Caroline Tate

Caroline has had enough of Frankie-Lynn’s behavior and tells her if she doesn’t sit still the wooden ruler will be paying her hands a visit. Still hands are happy hands after all. She smiles as she sees Frankie-Lynn fold her hands in her lap and sit very still and very quietly. “That’s a good girl Frankie-Lynn, you keep those hands nice and still like Mama says and no more interrupting Mama when she’s reading, is that understood?”

“Yes” Replied Frankie-Lynn.

“Yes, what?” Caroline asked sternly.

“Yes, Mama, I’ll stay still,” Frankie-Lynn said beaming up at her mother.

“Good,” Caroline says as she continues to read aloud from the bible.

Frankie-Lynn sat staring up at her Mama listening to her read, she loved when Mama called her a good girl and she always tried her best to please her. As she thought about how happy her Mama was with her, she began to open and close her fingers, slowly at first and then with excitement.

“Frankie-Lynn! What did I just tell you!” Caroline scolded her.

“I’m sorry, Mama. I’m trying to sit still I promise.” Frankie-Lynn said trying to hold back her tears.

“You know the rules. If you can’t keep your hand still what happens?”

“Mama, please don’t. I’m sorry” Frankie-Lynn begged.

“I asked you a question, Frankie-Lynn Tate. Do not make me repeat myself, and no crying.” Caroline looked at Frankie-Lynn with the cold look that meant Frankie-Lynn was in very big trouble.

“Wooden Ruler comes and makes my hands stay still for me,” Frankie-Lynn says trying not to show any sign of emotion.

“Good. Now go get the ruler and no backtalk or it will make your mouth stay still too.” Caroline threatened.

Frankie-Lynn hurried to grab the wooden ruler for her Mama, it was hard wood with a metal edge on one side. It made a terrible noise when it sliced through the air, but it gave Frankie-Lynn a moment to brace herself for the hit. She handed her Mama the ruler as nicely as she could, hoping that her Mama wouldn’t hit her too many times.

Caroline took the wooden ruler and commanded Frankie-Lynn to put her hands flat across the table and ordered Frankie-Lynn to count out loud after each recitation.

WHACK “If you don’t punish your children, you don’t love them. If you do love them, you will correct them Proverbs 13:24.”

“One” Frankie-Lynn counted and then another WHACK. Caroline smacked Frankie-Lynn’s hands hard each time. Frankie-Lynn was always very careful to mind her numbers, she’d forgotten once and accidentally skipped twelve. That time Wooden Ruler hit her mouth for lying and her hands an additional thirteen times plus an extra for the one she skipped.

Frankie-Lynn had learned to stay very still and small inside her body when she was being loved like this. She didn’t make a noise other than her counting or move a muscle, if she did Wooden Ruler would come after the offending body part next. She liked it when her Mama patted her head and she HATED Wooden Ruler, and Proverbs.

Frankie-Lynn’s hands were swollen on the knuckles where she had been hit and cut where the metal had sliced her, which didn’t stop the impulse to move them, just the ability. Caroline didn’t care which one it was as long as her little Frankie-Lynn’s hands were still. Once Frankie-Lynn had decided to behave herself, Caroline continued to read the Bible aloud, this time she kept the ruler next to her as a reminder to her daughter to keep her hands folded and her mouth closed.