Here,
Wallace, you and Wiley tie the popcorn balls on the low limbs.
Oh, goodness! These I brought are sorta sticky!" Aunt Vic stopped
talking only long enough to lick off the candied syrup that had
stuck to her finger.
I picked up a popcorn ball, thinking maybe some of the sweet
goo would stick to my fingers. But the schoolteacher saw me, so I
had to drop it back into Aunt Vic's box real quick. I licked my
fingers, but not much sweet stuff was on them.
"Bandershanks," Aunt Vic said, "com'ere a minute." Aunt Vic
sat down on the organ stool and swung herself around toward me.
"Now, Bandershanks." Aunt Vic put her arm around me and drew
me up close. "Tonight you're gonna be the little walking
Christmas tree and say a recitation too!"
"Me?"
"Sure. All the older children will be in the part Mister
Shepherd's putting on. So we saved the walking tree bit just for
you."
"What does a walking tree do?"
'Ill tell you that in a minute. Your mama is gonna get you
here early tonight, and you bring one of your papa's old,
worn-out felt hats with you.
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