16 Jan What’s Good for the Goose

Mary was tired of making do. Ma said they had to. She watered down the soup so many days, it began to taste like nothing.

Ma said they had to cut corners, so Mary didn’t get a new birthday dress this year.  Ma just added more fabric to the hems.

Ma did most of the work. Pa just sat there in the den. Day after day. He didn’t talk much anymore. They used to fight over money. Pa would yell a lot. Ma would cry a lot. Not anymore.

People kept asking where Pa was. Ma kept saying he was away, looking for work. Mary didn’t know why. He was right there in the den.

Ma and pa used to stuff animals. Rabbits, ocelots, rats. They stuffed em all. But they loved birds the most. Swans, penguins, ostriches. People paid the most for birds.

People used to bring them animals to stuff. Animals their dog had killed. Animals they had run over with their automobile. People paid a hefty amount. They didn’t anymore. No one wanted stuffed animals anymore.

Ma and pa didn’t just know how to stuff. They knew how to hunt too. They said they could make it look as though the animal was still alive. That’s how good they were.

Ma said it was time to clean the animals. They had to dust em. Clean the hide. Clean the fur. Clean the feathers. Change em.

“Remember to change your pa too, when you’re done with the birds. It’s been a week since we did. He’s gonna look so nice. Propped up in the den. Next to my other beauties.”

Mary did whatever Ma told her to. Pa didn’t speak much anymore.