Aunt Hattie-------I know not whence Aunt Hattie came nor whither she went in this earthly land, but I do know that in those forever years of youth she brought the magic times. I know some about Aunt Hattie via big sister Jo, who said that Aunt Hattie took a liking to mama and moved in with us, telling mama so long as she, Aunt Hattie, was around wasn’t nobody going to mess with us, and we would always have food. Back in those days, just as money was a scarce commodity, so was food. During the depression (which last until the war came down on us] with no work around my father, as millions did, became a hobo. He listen and let the songs of the train lure him into riding the high rails. Aunt Hattie, the practical one, had a low burning intense smothering relationship, and took issue with our father, Jack, who would be pulled by the rails instead of by the hunger and needs of his wife and children. He stayed clear of her. He would visit, make another baby and jumped the rails once again. I remember asking when he would be home and when told any day now’: I would stand of some evenings looking down the road –---waiting. Jo said that one night Aunt Hattie heard someone breaking into the house and when she saw a man she rushed him and came down on him with her butcher knife, and Jack yelled, “it’s me!”. He had put his arm up, yet the knife had still cut his left shoulder. She then had to dress his bloody shoulder. He never again came back home at night. Eventually, in the orphan’s home I realized he had given up on us. During our 5 years he came only once to visit . He gave each of us a quarter (in today’s money about $6.00). Then he said that was all the money he had. For whatever reason, dumb me, gave my quarter back, Jo, my wiser sister gave me a look that would melt butter, but gave hers back too. Jenell and James reluctantly gave theirs back also. He took back his dollar in quarts and left. It was some years later that I realized had I been in his shoes that I myself would have laughed and said keep it. You children need it more than I. A magic time. Clear as a bell, when about three I was running round a tree and then back into Aunt Hattie’s waiting colossal arms, and she would grab me throwing me way up high where the birds fly. Laughing, with limbs fluttering with joy, and wonderment I would see her happy smile completely covering her face—the center of my little world, she was. With outstretched arms waiting for the gravity to bring me back to her. Not scared, no fear of heights—no, not with her. I would run around the tree again and back to the center of the universe and again get slung away, away up high, and seeing that beautiful smile and those loving arms waiting to catch little me. I feel that Aunt Hattie has been my guardian angel these many years, and that voice on the shoulder whispering in my ear when temptations came along. She’s had no easy time of looking after this child of nature. Aunt Hattie—a special place in that wonderful yonder land where God lays his hand on her brow-- one such as she, and says “welcome my child”----
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 02:14:19 +0000
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