Voices of the NCSG - Willa Brigham

Willa Brigham is an avid writer of short stories, poetry and songs. She is the host and TV personality of the WRAL’s Television show, “Smart Start Kids” and a nationally recognized inspiration speaker. Willa uses her many talents and contagious energy to stimulate audiences of all ages to join her on a quest for excitement, adventure and a joyous tour of your creative imagination. You can learn more about Willa from her website.

Willa is one of six North Carolinian storytellers featured at the Tarheel Tellers Storytelling Festival on November 3 & 4. Go here for more information.

Finding Lady Bug

Chelsea Vee woke up bright and early on Saturday morning ready for a grand adventure.  Every child in the village had been invited to the Teddy Bear Celebration. It was their reward for taking part in the summer reading program sponsored by the local library.   Some of the bears were going to win prizes. She was sure her teddy bear; Lady Bug was going to win one.

She pulled on her favorite cotton candy pink jeans with a matching green stripe tee shirt with glittering stars.  She stepped into her matching sandals and smiled at herself in the mirror.  Chelsea Vee raced through the house to the family room to pick up her bear, Lady Bug. 

Lady Bug was adorable, soft and cuddly. She was made of chocolate brown fur with bright green eyes and a little red heart shaped mouth. She was dressed in a matching hat and dress of purple and pink. The hat had flowers on it to match the dress.

Chelsea Vee had washed and brushed Lady Bug the day before so she would be pretty and clean for the celebration. When she reached the family room, there was a problem. Lady Bug was nowhere to be found.

Chelsea Vee looked under chairs, behind pillows and behind the curtains. How could she go to the celebration without Lady Bug?   Everyone with a teddy bear was going to be there, including her best friend Jayda and her teddy bear, Willow.  Where was her Lady Bug?

Chelsea Vee ran to her Mom, who was preparing breakfast.

“Mom, have you seen my Teddy Bear?”

“No,” replied Mom,” Where did you have it last? Go look there.”

“I looked in the family room,” cried Chelsea Vee. “Please help me!”

Her mother said, “Look up and down and all around; see if you can see what can not be found.  I will help you as soon as I finish preparing breakfast."

Chelsea Vee began to look up and down and all around the kitchen.  She looked into the pantry, behind bottles of water, in the cabinets and under pots and pans. There was no Lady Bug.

Chelsea Vee looked out of the window and saw her Dad cutting the lawn. She ran out of the door yelling, “Dad, have you seen Lady Bug? I had her all dressed up in her hat and matching dress. I cannot find her. Will you please help me?”

 

“I have not seen your teddy bear, honey,” said Dad; “but I suggest you look in and out and all about. I will help you when I finish cutting the lawn.”

  

That was exactly what she did.  Chelsea Vee looked into every flower pot and out behind every tree.  She pulled the door open and looked all about and under the porch but there was no Lady Bug.

With big sad eyes and dripping tears, Chelsea Vee slowly walked back into the house.  She was sure she had left Lady Bug in the chair to dry.  It was the same chair her brother Jeremih like to sit in while playing games or reading.  She remembered that the quilt Meme had made for his birthday was on that chair.

She decided to take another look in the family room. Jeremih was sitting that chair playing a game when Chelsea Vee came in.

He looked up from his game to see his sister crying and asked; “Why are you so sad?” 

Chelsea told him of her lost teddy bear, Lady Bug.

 “Which one is Lady Bug?” Asked Jeremih. “You have so many bears.”

“Lady Bug is the one with the purple and pink dress and matching hat.  The one Uncle DeVante’ brought back from Puerto Rico,” said Chelsea Vee.

Jeremih said he had not seen the teddy bear but he would help her look after he got a snack. He jumped from the chair and walked toward the kitchen.

Chelsea Vee crawled into the chair to think about other places Lady Bug could be. While making herself comfortable she felt something soft and lumpy under the quilt. She quickly snatched away the quilt and there to her surprise was Lady Bug.  She squeaked with delight as she hugged the teddy bear to her. 

“There you are,” she said. “I’ve been looking for you”.

 Quick as a bunny Chelsea Vee was out of that chair and off to the kitchen.  

“I found my teddy bear,” she yelled to her Mom.

Mom and Jeremih were happy for her. They both gave a big cheer!  “Hooray for you!!”

Opening the back door Chelsea Vee yelled to her Dad: “I found my teddy bear!”

Dad waved as he turned the corner on the lawn mower and gave a loud hooray!

Chelsea Vee finished eating breakfast with the family and marched off down the side walk with Lady Bug in her arms.  They were on their way to the Teddy Bear Celebration at the library.  She was sure Lady Bug was going to win a prize.

Check back weekly for more voices of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild. If you enjoy these stories, you're bound to enjoy the Tarheel Tellers Storytelling Festival on November 3 & 4, 2017, at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy, NC.

Voices of the NCSG - Cynthia Raxter

Cindy Raxter lives in a 100 year-old house in the cotton mill town of Bynum, NC. She grew up on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina with 6 brothers and sisters. She loves to cook, spend time at the Bynum Community Garden, and take care of her five wily cats. Cindy is a professional storyteller and stand-up comedian who enjoys telling true-life stories to adults and children! Read more of Cindy's stories on her blog.

A Dog's Dog

Ever go to the grocery store and the cashier says... "how are you today?" and you really actually tell them? You're suppose to say "fine" or "good." Everyone says “fine” or “good.” When you tell them the truth - something horrible like “I totaled my car last night!!!” - the cashier gets that deer in the headlights look.... Where were the words FINE AND GOOD were in that sentence?

They roll to AutoResponse #2: they tell you something bad to make you feel better. "Well... at least it's not like my brother’s girlfriend... she totaled her mother’s car and it was a Mercedes.... " Good ole AutoResponse #2: You must never forget! Things can always be worse!

It's been a rough week. In fact I wondered how I would ever write something funny ever again. They say from great tragedy comes great comedy. Ha! If that is so this is going to be some really good comedy!! …. My dog died yesterday. Honest. She really did. She was 12 and a Jack Russel Terrier and everyone in the whole world loved her. When the lady at Harris Teeter yesterday said "HOW ARE YOU TODAY?" I lied, “Oh I am just fine!!” I didn’t want to hear AutoResponse #2! I gave that girl my VISA and got my ice cream and got out of there...!!!

I am doing better than I expected. In real words: I've only ate one box of ice cream in 24 hours. I know - amazing isn’t it?

Oh! Don't worry. I know how to cope!There is a second box in the freezer:  Double fudge chocolate brownie! Yes indeedy!!

I stood 2” from the glass at the FREEZER Section at Harris Teeter yesterday and said "Thank you baby Jesus Harris Teeter doesn't sell crack cocaine. “

They don’t give crack cocaine cute names like "Moose Tracks" or “Chunky Monkey” or "Fudge Ripple" .... that name just tickles me all over to say it. "Fudge Ripple" ... Butter pecan.... "Rocky Road" Oh so cute names! They tickle your tongue and add inches to your buttocks!!

Rascal was a dog’s dog. She once cornered a bobcat in an outhouse and wrestled with it for an hour and stole a ‘possum away from it. She ran free, every day. There was not a fence made that could hold her - or keep her out. She’d go in folks’ dog door, vacuum up leftover cat food and take a nap on their couch -- with their cat. Babies and children pulled her ears. Poked her in the eyes. Stuck their little hands in her mouth and checked out her teeth. She'd lay belly up as they poked on her. Other dogs' bad manners were instantly corrected. No viciousness required. That was her life: sleeping with cats, playing with babies, and keeping other dogs in line. Oh! And going for walks! If anyone went for a walk she went too!! But she always got home for supper at 6:30. And if I wasn’t home by 6:35, she turned over the trash can in her excitement waiting for me.

Not many of my friends are dog people though. They may even have a dog... but it's just there for the kids to play with. Like a jungle jim or xBox. So when I've talked to them this week it's... "gosh sorry you lost your shoes -- I mean dog... maybe you can get some new shoes -- I mean dog."

Or they'll say, "well anyway that was really old shoes -- I mean dog."

But the most inventive responses about Rascal are what I call the Heavenly Fantasy stories. HAND UP: I have done this myself. Several people said:  "She and Papaw are fishing in Heaven right now." Ah.... honestly -- my father didn't like Rascal very well. Rascal got on his nerves - always underfoot. He was a farm boy and dogs... well they were suppose to sleep under tractors and chase varmits. ... well... Rascal WAS good at varmits.

I know everyone is just trying to make me feel better. But you know what the truth is? What no one realizes? Me too? It's ok to feel bad.

I am going to put this on an index card and put it jn my purse so I’ll remember: It’s ok to feel bad. And on the other side of that card I am going to write what I need to remember to say: "I am sorry about your shoes. They were good shoes. I will always think of your shoes kindly."

All I know is Rascal was a great dog and I am going to smile every time I think of her. As soon as I get done eating ice cream and crying. She would go up to my 92 year old neighbor's house every day at 11 o'clock and watch the Price is Right. Mrs. Louise always ate lunch right after and she'd give Rascal a biscuit. When me and Rascal traveled, Mrs. Louise would call me to find out when we were coming home because she had leftover BISCUITS AND CORNBREAD saved for Rascal, waiting for her to come home... Mrs. Louise knows, Rascal knew - ice cream may be good - but biscuits are the answer!! :-)

Thank you Rascal. Thank you very, very much. I'm going to miss being the dog's dog's human.

Check back weekly for more voices of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild. If you enjoy these stories, you're bound to enjoy the Tarheel Tellers Storytelling Festival on November 3 & 4, 2017, at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy, NC.

Voices of the NCSG - Beth Carter

Beth grew up hearing her grandfather Robert Tuttle tell this story over and over.  He never told it the same way twice but until his death at '96 he claimed the story was true.  It was difficult for her as a storyteller to write it down because as her grandfather before her, she never tells a story the same way twice.

Beth Carter shares her stories as the fictional character “Sudie Mae Carter” who lives in the mountains of NC.  Please visit her Facebook page.

Tommy Boy

Hi, my name is Bob, Bob Tuttle to be exact.  I am 17 years old and just completed my Junior year of High School.  My dad got me this job as a camp counselor for the summer at Camp Blue Ridge, an all-boys camp, yippee!!  I want you to know I am a straight up guy, no nonsense, shoot from the hip. I never lie, I don’t even stretch the truth!  Why am I telling you all this?  Well because the story I am about to tell you is unbelievable!  No one believes it but this is exactly the way it happened that hot July 4th week at camp.  

All the counselors arrived early on the Friday before the campers came on Saturday.  We each were handed a list of our assigned campers for that week.  When I received mine, there was an unusual red star right beside the name Tommy Inglehart.  I quickly questioned the reason for the mark and was told to discuss it with the director.  I rushed to the camp office for clarification.  I was informed that I was chosen out of all the other guys to be assigned as Tommy’s counselor because he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer but insisted he still be allowed to attend camp this week.  I was instructed that Tommy did not want any special treatment and just wanted to be considered a normal kid.  No one knew at that time what his life expectancy was but he had just completed his 2nd round of chemo and would probably be very weak.  Man, I was really ticked!  Why me? I don’t like to be around anyone who is sick, I’ve been this way since I was a kid.  I requested a change in assignment and was told flatly no! 

The next day I was very surprised when Tommy showed up with his mom and dad.  He was very pale with what looked like a white mop for hair.  He seemed like a pretty cool kid kinda quiet and reserved but he didn’t look like he was ready to die or anything.  He fit right in with the other kids in our cabin.  Tommy could participate in all the daily camp activities.  He could row the canoe, hike, swim in the lake and was a pretty good fisherman and archer. By the end of day two I simply had forgotten he was sick.  Big mistake!!  That was when things really started to get weird. 

Our daily routine was up at 7, dress and head to the mess hall for breakfast.   Then we rotated the rest of the morning between the craft hut, learning survival skills and a nature hike. Lunch precisely at 12:00 and then either fishing, boating, archery or swimming until supper.  After supper, the kids had some free time and then we met around the campfire and told stories and sang campfire songs. We were to be in bed and lights out by 10:00.  Let me tell you those kids were beat!!  Most were out as soon as their heads hit the pillow.  

My bed was in an alcove at the front door to the cabin to prevent any funny business after hours.  It was well known among the campers of the shenanigans of previous camper raiding other cabins in the middle of the night.

Night 2: sometime after midnight I awoke with a jerk from a deep sleep.  I sat up and I had goose bumps all over my body!!! Something was wrong I just knew it.  I jumped from my bed and immediately searched each boys bed.  When I got to Tommy’s it was empty.  I frantically began searching the cabin for him trying not to disrupt the others.  No Tommy to be found!!  I unlatched the screen door to the cabin and walked out into the dark night.  There was no moon out that night and all I had was my mini flashlight.  I didn’t want to alarm the entire camp unnecessarily so I began my search.  After seeing no sign of Tommy in the camp proper I ventured down to the lake.  My worst fear could not be happening. Drowning! My worst fear!!  All of a sudden something strange caught my eye.  It’s hard to describe this stuff to you but what I saw was a very small orb shape suspended over the lake on the other side.  The glowing orb was floating around very slowly and gently.  I dropped my flashlight and ran back to camp.  I had no idea what I was going to do and in my confusion, I ran back into our cabin instead of the intended camp directors cabin.  I was out of breath and scared half to death but when I glanced at Tommy’s bed I couldn’t believe what I saw, Tommy.  The kid was sound asleep snoring softly and safely in his bed.  Man, I was freaked out!!! Did I dream it all?  Unfortunately, the answer is no, how I wished it was just a dream.

You see the next 3 nights this nightmare continued.  I woke up sweating like a pig and knew before I looked that Tommy would not be in his bed.  I ran like a flash to the lake and night after night saw the strange apparition floating haphazardly above the lake.  The events of nights 3 through 5 occurred in the same manner, but night 6 was an entirely different thing.

You see I was afraid to tell anyone else what was happening each night with Tommy.  Only me and the director knew of his medical condition and I really thought the others would think me daft.  But I will never forget night 6.  It was the last night of camp and I was determined to get to the root of the strange events.  I forced myself to stay awake that night so that I could observe for myself what was going on.  Around midnight I heard rustling from the area of Tommy bed.  I then saw him rise from the bed wearing just his white boxers, white T shirt and white socks.  He walked right by me as if he was clueless to my presence right in front of him.  I whispered his name, Tommy, but no response. He appeared to be sleep walking as he walked straight to the screen door and I kid you not the kid walked right through that door!!!  I know it because when I followed him I pushed the door to open and it was still latched.  No lie!!!  Man, I was shaking in fear all over and it took my nervous hands a couple of seconds to flip the latch.  By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs Tommy was nowhere to be seen, but I knew where I would find him so I raced to the lake.  Yep, there it was, the orb.  Was it somehow Tommy?  Was it a reflection of the moon or some strange swamp gas or something?  I was baffled.  I just stood there watching in amazement as the thing slowly began getting closer and closer to the edge of the lake and me!!!  I began to see it more clearly as it approached me and it was to my shock Tommy.  It was Tommy and it was not Tommy!  I still don’t know today how it happened but when Tommy reached the shore he began walking back to the cabin.  I hesitantly followed him with no intention of waking him up as he climbed the steps, entered the cabin and went to his bed.  He laid down and began softly breathing in normal rhythm.  Of course, I got no sleep for the rest of the night and never took my eyes off Tommy boy.

The next morning Tommy seemed very calm and restful. No change at all in his demeanor.  His parents arrived on time and I helped him load his duffle bag into the trunk of the car.  He politely introduced me to his mom and dad and thanked me for a great week. The kid shook my hand and with a slight smile and head nod he got in the car and left.  

I thought every remaining day of that summer about Tommy.  I convinced myself that what I saw was just some figment of my imagination.  I began to doubt myself.  

On the last day of camp, after all the campers had left, our director called all the counselors into the mess hall. He thanked us all for a safe and fun filled summer and read to us several letters he had received during the summer from parents and campers.  The last letter he read was from the parents of Tommy Inglehart. The letter stated that the doctor had told his parents that in no uncertain terms was Tommy to come to camp.  They also said that Tommy insisted and his parents decided to allow him one final wish.  Mr. and Mrs. Inglehart wanted to express their thanks to the camp for accepting his application, fully knowing the risk involved, and that Tommy was so disappointed that he was not able to attend.  He had been admitted to the hospital the Thursday before camp and had passed away Saturday morning.


As my head was spinning from the news, my heart was pounding in my chest.  I felt dizzy, sick, confused.  Who or what had I encountered that hot July 4th week at Camp Blue Ridge?  I guess I may never know for sure. What do you think?

Check back weekly for more voices of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild. If you enjoy these stories, you're bound to enjoy the Tarheel Tellers Storytelling Festival on November 3 & 4, 2017, at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy, NC.

Voices of the NCSG - Donna Washington

Donna Washington is a past NCSG president, storyteller/author, spoken word recording artist, and artist educator with thirty years experience. Learn more about Donna at her website and her blog.

Red, Red Lips

Check back weekly for more voices of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild. If you enjoy these stories, you're bound to enjoy the Tarheel Tellers Storytelling Festival on November 3 & 4, 2017, at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy, NC.