When I reached the kitchen, I noticed that daddy was seating at the head of the table. To his left was mommy and to his right was Lily. The main meat dish for tonight, has I had correctly guessed was indeed cornered beefs, served along side a big bowl of stewed cabbage and a few potatoes. It was a simple homespun meal. The bread though was oddly enough a whole loaf of garlic bread. Offering my family a smile, I took my seat and folded my hands in my lap. My family returned my smile with one of there own and once I was seated, my father cleared his throat and in a stern, firm, commanding of voice said.

“The Lord be with you.” He said as he reached up and removed his classes and set them to the side.

“And Also with you.” Mother, Lily and I responded in unison.

“Let us pray.” He said again as he took a deep breath and begin. “Lord, maker of all things, judge of all men, we your humble creatures give thanks for this meal you have set before us. We give thanks for for each person around this table. I give you thanks, for my loving wife, my two loving daughters. We give you thanks for the blessing of family, fellowship and the fruits of the good earth.” He pause. “You may, add you're own prayers and petitions here.”

At this point, we added our own prayers and petitions silently. Then after a thirty second pause, day finished the prayer by saying. “In the name of the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” said. He then crossed himself. And we followed suit repeating 'In the name of the Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen' before crossing ourselves. After our before meal prayer, a peaceful silents fell over the table. Finally, my sister broke the silence when between bites of cornered beef she said.

“So, Jamie there a rumor going around school that you volunteered for the schools dunking booth this year.” She said as she leaned back in he chair and fixed me firmly in her sight. “So is that true sis?”

Dad blinked and blinked again as he turned his head and also fixed me in his sight. Mom who had sighed the permission slip, followed suit, no doubt hoping to learn my reason for volunteering. A deep blush colored my cheeks as I felt all three sets of eyes peering toward me. Taking a deep breath, I slowly nodded my head.

“I did, and what the big deal?” I said shrugging my shoulders. “Is that a problem?”

Lily blinked and swallowed hard. “No, I'm just surprised you'd volunteered that all. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm so glad you volunteered. I mean, you were after all our school's official hostage for this years homecoming game. And you were appointed homecoming princess after all. So it kind of suits that you would volunteer. I'm proud of you that's all.”

Dad shrugged his shoulders and returned to his meal. He normally remained silent when these type of conversations came up. Though as soon as I finished speaking, mom started to weigh in on the conversation.

“Yes, it was brave for her to volunteer. Considering she still coming out her tomboy phase. I mean, where finally just now getting her to wear skirts and dresses.” She paused, Lily of course giggled like a man woman at the sly remark. I blushed and poked out my bottom lip in a pout. Mom pressed on though. “But we have more pressing issues to tend to, as you both know, where about to get into the warmer months of the year. And with that in mind, I've ordered a selection of bikinis and swimsuits for the store. Jamie if I can recall correctly, you have quite a bit of credit built up.”

“How much credit do I have?” Lily asked. “It must be pretty to a few thousand dollars by now.”

“You have twelve dollars and twenty five cents.” Dad said in a flat tone of voice. “As I recall, as soon as you got a good bit of money saved up. You'll start flipping through the catalogs and soon enough you'll have one or two items circled . I'll of course order it for you and in a week or two, I'll bring it home.”

“Come on! I gotta have way more than that saved up! You guys always use to keep down at that store, stocking the selves, dusting, mopping or something.” Lily barked. “What could I have possibly spent all that money on anyway?”

“Chine dolls.” Dad said without skipping a beat. “When you were a little girl, you loved to collect Victorian and Edwardian porcelain dolls. And we'll every time you'll get enough saved up. You'll get the toybook down and start flipping through the pages. And once you find the one you wanted. Like I said before you would circle it, and I'll order it for you. And when the next shipment came, we got them every week or so, I'll bring it home to you. Finally, one summer you worked all summer long and saved every scent and you brought yourself a nice bike, after you brought the bike, you enrolled yourself down at the local ambulance station and started to take several courses sponsored by the Red Cross. You completed these courses and earned several certificates.”

Mom then chimed in.

“Then you left the store and started your own babysitting business. I remember you even took out a small advertisement in the local paper.” Mom paused. “We knew then you'll go on and become something special. Like we knew there was something special about you, Jamie when you wanted to play Ariel in the yearly production of the 'Little Mermaid.' it just kind of clicked.”

Dad nodded his head in agreement.

“You know, there about to start having acting lessons down the old middle school. The one they turned into a civic center. Its across from the post office and near the Episcopal Church. I think there going to hold there first session on the first weekend of May. So you have a good or so to go down there and sign up. I'd suggest that, if you still wish to play Ariel in this years autumn production of 'The Little Mermaid' you start taking all the classes they offer. Also, over the summer, I would suggest you take 'Public Speaking' at the newly open 'Benton Vocational And Developmental Center' I checked into it, and Holmes Community college is also offering courses there. Completed courses can be transferred too.”

“Totally!” Lily sad as she peered toward me.

“Hey Jamie, I think both you and I need to go down and check out there course list. I'm going to a Senior next year and you're going to a sophomore. So, like for real sis, we both need to start checking out those courses, not only will you be earning college credits, but you'll also be developing your skills.” She paused. “And the greater your skills set the more you'll earn.”

“Speaking of school.” Dad asked as he peered toward Lily, “Any post-graduate plans?” He asked as he return to his meal. I know you and your friend have a little shop to tend to, but your mother and I would like you to at least attend on the local community colleges.” He popped another piece of beef into his mouth before turning his attention toward me. “And Jamie, I understand likewise you might be undergoing a life changing operation soon. But please, find some time. From what I've read on the net that operation puts you down for the ten count for at least a week if not more. So keep recovery time in your head while you're feeling out your social calendar for the summer.”

Lily eased her fork and knife down and reached over and picked up her napkin, slowly she blotted away at the corners of her mouth. Once she was finished, she folded up the napkin and placed it down beside her plate. She then leaned back into her chair, crossed her arms over her chest.

“Robin and I were both thinking about attending Holmes Community collage in Goodman. I figured by the time I graduate from Benton Academy, We'll have Jamie and Madeline train up enough so they can tend to the business while were away. Once we finished. I plan on returning to the shop. Robin wants to go on and attend Delta State though. I mean, it makes sense. Robin is more the brains behind the business. I'm more of the creative driving force. Once she finishes at Delta State, I guess. We'll both be to the business again. Not sure what Madeline wants to do once she finishes high School, or Jamie for that matter. But were not going to tie them down. I do want my little to go to college.” She then turned her full attention toward me.

“She has a wonderful, creative mind. Though her stories tend to be more on the teenage supernatural side of then. I place the blame for that firmly on Madeline's shoulders, she loves those 'R.L Stein' Slashes. She I know she lent my little sister a bakers dozen of her dog earned copies. Treasures taken from countless hours of working the dozen or so charity shops around here.”

“You write?” Mom said finally, “Honey that wonderful. I'll love to read some of your stories sometimes.” She said as she nodded her head in approval.

“Good for you.” Dad said as he peered toward Lily. “Your mother attend Homes, she said it was a a wonderful school. And your close too. You could even take the train back and forth. I think the Yazoo Valley Railroad still operates a passenger services between Benton, Goodman and a dozen or small cities and towns.”

“It does, and the train stations only a mile and a half from campus. I mean for real, Goodman is not even a city, its not even a town, and its not even a village. Its like a tiny hamlet or something.” Lily added. “Plus, with me being a student, I can get a pretty good discount on the fare, so like the whole trip would be like, what six dollars? Maybe ten if I decided to get lunch on the train.”

“Smart.” Dad said as he returned to eating his meal.

“Oh also girls, I have some really exiting news for you all. Dad and I talked it over, and we'll were going to go joining the country club soon. Like in a week or so when they hold annual welcoming cookout for new members. So Jamie, your going to need a formal gown and a few nice sundress.” Mom said with a small smile.
“Also while grocery shopping, I had a small visit with Benjamin's mom too, down at the local Sunflower. There also going to joining around the same time we do. She going to make sure that Benjamin's going to invite you to all there dances and social functions they host. She thinks you two are so cute together. Plus, she so glad to hear that you're working too. She was so afraid her son might fall for one those little gold diggers.”

I blinked and blinked again, 'The Country Club', or more properly 'The Benton Country Club' was the beating heart and soul of the upper-middle to middle class of Benton. All of your major civic organizations held there fundraisers on the grounds of the club. Those include the Elk's, The Free Masons, the Masons, the Benton Rotary Club, the Benton Garden and Flower Club, The Ladies Elite Society of St. Mary's Episcopal Church and last not not least the Lions Club.

There was also a number of rumors surrounding the club, rumors and urban legends stated that when the area public school, Benton Agricultural High School was facing desegregation. A group of leading farmers, merchants and businessmen gathered at the club to vent there anger. From this meeting, came the idea to form a private academy that would service the needs of the children of Benton who came from the pure Anglo-Saxon stock and who had been reared in the enlighten ideas of the Protestant Faith. Catholic children would be allowed to attend, as long as they kept there beliefs to themselves and attended Protestant services that the school would host through the year. That bit of tradition has passed into the shadows of time thankfully.

And so the above mentioned clubs and civic groups sprung into action. The chose to use the country club as short of a make-shift headquarters for the movement. Leading men and women in the community meet there to draw up the charter of the school. The first board of trustees were voted in there, the blue prints where drawn up and approved there. Even the deed for the sale of the land the school sat on took place there. And going on rumors that floated around town, a lot of 'Official' city business took place. The mayor and the Board of Selectman all belonged to the club and met there often after business hours to well talk.

And after that, everything seemed to settle down and another family meal came to a end. The following day, I returned the permission slip and at lunch I saw a list of the volunteers had been posted in the hallway. The list read as followed.

The 28th Annual Benton Academy Summer Carnival
Dunking Booth Rooster

10:30 AM till 11:00 AM Jamie Sarah Potter (Freshman)
11:00 AM till 11:30 AM Alice Kimberly Ford (Sophomore)
11:30 AM till 12:00 AM Lily Elizabeth Potter (Junior)
12:00 AM till 1:00 PM Taylor Wendy Smith (Senior)
1:00 PM till 1:30 PM Free to a Willing Volunteer
1:30 PM till 2:00 PM Free to a Willing Volunteer

The Dunking will close at 2:00 PM and Carnival will come to a end at 3:00 PM with all students expected to be off the school grounds by 3:15 PM. The only exception allowed will be for those students who have volunteered to stay and aid in the clean-up.

And there it was. Written in big hold letters, my name, my new name, the one I had chosen myself. Smiling a little, I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. Smiling I took a picture with me posing next to the list. It was official. I was now going into the dunking booth.