She was a short woman, big as a minute. And each Sunday, she used to hug my neck hard enough to suffocate me.
She had fuzzy white hair, and she wore the same shoes, every week. Red Converse.
She cut hair. Her beauty parlor was a double-wide trailer which she also lived in. Once per month, she lowered my ears and told me Bible stories while she snipped. There, I learned about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Baalam’s ass, and Zacchaeus.
The last time I saw her, she was hugging unsuspecting Baptists after church service. She hugged too much, too many, and too often.
I knew what those stiff Baptists thought of her. They thought she was “touched.”
A few mushrooms short of a rice casserole.
Maybe she was, Lord knows she was different. But I liked her. She cut good hair, she told nice stories, and the neighborhood dogs followed her.
Her father had been a Holiness preacher. He beat his kids. Like many Pentecostals, she’d grown her hair waist-length as a girl. But by her teenage years, she’d wandered astray.
She started listening to Elvis. She stayed out. She took up cigarettes.
She cut her hair off.
Her father kicked her out. He wouldn’t even let her take clothes with her. Sixteen years old; on her own.
She never darkened the doors of a Pentecostal congregation thereafter. And I understand she hardly ever spoke to her family.
That’s all I know about her.
Except that she often claimed she was too loud to be a good Baptist; too quiet to be a good Pentecostal.
Her husband was neither. He fixed cars for a living. He wasn’t religious, but he attended for her.
After service, he’d smoke cigarettes on the church stoop. He’d roll his sleeves and show us younger sanctified brethren the pinup-girl tattoos on his scrawny biceps. I liked to hear him talk. His voice sounded like a bass violin.
When my father died, she arrived at our home, unannounced. She held a jar of peanut oil—the kind used for frying. She marked our door jambs with the oil to keep evil spirits out.
She started chanting in gibberish. I’d never heard that sort of thing before. I asked what that was.
She touched her chest and said, “Sometimes words can’t say what’s in here. So I use other words.” Then she commenced to rattling off what sounded like frantic Japanese.
She liked the Sunday-school story of Joseph. I remember her talking about how Joseph’s family tried to kill him, how they rejected him. How they hated him. Then she cried.
I guess she knew about rejection.
“You know what I like about Bible stories?” she once said. “Them was ordinary nothing-people like us. Maybe one day, someone’ll write about litte ole you’n me. Maybe WE’RE a Bible story right now and don’t even know it.”
Maybe.
Rest in peace, Miss Tilly.
19 comments
Renea - March 9, 2017 1:43 pm
Oh Sean….. you done her proud. Right proud indeed.
Judy - March 9, 2017 1:57 pm
I can’t seem to comment anymore because–there are no words.
Rest with God, Ms. Tilly
Michael Bishop - March 9, 2017 2:14 pm
Ordinary nothing-people are often extraordinary in ways it’s hard to see if you don’t look closely . . . as you, by looking closely, show over and over.
Ruth - March 9, 2017 2:31 pm
I didn’t know Ms. Tilly but I bet I would have liked her too.
Sandra Marrar - March 9, 2017 2:59 pm
She would so proud.
Christi - March 9, 2017 3:18 pm
We all need more Mrs Tillys. God love her.
Carol Nimrod - March 9, 2017 4:32 pm
Your writing touches me. Thank you!
Sam Hunneman - March 9, 2017 10:28 pm
The Gospel according to Sean. I like it. Bless your heart, Miss Tilly.
Cherryl Shiver - March 10, 2017 11:14 am
God bless Miss Tilly. Like my Momma always taught me, your life is the only Bible some people will ever know. Please Lord be with my Momma, she sure needs you.
Marion Pitts - March 15, 2017 11:03 pm
So sweet! Thank you for sharing. You are a regular storehouse of wonderful words!
Suzanne - May 10, 2017 11:00 am
Looking forward to meeting you tonite at Episcopal Church of the Nativity, Dothan.. Have heard many wonderful things about you…???
Paula Calhoun - May 10, 2017 1:06 pm
I love Miss Tilly, too. I never met her; but, I know her down deep and personal, thanks to you!
Emily - May 10, 2017 2:47 pm
I really enjoy your posts, Sean. Maybe you will be in our area soon. Your words are very inspiring.
Polly Haines - May 11, 2017 4:08 am
Sean, Thanks! 🙂
Linda Lott - July 9, 2017 1:45 am
Beautiful Story…I imagine she is smileing down on you. ..
Benjie Friday - March 4, 2018 11:38 am
Thank you. I look forward to your stories each day.
Melissa - March 4, 2018 1:27 pm
Oh Miss Tilly sounds like my kind of people.
Betty Hughes - March 4, 2018 6:29 pm
“Your life is the only Bible some people will ever know”. What a profound statement.
Charaleen Wright - April 13, 2019 4:17 am
❤