Read Online Dovey Coe by Frances O'Roark Dowell - Free Book Online

people’s chickens. Why do you suppose he did that?”
    I was glad of only one thing right then, and that was that Parnell was facing me and not Amos. I preferred that Amos not be privy to this particular conversation.
    â€œYou’re the one who’s crazy if you believe them kind of stories,” I told Parnell, turning backto my work, pretending like his words hadn’t affected me. “You ought not to spread rumors. They’ll come back around to bite you in your behind.”
    Parnell laughed a dry laugh. “Don’t blame me that some folks have their concerns about the boy. Besides, I ain’t the one making up the stories.”
    â€œNo, you’re the one going around repeating them.”
    â€œI just think you ought to know that there’s some folks out there who don’t feel real comfortable with Amos around, is all,” Parnell said, turning to leave. “I’d advise your brother to be real careful about acting the fool. He could get himself in trouble.”
    By this time, Amos had pulled the paper chain from around him. He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders, as if to ask what the problem was. I shrugged my shoulders back at him, like I couldn’t figure out what Parnell was going on about.
    Amos smiled, then picked up the end of his chain and started running around in circles so that it was flying like a tail behind him. Parnell shook his head, like only a crazy boy would do such a thing, then walked off toward the house.
    I felt the blood run hot through me, and I wanted to hit something as hard as I could. Butfor Amos’s sake, I shook off my bad feelings and give him a smile as he run in silly circles around the barn.
    The worst thing about Parnell’s little warning is I known it was true. There had always been folks around Indian Creek who believed Amos was off-kilter. That’s one reason I made a point from the time we was little to take Amos to town with me, so folks could see that he was as normal as any other boy except for the fact of his not being able to hear. And while there was always going to be some mean boy to make fun of Amos, I thought that most folks had taken to him and liked him.
    Parnell’s the only one who don’t like Amos, I thought to myself as I pulled the length of my paper chain toward me. Parnell is the only one who’d rather have him out of the picture.
    I would have to be extracareful to watch over Amos from now on, that much was for sure. Somebody had to protect him from the likes of Parnell Caraway.

chapter 9
    T he day of the party broke cool and pretty, and I woke up hardly able to wait until evening, when folks would start coming over. MeMaw and PawPaw, Mama’s mama and daddy, come around noon, and MeMaw started baking her fancy chocolate cakes she only made for company. You got to be quick around one of MeMaw’s cakes, else you won’t get a bite. They get et up in a flash. I tried sticking my finger in the mixing bowl when I thought MeMaw weren’t looking, but she caught me and swatted my hand away, saying, “Law, Dovey, you’re getting to be too old for such doings.”
    â€œI’m only twelve, MeMaw,” I told her. “I got me a few years before I turn into an old woman.”
    â€œBut you’re a young woman now, and you best start acting like one. I reckon a lot of boys will be after you ’fore too long. Caroline was just telling me that Wilson Brown’s right sweet on you.”
    â€œCaroline’s got a head full of dreams, MeMaw,” I said. “Don’t go listening to her.”
    I decided I best leave the kitchen before I got surrounded by a flock of women wanting to talk about me and Wilson Brown. I walked out to the barn, where Daddy and Amos was building the little platform for Luther and Gaither to play on.
    The only time I felt real bad about Amos not being able to hear was when I listened to music. It was right difficult to explain