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The Leatherface
Chronicles
Much of the
time I stand here looking out of the landscape of our immensely large back yard
with the tall grass blowing around in the wind where you can see rusted cars
parked throughout the clearing and overflowing through the tree line. I listen
to a calming song over the old AM transistor radio that my grandmother listen
too when she cooked for us years ago, with the warm meat and flowing blood of
the fresh kill reminds me of the first time I took the life out of another
living thing.
Growing up
in Travis County Texas was a fun time in my life. The entire family would get
together and have cook outs that would last for hours. Back in the 60s the
family was much larger with many political and official connections. The larger
annual gatherings brought in people from all over Texas and were used as a
ceremonial event for coming of age to those male family members that were
turning thirteen. Years earlier while I was real young I was being watched by
my overweight aunt who would come over and sit with us while the family went
out to handle “family business”. It was at this time she taught me a little
about the business. With living on a farm, we had plenty of animals. While we
walked around in search of a possible killing, a small kitten started rubbing
at my feet and let out a small “meow”. My aunt with her raspy voice yelled to
me “Grab that little beast”. So I picked it up and cuddled it like it was a
small newborn baby so it would feel safe and try not to escape. We walked up to
the butcher room that was attached to the backside off the kitchen. I was not
allowed to go in before now. I looked up and my aunt and she gave me the nod to
assured me that it was okay to go in. To a small child looking up at everything
that the family has built on for years made me feel honored and proud. To think
I would be able to use these tools of the trade made me feel proud. She helped
me up to the edge of a large dark would table that was covered with stains of
the past. She put on a large pair of leather gloves took the kitten from my
arms and held it down on its back. The leather gloves protected her from the
screaming and clawing that the kitten was doing to protect itself from what was
going to next. With the other hand she pulled over from the side of the table a
clean canvas roll with bulges on all sides. She told to take it and unroll it
out. I pulled the neatly tied knot that looks it the ones on Christmas
presents. As I opened it, the tools shined in the sunlight as each on became
visible. They were each cleaned and unsoiled. The handles on these tools were
darker than the table and were smooth to the touch. These are the only tools I have
ever seen outside the rusty saws and farm tools in the barn. She told me to
pick anyone I wanted to use. There was a small awl that had a little button
type handle that fit perfect in my small seven year old hands. With my left
hand I but the butt of the handle and slowly put it in the mouth of the
screaming kitten that I was just holding like a baby just moments before. The
awl was so sharp at the tip that it just slid in like momma’s rose torn in my
finger with I pick one for her. I can feel it hitting the back of the skull so
with the right hand I make a small little fist and slam it down on top of my
other hand. This also made the kitten fight a little harder but kept it’s head
still while the rest of the body was scratching and fighting to get away from
it’s soon to be death. The awl was small and made a small hole that caused just
very little bleeding. There was just enough blood that it was pooling in the
back of the throat. I stood over it watching the kitten scream and claw under
the powerful grip of the leather glove that was getting covered with pattered
blood from the kitten spitting up in order to breath. Blood from the back of
the head was pooling under the body and absorbed in the fur of its head and
back. With all the fighting and jerking of its head it made the hole larger and
the blood to flow more and now running out from under the slow moving body of
this kitten…………..MORE TO COME
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