My Mother

I had recently been asking my Mother to write down some stories from her younger days, and she typed this one out for my birthday. Let me share it here for my family. It represents a different era -- World War II was looming large. I'll need to re-type what she wrote, so here it is...

"All you requested is a story.

Since your birthday is near, here's one.

On a summer day in about 1944, when I was 16, my mother was not at home, leaving me, the oldest of 5 kids, sort of in charge. Gladys only two years younger & Alven next in age didn't always want big sister bossing.

But this was different. James had driven his strip down Ford in our drive. It was his pride and joy - he and a friend, Robert Pass, had done a super paint job on it. Zebra stripes no less!

Oh, I forgot to say James was my boyfriend and I thought he hung the moon! My knight in shining armour. Anyway this car was truly a strip down. No body. It had front and back seat both with wooden bench seats. Now mind you about this same time I was working over in North Dallas at a Wyatts Cafeteria & he wanted to come pick me up after work but I told him not to in that strip down Ford! I didn't want to ride in it or be seen in it. My girl friend Margie Flemming worked with me and we would ride the bus and transfer to the streetcar and another bus.

Well as I said this was different. At James suggestion he drove us all on a long drive out the Naval Base. Grand Prairie, I think. We never once considered it dangerous! It was great fun. Since Billie and Hulen were the youngest they sat in the back between Gladys and myself. Alven sat in the front seat with James. Of course he consdered James his special friend and looked up to him as an older boy.

Through the years I often think of it as a fun thing even though not wise!

Such was our growing up. I don't remember what my mother said when she came home..."