One Dark Day

One Dark Day

This story is told almost word for word from the mouth of my mother, she was a Tennessee woman, born and raised, only sixth grade education, very strong southern slang, very few people could understand her unless they knew her well, her accent was that strong... so in the words she would use with her broken english I will tell this story how it was told to me in the exact words that she used broken english and all. I have changed the names to protect the innocent, my mother would not like for her name to be printed this way. She passed away 2/23/07 and I will always respect her. I loved her very much, she was my hero, later you will see why. My life story, this is how I came into the world.... there will be more to follow as time goes on and time will allow.

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CHAPTER ONE

[ exposition]
Shirley and Lou was heading home, and had just turned off the interstate, onto their exit, Lou thinking that the old country roads would be quicker to get home.

Lou and Shirley Mills had just been visiting Shirley's parent's home in Shelbyville, Tenn. with their two children, Marion and Lee. And did I forget to say Shirley was also eight months pregnant ?

It was about 6 A.M. when shirley started having bad cramps in her stomach, and she and her husband, Lou, had been arguing since they had left her father's house at 5:00 A.M. Shirley was a very thin woman, even pregnant, she only weighed 110 pounds, she had auburn hair shoulder lenght, and was 5 foot 4 inches tall.

Shirley was very scared of Lou, because you see, Lou was abusive...to the max.! Lou had already put Shirley in the hospital a few times with broken bones, rape to the extent of her having to get sewn back up, among other things that will be told later.

Now because of this abuse... Shirley was scared of Lou, and that is saying it mildly! More like terror was a better word for it. It was because of this terror that she did not want to tell Lou that she might be in labor. They weren't any where near home and she didn't want to anger him any futher than what he was right this minute. So she just kept hoping that it was just a stomach ache, and said nothing as they passed through town after town.

She was thinking about little Marion and Lee crouched together, cluching each other as they looked on as they saw the two of them arguing. She was also thinking, " what will happen to them if I go into labor?" Shirley knew how mean Lou could be, not just to her but to the children as well. Lou had almost killed their son Lee when he was six months old because he had messed up his diaper at the dinning table. ( Lee was just six months old when one night they were all sitting around the dinning table eating their ' supper ', when Lee ' went ' in his diaper, Lou smelled it, got so mad that he back handed the baby up against the wall out of his highchair, the baby was close to death. She had ran to her baby and picked him up and ran to the neighbors house to ask them to please rush her to the hospital. While there she asked a guard that was on duty to arrest her husband for it. ( this was 1957 and back then it was just a domestic thing that the police didn't get involved in.... until now), They arrested him but could only keep him for one day because there was no law at the time for domestic violence, and then he was set free... to come back home.... and beat his wife for having him arrested. )



[rising action]
So she was trying to keep the pains to herself, or try to until they got home. Once there she knew she could call upon her sister-n-law to take care of the children until she had the baby or until she found out if it was false labor. Lost in her own thoughts, that is when Lou exclaimed! " Shit! Shirley, what have you done now? Look at yourself ! You've pissed on my damn seat, I should stop this car and beat the shit out of you! " all the while Marion and Lee in the back seat started crying now, scared to death that their father was going to hurt mommy again.



[climax]
Shirley looked down and then noticed while she was lost in thought that her water had broke, and she didn't realize it ! She said " Lou ! I'm in labor, and I didn't pee on the seat, this is my water that has broke. I need to get to a hospital right away, or I'm having this baby right here! " Lou and Shirley was just at the Alabama state line, they were coming to a town called Huntland, Tenn., then they would be almost home. Lou knew that he didn't want any part of seeing her have this baby or deliver it, so he drove around the town of Huntland ,Tenn. looking for a hospital or medical building of any kind. He spotted a health clinic that looked like it was open. It should be he thought, it's around 8:00 A.M. now, and any buisness should be open at this hour.
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As he pulled in he saw that there wasn't many car's there, he was glad of that, that mean't he could get her taken care of and he wouldn't be stuck having to see any of this. So into the clinic they went, Shirley shaking with fear and labor
pains, and Lou barking at the receptionist as soon as he entered the clinic, " get me some help damnit ! , my wife is having a baby here !!! What the hell is wrong with you people? don't you hear?" All the while the receptionist was trying to get Lou's attention, he was yelling so loud that he couldn't hear anyone's responce. Finally they got his attention, the nurse came rushing out and ushered Shirley through a set of double doors, down a small corridor into a examining room.



[falling action]
Once inside the examining room the nurse helped Shirley off with her soaked dress from her water bursting, and into a hospital gown. She had just put it on when her new baby started to arrive. The doctor came in and examined her and said that " it is doubtful that this baby will live, but let's give this a try anyway, okay? , Now when I say push, I want you to push real hard because the baby is half out now". Shirley said okay, and the doctor said " okay now here we go, push!" And swishhhh, and there was this baby girl, barely breathing. Then all at once, this tiny premature baby starting convulsing in the doctor's big hand's, the doctor holding ever so lightly but steady until the convulsing ended.



[resolution]
Doctor Applebee listened to the baby girl's heart beat, it was there but weak. Doctor Applebee turned and gave the infant to the nurse to clean up, as he turned around he said " Mrs. Mills? You and your baby need to go to the hospital.
This is only a clinic as you could see coming in, and we are not equiped for such matter's. And your baby has a problem that need's to be seen about immediately!" Shirley just looked at her helpless baby girl across the room where they were cleaning her up, and thought, " why God!, why couldn't I have lost this one"?

By: Cissyccr/Cissy C.R.W.
3/2/08