Stoney Mae

children threw stones at the steel-gated doors and ran laughing at eyes peeking from tattered shades the white picket fence seemed odd in this sub-division ivy encircled the weather-worn frame wrapping around the smokeless chimney covering the dirty window panes on the house at the corner of sycamore and elm her only company was a cat named puddin a dog named mr. krum a parrot she tried to teach without success to say "stoney mae" dry leaves left from last year's fall cluttered the yard along with bottles, cans and bits of paper tossed absent-mindedly by an uncaring society she shopped early in the morning mostly for her pets hiding behind a large straw hat a black wool shawl and ragged gloves she plucked from a neighbor's unwanted garbage some called her crazy others whispered "mad" as they passed the shade drawn darkened house that made a sunny day sad which seemed odd in this tiny sub-division it was on one of these bright sunny days the neighbors made a decision that had had enough of stoney mae and wanted her out of their quiet sub-division standing outside of her steel-gated door they knocked and banged there was no answer no sad eyes peeking from the tattered shades someone turned the knob pushed opened the door which was never locked a foul, rancid odor escaped to the outside neighbors pushed to see inside holding their noses the shade was pulled up sunshine filled the room mouths stjood gaped faces filled with dismay just underneath the window lay puddin and mr. krum the parrot was perched on the body of a woman chanting stoney mae! stoney mae! stoney mae!