Betty Sue and Brother Arlo

Betty Sue crawled off her bicycle clumsily. It was very hot outside, and her shorts rode up between her legs which were chafed and sore from rubbing together as she walked.

She mumbled to herself as she pulled the material down on her legs. "Fat legs, fat butt." That's me. And why do girls' bicycles have to have that bar that cuts you in two, I'll never know."

She was 11 years old, not really fat but a bit chubby, and she was short for her age. She had three great features though -- beautiful clear skin, clear sky-blue eyes and long, thick dark- brown hair. She was the type of girl who knew how to play up her best features too. She spent hours washing and drying her hair and setting it on big plastic rollers that they sold at the dime store for five cents each.

She was visiting her grandmother as she did everyday of summer time. It was a two-mile round trip via bicycle, but she didn't mind. It was worth the visit just to check out what was cooking on the big wood stove in the kitchen, and her grandmother loved her too. When she felt presentable, she climbed up the steps to the big wrap-around porch, walked on and opened the large screened door and stepped into the cooler front parlor of the house. She stopped for a minute to watch the newsman on television. She still found it hard to believe a man's picture could be put in a tube while he was talking. He was in Huntington, West Virginia, and she was in Logan, 90 miles away. "Amazing," she thought.

"The war in Korea is finally over," he reported. She wasn't interested in the war so she moved along to the kitchen where her grandmother was trying to check the temperature gauge on the old oven. "I'll check, Mammaw. It says 350 degrees. Need more wood?"

"Throw in two chunks child, although it's hotter than Hades in here. My kitchen fan is broken again." She fanned herself with a dish cloth. "My bread will fall if it stays below 400 degrees. I'll be so glad when we can get us a gas or electric range. So, how is everyone today?"

"Fine, Mammaw. Everyone said hello."

"Did your mother tell you about Rosie?"

"Rosie Geer?"

"Do you know another Rosie I'm not knowing?"

"No, just Rosie Geer."

"Right. Did she tell you they are going to send Rosie to her Aunt Gina for the next school year?"

"No, I never heard that. Why? What's Rosie done now?"

"She's gone and accused Brother Arlo of touching her where he shouldn't be touching no one, that's what she's done. A fine Christian man like that, and she's trying to destroy his home. Not a one of those Geers is worth spit. No Baptist deacon is going to be feeling up children."

"You're kidding me! Who did she tell?"

"I'm not kidding, and she apparently has told a lot of people. She told her school teacher, that Miss Hartwell who's always into every family's business these days. And the preacher. She told the preacher first, I heard. Poor guy must have near had a stroke. Only the Lord knows who else she told. She ever talk to you about it? I know you two talk some times."

"Not lately. I'm not allowed to talk to her anymore, not since her sister Rhonda got pregnant and wouldn't tell who the daddy was."

"Like I said, tramps, whores and thieves, the whole lot of them Geers."

"I always sort of liked Rosie. She was different. She made good grades, and she kept clean, and she never runs around or smokes or anything. Does anyone believe her?"

"Of course not! Who would believe a Geer about anything? Why Brother Arlo has been selling candy to children in that little store of his'n for ten years. Not a soul ever complained before. The sheriff will straighten it all out, I'm sure."

"The sheriff? Someone called the sheriff?"

"Why yes child. Touching children that way is a crime. Even if Brother Arlo didn't do it, they have to check it out. I hear there's going to be a meeting at the church tonight to talk about how to help poor Brother Arlo. He will need character witnesses. You can attend if you want. You're a baptized member."

"What about Rosie? Does she get to have character witnesses?"

"Whatever for? Nobody's accusing her of anything, are they?"

"Then why is she being sent away? I don't understand."

"Because everyone thinks she's a liar and a whore. Help me set the table, will you?"

After her visit and after eating some of the best chicken and dumplings in the world, Betty Sue got on her bike and rode home. On the way, she was thinking and crying and wondering about Rosie Geer and Brother Arlo.

Once home, she greeted everyone and went straight to her room. She kneeled down beside her bed and started to pray.

"Oh Lord, what will I do? If I tell what I know, they will call me a liar and whore too, won't they?" She began to cry in earnest now.

"But he did it, Jesus. He did it. I know 'cause he did it to me or tried to. You know he did. I told you then, and you said it was all right to be quiet about it, or I thought you did." She had to stop and wipe her eyes and nose on the bedspread.

"But Lord, it's just not fair. Rosie isn't lying. I know she isn't. What am I going to do? It will ruin my reputation too, and they'll talk about me like Rosie. And I'll be thrown out of church, and the kids at school will never quit gossiping about it. And what boy will date me, then? Ever?"

Later that evening, Betty Sue, with her best dress on, and her eyes, skin and hair shining, went to the First Freewill Baptist Church in Logan County for the important meeting about Betty Sue and Brother Arlo.