Echoes of Memory
(The Life & Times of Inez Claralee LaGrone)
by
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Inez continued on in her daydreaming state, when all
of a sudden she heard her mother screaming at her. She opened her eyes
and looked towards her mother. She could not make out entirely what her
mother was saying to her but she noticed that she was pointing towards
something that was behind her. She looked behind her and saw what her mother’s
frantic calls were about. She saw the reptile several hundred yards
behind her and it was clearly heading straight for her. Inez started to
run, frantically screaming and crying as the awful reptile began to
gain on her. Celia began to run towards her daughter, even as
William looked up and saw what was happening and broke into a sprint as
well. Both of them were armed with their hoes and was prepared to try
and intercept the snake before it made its way to Inez. Celia could clearly see that the child was not going
to make it to them in time, she saw a tree between her and Inez and
shouted for Inez to climb the tree. She knew that Inez was an excellent
tree climber and this would provide her with the best chance to buy her
a little time so that she and William could make it there in time
before the snake did. Usually, if the snake was not angry, or was not
protecting its den, it would not follow you up the tree; this was what
Celia was hoping for. Inez heard her mother’s suggestion and headed for
the tree. She grabbed the lower limb and swung herself onto it, she
then proceed to climb the tree, only stopping when she reached the top. Celia was almost there and William was close behind,
but the snake had made it to the tree as well, and began to climb the
tree after Inez. Celia saw that the snake was not giving up, but was
intent on getting Inez, she screamed for Inez to jump out of the tree
and run towards her again. In this way, Celia reasoned, the snake might
not notice that Inez had left the tree, and this may help to buy a
little more time for Inez to make it to her before the snake noticed. Inez did as she was told and leaped out of the tree,
she landed hard and her ankle made a sickening snap that sent shards of
pain up through her right leg. Racked with pain and still frightened
almost out of her mind, she slowly rose to her feet and proceeded to
hobble her way towards her mother and father, whom had reached his
wife’s side just as Inez finally made it to them. Fortunately, for
Inez’s sake, the irate snake did not notice her leap from the tree,
this clearly bought her some time, and even with the ankle that had
been sprained, she was able to make it to the safety of her parents. The snake had finally noticed that Inez was not in
the tree, the reptile made it’s way back down the tree to find not only
William waiting for it, but Johnny, Houston, Jack, and V. W. as well.
William was armed with his hoe, as was Houston, who had armed himself
with his mothers hoe after she took charge of getting Inez to the
house. Jack had armed himself with Celia Mae’s hoe after she went to
retrieve the children who were still under the big oak tree when all of
the commotion started. Johnny and V. W. armed themselves with huge
sticks that they picked up during their sprint towards the racket, when
it had just started. The snake didn’t have a chance, soon as it made its
way onto the ground, they all commenced their attack, when all was said
and done, the deadly reptile lay in pieces, dead.
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About the Book
Echoes of Memory allows the reader to travel back to a time that was simple and wholesome. Where the pace of life was slow, and the soul was unencumbered with the fast paced life of today. Where people struggled with The Great Depression, and were poor, but possessed a bountiful richness when it came to family and friends.
It's a story about life and love, of good times and bad. It's about beginnings and endings, of dreams realized and dreams lost. It's about promises made and kept, and others broken through dishonesty, abandonment, and betrayal.
It's about a country girl, and the struggles she went through. Struggles not unlike our own, for in many ways, her story is our story.
About the Author
After writing a story for the Greensboro Times Newspaper on a soldier in the U.S. Army in 1978. Mr. Averette begins writing his first manuscript in 1979 entitled, "Four Years of Blood, A Concise History of the War for Southern Independence."
He later serves in the Alabama Army National Guard, and attends Earle C. Clements Academy in Morganfield, Kentucky, and achieves diplomas in Writing and Comprenhension, English Composition, and Basic Typing.
Becoming a minister in 1984, he now pastors Mount Zion Gospel Church in Marion, Alabama. "March to Victory," "Time March," and "Time Warp" are other unfinished manuscripts he continues to work on. He resides in Marion with his wife Carol, and their four sons Joshua, Samuel, Stephen, and John.