Becka's Dilemma
by
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Becka screamed. White-hot pain shot up her arm. Her father turned around and gasped as he saw her bleeding hand. "What happened?" he demanded. She was always getting into something. Before she could say or do anything she was being carried out of the barn through the yard and into the house. At twelve years old she wasn’t small, but her father’s step was strong and sure. Ten year old Brian and four-year old Betty, who were playing in the yard, came racing to see what was wrong. Brian nearly ran into her dad. "Watch where you’re going," her dad said gruffly. They seldom heard him use that tone of voice. Something was really wrong. They followed him, in silence, into the house. "I need help here," he called to Becka’s mother. "Mercy," her mother said, with a gasp. Her mother always said, ‘mercy’ when she was trying to stay calm. She grabbed a clean white flour sack towel from a drawer and with shaking hands, carefully wrapped it around the bleeding hand. Becka was too scared too look. "Is she going to die? Betty whimpered. "No, she is not going to die," her mother said, her voice quivering, "but we must get her to the doctor right away. "Can I see?" Brian was standing too close. All this commotion was making things worse and Becka was feeling sick.. "Will it be all right?" She tried to stop crying but it hurt so bad. Without waiting to clean the blood off his clothes or Becka’s, her father, with Becka still in his arms, was out the door and to the shed where the car was kept. He laid her carefully on the back seat and covered her with the blanket that was always kept there. "I hope the doctor’s in," her father muttered. They did not have a phone to call and there was no hospital near by. It was a good thing it was only a few miles to town. The big old Dodge her father drove did not go very fast. Her hand throbbed with each bump in the gravel road. She could not keep from crying. "We’ll be there soon. Just don’t move it too much and hold it up." He was a quiet man. Becka couldn’t tell if he was angry or just worried. The doctor was in. Other patients lined the room, but he took them in quickly. He motioned for her father to put her on the table.
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About the Book
Twelve-year old Becka loved living on a farm with her parents, her brother, and her sister in the 1920’s. She enjoyed being part of a one-room school with all ages of children. She was her father’s shadow around the farm. She caught her hand in a hammer mill, and couldn’t play her favorite games during recess at school. Circumstances made it necessary for the family to move to another farm, away from her best friend and her school. It was necessary for Becka to spend some time, living with her grandmother and attending an unfamiliar school in town. The book has an interesting story line, which should hold the attention of 8-12 year olds and could be used as supplemental reading in a social studies class to help children 8-12 years old, learn about life on the farm in the 1920’s.
About the Author
Marjory Schmidt, a first time author, grew up on a farm in Ohio, in the 1920’s. At age 70, she became interested in writing. She took a college extension course in Reminiscence Writing and wrote an extensive family history; took a course in writing for fun and profit and became a freelance writer for a local weekly newspaper specializing in human-interest stories. She took a course in Writing and Selling Children’s Books, which resulted in finishing Becka’s Dilemma at age 80. Marjory has six grown children, eleven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren She is active in church and community affairs.