The Adventures of Ociee Nash

- Hey Woofer, how 'bout Miller's Creek?

You wanna go down to Miller's creek?

Okay, c'mon, let's go!

Aaargh!

Ben!

Ben!

Ben!

Ben!

Ben!

Ben!

Ben!

Didn't you hear me?

Of course I did!

Where were you?

You're supposed to be helping me with supper.

- Put down the dern beans and come on.

There's a Gypsy camped at Miller's Creek!

- I could use a little help around here!

I ain't fooling, Ben!

A real live, honest-to-goodness, cross-my-heart Gypsy

with a gold earring and everything!

Yeah, right.

You should see him!

He's a giant with big hands and feet!

He's got a brown eye and a really scary eye

and a big roar like this, roar.

What's he doing down there?

I don't know!

Come on, Ben, supper's every night, the Gypsy's now!

- You better not be telling stories, Ociee.

You just better not.

You'll see!

Where is he?

Just wait.

I'm leaving, this is boring.

Wait, maybe he's sleeping.

What are you doing?

Get down!

Good shot.

C'mon, follow me.

Ociee!

Are you crazy?

He's gonna catch us!

- I'm not afraid of no Gypsy, I'm not afraid of nothin'.

What have we here?

I knew you'd lead me down the road of trouble.

- Good Lord, what have they gotten into now?

- Ben, if anything happens to me,

I want you to know I thought you were a good brother

and tell Papa and Fred I love 'em.

Ociee, this is all your fault!

If you hadn't bothered that Gypsy,

we wouldn't be in this pickle.

Please Lord, don't let the Gypsy get us.

What's going on here?

Papa!

I found a Gypsy!

He chased us all the way home!

- It's true, Papa, we saw him down at Miller's Creek!

Okay, okay slow down now.

You found a Gypsy at Miller's Creek and you chased him?

No, he was chasing us!

And sure as sunshine, Papa, he breathed fire right on us.

Look, see, this is my burned spot.

That's where you fell.

Ociee, you fell?

- Fred, he had a wagon as tall as our barn.

Two barns, at least.

- We're gonna need to put a bandage on this.

- Do you know why gypsies have such tall wagons?

They keep farm children up in the top!

Cook 'em in big pots and eat 'em up when they get hungry!

Fred, that's enough.

Oh, no, Mama's locket!

Mama's locket's gone!

Oh, no, Ociee.

- I musta dropped it when the Gypsy was after me.

Are you sure you had it on this morning?

I never take it off.

- Well, I'm sure it will turn up, sweet corn.

Well, we gotta go look right now!

- I've got eagle eyes, I bet I'll find it!

- I think that old locket's just hiding,

waiting to be found.

I hope you're right, Papa.

- C'mon, let's all go have a look

around the farm before supper.

That was a fine supper, Ben.

We'll have to thank Miss June for this peach pie

when we see her.

- It was the best she's ever made.

- Ociee girl, you aren't gonna finish yours?

I'll eat it!

I guess I'm just not hungry.

- I'll bet you get your appetite back

when we find your locket.

- Do you think gypsies eat peach pie?

- Why, of course they do, right after Ben Nash stew.

It gets the bad taste out of their mouths.

Fred.

- Yeah, Fred, Papa wouldn't let that mean Gypsy eat me.

- Now children, I believe that Gypsy

means no harm to anyone.

He's just not what you're accustomed to is all.

In fact, if I was that Gypsy, I'd be more afraid

of having Ociee and Ben Nash chasing after me!

Yes sir, you children just might give him a fright.

Y'all just leave him be.

- You boys clean up the dishes now.

I want to talk to your sister.

Let's go sit on the porch, Ociee.

Do I hafta do the dishes?

I made the supper!

Ben.

We'll take care of it, Pa.

Thank you, son.

No rest for the weary.

Let me see that.

Ociee, what am I to do with you?

Here you are the prettiest thing I ever saw,

yet you spend your days wearing boy's dungarees

and running with Ben all over Marshall County.

It's like you're a tough little boy

rather than the proper girl you'd be with your Mama around.

- Mama wasn't always like a frilly girl.

- Your Mama was a little bit of all ladies.

She was tough when she had to be,

but she could be prim and proper, too.

Remember when she'd have the ladies to tea?

I think your Mama would want you

to be more like a girl sometimes.

I'll be 10 in November.

I'll be more like a girl when I'm 10,

but right now, me and Ben have so much fun.

And he wouldn't have any fun with a regular girl.

I'm not afraid of nothin', Papa,

And I didn't even cry when I fell.

You are something, girl,

but I wish you hadn't fallen.

I wish you were always safe and watched out for.

I watch out for me!

I know.

I know.

What cha'll doin'?

I'm talkin' to Ociee.

Why don't you boys go check on Myrtle?

Come on, grouchy britches.

Stop pickin' on me.

Ahh, you're just an easy target.

- I received a letter from your Aunt Mamie.

Aunt Mamie, what'd she say?

- She says she loves you and the boys very much

and she'd like to spend more time with you.

You know, when your Mama and I were first married

we lived in the very same house with your grandparents

where Aunt Mamie lives now.

See, right here on this envelope.

66 Charlotte Street, Asheville, North Carolina.

Yep, before your mother and I made our way out here

to take over this farm when your Uncle Joseph died.

We were young then.

We liked the idea we were pioneers.

Ociee, do you understand that I'm close to your Aunt Mamie,

just like you and your brothers are close?

Even though Aunt Mamie is far away,

it doesn't change how much we love one another?

- I understand Papa, but I could never

be so far away from you.

Does Aunt Mamie still make dresses?

- That she does, real pretty ones.

We all ought to be real proud of her, I sure am.

- I want to do something so's to make you proud of me.

- Oh, honey, you do every day, just by being my daughter.

It pleases me to walk down the street with you by my side.

When I spot you coming across the field,

sometimes, I tell you, I grow 10 feet tall

right then and there from all the pride you send my way.

Myrtle, Myrtle!

Oh-oh, sounds like trouble.

Dag nabit, ya dumb pig!

Dumb pig?

She's smarter than you!

It's more like dumb boy!

Ben, you're just a pile of mud

with eyes and teeth!

- Let's get this mud stack to the well,

pour a few buckets of water over it.

You suppose we'll find a boy in this muddy goo

or just an angry pig?

A boy, that's what!

Papa, I think it's about time we roasted that stupid--

Now, it's your turn!

Papa!

- Fred and I are going into town today

to pick up some supplies.

Ben has chores to tend to in the barn

and I want you to tend to the house chores

until we get back.

That means no romping in the fields or chasing gypsies.

- But, Papa, what about my locket?