Chapter 17

It turned out that CharlieB was so pissed about being sent home he let the air out of the tires on the car at the airfield. He waited until Daddy went into the office hangar and snuck back.

"Don't look at me, I didn't do it," he said ... until Daddy held up the valve stem tool he got out of Charlie's jacket pocket ... and the four valve stem cores.

This put mom in a quandary ... Charlie was the perfect kid. Charlie was healthy ... Grace and I were thin. This same situation existed the first time.

Children were good ... they learned to be bad by example.

Mom went to a Teachers College during the very depths of the Depression ... that's where she learned to bleach her chicken before she cooked it.

During the Depression, if you were thin, you were poor and sickly. Healthy people were fat ... they had enough money to eat and they were happy. Healthy was fat. CharlyB was fat... 300 pounds in high school ... he wasn't in high school yet ... but he was well on the way to 300. Since he was fat ... he had to be happy and happy people don't cause trouble,,, it has to be David's fault ... BECAUSE ... David is thin ... and thin is bad ... if thin is bad ... then thin is evil ... David is thin.

Some things don't go away ... some teachings never leave because 'these people have the degrees and people with degrees have the good of the Nation at heart ... and since they have the good of the Nation at heart ... what they teach is right.'

You have no idea how many times I heard that growing up ... in my first life.

Grace was 'learning how to catch a successful husband ... it is her place in life to be married, be a homemaker and have children.'

After she catches one ... using her feminine arts ... and has children (not child ... children) she can let herself go to fat, put pink curlers in her hair, 'green' stuff on her face or smear Ponds all over herself 'because she will have performed her DUTY to God and Country ... she has perpetuated the human race and no longer has the need for sex.' So said my mother.

She also said, "Men are base and profane creatures ... they have carnal lusts they can not control. After ... AFTER ... they have legally propagated, let them slake their passion on the 'wrong side of the tracks.' Good girls don't!"

"'Don't' what? Mother." Grace asked. Grace was telling me one of her discussions with mom. She made a list: DON'T...

▪ Leave the lights on to undress.

▪ Undress in the daylight in the presence of your mate.

▪ Touch him 'there.'

▪ Allow him to touch you 'there.'

▪ Touch yourself 'there.'

▪ Move during 'that.'

▪ Allow him in the bathroom when you are there.

▪ Complain if he uses his hands on himself ... be grateful he has left you alone.

▪ Recognize he has 'outside' interests. He is not in your bed.

Mom could NOT have learned sex was evil at home ... seven sisters and a brother ... Grandmother Bleeker evidently loved it. In my first life, when grandmother and grandfather came to visit ... we children could hear them giggling and calling out the name of GOD while they put dents in the wall with the headboard. They were in their eighties. They put mother in a constant blush ... she was ASHAMED of them.

No ... it was the same situation with hugging your child ... hugging weakened his moral fiber.

That attitude had to have been learned at college ... and it was ... it was part of the curriculum. It was taught in a class that all females HAD to pass to get a degree. It was Pass/Fail and required for graduation. It didn't matter if you believed the instructor or not ... you had to pass the class

Even after she graduated and got the teaching job in Saint Johns, Mom had to sign a Teacher's Contract and in that contract she promised that she would not smoke, drink or have sex outside of marriage.

It was in the contract.

If she got married she would leave her teaching job the day she learned she was 'with child.'

It was in the contract.

What happened to mom the first time around? Because her mind wouldn't or couldn't wrap around the idea that MAYBE she MIGHT have been taught a crock of shit in college, she ended up in Traverse City ... not just once.

This time, Daddy had evidence. It was in his hand.

"David planted those on me!!! I didn't do it ... nobody saw me do it ... you can't prove a thing!" He looked at mother for approval. It wasn't there.

What CharlieB saw was his beloved mother ... so easy to manipulate ... so easily led ... looking at him with disapproval. He dropped to the floor ... started foaming at the mouth, drumming his heels and screaming, "NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA."

Mother said, "Charles, could I speak to you outside?" She was looking at daddy when she asked. But CharlieB grinned and jumped up. "Not you, Charles Beckwith. It is Charles William with whom I wish to speak." She was very formal and very disappointed. "David ... you will accompany us, please. No, Charles Beckwith ... not you."

She took her purse ... got a key from the key board and headed out the door.

We followed her ... Daddy closed the door on Chuck. He didn't lock it ... just closed it. The screaming started. CharlieB's mastery of the profane side of the English language astounded me.

"May we go to your boat, David?"

"Your boat, mom."

"No ... it's Your boat ... I have been influenced by outside forces." She gave a significant nod at the house.

The noise increased. "He might do himself a mischief." Daddy said.

"Let him."

We both looked at her like she had just landed from Mars.

"Who are you and what have you done with my wife/mother?" We questioned her like twins ... which we weren't.

During this conversation we were headed to the older house and the MARGRAVE, her boat ... no matter what she said ... it was her boat. We boarded ... turned on the engine room fans and singled up to a rear spring line ... A judicious application of her engines swung the bow out. The spring line was hauled aboard and mother took us out ... it was evening.

"Wave at the Coasties, boys."

We did. No Wake out to the end of the pier, a starboard turn and short trip up to the Bass Lake outlet. She toggled the anchor release, shut down and took her key to the Master Stateroom.

"Get comfortable ... I'll be right back."

"Drink ... Daddy?"

"Stroh's please."

"Something for Mom?"

"She doesn't drink."