Kapiolani Community College
Diamond Journal 2004

Forget About Sticking Tongue
Christina Norris

Never stick your tongue out at your mom and think you can get away with it. A long time ago, before I started school, before I knew what a “real” playmate was, and before I knew that I DIDN’T know everything; I played on the swing set that we had in the front yard for hours and hours. The swing set was about fifty feet away from our house and you could easily see the porch from it. The blue and white swing set consisted of a slide, a monkey bar, and two swings. The swing has always been my favorite. Sitting on the cracked plastic seat and wrapping my fingers tightly around the rusted chains I would propel myself higher and higher off the ground. As I got higher I could see the porch, then it would disappear behind the bushes . . . porch, no porch, porch, no porch. I loved being up so high, like no one could touch me. I could get lost in the world of imagination for hours. Flying (or so it seemed) next to the birds with butterflies in my tummy was the most wonderful feeling.

One late afternoon, just before it was time for dinner, my mom came out on the porch. She called me inside to wash up and set the table. I thought my mom was the tallest lady in the world and I remember hoping that I would get to be as tall as her. Little did I know she was only 5’4”, if that at all. After having four children, she had a nice little pillow pooch for a stomach. It as always the best place to lay my head. Naturally tan, she didn’t need to be in the sun long to get dark brown. The skin on her face was so smooth except for the crinkles at the corner of her eyes and mouth from laughing and smiling too much. I know she had been in the yard under the hot sun all day because she had on her scrubby “work” clothes. He wild black hair was stuffed under an old beat up hat. If you didn’t know any better you might mistake her for a young yard boy. Even though she wore her flower print garden gloves, her hands were always rough with calluses; however, they exerted caring, hard work, and discipline. While swinging, I had seen her wave me inside more than once, but I continued to ignore her.

I had been enjoying myself on the swing and not wanting to break my happy little bubble I did the unthinkable because I thought I was untouchable. With my heart beating fast, I stuck my tongue out at my mom. Let me tell you, I have never seen anyone move so fast. You know Superman, right? He has the faster than a speeding train jingle. Well, my mom blew him away! As she jumped off the porch, her hat fell off her head. She came towards me with electrocuted hair. She had already taken off her gloves and I knew what that meant. I was about to get spanked. She came at me like a crazy woman. Her eyes gleamed with madness. My mind was racing but everything seemed to go in slow motion. Should I slow down the swing, jump off and make a run for it? Should I swing higher so she couldn’t reach me? How long could I stay away from my mom? It didn’t matter because my decision was made for me. I was down off that swing faster than I could blink an eye. I started pleading for my life. I promised never to do it again. I don’t think my mom heard me though. Her left hand gripped my shoulder and her right rained down whacks on my okole. I could smell hours of sweat mixed with dirt each time her hand came down. My knees wanted to fold to mess up her target range. How much longer was this going to last? My play clothes were no barrier for the whacks followed by a stinging sensation that happened every few seconds. Tears streamed down my face and tasted of salt and guilt. I knew I shouldn’t have stuck out my tongue. My mom didn’t deserve my disobedience.

From that day forward I never stuck out my tongue. I didn’t stick it out in jest, or for any reason. It’s taken me a while to realize that I can and not have my mom next to me in a heartbeat. For the longest time I had a phobia of licking ice cream cones and sticking out my tongue in goofy pictures. Now I get ice cream in cones only and I take numerous goofy pictures. My mom will never know how much of an impact those ten minutes had on my entire life. I learned a very important lesson that day. It was a lesson about obeying your elders and respecting what they say – and if you decide not to, DON’T stick tongue.