I stuff the roast pig into my mouth, takin' one huge bite and slouchin' over the table. I vow to do exactly the opposite of what Miss. Lizabeth said. The three men stare at me, daddy all angry the other two men all surprised. I just smile at them, showin' food between my teeth, all mushed up and gross. I swallow real loud, then make some coughin' noise from the back of my throat.
I wipe the grease on my dress, stainin' a small corner of it, which kinda makes me upset. So I grab the napkin and wipe the rest of my grease on there.
"I am so rude," I say, much to the relief of daddy, "But I forgot to introduce myself."
Daddy glowers again, debeatin' with himself on what to do. Yell at me? Drag me away? Or keep on watchin'? By not decidin', he's decidin'.
"I'm Corinne, but you can call me-"
"Corinne, the kitchen, now."
Daddy doesn't wait for me to respon', he jus' grabs my wrist and pulls me from the table. His grip is so firm and hard that I think I'll have bruises in the morn'. But I don't say as much. When daddy gets angry- 'specially at me there is no stoppin' him with words.
When we get to the kitchen, daddy lets go of me, starin' into my eyes with that crazy look of his. We stare at each other for a real lon' time, 'till I finally back down and glace at floor. He right- I shouldn't have been so rude. They was obviously important.
He doesn't wait too lon' after that- he grabs the collar of my dress and pushes me back into the table. The corner jabs into my side, but I pretend it don't. I make no sound.
"You ain't gonna speak to men like that," he says, not quite yellin' but gettin' real close, "You ain't ever gonna act like that again."
I don't nod fast 'nough, so he grabs both my arms, on in each hand and shakes me real hard. Mistakenly I whimper, and daddy shakes some harder.
"You are so sad 'bout your sister Mary. That's why you actin' so bad," he tells me. Lettin' me go. I fall back against the table again- this time it don't hurt me, it hold me up.
"You gonna go back out there and you gonna act like that good girl you know how to be."
I nod, keepin' my tears at bay. You don't ever cry in front of daddy. "Calm down first before you think of even comin' back."
I wipe the grease on my dress, stainin' a small corner of it, which kinda makes me upset. So I grab the napkin and wipe the rest of my grease on there.
"I am so rude," I say, much to the relief of daddy, "But I forgot to introduce myself."
Daddy glowers again, debeatin' with himself on what to do. Yell at me? Drag me away? Or keep on watchin'? By not decidin', he's decidin'.
"I'm Corinne, but you can call me-"
"Corinne, the kitchen, now."
Daddy doesn't wait for me to respon', he jus' grabs my wrist and pulls me from the table. His grip is so firm and hard that I think I'll have bruises in the morn'. But I don't say as much. When daddy gets angry- 'specially at me there is no stoppin' him with words.
When we get to the kitchen, daddy lets go of me, starin' into my eyes with that crazy look of his. We stare at each other for a real lon' time, 'till I finally back down and glace at floor. He right- I shouldn't have been so rude. They was obviously important.
He doesn't wait too lon' after that- he grabs the collar of my dress and pushes me back into the table. The corner jabs into my side, but I pretend it don't. I make no sound.
"You ain't gonna speak to men like that," he says, not quite yellin' but gettin' real close, "You ain't ever gonna act like that again."
I don't nod fast 'nough, so he grabs both my arms, on in each hand and shakes me real hard. Mistakenly I whimper, and daddy shakes some harder.
"You are so sad 'bout your sister Mary. That's why you actin' so bad," he tells me. Lettin' me go. I fall back against the table again- this time it don't hurt me, it hold me up.
"You gonna go back out there and you gonna act like that good girl you know how to be."
I nod, keepin' my tears at bay. You don't ever cry in front of daddy. "Calm down first before you think of even comin' back."
