Washing Worms

Memories of a Southern Girl

Tommye Staley

• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781977270795
• eBook ISBN: 9781977272843
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

This is the story of a girl named Tommye who grew up on a very isolated island farm in rural Arkansas. She will tell the reader how the joy of her idyllic life was tempered by danger from the alligators and cotton mouth moccasins; by loss of family and friends, some of which were her pets; by trauma of being taught to kill animals for food, and rabid animals for protection; and wariness of the unknown, particularly school. Her curiosity, lack of fear, and strong sense of adventure often made her happy, but just as often put her in danger. She realizes at a young age that she likes being the best at whatever she tackles, a trait which causes a lot of pain in her life. She takes the reader with her as she learned to fish, hunt, pick berries, and harvest things from the garden. She introduces you to so many wonderful animals that are her friends. She says that she grew up in the country….the wild country. She also says that she doesn't know why she wasn't put into the reform school at age four. Most people would say that she grew up almost like a wild thing, but that isn't totally true, she was taught manners, strong southern manners. She makes it very clear that addressing any adult without using Mr., Mrs., Sir, or Mam was just not acceptable in her time and place. She finds that she has a very strong need to protect those that she loves both humans and animals. In this time and place that she grew up, the love of God and country was just a part of one's life, therefore, she has never been afraid to fight for what she thinks is right, or anyone that she thinks needs protecting. She learns many lessons in this ten-year period that this book encompasses. She learns that rabies is a scary thing, that mothballs don't cook very well, that eggs stick to concrete when it is 115 degrees outside, that love doesn't have a color, that it hurts when people you love die, that your horse and dog love you more than anybody else does, that electric shock hurts, that stepping on a nail gets you a tetanus shot, that shooting a snake in the house with a.12 gauge shotgun will blow a hole in the wall, that shoes are for sissies, and that you don't ride your grandmother's horse unless you want your butt beat!!!! She acts as the reader's guide through a wonderful time in the 1940's and 1950's when a little girl grows up in such a fascinating way and has so many incredible adventures, and learns so many 'life lessons'. It is a story that will appeal to all ages…those in which it will invoke similar memories, and those that have no clue what life was like back in that time and place. I didn't just live on that island; I was a part of it. I was the dust in the turn rows, I was the heatwaves made by the blistering summer sun, I was the huge catalpa trees by the storm cellar, I was the cool night breezes, I was the chocolate colored lake with fish, frogs, turtles, alligators and snakes, I was Joe and Miss Mookie, and Lou and John Henry…..I didn't just know these things, I was these things….and they were me.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1: Puppies and Crazy Aunts
• Chapter 2: Burning Snakes and Duck Eggs
• Chapter 3: Mr. Joe and Dust
• Chapter 4: Lou and John
• Chapter 5: Fox Hunts and Flying
• Chapter 6: Magical Christmas and Sammy
• Chapter 7: Mammy, Pappy and Granny
• Chapter 8: Wahoo Sam and Sidesaddling
• Chapter 9: Mamaw and Papaw
• Chapter 10: Weevils and the Alphabet
• Chapter 11: Tornados and Lessons Learned
• Chapter 12: Lye Soap and the Attic
• Chapter 13: No Heat and the Snake
• Chapter 14: More Tornados and Tornados
• Chapter 15: Mud Swimming and Fried Eggs
• Chapter 16: School Confessions and Soda Pop
• Chapter 17: The Raft and Cooked Mothballs
• Chapter 18: School and Other Problems
• Chapter 19: The Queen and Her Scarf
• Chapter 20: First Great Loss
• Chapter 21: Death and Music
• Chapter 22: Another Loss
• Chapter 23: Rat and Others
• Chapter 24: Cotton and Kitties
• Chapter 25: The Uncles
• Chapter 26: Manners and a Doll House
• Chapter 27: Me and the Island
• Chapter 28: Tommye and the Truck
• Chapter 29: Hunting and Food
• Chapter 30: Branding Irons and Rabies
• Chapter 31: Growing Up and A New Brother
• Chapter 32: Embarrassment and a Lightening Ball
• Chapter 33: Getting Taller and the First Blow
• Chapter 34: Happiness and Heartbreak
• The Last Chapter