Meet The Stankers

Subject: Meet The Stankers Tue Feb 22, 2011 5:13 pm

My story in Forever Friends is Meet the Stankers.

Meet The Stanker’s

Up the road from Wooffer’s Woods is a large sandy field where gopher turtles live. Prickly-pear cactus and yellow tickseed grow here and there in the dry sand. This sandy field runs along the road for a long way and slopes back into a thicket of small scrubby oaks. Beyond the thicket of small trees, the land begins to become damp and muddy. The trees grew bigger and thicker until they reached a boggy swamp and down to the creek. This swamp has been the home of a family of wild pigs named Stanker and has been referred to as Stanker’s Bog since any pig named Stanker could remember.

Wild pigs stay up all night and sleep all day, as you know, so it was just before dawn and very dark as each pig found their place to sleep for the day. With much ado, every pig found a comfortable spot and snorted into it and made themselves very comfortable.

As is the custom of wild pigs, the oldest grandfather began to tell a story. It was a story that the younger pigs complained about hearing again and again.

“I remember,” he began, “a story my grandpa told to me and it is a story his grandfather told to him and his before him and so on . . .”

Three little pigs rolled their eyes and grunted to each other. “Not again! How many times have we heard this same story over and over! We know every word,” moaned Wadda.

Grandfather Stanker continued his story. “We can trace the lineage of the Stanker family all the way back to Noah’s Arc when Noah, himself, chose old Ben A. Stanker and his wife, Shebe, to go on the ‘Once In A Lifetime Cruise’ and see the world. It was a big honor to be chosen and from that beginning, the Stanker’s have prospered!” At this point in the story, grandfather Stanker always looked around to make sure the young ones were listening.

The three young pigs that sat rolling their eyes were in the beginning of their teen-hood and had agreed that they had lived long enough that they had not one thing to learn and had learned simply everything in the previous three weeks. They had casually discussed going out to see the world. This reiterated story of the old grandfather set this

idea in motion again and serious consideration to do just that.

At some hour in the dark of the next night, the three little pigs set off to see the world. Dawn was hovering under the horizon when the three pigs came upon Wooffer’s gate and read the sign.

WOOFFER’S WOODS

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Under these words was a beautiful picture of a small, smiling dog.

It took a few moments for the idea of a sanctuary for wild life to be understood by the three wild pigs. It was Bea that spoke up first. “We may be pigs, but I see no reason to live like one!”

Eysa confirmed her feelings and Wadda thought she had the right idea. “Let the living begin!” exclaimed Wadda Stanker and they all three entered Wooffer’s Woods with smiles on their faces.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

It had been three weeks since the Stanker’s had come to live at the sanctuary. As with anyone new in a neighborhood, it took a while to become acquainted with the others. Although Eysa was not very outgoing, the other animals seem to like her right away. They gathered around to hear her stories of life in the swamp and the wild way that wild pigs live.

Wadda was glad to have left his wild piggy ways behind and joined in the new society in which he found himself, a new pig altogether. He loved the macaroni and cheese and the fancy vegetables. He listened to his new friends, the green lizards. What wonderful and exciting stories they had to tell of life in the Wooffer’s Woods!

The Stanker’s had found very nice accommodations with a big living room situated under one of the largest and shadiest of the old oaks. Dinner came right on time and there was no end of time to relax and play the games they all loved - hop-skip and jump, a lovely game of pig scrabble, and domino’s by the eights.

Life was very, very nice!

In the evenings Eysa entertained Wadda and Bea with stories she made up about their past lives in the swamp. She included many of their old friend’s names into these late evening tales. Wadda and Bea looked forward to these nightly stories with smiles on their faces. Each evening after the dinner had been served and eaten, they settled into the corner of the room and snorted themselves to comfort with their snouts on their front hooves. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation as Eysa began the story.

As Eysa told the story, Bea and Wadda remembered it just that way. The old swamp took on a rosy glow that filtered through the trees. They could almost smell the lovely mud and feel it between their two front toes. It was late in the night and the moon was shining through the oak tree leaves when Bea began to cry. She sobbed as if her heart would break. The sound of her crying resonated throughout the Woods and every creature for a mile around knew that Bea’s heart was breaking. She sobbed, snorted and blew. She squealed into the night and would not be comforted. She cried so many tears that her make-up began to melt and run down her nose. She did not care. She wanted to go home to the swamp!

Eysa tried to comfort her. She told her to remember that dinner came right on time and to think of the nice baths and the gentle animals. As Eysa talked on, Bea felt a little better. She went to bed that night and looked at the full moon through swollen eyes and decided that she would go home to Stanker’s Bog.

When morning smiled it’s first light on Eysa,, she was awake and waiting. She looked over at Bea and saw that she was still sleeping. As quietly as she could, Eysa left the Stanker rooms and went off through the wet grass to Wooffer’s house.

Wooffer had just come out for his morning stroll. Eysa watched him for a while, remarking how freely he enjoyed his mornings, and then decided that she must speak to him that minute or burst! She began, “A word if you please and have the time, Wooffer.”

Wooffer was all ears and smiles. “Hello Eysa! Good morning!” He wagged his way to where she was standing.

Eysa blurted it all out. She told about Bea and the crying, the swamp and the stories, and how Bea wanted to go home to the swamp. By the time she was done with the telling she was almost in tears herself. Wooffer listened very carefully and told Eysa that he would tell his mom. He just knew that she would know what to do about Bea.

By the time the sun was at nine o’clock, Wooffer’s mom was on her way to the Stanker’s rooms. She carried a bucket of water and another bucket of chili, beans, potatoes, corn, dog food and pig chow. She hummed a tune as she walked, sniffed the air and was glad to be alive. She set her bucket down, said hello to Eysa and Wadda and went straight over to Bea. Bea was still sleeping in the corner. She touched Bea on the shoulder and spoke softly to awaken her.

Bea looked at Wooffer’s mom and started to cry, but Wooffer’s mom bathed Bea’s swollen eyes with the cool, wet towel and washed the old make-up from her face. She held Bea’s face in her hands and said, “Please come with me on Saturday night, and if you still want to go, I will take you back to the swamp myself.” Bea agreed.

Wooffer’s mom said, “Please put on your best make-up for Saturday” and, looking around at Eysa and Wadda, “Do look your best! Eight o’clock!”

Saturday dawned with a mist of rain and the smell of wild sage and thyme on the breeze. It had been a week since Wooffer’s mom had visited the Stanker’s rooms, but they knew she would be good for her word and be there to get them eight o’clock sharp.

They all had nice long baths and wore their best and most expressive clothes.Bea and Eysa had done each other’s make-up. Both of them were lovely! Wadda had combed his hair into a ‘razorback.’ He said it was something he had made up himself and he was very proud of the result.

Promptly at eight o’clock, Wooffer’s mom came to escort the three Stanker’s. They walked at a brisk pace for a ways and it seemed that many other animals were going the same way. All were dressed in their best and were as cheery as could be, talking and laughing and jostling a bit, all with anticipation of arriving ahead of the others. The Stanker’s stayed beside Wooffer’s mom as closely as they were allowed by the many animals on the path, until they came to a big meadow. In the center of the meadow was a large platform adorned with several microphones.

Wooffer’s mom led all three little Stanker’s to the very edge of this platform and sat down with them. It was not very long until the whole meadow was filled with every animal that lived in the sanctuary. Every eye was on the platform. A very vine looking duck waddled out to the center microphone and said in a loud, smiling voice: “Thank you all for coming to the First Annual Jamboree In The Woods!!!”

Many and varied sounds of appreciation came from all the animals. Some honked, some oinked, some clucked, some screeched, and some clapped their paws. Everyone there expressed themselves with their most joyous sound.

The duck held up a wing to quiet the crowd. He said, “Please make welcome, all the way from the Okeefenokee … The Hicksy Chicks!!” He had just gotten these words out of his mouth when four beautiful hens strutted onto the platform. When the noise subsided a little, they sang a song about a Rooster named Earl. All the chickens seemed to appreciate the song and smile and cluck about it.

After The Hicksy Chicks finished their song, a totally black pig strolled out to the middle of the platform. The crowd went wild with every noise of appreciation anyone could imagine. He said, “Hi! My name is Johnny………”and the rest of what he said was lost in the joyous sounds coming from the entire congregation. He was a long legged guitar-picking pig who looked directly at Bea during his whole performance. Bea was in a trance. This Johnny (whoever he was) sang about sad times and pigs that were in prisons. Her heart went out to him.

Finally, the duck came back on the platform and announced in a loud voice, “And Now! All the way from The Grand Old Uproar…..The One’s you have been waiting for….MOTHER MAYBEA AND THE STANKER SISTERS!!!” From behind a curtain came Mother MayBea and the Stanker sisters all dressed in sparkling dresses and beautiful shoes. Bea almost fainted right then. It was her very own mom and her very own sisters!

They started off with a banjo and guitar song. By the end of it, Mother MayBea had spotted Bea in the front row. She winked and smiled at Bea. At the end of the banjo song, out came Johnny/ Bea still did not hear his name because of all the noise the audience was making. He sang a song with Mother MayBea and the Stanker Sisters about his daddy who sang bass and mother who sang tenor. At the end of the song, Mother MayBea stepped up to the microphone and said, “I would like you all to meet my other daughter, Bea!” She reached down and pulled Bea up onto the stage with her and the Stanker sisters. Then the band began. Mother MayBea and all the sisters, including Bea sang, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”

Bea’s life was never the same after that day. She went on tour with her mom and sisters and eventually found out who the mysterious black pig was. It was many years before she got to revisit the old swamp, Stanker’s Bog.

Eysa is still telling her stories. Her life is a quiet one full of small joys. Wadda became a barber. It seems that his razorback hair-do was a big hit!

Love,

Betty

Subject: Re: Meet The Stankers Tue Feb 22, 2011 5:43 pm

I had almost forgotten the Stanker's. Good memories; good times.

Thanks again, Betty.

Ann

Subject: Re: Meet The Stankers Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:46 pm

Loved it, Betty.

Subject: Re: Meet The Stankers Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:59 am

Betty,

You are so full of wonder and imagination. It is a gift.

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