Lil' Henry and His Woozy Brother
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Transcript of Lil' Henry and His Woozy Brother
counted 13 of them so he was never sure where the rest were hidden.
The words of Henry’s mom went in his left ear and made a
right ear. His mom was always telling him stuff like that. Where did she get all these things,
anyhow? They really seemed meaningless in the scope of everything.
Besides, the church Henry’s family went to was in
their living room. Yes, you heard that right: the
church Henry’s family went to was not in town
and it was not in a regular church building. For
some reason Henry could not understand, their
church was in their dining room.
Every Sunday morning right after
Henry’s job to go into the basement and haul up
folding chairs and put them around the
to sing, pray and spend large amounts of time sitting in absolute silence as the farm men l
like they were fighting the urge to snooze.
Once in a while, the oppressive silence would be broken by one of the
farmers jumping to his feet and standing there with his eyes closed,
talking to someone Henry could not see. His mom told him that it
God they were talking to, but Henry kept looking around and could not
see God.
he did not know a lot of things yet about God and how things worked in life.
The best time of the long, boring
Some male would stand up and tell God they were happy for the
chance to eat the bread on the table. That always made Henry wonder
why. The load of bread wasn’t very big. He had seen a lot bigger
Poor lil' Henry's house
“Henry, I want you to sit
very quietly in church this
morning. Don’t say a word
and don’t make faces at the
Hermann kid
mom. The Hermann’s
a neighbor farm family.
Henry heard
they had 31 kids but he only
counted 13 of them so he was never sure where the rest were hidden.
The words of Henry’s mom went in his left ear and made a quick trip across his head and out his
right ear. His mom was always telling him stuff like that. Where did she get all these things,
They really seemed meaningless in the scope of everything.
Besides, the church Henry’s family went to was in
room. Yes, you heard that right: the
church Henry’s family went to was not in town
and it was not in a regular church building. For
some reason Henry could not understand, their
church was in their dining room.
Every Sunday morning right after breakfast, it was
Henry’s job to go into the basement and haul up
folding chairs and put them around the room where people would gather in a couple of hours
to sing, pray and spend large amounts of time sitting in absolute silence as the farm men l
like they were fighting the urge to snooze.
Once in a while, the oppressive silence would be broken by one of the
farmers jumping to his feet and standing there with his eyes closed,
talking to someone Henry could not see. His mom told him that it
God they were talking to, but Henry kept looking around and could not
see God. Henry was not yet “enlightened” according to his brothers so
he did not know a lot of things yet about God and how things worked in life.
The best time of the long, boring meetings happened toward the end.
Some male would stand up and tell God they were happy for the
chance to eat the bread on the table. That always made Henry wonder
why. The load of bread wasn’t very big. He had seen a lot bigger
“Henry, I want you to sit
very quietly in church this
morning. Don’t say a word
t make faces at the
rmann kids,” said his
The Hermann’s were
a neighbor farm family.
heard his dad say
they had 31 kids but he only
quick trip across his head and out his
right ear. His mom was always telling him stuff like that. Where did she get all these things,
room where people would gather in a couple of hours
to sing, pray and spend large amounts of time sitting in absolute silence as the farm men looked
Once in a while, the oppressive silence would be broken by one of the
farmers jumping to his feet and standing there with his eyes closed,
talking to someone Henry could not see. His mom told him that it was
God they were talking to, but Henry kept looking around and could not
Henry was not yet “enlightened” according to his brothers so
loaves on the dinner table after his mom had baked bread.
But, the plate of bread was soon passed around and Henry knew that morning
“church” was about over. The last thing to happen was the same ritual when
someone would stand and with closed eyes, thank God for the cup. He
never understand what that meant as he could never spot the cup, just a glass of
what looked like juice on a little table.
Henry’s mom was very sensitive about whatever was in the glass. She often frowned very
heavily whenever Henry’s dad would
of juice that contained what Henry learned was called “wine.”
His mom told him never to drink what was left in the glass after church as
that was holy wine. He noticed that his dad never seemed to let that bother
him because Henry would sometimes spot dad in the pantry after church
tipping the glass toward the ceiling and giving out a little sigh.
The pantry was a small room off the kitchen where Henry’s mom put jars of
canned vegetables, cans of fruit and many, m
this little room is where the church wine was stored, waiting there from Sunday to
Sunday to play its role in Henry’s church service.
One Sunday after everyone had finally gone home, the smell of roast beef, mashed pota
creamed corn and freshly baked rhubarb
thought that was the most wonderful smell especially since the house was usually filled with
the smells of muddy pigs and tail
As Henry’s huge family sat down around the dinner table to eat, his father asked, “
Johnny?” Henry’s little brother was nowhere to be found.
“Johnny. Johnny. JOHNNY
he yelled, birds fell to the ground.
usually one of the first of the family to sit down to eat. He was always hungry.
But after several more minutes of yelling, still no Johnny appeared. The whole
family scatted to look for Johnny. Lyle checked the barn, Don
granary, Doreen looked down the basement and Doris went upstairs. Henry
supervised them all
But, no Johnny. Where could he be? Henry’s dad went to the corner of the
kitchen, his big old hand resting on the counter top as he tried to think
be.
table after his mom had baked bread.
But, the plate of bread was soon passed around and Henry knew that morning
“church” was about over. The last thing to happen was the same ritual when
someone would stand and with closed eyes, thank God for the cup. He
never understand what that meant as he could never spot the cup, just a glass of
what looked like juice on a little table.
Henry’s mom was very sensitive about whatever was in the glass. She often frowned very
heavily whenever Henry’s dad would smack his lips when he looked at the jug
of juice that contained what Henry learned was called “wine.”
His mom told him never to drink what was left in the glass after church as
that was holy wine. He noticed that his dad never seemed to let that bother
him because Henry would sometimes spot dad in the pantry after church
tipping the glass toward the ceiling and giving out a little sigh.
The pantry was a small room off the kitchen where Henry’s mom put jars of
canned vegetables, cans of fruit and many, many boxes of Wheaties. In addition,
this little room is where the church wine was stored, waiting there from Sunday to
Sunday to play its role in Henry’s church service.
One Sunday after everyone had finally gone home, the smell of roast beef, mashed pota
creamed corn and freshly baked rhubarb-strawberry pie filled the house. Henry always
thought that was the most wonderful smell especially since the house was usually filled with
the smells of muddy pigs and tail-switching cows.
ily sat down around the dinner table to eat, his father asked, “
” Henry’s little brother was nowhere to be found.
Johnny. Johnny. JOHNNY!” yelled Henry’s dad. Dad had a loud voice! When
he yelled, birds fell to the ground. No answer. This was unusual. Johnny was
usually one of the first of the family to sit down to eat. He was always hungry.
But after several more minutes of yelling, still no Johnny appeared. The whole
family scatted to look for Johnny. Lyle checked the barn, Don
, Doreen looked down the basement and Doris went upstairs. Henry
them all.
But, no Johnny. Where could he be? Henry’s dad went to the corner of the
kitchen, his big old hand resting on the counter top as he tried to think of where Johnny might
But, the plate of bread was soon passed around and Henry knew that morning
“church” was about over. The last thing to happen was the same ritual when
someone would stand and with closed eyes, thank God for the cup. Henry could
never understand what that meant as he could never spot the cup, just a glass of
Henry’s mom was very sensitive about whatever was in the glass. She often frowned very
The pantry was a small room off the kitchen where Henry’s mom put jars of
any boxes of Wheaties. In addition,
this little room is where the church wine was stored, waiting there from Sunday to
One Sunday after everyone had finally gone home, the smell of roast beef, mashed potatoes,
filled the house. Henry always
thought that was the most wonderful smell especially since the house was usually filled with
ily sat down around the dinner table to eat, his father asked, “Where’s
Dad had a loud voice! When
This was unusual. Johnny was
usually one of the first of the family to sit down to eat. He was always hungry.
But after several more minutes of yelling, still no Johnny appeared. The whole
family scatted to look for Johnny. Lyle checked the barn, Don checked the
, Doreen looked down the basement and Doris went upstairs. Henry
But, no Johnny. Where could he be? Henry’s dad went to the corner of the
of where Johnny might
crooked smile and his eyes were going around his head like saucers on ice.
Doreen ran into the pantry. “Yes
lot missing.”
Henry’s little brother Johnny was drunk. There was no easy way to say it. Mom’s face was
white with worry. Her face always turned white when thing
“What are we going to do, Ralph?”
he die?”
Henry’s dad just leaned back on the counter top by the sink. “
him to bed. All that will happen is th
Henry wondered. How did his dad know that?
Then all of a sudden as the kids came in
from every direction, Henry’s dad held up
his hand: “Shhhhh,” he said.
heard something.”
He tilted his head, then walked across the
kitchen to the sink and bent down.
he grabbed the handles on the two doors
below the sink and opened them.
There he was, Johnny. He was grinning a
crooked smile and his eyes were going around his head like saucers on ice.
“Get out of there,” his dad ordered Johnny. But little John
could not make his legs work. Something was wrong.
Henry’s mother bent down to help Johnny up. “
she said, holding her nose. “Johnny, have you been drinking
the holy wine.”
But Johnny could not answer. He just grinned and grinned.
Yes,” she yelled, “He has. The bottle of wine is open and there is a
Henry’s little brother Johnny was drunk. There was no easy way to say it. Mom’s face was
white with worry. Her face always turned white when things went wrong.
What are we going to do, Ralph?” she asked dad. “Should we take him into the hospital? Will
Henry’s dad just leaned back on the counter top by the sink. “No, he will be alright. Let’s put
him to bed. All that will happen is that when he wakes up, he will have a headache.
Henry wondered. How did his dad know that?
a sudden as the kids came in
from every direction, Henry’s dad held up
,” he said. “I think I
He tilted his head, then walked across the
kitchen to the sink and bent down. Slowly
he grabbed the handles on the two doors
below the sink and opened them.
There he was, Johnny. He was grinning a
,” his dad ordered Johnny. But little Johnny
could not make his legs work. Something was wrong.
Henry’s mother bent down to help Johnny up. “Whewww,”
Johnny, have you been drinking
But Johnny could not answer. He just grinned and grinned.
e has. The bottle of wine is open and there is a
Henry’s little brother Johnny was drunk. There was no easy way to say it. Mom’s face was
Should we take him into the hospital? Will
No, he will be alright. Let’s put
at when he wakes up, he will have a headache.”