Tannis

Background

This is a story that I made up for Breena and Tessa when they were small and I have edited it a bit to try to be more accurate and "tellable" in written form. It is based loosely on real events from approximately the early 1980's

Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

In the next few weeks Betty listened in dreadful fascination to the woeful tales of crop consumption in virtually every farmer's fields,all related to her with a grim dismay by her farmer son.  She had seen the army worms in the newspaper, on the TV and Sarah had even brought a jarful of them to show.
     "The Ag rep says they are most active when the canola is in flower but they will continue eating all through their pupa stage.'
     "Can you do anything to stop them?"
  "Spray , if you can apply it early enough but I'm very reluctant to spray because of organic reasons. I would have to wait another five years, chemical free, to regain organic approval."
     "Is Sarah coming today?"
  "She has a "playday" with "Shannie" but maybe we'll all come for a cup of tea this evening."


    The gloomy malaise in the farmhouse was the polar opposite of the virtual hilarity out in the fields and fence rows.
    "Tannis, Tannis, give me your answer true
      ain't cano-lee just over the top for you"
  Lina had picked up Tannis' habit of goofy rhymes and songs and rather than feel threatened by this new creative genius Tannis seemed to feel emboldened to push on to new heights of silliness.
    "This leaf's for you.. this leaf's for you.  It ain't for Avadex or Raid...  None of those nasty old -ates, or -oids, or -ines. This leaf dear Lina is for yououou."
     "Quit that yappin' , dirtbags. You got eating to do."  This latest witticism came from Tony ,Tannis' wormy neighbour on the left hand.  His tone reflected one that he imagined a drill sergeant might use in boot camp.
     "I do believe we've about consumed this acre", grinned Tannis
and her estimation was confirmed moments later.
    They could hear the chant coming from yards and yards away.
   "Move on, move on, move on"  They immediately joined in the chant for it was the one army code and the deployment was something to behold.
    "Army on the move, army on the move, army on the move,
move on, move on, move on."
    "Girls, it's my turn to call time."  Tony's statement was really a question but Lina grinned expansively.
    "Ok baby brother. give it your best. You're in the army now"















   

Alphabetical words that sound dirty but aren't

Ancestors////Bodacious///Clematis////Dilettante///Endomitriosis/// (more inflammatory words to come later)

Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

    "Gramma!"  Sarah burst in as always, hair to the wind, smile arcing,flowers in her clutched fist.
     "Hi Sah." Betty  put on her brightest smile and used the abbreviated moniker that Sarah had hung upon herself. Allan followed the small girl into the kitchen. Betty knew that anyone else would have received a lecture on refraining from "baby talk."
This was one benefit of being Grandmother.
     "Well, here's her bag...Sarah, be good for Gramma or I'll feed you to the pigs."
      "O.K. Daddy, Gramma where are you vases?"
   "Those are purple vetch , and these yellow ones are brown eyed susans"
   "I know, my daddy told me.  Gramma...what's a bloody army worm?"
     "An army worm is an insect that moves in huge groups eating everything in their path"
     "Will it eat my kitty, Gramma ? Is it bloody from a cow, Gramma? Are they coming here?"
      "Army worms only eat plants Sarah , not pets or people and unhappily it seems that they will come here."

   "Lina,Lina take me to the latrina..."
Tannis let out a massive burp and her starboard crewmate looked up from the mayhem of mangled barley still chewing vigorously.
    "You better chow down babygirl; we got to move out before long and I don't want to have to carry your sorry backside because you never ate a hearty breakfast."

 

    

Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

     Betty rubbed her rough hands over her gray hair."Will they come here?" Her tone was quiet but the man could hear her concern.       "They absolutely will and my canola will all be screwed."        Her son had always been 100% sure of every thing he said but Betty hoped it wouldn't happen.
       " Jerry's fields down at Parker's are overrun already; it's just a matter of a few days. I drove by there this morning and you could easily see where they had eaten and where they had not been yet."
        Betty said nothing. The kettle sounded on the stove and she stood up, rummaging with the tea things at the counter. They both drank their tea in silence.
       "I better go.  Can you look after Sarah this afternoon? Jane is at work afternoons"
       As the truck moved out of the yard Betty sipped the last of her tea. "I know the crops are important but my saskatoons look so good this year."

Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

"I don't know but i bin told....
oats will make you shine like gold...
Leaves will make you fat like me....
Foods ahead so march with me
1,2,3,4.."

      Tannis grinned to the left and right and got a wink of encouragement from Lina.
      "I love when it's my turn to call time"
    "I love when it's time to eat!" smirked Lina "and here we are!!!"
Tannis had been calling time with her eyes shut to get the volume she pleased. Resurfacing from her reverie she could see the endless ranks in front of her and behind her all voraciously attacking a tastefully decorated field of barley.