Spilled Milk

The aunt is putting Sunday dinner on the table. We are waiting for her to sit down so we can all eat. She sets the platter of fried chicken in the middle of the table. The uncle is sitting across from me. The cousin is on my left and the sister is on my right. The aunt is standing to the left of the cousin. She is complaining about all the work she does, and how no one helps her. How having the sister and me there just creates more work for her.


I am so hungry! Fried chicken is my favorite. There is a chicken leg hanging off the side of the platter -- the side nearest to me. I snake my hand across my plate and beside my milk glass to try and reach the chicken leg. Something startles me and I knock my milk glass over. Everything erupts. The aunt begins to yell at me so I dive under the table. She is screaming. "You've ruined everything!" "You'll pay for this!" The sister looks under the table. She is either angry or scared. She tells me to get up now! 


The aunt comes around to my side of the table. She jerks the chair back and reaches under the table. She grabs my left arm and hauls me up. She throws me into the chair and pushes it up. "Are you hungry? You pig! Oink! Oink! Oink!" She begins to throw food on my plate: the chicken leg, mashed potatoes, beans and a roll. "You are nothing but trouble! If you're so hungry, eat every bite!" Once more I am stuck. I cannot win. If I eat, I'm afraid I'll throw up which will make more work for her and get me in more trouble. If I don't eat, God only knows what will happen. I try to stop crying. I try to make myself as small as possible.


Suddenly it is as if nothing has happened. Everyone is seated. The uncle says the prayer. They are all eating and talking about the singing at church later. I say I can't wait to go. Stupid, stupid me! Why did I open my mouth? The aunt says maybe I can just stay home by myself and think about what I've done. I get small and quiet again. I try to eat in very small bites, but it is taking too long. Everyone else is finished. The aunt says I can't get up until I've eaten every last bite. She cleans the kitchen while I eat in miniscule bites. Finally she takes the plate away and tells me to go take my nap.