"Moonlit Waters" From 1927.
"Moonlit Waters" from 1927.
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The Pheasant's Eye or Melodrama Part 6
Chapter 10:
“I can’t believe it,” said Mildred holding back the tears. “She just left. Whenever I ask my dad about it, he won’t say anything. His drinking has become worse.”
They were sitting on the back porch of Karen’s home. It was a modest craftsmen style home with a generous porch on the front of the house. They talked as the frost was settling upon the plants; the plants were wilting away, giving their last goodbye ‘till spring.
“Its fine, Mildred,” said Karen, giving her friend a hug. “Your mother will be back.”
“No, it’s not okay. It’s been three days. She has never been gone this long. She probably left because she doesn’t love me.”
“Don’t say that; your mother loves you,” reassured Karen.
“Then why would she leave?” asked Mildred, choking on her own tears.
“She probably left for a more complicated reason. You were a wonderful daughter. Maybe your father knows why she left.”
“Every time I ask him about it, he tries and changes the subject.”
“Well, maybe he’ll answer you, if you try again,” said Karen. “He must just miss her, too,” she reasoned.
“I guess I can try,” said Mildred, with doubt in her voice.
“Good,” said Karen, giving an affectionate pat.
. . . . .
“Father,” Mildred asked as she shyly walked into the study. “Why, are you…um…” she hesitated to continue.
“What do you mean?” asked Bob, looking up from a bible passage he was going to nail into the attendants as if they were a wooden board on the sermon next Sunday.
“Well, everyone is gossiping about it…” hinted Mildred.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Now if you can excuse me…” said Bob, half concentrating on his Bible.
“Why did mother leave?” demanded Mildred, finally finding her courage.
“I don’t know. It was her choice. She’s always been difficult. Will you let me get back to work?” he said, shooing her like a fly out of the room.
Of course, she wasn’t that easy to get rid of. “No, I will not leave!” Mildred shouted.
“Excuse me?” he looked up with her, like a botanist with a new species of plant, taking off his spectacles that hung from his neck, giving him a dignified air (that he sorely needed).
“You heard me; why did mother leave?” she yelled, as Gladys rushed into the room.
“Not now, Gladys; I have to talk to my father,” said Mildred firmly, as she ushered her out of the room. Of course, Gladys would hear everything from the next room, for the walls were thin.
“I beg your pardon,” challenged Bob as he stood up.
“You heard me, why did she leave?”
“Because she couldn’t handle it here! And…” He stopped and turned away abruptly. “Now if you’ll excuse me…”
“Why couldn’t she handle it here?”
“I’m not going to deal with this,” Bob stated, wearily.
“No, now you listen to me! It is my turn to do the talking. It’s bad enough to have mother leave, but now my father is having affairs with some…some scarlet woman!”
“Why, I’ve never been talked to like that in my life! You impertinent brat; your mother taught you how to behave from day one.”
The door banged as it was flung open, and Kathy sauntered in, saying, “You tell her, honey-pie.” She sneered at Mildred and made her way across the room, stopping to stand at the right side of Bob’s chair as an eagle flying to its perch.
“Why, you little wench! What are you even doing here?” snapped Mildred, as she stamped her foot down on the old, creaky oak floor.
“Mildred, you ought not to talk to your father like that. Or me. You know, I have the ring, and once it gets documented, I’ll be your mother.” She flashed her left hand in front of Mildred’s face. Mildred was shocked, but quickly calmed down.
“You know, I don’t care anymore. Why do I have to live in this town anyways?”
Bob reeled, taken aback. “You live in this town because it is our home!”
“I don’t like it here, and I don’t think Mother did either.” She paused, pondering, then asked her father, “Why did you make us stay? Why were so you selfish?”
“I cannot believe this girl. Can you believe what you’re hearing?” Bob asked Kathy.
“Well, I’m not surprised. Boy, I could tell you a lot about her! This is tame compared to… well, like, did you know…” Kathy turned and looked Bob straight in the face, “Your daughter is a lesbian.” She said it like it was a dirty word. “And do you know what else? Karen, that organists daughter, is her little partner in hell. Soon, she’ll contaminate all of us!” Kathy dramatically pointed at Mildred then waved her hands around wildly, trying to scare Bob.
Bob was speechless, for a brief ten seconds, he stood their with his mouth open, looking as though he’d been hit with a pan. Both Kathy and Mildred tried to rush to him to revive him, but Bob held his hand out to indicate that he was fine. He looked at his daughter, but she made no move to deny the allegation. He realized his lover was telling the truth.
“I…I can’t believe you would do this to me!” he shouted, angrily. “Satan has been whispering things in your ears,” he accused.
“Honestly, I think God created me the way I am. You always taught me that ‘All of His creations will join God in the kingdom of heaven’.” Mildred was calm now, and looked him straight in the face.
“Don’t shout like that in my face with…with all these liesssssssssss! Leave my house! Leave it!” he shouted and waved his fists, as his face turned a deep plum color. “You have dishonored your family. May you burn in hell!” He gestured rudely to her.
Mildred was taken aback, but remained calm and asked, “Why should I burn in hell? God loves me as his other creations. You said God loves all his children.”
“No, I am a man of God; I know his word!”
“You try to convince me and your brethren, but your lies burn the souls of your brothers and sisters.” Mildred stated, sadly.
“How dare you spout this nonsense?! You are possessed by the devil! You are not my daughter. You’ll never achieve righteousness, with Him,” he pointed to heaven, as his eyes became foggy and faraway.
Gladys who had heard the whole scene unfold, walked in with a simple bag of stuff for Mildred, so that she could leave.
“Come, my child, and you will experience righteousness.”
“Where are we going?” asked Mildred, completely dazed and overwhelmed as she took Gladys’s hand.
“You will find your mother and you will take Karen with you. It is your duty to learn about the world outside. You will find your place in the world. God has given you a path.”
“Yes,” and she followed Gladys outside where she gave her a farewell token of good luck.
“Karen,” Mildred said as she walked towards Karen’s house and beckoned for her. “We are to go to the land of the holy, where people are accepting.”
“One moment; let me get some things,” and then she rushed inside the house to get food and some seeds; she loved them and had nurtured them always.
When she came out, she asked Mildred, “Can we make one last stop? We have to get the white daffodils that bloom near our church. They are what make me smile brightest in the spring.”
Together, they walked towards the church, gently took as many bulbs as they could grab quickly, and started out for a new life.
The End
Good For Nothin' But Love
Intro 1
I'm no good at spelling,
Never did read much,
I'm no good at selling,
Lingerie and such.
Something must be wrong with me,
Ev'ry thing I try,
Proves I'm good for nothin' much,
And here's my alibi:
Intro 2:
When I feel I'm falling,
I don't hesitate,
In a phone booth calling,
Fixing up a date,
Just a little kiss or two,
Put me in a trance,
Guess some day I'll marry,
If i ever get a chance:
Chorus:
Good for nothin' baby,
Wear my heart on my glove.
Try my darn'dest to be good,
But I'm good for nothin' but love.
I though some time may be,
I'd be an angel above,
But I can't fly when I'm neckin' a guy-
Oh! I'm good for nothin' but love,
Want to reform and go to church Sunday,
Like all the good folks do.
But like a storm I rush around Monday in search of a thrill that's new.
Good for nothin' all day long-
But when the moon is above,
I got weak when I ought to be strong-
And I'm good for nothin' but love.
I'm Climbing Up a Rainbow
Songs from The Big Party
Intro 1:
I can close my eyes and see,
Paradise in front of me,
Ever since the day that I found you.
Said "goodbye" to loneliness,
Said "hello" to happiness,
Right thru heaven's door;
That's where I'm heading for.
Intro 2:
Ev'ry where I go it seems,
Even thru the night in dreams,
I keep climbing up those steps of gold,
Cares and worries fade away,
Getting nearer ev'ry day,
Soon I'll be with you,
Where dreams will all come true.
Chorus:
Step by step,
I'm climbing up a Rainbow.
Day by day,
I'm falling more in love.
Step by step,
I'm finding little blue birds,
Singing while they're wingin' high above;
I just keep pushin' away clouds that are gray,
Lettin' the sun shine thru;
Skippin' along,
Hummin' a song,
One that I wrote about you-oo;
Step by step,
I'm climbing up a rainbow,
Day by day,
I'm falling more in love.
This singer has to be heard to be believed. Her name is Carlotta King At the end she hits the highest note(possibly ever recorded!). The picture's fuzzy, but it's still enjoyable. This clip is from The Desert Song and I do not know half of what she's saying.