When we were living in the house that belonged to Mr. Gaston King, I remember several things, some funny, some not so funny.
My Momma was scared of bad weather. Every time a thunderstorm came up, even in the middle of the night, she has us all get up. grab our clothes and head to Grandmo Wise's house. It did not matter what time nor how hard it was already raining, we had to go!!! I don't know why she was so afraid and Daddy went along with her, I guess to keep her happy!!! I am glad it didn't cause me to be afraid of bad weather and I guess none of the other kids are either. Of course, I respect bad weather and don't get out in it unless it is necessary, but I never ran to Mamma's house when a storm came up.
I remember one time when we went to Grandmo's house, I had a bad earache. I remember having them a lot growing up and I suppose that is why I have always been "hard of hearing" all my life as long as I can remember. Anyway, back to my story, we were at Grandmo's house and it was in the middle of the night, I was squalling and hurting so bad. All Momma knew to do was to put some heat on my ear. There were no heating pads or any other such thing back then. I remember Momma getting a towel and putting it around the single light bulb hanging down in the middle of the bed room and putting that warm towel on my ear. I guess it helped, I don't remember ever going to the Doctor for my earaches and I probably had some ruptured ear drums or something all along. It was an almost never ending thing. I just remember keeping my Momma up a lot. I have been hard of hearing for as long as I can remember. I now wear one hearing aid.
Another thing I remember is when we lived in that house, I was in the fourth grade and got my first and only paddling at school!! I got paddled for not finishing my homework one night. When I told Momma about it she hit the roof!!!! She was so mad, not at me, but the teacher! She went to that teacher and told her in no uncertain terms that she gave too much homework and that I worked on it from the time I got home until bedtime and there was no way I could do it all. Anyway, made me feel good to have my Momma take up for me.
Also, one Christmas it was raining cats and dogs and we wondered how Santa was coming. We had fireplaces in several of the rooms, but they had coal grates in them instead of being open like an ordinary fireplace. I remember it rained hard enough to spatter smut/soot on the floor and around the fireplace. But I also remember that I got a stuffed long tailed white cat that Christmas!!! I loved that cat. I guess that is why I have always loved cats. We always got an apple, orange, some "nigger toes" (brazil nuts), some candy peanuts and orange slices. Once in a while we would get a chocolate drop or two. These things were in our stockings. Then we always had some more apple and oranges, Daddy would buy a crate of each, but we never once thought that Santa got our orange and apple out of those crates. He brought us special ones. I am sure I probably got a doll or two as I was growing up, but I only remember that cat!!!
At some point, I am sure I was probably 11 or 12, my Grandmo Wise got sick. She had what was called "sick headaches" (likely it was migraines). Anyway one time she got so sick and threw up so violently that she ruptured some blood vessels in her eyes and subsequently she was blind and bedridden for most of the rest of her life. Anyway, I went and stayed at their house to take care of her while Grandpa Wise went to work. He worked for the County, working on roads and such. I do not remember anything that I did for her, but I must have done whatever I needed to do. I only remember Grandpa getting me up in the mornings to eat breakfast. He cooked the best buttermilk biscuits, bacon, red eye gravy and eggs. I guess I probably had to clean up and stuff, but I did this for one whole summer. The house they lived in then is still standing and someone was living in it the last time I saw it. It is located right across from the cemetery "Peaceful Acres" where L.G., Momma and Daddy and numerous other relatives are buried in Opp, Alabama.
Still more to come!!!! Stay tuned!
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