Moving Right Along

Well, I guess farming began to not pay off too well as Mamma went to work in the Sewing Factory in Andalusia, Alabama. I think she and Aunt Donna Ward and some other ladies rode together, it is quite a ways to Andalusia from where we lived north of Opp.  Daddy took care of us kids, got us dressed and to school, fed us and whatever he had to do. I do not know if he still was farming any or not. I know they probably had a vegetable garden, cause you almost had to in those days, especially living in the country. He cooked a lot of turnip greens, and tomatoes and rice for us. I learned to cook some of those things and he loved chocolate pudding and I learned to cook that too. I don't know how long it was after he quit farming before he was drafted into World War II.  He went off and was stationed in Baltimore, Maryland for a long time. I do not know how long he was gone. Mamma went to visit him for a couple of weeks while he was up there. She rode the train. I guess we stayed at home with Granny Northey or we might have stayed with Grandmo and PaPa Wise, I don't remember. I just know she went to visit him. He was in the Quartermaster Corp. (dispensing clothes to the servicemen). Thank the Lord he did not have to go overseas where the fighting was!! Then the war was over and he got to come home.
They had sold the farm to our Uncle Dewey and Aunt Vermelle Carnley ( Momma's sister). We then moved to a house located right where the Fleeta road intersected the Opp Highway 84. The house was owned by Mr. Gaston King and he had a store located somewhere at the intersection. We had some good times living there. I don't remember if Momma was still working at that time or not. I know we lived there for a while when Daddy still in the service.
We had cousins that visited and we always had a lot of fun with them. We were all pretty close to the same ages. We would choose husbands and wives and pretend that we were couples and played house. It was a lot of fun. Juanita always chose Gerald Carnley for her "husband" and I think I chose Franklin "Fid" Northey. Anyway, we had a good time pretending and playing house.
Wayne had a bicycle when we lived in that house and he dearly loved riding in the highway because the pavement was so smooth instead of the yard or the dirt road on the way to Fleeta. He had to really be watchful of the traffic, so he could get out of the road if a car happened to come by. Fortunately there was not much traffic in 1944-45.
There were no chain guards on his bike and he had to try to keep his pants leg folded up so as not to get caught in the chain. One day it happened!!! His pants leg got caught in the chain and down he went!!!!We were so scared!!!! We ran screaming to the house, yelling "Momma, Momma!!! Come quick! Wayne's pants are caught in his chain and he is in the middle of the road and can't get up!" She came out, and saw the situation and go her trusty scissors, cut his pants so he could get up and get the bike into the yard. All was well!!! He was fortunate that no car came along and hit him!!!!
I have a funny story about that bike!!! Of course, I, a girl, did not have a bike, so Wayne "graciously" agreed to teach me how to ride his bike.  He told me just how to get on it and just peddle and learn to balance. I got where I could balance and ride in a straight line ( in the yard, not the highway). Our front yard was pretty long so I had a good little distance to practice in. One day he decided I needed to learn how to turn around on the bicycle.  We had a large bush or small tree at one end of the front yard and he told me, "Now go straight toward that tree/bush then ride around it and come back." So he got me started and turned me loose and EVERY time I did as he said, I would head straight for that tree/bush and run right into it!!! I could not make the turn to go around that tree/bush. Wayne would roll on the ground laughing out loud!!! He would say,"I said go around that tree/bush". I just kept on running right straight into it. I guess I finally learned, but I don't think I ever made it around that bush/tree!!  I can see Wayne dying laughing at me and I think probably Momma was laughing too!! It made me mad to be laughed at, but I did learn to ride a bike, I betcha!!!!!