Washing Worms - by Tommye Staley (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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.