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572 LISTEN HERE WHAT My HEART WANTS TO TELL (1979) Chapter Twenty Sarah Alverta was my sister's name but I always called her Sissy. She was born with a normal mental capacity, but when she was eighteen months old, she had a fever that lasted six weeks. The doctor called it a brain fever. When she recovered she could not talk and her mind never grew anymore, but remained as the mind of a two year old. She might have been taught some if she had had the right teacher. We ourselves could have done more for her, if we had been rash with her; but we loved her so much we gave her her way in everything. The whole household was run to suit what we thought was best for her. My sister Vada was the one who loved her the most and took constant care of her, sleeping with her at night, washing her clothes, even diapers. She was a few years older than me, but I soon learned that whatever she wanted of mine, I was supposed to give her. I did not resent this because I had been taught that she was someone very special. I remember once I had a fried egg in my plate and she reached with her hand and took it and ate it. I thought it was a big joke and laughed. Once we were playing near the chair shop where my father was making chairs. The little nobs or ends ofwood that were left as scraps from the ends ofthe finished chair post made very nice playthings. With a child's imagination they could become anything from a father and mother with a whole family, to a table covered with pots and pans. To me they could be anything. All Sissy liked to do was beat them together to make a loud noise, or pile them up in a large heap and then kick them over. I can remember many happy hours playing with Sissy and these wooden scraps. But what I am going to tell you next was told to me by my father. He heard a loud noise, looked out, and found me pulling and tugging at Sissy. She was hitting me and kicking but I would not let"go. Both of us were screaming and crying. My father came running and parted us and demanded, "What are ye doing? Ye know ye must never fight with Alverta." "But, Papa," I said, "there was a big worm. It might bite Sissy." He went back to where we had been playing and he found a large copperhead , which he killed. VERNA MAE SLONE 573 We did not get much candy, but each time my father went to the store he always brought back three large red and white peppermint sticks ofcandy, which were called "saw logs." There was one for each of us: Alverta, Edna, and me-the youngest ofall the kids. Sissy wouldn't eat candy. I don't know ifshe just did not like the taste, or ifit hurt her several decayed teeth. But she loved the red and white striped color, so she always wanted one, mostly to play with. My father would always tell me, "Now don't ye take Alverta's candy, but ye watch her and when she gets tired of playing with it, you can have it to eat." I would follow her around for hours, and sometimes wait until she took a nap, but sooner or later, I got her candy. Alverta loved anything that was red. One Christmas my sister Vada got a large apron, which was then known as a coverall. It was something like a sleeveless dress that opened up and down the back. The color was a bright red with a small, springly, flowered design. Alverta fell in love with it at once and Vada cut it up and made a dress for Sissy. She had this pretty red dress on that Easter morning that had such a sad ending. Several boys had met in the large "bottom" or meadow just across from our home at the mouth of Trace to playa game of "round town," a game somewhat like baseball. Lots ofgirls had come to watch from our porch and yard. Everyone was having a good time. It was Easter and everyone had on their new clothes for the occasion. When we heard a terrible scream, everyone ran in the house and found Alverta's...

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