The Sand Castle Read Free Page A

suit?”
    This brought on a war whoop from Mother, who laughed anew. “Oh, my God.” She wiped hereyes with a napkin. “Kids, Aunt Doney wore this bathing suit that had to be from the 1880s if it was a day. Well, the darn thing was wool. I mean your Aunt Doney and Uncle Jim could afford a new bathing suit but, well, that’s another story. She walked into the Bay. . . .”
    â€œAnd the waves hit the shore.” Aunt Louise dabbed her eyes because Aunt Doney was big as a house, the only family member who turned to fat.
    Mother laughed more, then returned to the tale, “So she’s out there paddling around and finally she comes on in. The day was right hot and to make a long story short, the suit shrunk. Whole sections of Aunt Doney hung over the edges of the suit. She about had a fit.”
    â€œDid it itch?” I wondered.
    â€œYeah and cut the circulation off her legs and arms so Uncle Jim told her she had to take it off, but there wasn’t a place to change or wash up. But there was a nice big bucket by the outdoorpump, so we trundled over there. Louise and I had to hold up blankets so no one could see, and she stripped off the bathing suit, washed with the bucket. She’d pump and pump, pump and pour. There was a lot to wash. We’re holding the blankets and remember, we’re not much bigger than you all and our arms grew weary. Uncle Jim hurried to fetch her frock, as he called it. Before he got back to us this wind whipped in right off the Bay and we couldn’t hold onto the blankets which were bigger than we were. Honey, there stood Aunt Doney just screaming and hollering vowing to kill us on the spot.”
    â€œI didn’t know Uncle Jim could run that fast.” Louise cried from laughter.
    â€œIf she’d kept her trap shut a few people would have noticed a large white lady naked by the water pump but no, she has to scream bloody murder and everyone on the beach witnessed all that jelly flab quivering.”
    They leaned on one another shoulder toshoulder, laughing. One would subside, then the other would start up. They were worse than Leroy and me.
    It was good to see Aunt Louise laugh.
    â€œWhat she do to you?” Leroy, cautious of punishment, put down his ham biscuit.
    â€œShe made us go sit on the bench telling us we couldn’t swim in the Bay. We were supposed to sit there until the mule jitney came by to carry us back to the train depot.” Mother smiled at the memory.
    â€œDid you?”
    â€œWell. . .,” Mother fudged, since she didn’t want Leroy and I to know what a devil she was, except we knew because not much had changed, she was just bigger, that’s all.
    â€œYour mother told everyone who passed by that an evil fat lady had forced us to sit on the green bench in the searing heat. We were going to dry up and fall down. Oh, it was a pitiful performance.”
    Breathlessly Leroy asked, “What happened?”
    â€œA nice gentleman walked to the police station and the policeman came by on his horse to see what was doing. Juts really pulled out the stops so he took us to the station and we got cleaned up by the lady behind the desk. We were full of sand. And then they gave us ice cream.” Aunt Louise relished the story.
    â€œAnd they arrested Aunt Doney for cruelty to children.” Mother laughed so hard she had to hold onto Louise or she’d tump over.
    â€œIt was a mess, I can tell you that, and Uncle Jim had to pay a fine and then he paid them more to keep it out of the papers. Great day.” Louise drew out “day” in the Southern manner.
    Aunt Doney didn’t talk to us the whole way home, and that was a long train ride, I can tell you.” Mother again wiped tears from her eyes.
    â€œWhat did your Mama do when you got home?” Leroy’s shoulders hunched up, already worried.
    â€œShe laughed and laughed. Aunt Doney got somad at her she didn’t speak to her for a