Country In My Genes
Chapter One
We're Moving
Right after high school and getting her PhD in Neuroscience, Amy had her Daughter, Melissa. She's the very image of all the things Amy wanted to do with her life. Melissa is only ten years old and enjoys the Junior Rodeo in Kentucky, whenever she can join it. This year though, Amy's set something up for her. Amy's husband Jacob deserted her when they found out about Melissa and since Amy was on her own, she's tried to keep and maintain her career, raise her Daughter, and keep a roof over their heads. She stayed in Kentucky simply because she had the best neighbors anyone could ever ask for, and things were so peaceful, that she never thought of leaving there. She of course, has bad news for Melissa who has gotten to be just as country as they come.
"You're gonna love the surprise I have for you. As you know, it's Junior Rodeo time again. Sorry, you won't be competing this year." Amy tells her.
"Why not? Mama, I've been in that since I was seven. Why can't I be in it this year?" Melissa asks.
"Well because. I have it set up for you where the one performing the National Anthem, is you." Amy replies.
"Whoa! Do what now? I'm performing the National Anthem at the Rodeo this year? How am I gonna do that without getting scared and falling on my face?" Melissa says, in that Kentucky accent of hers. Even though Amy's been in Kentucky for twelve years now, she still has her regular Californian accent.
"Honey, you're going to do just fine. What would Loretta Lynn do huh?" Amy reminds her. Amy still loves her Neil Diamond but since she's been in Kentucky where she met Melissa's Dad, and permantly moved there, she heard Loretta Lynn on the radio one time, and fell in love with her and her music. She raised Melissa on her music too.
"I know. She'd get up there and sing her heart out and never think twice about anything but what she was there to do. I'll make you and her both, proud next weekend." Melissa replies.
Back in Pasadena California, Sheldon Cooper is trying to get everyone rounded up and he's telling them, "You guys need to get a move on. You all promised that we could go to the next Junior Rodeo. I wanna see this one this year. I've never been to the ones in Kentucky."
"We're coming. Who's car are we taking again?" Leonard asks.
"I thought we were taking Howard's. He of course is riding with Bernadette. So, there's the two of us, Howard and Bernadette, that's four, then Penny and Raj. No six people are going to fit in a five person car." Sheldon replies.
"No worries. Penny has a Ford Explorer. It seats seven people. We're covered. The only thing she asked is that we all pitch in with gas money." Leonard tells him when the rest of the gang finally start showing up.
"Okay so I checked through Google earlier and we have over thirty hours of driving time. I figure it anyone wants too, those of you who have a license, we can switch off driving once in awhile. Also, we have to take breaks while driving. We have a whole week until the Junior Rodeo so we can just make this a vacation." Penny tells everyone, and they continue to pack up.
Back in Kentucky, Melissa's practicing for her song and one of the neighbors comes over to give her Mom something.
"Hey there honey. How ya doing today?" Crystal Anders asks.
"Pretty good. A little nervous about the Rodeo. I usually compete in it but this year Mama has me singing the National Anthem." Melissa replies.
"Oh that's great. I haven't heard any good news in these parts in a freaking dog's age. You'll do just fine, don't be nervous. Is your Mama around?" Crystal says. Melissa tells her she's out back working with the garden and she gets back to her own chores.
The weekend comes and Melissa is in the back room at the Rodeo, getting ready. They have her hair with some curl to it and it's down past her shoulders, and she's in blue jeans, boots, and a black lace shirt.
"Are we late?" Sheldon asks when they pull up outside the arena in Lexington. They all get out and stretch their legs and Penny says, "I don't think so. Oh this place is so amazing."
"Really?" Howard asks her.
"You forget that I'm from Nebraska. I love the scenic country setting. Come on, let's go find some seats." Penny replies. They get in there just in time, and they all hear, "This year's National Anthem will be sung by none other than Melissa Lynn Fowler." Melissa steps out, and Bernadette says, "She's just a baby. How old could that girl be?"
"I don't know. She is awfully small isn't she?" Raj replies, and everyone stands for the song. Melissa starts singing, and the whole arena's dead silent. Even the guy riding the horse around the arena, carrying the flag, is trying to keep from crying because of the power voice she has.
"She sounds like Loretta Lynn." Penny whispers to Leonard.
"She does. She's so pretty. Talented too." Leonard replies. When she gets to the rocket's red glare, and hits that note, everyone's already applauding her.
"That's my girl." Amy whispers to herself. When she's done singing, people are still to their feet applauding her when the announcer says, "Ms. Melissa Lynn Fowler ladies and gentlemen!" The rodeo gets under way, and Melissa goes back with her Mom and asks, "Still. How come I couldn't have competed this year Mama?"
"I wanted to give you this opportunity to sing the National Anthem this year because Mama's being transfered to Pasadena California. The hospital is getting too over staffed and my boss told me that with the degree I've got, I need to go to Cal Tech and start teaching Neuroscience to the students at the University there." Amy explains to her.
"How am I gonna adapt? Mama. There's no way I can survive in the city like that. I'm too country to be able to thrive in city life." Melissa tells her.
"We can live in the country when we get there. I promise. You're not going to lose your country roots. I used to live in San Diego California before I met your Dad. I came down here during our senior trip in high school and met your Dad. I fell in love with him and after going back home, I told him I'd return to him one day. I got out of high school, and instantly came down here where he was waiting for me. Went to collage, got my degree, lived with him for about two years, and when I got pregnant with you, he didn't wanna be a Daddy, and he left us. You've got both city and country in your genes. You'll make it. I will help you adapt if you need me too." Amy says, continuing to explain. Melissa just hangs her head and cries for about twenty seconds, but then she's okay and realizes that she's going to have to do her best anywhere she goes.
Chapter Two
New Life
Amy and Melissa have been in California for about two weeks and she's doing her best to adapt in school, while her Mom's feeling right where she belongs. Amy's in the lab one afternoon at Cal Tech, and she hears everyone headed to lunch. She cleans up her work and makes her way down to the cafeteria.
"Hey y'all. How is everyone today?" Amy asks when she gets to the cafeteria.
"Hello. Who are you again? I know that President Siebert said we had someone new here. Was that you?" Sheldon asks her.
"Sure was. My name's Amy Fowler. How are you doing?" Amy replies, and she shakes hands with all of them.
"Not bad. How do you like work here so far?" Leonard asks.
"It's different than what I was doing in Kentucky. I had to be in the lab for awhile upon getting here, and tomorrow, I'll be teaching Neuroscience to a few classes." Amy replies.
"You're from Kentucky?" Howard asks her.
"Well sort of. I'm originally from San Diego. I went to Kentucky for my senior trip in high school, where I met someone who I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with. Long story short, I moved back there after I graduated high school, got my degree in Neuroscience, and after he and I got a place together, I became pregnant, and he decided he didn't wanna be a Daddy so, he left." Amy explains.
"Oh wow. Sorry to hear that. So uh, what brought you back to California?" Sheldon asks her.
"Yeah, that sucks that someone would do that to their own child. Just up and leave like that. How's your Daughter liking being here?" Leonard asks.
"Well, she didn't wanna come. She seems to be doing okay. She was born and raised in Kentucky. We're talking the back woods area of Kentucky. We lived near Van Lear. She grew up listening to Loretta Lynn, and she'd even walk all over town and go to Loretta's child hood home every chance she got." Amy replies.
"You ever been to any of the rodeos down in Kentucky?" Sheldon asks, when Amy's phone rings. She holds up her index finger and answers her phone.
"Mama! You won't believe this. There's a talent show this Friday here at school. I know I shouldn't be calling in less it's an emergency but I had to let ya know about it. I'm on the pay phone and I gotta get back to lunch. Love you." Melissa says.
"Love you too Melissa." Amy replies.
"Wait a minute, hold on here. Melissa? Your name is Amy Fowler? Was your Daughter the one that sang the National Anthem at the Lexington Rodeo a few weeks ago?" Raj, who never talks to women unless he's drunk, asks her.
"Yep. She sure was. Why? Is that code for something?" Amy asks, and they all just smile.
"No. Of course not. That little girl has a God given voice. She was incredible. Completely outstanding." Sheldon says, even though he's not much for God or religion.
"Thank You. She started to sing when she was three. Haven't gotten her to stop since." Amy replies while almost laughing.
"Don't either. Don't ever try to get that girl to stop. She's amazing. What's the first song she ever sang all the way through?" Leonard says.
"I wouldn't dream of having her to stop. I love music and I encourage it with Melissa. Her first song she ever sang all the way through was Honky Tonk Girl by Loretta Lynn. Oh, I gotta run guys. Maybe we can pick this up another time? Got some other stuff I gotta get done in the lab. See y'all later." Amy replies, and she gets her tray and takes off over to the garbage bins, dumps her trash in there, and then waves to them while heading back down the hall.
"What a delightful woman. She seems so down home and down to earth. She's really sweet." Howard says, while they all return her wave and smile.
When Amy gets home, she finds Melissa in the creek behind their house, and she's barefoot like usual. She's humming something and Amy has to listen really close to what it is.
"Country in my genes. That's what she's humming." Amy says to herself and she heads inside to set everything down. She knew that being in Kentucky, in the hills let alone, that she wouldn't be able to raise a vegan child, so she just gave it up herself. She goes back outside to get in the creek with Melissa for awhile and she tells her, "Oh. I met some really nice people at work today. They invited us over for supper tonight. What do you think?"
"Sounds like fun. I'm actually making progress with people at school now. They keep asking me, "Are you sure since you're from Van Lear Kentucky, that you've never met Loretta Lynn?" I have to tell them all the time that no I haven't. I'd love to one day, but haven't met her yet. When are we going to your friend's place?" Melissa replies.
"Here in about ten minutes so you need to get out of there and go dry off. Oh! Watch that frog over there honey. Don't step on him." Amy tells her. Melissa starts to head out of the creek but she stops and says, "Hey Mama!"
"Yeah? What's up?" Amy asks and when she goes over to her, Melissa has a small bucket of water and she's fast enough to dump it over her Mom's head.
"Oh you! My goodness girl, that was cold. Come on, let's get out of here and go change." Amy replies, and then she climbs up on the bank, then turns around to help Melissa up.
"You seem to be adjusting pretty good to our new life here in California." Amy says, and Melissa stops for a second.
"I'm trying to. Just so long as we can go back and visit home once in awhile, I'll be happy to keep on adjusting here." Melissa tells her and they finally get inside to get dried off and change into dry clothes.
When they get to Sheldon's apartment, they are greeted by the whole gang, and Penny and Leonard are finishing with getting supper fixed for everyone.
"Hey there. Welcome. Come on in." Leonard says, and when he welcomes them in, Melissa slips her shoes off.
"What are you doing? You don't have to do that." Sheldon says.
"Being polite. Back home, everyone takes their shoes off before they go into someone's home. Shoot, everyone also runs around barefoot too." Melissa tells him. She takes a seat on the floor by Raj and Amy offers her help to Penny and Bernadette, who had taken over for Leonard in the kitchen. Sheldon introduces Melissa to Dungeons and Dragons, to which she says, "Ya ever play kick the can?"
"Young lady, I'm from Houstin Texas. Yes, I've played kick the can. So, you being from Kentucky, bet you'd like to go to a cowboy bar here in town wouldn't ya?" Sheldon asks.
"Whoa, hold it. She's only ten years old dude." Amy tells him.
"Relax, take it easy. I know of one that's kid friendly. It's a bar and grill and family oriented." Sheldon replies.
"Oh, okay. That'd be cool then. Wanna go sometime Melissa?" Amy says, while pulling some fried chicken out of the skillet.
"Sure. Do they have karaoke?" Melissa asks.
"Yep. So, how much do you like Loretta Lynn?" Leonard asks.
"Are you kidding Sir? I'd cut off my own right arm to meet that woman and sell it on Ebay, just to buy a ticket to go and see her." Melissa replies.
"Now you don't have to go to those extremes. But, I see where you're coming from." Raj tells her. They all sit down to eat and while they're eating, Sheldon gets his phone and starts texting a friend of his for a surprise for Melissa.
"Excuse me Mr. Sheldon. You're texting on your phone during supper? Shouldn't do that. It ain't very sociable." Melissa says and Amy just puts her head in her hands.
"Sorry guys. She's very country. I told you guys she was. She's not used to seeing people text on phones during supper." Amy tells everyone and Sheldon just waves his hand and says, "She's fine. She's actually got a point though. Shouldn't do that during supper time when you've got company over."
Chapter Three
What A Big Night For A Young Lady
Sheldon was able to pull a couple of strings for Melissa and when they're all at the cowboy bar, karaoke gets started, and Amy motions for her to get up there.
"I don't know what to sing. Which one should I do?" Melissa asks.
"Any of them of Loretta's that you wanna do honey." Amy replies. Melissa goes and gives her name to the lady running the karaoke and when she's asked what song is she doing, Melissa tells her, "Anything of Loretta Lynn. You put her on, I'll sing it." She goes back to the table and someone gets up and sings Chantile Lace, which gets everyone up dancing. After that song, Melissa is called up. Everyone gives her a hard time until they see the song she's doing. Starting off, she does one of Patsy Cline's called "There he goes."
"There he goes. He's walking away. And each step he takes, brings heartache my way. She's won his heart, I've lost him someway. There he goes. He's walking away. Oh if I hadn't cheated, and if I hadn't lied, I'd be the one, who's walking by his side. I love him still. And I guess it shows. The way that I feel, and there he goes. Oh if I hadn't cheated, and if I hadn't lied, I'd be the one, who's walking by his side. I love him still, and I guess it shows. The way that I feel, and there he goes. The way that I feel, and there he goes." When she's done singing, everyone's to their feet applauding her.
"We were wrong about you honey. You've got a fantastic voice." The bartender tells her.
"Thanks." Melissa replies and she goes back to the table. Sheldon checks his phone again and just smiles really big. Amy gets up and takes Melissa over to one of the pool tables where they get a game going and Melissa tells her, "Ya know Mama? I'm starting to think I may have been wrong about this move out here. Everyone's really nice and it's not a bad neighborhood. Especially, since we live in the country. It's almost like home."
Later that night right before the bar closes, Melissa gets up to do another song of Loretta Lynn's. Country in my genes.
"Well they say that I'm too country, the way I look and sound. They wanna make me over, just a little more uptown. Say I need to change my image, now tell me what's that mean? Don't they know I've got country in my genes? Well, I can't help the way I talk, wouldn't change it if I could. Sophisticated ain't my style, but country fits me good. I ain't ashamed to wear what's been handed down to me. Lord I've got country in my genes. I've got country in my genes, country in my blood. It goes back generations, it's something I'm proud of. It's something I was born with, what you get is what you see. I'm just an old hillbilly, with a country song to sing! Lord, I've got country in my genes." Melissa starts out singing, not knowing who's just showed up to join her. She doesn't even have to look at the screen during the song, but when she looks over by the door, there's the first lady of country music herself, Loretta Lynn. Loretta walks up to her, grabs a microphone and says, "Sing it honey. Let's do it together." Melissa just smiles and almost cries. She lets Loretta do the next part herself though.
"Oh that Earl Scruggs. If country's hit the big time, me, I'm still the same. I ain't above my raisin' and I ain't about to change. I wouldn't trade my Wranglers for the finest gaberdine. Lord, I've got country in my genes." Loretta sings, then they do the rest together as a team.
"I've got country in my genes, country in my blood. It's goes back generations, it's something I'm proud of. It's something I was born with, what you get is what you see. I'm just an old hillbilly with a country song to sing. Lord, I've got country in my genes." They sing together and Melissa gives her a wink and somehow, Loretta knew what that wink meant.
"We've got country in our genes, country in our blood. It goes back generations, it's something we're proud of. It's something we were born with, what you get is what you see. We're just a couple Kentucky hillbillies with a country song to sing. Lord, we've got country in our genes. Lord, we've got country in our genes." They sing together, and when Loretta hugs her, the whole place is going crazy with applause, and wanting both of their's autographs.
"It's so great to meet you. I was raised on your music." Melissa tells her while she's still hugging her.
"That's what Sheldon said honey. You nailed it girl. So I hear you've done went and looked at my child hood home several times huh?" Loretta asks her.
"Yes Maam, I have. I love it. I hated coming out here to California but I've made it work for me somehow. Mama said we can go back and visit home sometimes though. She's a neuroscientist." Melissa tells her.
"You sure have. May I join y'all at your table?" Loretta asks. They go back to the table where everyone's hugging Melissa and shaking Loretta's hand. While Melissa and Loretta are talking about the hills of Kentucky, Amy's thinking to herself, "This is just what she needed. I really have to get her back to Kentucky to visit. I have to realize that you can take the girl out of the country, ya just can't the country out of the girl. I'm proud of her. I wasn't raised country like she was but one thing's for sure. She'll make it anywhere she goes."
"What are you thinking about Amy?" Penny asks.
"Just that, I am starting to wish I'd been raised in the country like she was. Look at her. She's well mannered and polite, she loves just about everyone. I'm not saying that city people aren't polite or well mannered but, some of the kids I've seen around here are horrible little people. I don't blame the kids, I blame the parents." Amy tells her.
"Yep. I know what you mean. I accept all people for the way I was raised. I too was raised country. Don't you ever worry about that girl cause she's a hillbilly kid and those kinds of kids are the ones that really know what's it all about. She's got country in her genes and she'll be just fine. You can be proud." Penny replies.
"Thanks Penny. I needed to hear that. She's pure country and she's still turning out pretty terrific." Amy says, when she hears Melissa laugh at one of Loretta's jokes and say, "Oh dear Lord! Now that there's pretty dog gone funny."
"Oh man." Amy says to herself while laughing. She starts to think that she probably shouldn't have taken her Daughter out of the country, but all in all, she knows she's gonna be okay.
THE END