Saturnalia

"Jacobs, I am calling it a truce. We are going to withdraw and your folks can come out." I heard the thieving critter once too many times. I hollered back to him.

"Did you look that up under your bed, Harley? Well, its stunk as hell like ma toes after I given it a mud bath." I leaned out the window sill and hounded with ma buckshots from my trusted shotgun. One thing we in the hills are taught well since we left mama's teats was how to shot at them Henry's from yonder. It ain't my fault they got us in this siege but none of the Jamie' ever gave up without a fight.

"Aw! For thieving darned chickens feathers, I was not kidding then. I meant what I said."

"Harley Henry, why would you want to retreat when you had us caught with our pants down?" I hollered back while I reloaded my beauties.

"Aw, Jacobs. Must you bring that up again? I never mind if you come over and shagged Lucy." I be darned the slicker never caught me with my pants down on Lucy. Heck, why would I do with a cow when it was his cousin, Jenny I was sticking my tongue for. He just smarted me with Lucy and that means another deserving shot with the buck shots. I left it the the shotgun to roared my reply.

"Holly in garters! Must you keep on shooting like that. I am trying to negotiate a truce here, Jacobs." Harley had not got me convinced on that score. It was my daughter who came and grabbed my shotgun.

"Daisy, why did you do that? We are at war now with the Harley'." I pleaded with her while she took the pellets out.

She then walked to the doorway and stepped out. I saw the varmint Jamie Henry ran up and hugged my youngest. Let the wild hog struck me down, but I ain't sanctioning no relationship with them Henry'. I stepped out and faced old Harley Henry, my neighbor and foe since we kids. There he stood with his other daughter Louise and the luscious looking Jenny at the back. I had my Daisy and my other son, John-Boy with me.

"Jacobs, its Saturnalia. So its time to drop the differences and have a drink." Harley spoke out as he handed me the jug of moonshine. "You know we never quarrel on this day."

"Okay, you old varmint. We would call the truce. Let us hold a feast together...." I was interrupted by Daisy with Jamie at her side.

"Pa, we need to get married. I am with Jamie's baby." That came off like a running locomotive minus the brake.

"Harley, if I don't know you well, I would had said you planned it all." I looked at my neighbor who smiled.

"Happy Saturnalia, Jacobs. We are getting old." Harley replied. "So is Jenny. Reckon we could do with a double bash this year."

 

 

Footnote: 

 

Saturn was the planet named for the weekday Saturday. In some countries, Saturday is the last day of the week, and not Sunday as we thought.

 

Saturnalia was the phrase that was coined for the holiday. I stand quoted from Wikipedia: Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the deity Saturn held on December 17 of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through December 23. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.^[1] The poet Catullus called it "the best of days."^[2] 

The popularity of Saturnalia continued into the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, and as the Roman Empire came under Christian rule, some of its customs may have influenced the seasonal celebrations surrounding Christmas and the New Year.^[7]