Mississippi Mud - Saved by Grace

"Hey! What chu doin' out here pokin' round in the mud with that stick! Does your mama know you're out here?"

"Is your name Bobby John? Teacher called out chur' name this mornin', and she had'ta mark you absent. We had fun today."

"I'cn write my name. And I'cn already count to 25. We had a race today, and I won! I got to pick a prize from the prize box. I got this necklace, see? It's made outa' candy. Teachers don't give out home work on the first day. Are you playin' hookey? Cain't chu talk?"

"Yeah," said Bobby John. "I'cn talk and I ain't playin' hookey neither. I had a hundurd degree tempatur' this mornin'. Mama said maybe I could go tomar' though, if I feel like it. You talk a lot. I ain't got no 'friens' yet. We jus' moved in here from Alabama. My mama is a teacher herself."

"Well, I sure hope you'cn go tomar' Bobby John. I sure hope you don't have to stay home and play in that nasty ole mud hole. You can walk with me ifyew' want to Bobby John. I leave at 7:30. My name is Jessamy Grace, but chu' can just call me Grace."

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"Good morning, Bobby John. You're all cleaned up now. I brought chu' a pencil. It lites up, see? I like your lunch box. Do you have a folder? What grade does your mama teach? You haf' t'be careful down here at this crossin', Bobby John. There's a whole buncha' traffic. We hafta' wait for the school guard t'cross. You wannna sit by me at lunch?"

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That was me, Jessamy Grace Jennings. Bobby John Jenkins and I have been married 25 years. I am a teacher now, speaking proper English and I'm still talking. And I'm still watching out for my Bobby John.

adavis - fiction