Poisonous People

Caught in the act of selling cigarettes they'd stolen from my mother and grandmother, both my brothers chose the hard way out and flatly denied the offense. They refused to explain the half dozen packs of Kent 100's and Parliaments found in their pockets. They couldn't account for the extra money stashed in their underwear. The fishermen witnesses who had turned them in were all lying. They hadn't done it, they each defiantly swore. Disgusted and at a loss by this cold, brazen and laughable denial, Nana confiscated every dime and grounded them for a week.

“You'll be sorry!” the older one spit in her face and my mother went white with rage. She delivered an unexpected and vicious slap that rocked him back on his heels and brought tears to his eyes.

“And you'll watch your mouth, you filthy little thief!” she snapped, “Go to your room and stay there until you're called! Both of you!”

It was a remarkably satisfying moment but I knew better than to say so and I slipped quietly out before she could notice me and redirect her anger.

The following week was surprisingly calm. There was very little discussion of the incident and in a rare show of unity, my mother and grandmother stood firm. The boys were allowed to come downstairs for meals but otherwise they stayed banished and late at night, I could hear their hushed laughter and whispered conversations through the walls. I was sure they were plotting and scheming their revenge. Amazingly enough, my grandmother and mother thought so too and after three days, they sent the younger one to a separate room. The laughter and late night conversations, now solo, continued though and on the third day, I hesitantly asked my grandmother if I could sleep downstairs. She gave me a narrow eyed, hard edged look, thought better of asking any questions and nodded. If my mother was curious about the move she never said and the dogs and I settled into the room off the kitchen for the rest of the summer. It was next to my grandmother's bedroom and that, combined with the added distance from the upstairs, made me feel marginally safer.

On the morning of the fifth day, the younger brother had had enough. He admitted the theft, made his apologies and swore he'd learned his lesson. Nana released him with a fierce warning that the next infraction would not only send him home on the first plane but that he'd never be allowed back.

“Makes no difference to me whether you're here or not,” she told him, “But I reckon you like comin' so there'll be no more trouble else this gon' be your last summer. Mind me, boy, I mean what I say. Is that understood?”

“Look at your grandmother when she's talkin' to you!” my mother said sharply, “Answer her and be polite about it!”

“Yes'm,” he mumbled and just for a moment I thought he might actually be sincere. Just for a moment he looked as if he might be about to cry but the moment evaporated as soon as I saw his eyes. A shiver went up my spine and I hurriedly snatched up my jacks, made my way to the sunporch and closed the door behind me.

Two days later, the older brother remained defiant and was sentenced to a second week of solitary. My mother, pale and shaken, managed to bargain it down to three days provided he promised to behave himself and steer clear of Nana. My grandmother, by then feeling more like a jailer than a relative, reluctantly agreed.

“Only because it's less trouble than keepin' him locked up,” she told my mother with a weary sigh, “But mark my words, Jan, the boy's a bad seed and you'd best be watchin' him like a goddam hawk or I'll be washing my hands of the both of you.”

Some of the most poisonous people come disgused as family - Anonymous