Cassie Faye

FICTION Cassie Faye__________________________ Garry Barker The summer of Vernon Watts' fifteenth year, he met Cassie Faye McCormick. Cassie was a very grown-up fourteen, the only daughter of Mudsock bootlegger Minnie McCormick, a high-spirited country girl impatient to get on with life and living. High schooler Vernon Watts caught Cassie's eye. Vernon's slim body, long sideburns, slicked-back ducktail hairdo, shiny black eyes, and scholar's reputation intrigued Cassie Faye, whose exposure to men was more to Minnie's unwashed, beer-breathed and beer-bellied regular customers. Cassie Faye had been an elementary school classmate of Reba, Vernon's sister, before quitting after six grades. Cassie quit with her mother's full approval; Minnie saw no need for a girl to graduate even eighth grade, and Cassie Faye had grown weary of the persistent snide comments about her mother's profession. But the Watts children, including Vernon, treated Cassie with friendly open respect, and Vernon always offered a shy smile whenever he passed by Minnie's old mobile home. Dark, budding Cassie Faye now methodically tracked Vernon's movements, found out that he and Buford Farley swam often in the big mossy pond in the apple orchard, finally found the two boys splashing naked there after a day in the hayfields. Vernon saw Cassie Faye coming, thin cotton dress short over slender brown legs. He blushed and backed out into deeper waters. Buford grinned, puffed out his stocky chest, stood as tall as he could on short bowed legs. "Come on in, Cassie Faye," he yelled. Vernon sank lower into the murky water. "Shut up, Buford," he whispered urgently. "She's a girl." "I know that much, you fool," grinned Buford. "Why do you think I want to get her all wet?" Garry Barker is director of the Appalachian Arts and Crafts Center at Morehead State University (Kentucky). He is afreelance writer ofbothfiction and nonfiction. 46 Cassie Faye walked slowly to the pond's edge. "Did you bring us some beer?" asked Buford. Cassie scowled, toed Buford's dusty shirt and pants where they lay in the clay, then smiled. "How would you like some wet pants?" she asked. "And socks and underwear?" "How do you know them are mine and not Vernon's?" asked Buford. Cassie sniffed. "They stink," she drawled, "and the legs of these britches are little bitty." Vernon giggled. Feisty Buford, a full foot shorter than Vernon's sixfeet -one, glared. Cassie stood with a hand on one hip, an imitation of Minnie's business stance, and stared boldly at Vernon, who sank lower and lower. "You'll drown yourself," Cassie finally said, smiling. "You coming in?" Buford asked eagerly. Cassie stared, shrugged, dipped a bare toe in muddy water. "Come on," urged Buford. "It's warm." Cassie waded in, up to her knees. Vernon's eyes widened. Cassie laughed, came further, dress swirling up in the water, floating. Buford suddenly hit the surface with both palms, and sent a spray of tepid water toward Cassie. She shrieked, caught the water in her face and down her chest, then stood with her arms wrapped around her breasts, brown hard nipples thrust against wet cotton. Vernon lost his footing and went under. He came up gagging, shook the water out of his eyes, tried not to stare. "God-a-mighty," gasped Buford. "Dumb boys," Cassie said scornfully. She turned, waded to the shore, and climbed out. The thin wet dress clung to every curve, and water streamed down both brown legs. Cassie shook herself, and swung her hips as she walked away. Vernon and Buford watched, frozen, until Cassie Faye was gone. Then there was a sudden frenzy of splashing, yelling, punching, and rowdy sheer exuberance, a celebration of Cassie's sexual presence. After they dressed, Buford punched Vernon's shoulder. "Cassie Faye's got the hots for you, Highpockets," he said. "She wants your body." "Naw," blushed Vernon. "Maybe she thought I was Roy." He grinned. "Only Roy, he would have drug her right off to the bushes." "I sure would like to," Buford said wistfully. "Did you ever see the like, Vernon?" "Nope," Vernon admitted. "I never did." "Not even from Beulah...