbo.
In the yard, on the branches of an old hickory tree, abandoned bird nests hung like magic beads. Amanda climbed, searched, found a few tufts. “Phooey. These here sure is piddly old things, but they can help me some.” She licked the wispy feathers, stuck them on her shoulders and floated to the ground.
Her cat laid a dead sparrow at Amanda’s feet. Shouting, “Hallelujah. Praise the Lord,” Amanda plucked the feathers, licked them, stuck them on her shoulders and soared to the kitchen.
“Are them feathers you got stuck on you?” Momma asked.
“No. They wings.”
“Uh-huh. Wings. Just like that. Well then, eat some gumbo. You gotta stay strong, girl, if you gonna fly.”
Originally appeared in The 100 stories for Haiti Book Project, Greg McQueen, founder
published in Dew on the Kudzu, Winter 2010
Copyright © Ozzie Nogg. All rights reserved
Amanda wanted wings so badly she could spit.
“Stop bugging me about them wings,” her Momma said. “You gotta be patient.”
Amanda pitched a regular conniption. Tore ribbons from her braids, stomped on her baby-doll and held her breath, but Momma paid no mind. Just kept stirring the gumbo.
In the yard, on the branches of an old hickory tree, abandoned bird nests hung like magic beads. Amanda climbed, searched, found a few tufts. “Phooey. These here sure is piddly old things, but they can help me some.” She licked the wispy feathers, stuck them on her shoulders and floated to the ground.
Her cat laid a dead sparrow at Amanda’s feet. Shouting, “Hallelujah. Praise the Lord,” Amanda plucked the feathers, licked them, stuck them on her shoulders and soared to the kitchen.
“Are them feathers you got stuck on you?” Momma asked.
“No. They wings.”
“Uh-huh. Wings. Just like that. Well then, eat some gumbo. You gotta stay strong, girl, if you gonna fly.”
Originally appeared in The 100 stories for Haiti Book Project, Greg McQueen, founder
published in Dew on the Kudzu, Winter 2010
Copyright © Ozzie Nogg. All rights reserved
