1-5-09...THE PLAY OH MY GOSH
Remember all those giggling times we had as teen-agers? Boy I sure do. Sometimes we would giggle till our tummies hurt. That's OK. Right? Well that's according to where that giggle comes on. In school is not one of the good places, especially when it is supposed to be a serious time.
We had JR. and Sr. Plays in high school and I'll never forget our Sr. Play. It was called Ready Made Family and it was soo funny. Made even funnier by the antics on stage. I have to say right now that I was directly responsible for at least three of them. I can laugh till my belly aches about it now but let me tell you our Sponser Miss Brasel sure turned my giggle into a poker face with just a few words. Words, very quietly spoken I might add.
I played a teenager and had a teen aged brother and a little sister. Our 'Mom' had brought a Man for us to meet and told us they were getting married. This 'Man' had two teenagers, a boy and a girl. Well the five of us kids didn't want our parents to get married so we set out to put a stop to their plans. Of course the four teenagers fell into puppy love and our minds changed. That's the gist of the play but our on-stage behaviour was funnier than the story was.
One time I was supposed to walk across the stage. As I went by the fireplace I knocked the poker over. Cling Clang Clop. My friend Jimmy looked back and said very calmly. "You knocked the poker down". The look on his face got me tickled. To keep from laughing I said "Would you pick it up?", To which he said, " Pick it up yourself sis." I was splutterin' now trying not to go in to the giggles and I said, "Oh good grief Jimmy", (which of course was not his name in the play). The audience all laughed and we went on. But the 'stage' was set from then on. One blunder after another.
In one scene I was supposed to bust out in baby talk. Our 'Butler' was supposed to be kneeling by the fireplace and my sudden prattle was supposed to scare him. The line he was supposed to say was my cue for my next line, he spluttered it out and said it wrong and I got tickled. Gordon said the word again to help me say my line but I just got more tickled. Gordon was supposed to jump up and run off the stage but he kept saying that line so I'd say mine. well I was in a giggle fit and couldn't say my line. I guess Gordon decided I'm gettin' outta here, cause he jumped up and proceeded to run off the stage and tripped over my foot and fell face down. I looked down at him and really come unglued. I mean I was gigglin hard now. Tears were dropping down my face, I was just unhinged. Then I heard the voice of Miss Brasel behind stage. "Straighten up out there, NOW! Well folks that was the same as THE LOOK from my Mama. Instant calm took over. I said my line, Gordon ran off stage (limping slightly) and that scene was over.
The next act opened and we kids had decided we liked each other very much. In fact four of us were smitten. Me and my counterpart and the other two were supposed to be arm in arm walking to the couch to sit down and talk it over. I had my arm drapped through Tommy's and I had on a rhinestone bracelet. As we turned to sit my bracelet got caught in his sweater and hung there. I was just going to pull free but Tommy took my wrist and raised it up so he could get his sweater unhinged from my bracelet without tearing his sweater. He said "Stupid girls". Well that didn't go over very well either since in the story we were supposed to be smitten. I almost got the giggles again but the door off stage came open just a smidgen and this time I saw Miss Brasels face and "The Look" stopped my giggle in its tracks. Just screeched to a halt. That was a fun time that is just fixed in my mind like indelible ink. I can remember it so vividly it feels like yesterday. What a great time we had with that play. Miss Brasel laughed right along with us afterwards. But we all knew when that sweet Lady meant business too. A look or a word worked. Oh what times we had back then. Just some of the times that have made me what I am. They were simple and innocent times and we can not go back in time. But we can sure keep our memories and cherish those times. WHICH I DO!!!! Yep!
Monday, January 5, 2009
GOT ME A PIECE OF GUM
1-4-09...GOT ME A PIECE OF GUM
Of all the people in my past I think I remember my Great Grandma Henry the best. She was a little lady. Her hair was silver grey and hung down her back. She twisted it up in a knot on the top of her head and secuered it with long wooden hair pins. It was beautiful I thought then and still do.
Grandma had a little black purse that was off limits to everyone and I mean everyone. I was always facinated with the unknown as to not knowing what she protected so fiercely in that little purse. I managed to get in it a couple of times with bad results. One was when Brenda and I stole her snuff which I have told here before. Grandma dipped that snuff with a teensy doll spoon and the spoon was a facination to me also.
Grandma was so neat with her snuff that a stranger would never know she had it. Never dripped down her chin and on to her bodice, and her teeth never showed the stains.
Grandma was out under the big Elm tree in our back yard one day and I saw her cut a little twig off a limb and proceed to cut on the end of that twig till it resembled a brush. "What'cha doin' Grandma" I asked. "Well Come over here Clydene and I'll show you" She said. Brenda, Norman, Paul and I all ran on over there and Grandma showed us how she always 'brushed' her teeth with that Elm twig." Now kids that is the way I keep my teeth white" she said. "But Grandma Mama says we have to use toothpaste". "Well Clydene, I didn't have toothpaste when I was a little girl, and I didn't like to have to use lye soap in my mouth. It tasted terrible. I discovered that the elm twig worked just as well without the soap. I use toothpaste now but I use this elm twig too". Well I know she did cause I have that little black purse in an old trunk now and there inside is an elm twig brush all wrapped up in plastic. There it will stay too.
Grandma Henry was special to me in so many ways. She was so gentle, never raised her voice that I ever heard, she loved everyone and everyone loved her. But she sure could get riled up in her gentle way if that little black purse was bothered. Something I found out the two times I dared to put my hands inside it.
Grandma always had chewing gum in that purse and I knew it. Now and then she would give us a piece (well one piece torn in to) but not very often. She never got it out and chewed it in front of us but boy howdy we knew it was there. Mama said don't ask Grandma Mattie for gum kids. She will give it to you if she wants to. Of course I did ask from time to time anyway but out of Mamas hearing.
One day I asked and Grandma said not now. Well I knew very well that not now meant NO! But I wanted a piece of that gum.
Very seldom was that little black purse out of Grandma's sight. Heck she even took that blamed thing to the toilet with her. But, One day I caught that Purse sittin' there on a table and Granny was no where in sight. No other people around but me. WHOOPPEE! I'm gonna' get me a whole durn piece of that gum! Yep!
I opened the purse got me a piece of gum, and off I went runnin' with it behind me. I cut through the kitchen and there was Mama and Grandma sittin' at the table. I kept my hands behind me mashing that gum in my grubby little paws and just walked right on by Mama and Grandma. They just looked up and smiled at me and boy howdy I had it made. I walked on by them and to the screen door. I used my shoulder to push the door open cause I didn't wanna' take the chance that I'd drop the gum and theyd' see it don't ya' know. Problem was, I walked on by them but I didn't bother to move my hands from hind' me to tha' front when I went by. Get the picture? There I was pushin' that door with my shoulder, thinkin' I was sooo! smart. My back was to them and of course so were my hands with the gum stickin' out. CLYDENE!!!! That was Grandma and she raised her voice just a tad that time. WHAT? I still hadn't figuered out that they could see that gum so I just stopped in my tracks and stood there. "What'cha' want Grandma. What is that in your hands, That was Mama this time. What hands? I replied very innocently. I turned around to face them and by golly I remembered to put my dad blamed hands in front of me this time. Right in plain sight again. Now wasn't I smart HUH? I stood there with my hands closed over the gum and thought I still had it hid. My hands were too small to hide it of course. Granny got to get the peach tree limb that time. She just tapped me a couple of times. Don't figure she really wanted to do that but knew it was what I needed. And of course I did need it. Only time My Grandma Mattie ever spanked me. It didn't hurt but it made a lasting impression on me. I still can't bring myself to mess with that purse. I've looked inside it but leave everything just the way it was when Granny carried it. YEP! Wouldn't want another spanking from my Grandma Mattie. NOPE!
I do wonder why I just didn't open that gum and put it in my mouth in the first place before I got caught. Guess I needed that lesson. HUH? YEP!!!
Of all the people in my past I think I remember my Great Grandma Henry the best. She was a little lady. Her hair was silver grey and hung down her back. She twisted it up in a knot on the top of her head and secuered it with long wooden hair pins. It was beautiful I thought then and still do.
Grandma had a little black purse that was off limits to everyone and I mean everyone. I was always facinated with the unknown as to not knowing what she protected so fiercely in that little purse. I managed to get in it a couple of times with bad results. One was when Brenda and I stole her snuff which I have told here before. Grandma dipped that snuff with a teensy doll spoon and the spoon was a facination to me also.
Grandma was so neat with her snuff that a stranger would never know she had it. Never dripped down her chin and on to her bodice, and her teeth never showed the stains.
Grandma was out under the big Elm tree in our back yard one day and I saw her cut a little twig off a limb and proceed to cut on the end of that twig till it resembled a brush. "What'cha doin' Grandma" I asked. "Well Come over here Clydene and I'll show you" She said. Brenda, Norman, Paul and I all ran on over there and Grandma showed us how she always 'brushed' her teeth with that Elm twig." Now kids that is the way I keep my teeth white" she said. "But Grandma Mama says we have to use toothpaste". "Well Clydene, I didn't have toothpaste when I was a little girl, and I didn't like to have to use lye soap in my mouth. It tasted terrible. I discovered that the elm twig worked just as well without the soap. I use toothpaste now but I use this elm twig too". Well I know she did cause I have that little black purse in an old trunk now and there inside is an elm twig brush all wrapped up in plastic. There it will stay too.
Grandma Henry was special to me in so many ways. She was so gentle, never raised her voice that I ever heard, she loved everyone and everyone loved her. But she sure could get riled up in her gentle way if that little black purse was bothered. Something I found out the two times I dared to put my hands inside it.
Grandma always had chewing gum in that purse and I knew it. Now and then she would give us a piece (well one piece torn in to) but not very often. She never got it out and chewed it in front of us but boy howdy we knew it was there. Mama said don't ask Grandma Mattie for gum kids. She will give it to you if she wants to. Of course I did ask from time to time anyway but out of Mamas hearing.
One day I asked and Grandma said not now. Well I knew very well that not now meant NO! But I wanted a piece of that gum.
Very seldom was that little black purse out of Grandma's sight. Heck she even took that blamed thing to the toilet with her. But, One day I caught that Purse sittin' there on a table and Granny was no where in sight. No other people around but me. WHOOPPEE! I'm gonna' get me a whole durn piece of that gum! Yep!
I opened the purse got me a piece of gum, and off I went runnin' with it behind me. I cut through the kitchen and there was Mama and Grandma sittin' at the table. I kept my hands behind me mashing that gum in my grubby little paws and just walked right on by Mama and Grandma. They just looked up and smiled at me and boy howdy I had it made. I walked on by them and to the screen door. I used my shoulder to push the door open cause I didn't wanna' take the chance that I'd drop the gum and theyd' see it don't ya' know. Problem was, I walked on by them but I didn't bother to move my hands from hind' me to tha' front when I went by. Get the picture? There I was pushin' that door with my shoulder, thinkin' I was sooo! smart. My back was to them and of course so were my hands with the gum stickin' out. CLYDENE!!!! That was Grandma and she raised her voice just a tad that time. WHAT? I still hadn't figuered out that they could see that gum so I just stopped in my tracks and stood there. "What'cha' want Grandma. What is that in your hands, That was Mama this time. What hands? I replied very innocently. I turned around to face them and by golly I remembered to put my dad blamed hands in front of me this time. Right in plain sight again. Now wasn't I smart HUH? I stood there with my hands closed over the gum and thought I still had it hid. My hands were too small to hide it of course. Granny got to get the peach tree limb that time. She just tapped me a couple of times. Don't figure she really wanted to do that but knew it was what I needed. And of course I did need it. Only time My Grandma Mattie ever spanked me. It didn't hurt but it made a lasting impression on me. I still can't bring myself to mess with that purse. I've looked inside it but leave everything just the way it was when Granny carried it. YEP! Wouldn't want another spanking from my Grandma Mattie. NOPE!
I do wonder why I just didn't open that gum and put it in my mouth in the first place before I got caught. Guess I needed that lesson. HUH? YEP!!!
THE GIRL IN ME
1-3-09...THE GIRL IN ME
Sometimes I look in a mirror and think, Who in the world is that ol' wrinkled up prune? Where the heck did that smoothe faced, black haired, skinny little girl go. In my heart I'm still that girl growing up. Hey I'm still here I want to shout at that dad' burned mirror. Stop lying to me, come on now, that aint me. And it don't have to be me that I see there in the mirror. I can be that girl again anytime I want to if I keep her alive. Sure nuff can. So there you ol' mirror. I don't have to listen to you. NOPE!
That girl was lively, no aches and pains, no worries either. Well by golly I'm 64 and I've earned the right to be a girl again. Oh yes, I see the little smiles on younger ones faces when I make a blunder or say somethin' stupid, or forget their name, Again! What the heck do they know. They wouldn't know where to start to live my life. Nope! You whippersnappers you couldn't begin to walk in my shoes.
I remember one cold night when no matter what I did I couldn't get warm. Mama had put a hot water bottle at my feet but the rest of me was cold. She wrapped it in a towel because it had boiling water inside and was too hot not wrapped. Well I decided to unwrap the dad burned thing and snuggle with it. My little brother was in the bed too. None of us slept by ourselves. It was warmer to have two in the bed. Sometimes we all slept in the floor in the front room in front of the little heater. This night I crawled under the covers and got the wrapped hot water bottle. I lifted it up and proceeded to unwrap it. Heck fire that sucker was hot. I couldn't snuggle with that thing. I pushed it over between my brother and me. Sometime later I moved and flopped right down on that bottle. Let me tell you I flopped up a bunch quicker than I flopped down! OWWW! As I jumped I hit my head on the head board and Owww! again. My little Brother (two at the time) came awake screechin' and hitin'. Mama and Daddy came on the scene then and restored order but I had a bump on my head, scratches on my arm, and a burn on my fanny.
Then there were the mornings in that ol' toilet in the field. Cold mornins' it almost hurt to sit down on that durn hole, summer mornins' you was'a'liable to get a red wasp on your butt which brought ya' up screamin' and fightin' that durn thing. Same ol' problems havin' to wait. Four in the family and whoever else might be there. A one seater toilet. Like one bathroom today but at least y'all are inside.
Things were hard back then but I was that young girl that I still have here inside me. As I get older I dig her out more often. She will never go away. When she is here I have my Family here too. Mama, Daddy, Granny and Grandpa, My little Brother, Brenda and I skipping along those ol' dirt roads and experiencing the most awesome time of our lives. I don't want to ever lose that girl. She is what made the woman I am now. As long as she is here I don't have to worry about lookin' in that lying mirror. Nope! I know that girl and I cherish her life. And I aint'a'gonna let her escape me. NOPE!!!
Sometimes I look in a mirror and think, Who in the world is that ol' wrinkled up prune? Where the heck did that smoothe faced, black haired, skinny little girl go. In my heart I'm still that girl growing up. Hey I'm still here I want to shout at that dad' burned mirror. Stop lying to me, come on now, that aint me. And it don't have to be me that I see there in the mirror. I can be that girl again anytime I want to if I keep her alive. Sure nuff can. So there you ol' mirror. I don't have to listen to you. NOPE!
That girl was lively, no aches and pains, no worries either. Well by golly I'm 64 and I've earned the right to be a girl again. Oh yes, I see the little smiles on younger ones faces when I make a blunder or say somethin' stupid, or forget their name, Again! What the heck do they know. They wouldn't know where to start to live my life. Nope! You whippersnappers you couldn't begin to walk in my shoes.
I remember one cold night when no matter what I did I couldn't get warm. Mama had put a hot water bottle at my feet but the rest of me was cold. She wrapped it in a towel because it had boiling water inside and was too hot not wrapped. Well I decided to unwrap the dad burned thing and snuggle with it. My little brother was in the bed too. None of us slept by ourselves. It was warmer to have two in the bed. Sometimes we all slept in the floor in the front room in front of the little heater. This night I crawled under the covers and got the wrapped hot water bottle. I lifted it up and proceeded to unwrap it. Heck fire that sucker was hot. I couldn't snuggle with that thing. I pushed it over between my brother and me. Sometime later I moved and flopped right down on that bottle. Let me tell you I flopped up a bunch quicker than I flopped down! OWWW! As I jumped I hit my head on the head board and Owww! again. My little Brother (two at the time) came awake screechin' and hitin'. Mama and Daddy came on the scene then and restored order but I had a bump on my head, scratches on my arm, and a burn on my fanny.
Then there were the mornings in that ol' toilet in the field. Cold mornins' it almost hurt to sit down on that durn hole, summer mornins' you was'a'liable to get a red wasp on your butt which brought ya' up screamin' and fightin' that durn thing. Same ol' problems havin' to wait. Four in the family and whoever else might be there. A one seater toilet. Like one bathroom today but at least y'all are inside.
Things were hard back then but I was that young girl that I still have here inside me. As I get older I dig her out more often. She will never go away. When she is here I have my Family here too. Mama, Daddy, Granny and Grandpa, My little Brother, Brenda and I skipping along those ol' dirt roads and experiencing the most awesome time of our lives. I don't want to ever lose that girl. She is what made the woman I am now. As long as she is here I don't have to worry about lookin' in that lying mirror. Nope! I know that girl and I cherish her life. And I aint'a'gonna let her escape me. NOPE!!!
MY FIRST BOQUET
1-3-09...MY FIRST BOQUET
I have mentioned some of my friends from school at different times. I'd like to talk about my Friend Tommy today.
I first saw Tommy when I was five yrs. old. I was at my Aunt Georgia's with my Parents visiting. Tommy lived with his parents just down the lane. Tommy and his Mom came up to Aunt Georgias. Tommy and I were outside playing. Aunt Georgia was sooo! fussy about neatness and she always had a beautiful yard. I was shy but Tommy wasn't. I knew better than to pick Aunt Georgias flowers, Tommy didn't.
I had a good time playing with Tommy in Aunt Georgias yard. Tommy picked a big boquet of Aunt Georgias flowers and was handing them to me just as his Mom, My Mom, and Aunt Georgia came on the porch. Come on Tommy we gotta' go. No! He said. I had taken the flowers and heard a big gasp. It was Aunt Georgia and her mouth was wide open as I clutched the boquet in my grubby little hands. "Tommy! You weren't supposed to pick those without asking". Oh! My Aunt gushed, It's allright, she lied. She was livid inside but trying to be polite. Anyway Tommy said "I want Clydene to go home with us". It is Ok with me his Mom said. I backed up and was shaking my head no. She don't want to go Tommy. As I said, I was very shy, Tommy wasn't. Tommy got hold of my shirt sleeve and was gonna' take me home with him anyway. I was jerking back and Tommy was pulling. "Tommy, turn loose of her you are gonna' tear her clothes up". Now folks I really did want to go but I was just too bashful. They went on home and My Aunt started moaning about her flowers. Oh My Goodness, Clydene you knew better. Did You pick them Clydene, asked my Mom. No! Then Georgia (we pronounced it GEORGY and still do) Then Georgy don't get on to her.
That evening Aunt Georgy's boys came home from school and when they found out they started teasing me. Clydene's got a boyfriend, Clydene's in love. Hey! I was five and didn't even know what having a boyfriend meant. But I knew how to get my claws out and I did just that. Tore in to them like a mama cat protecting her babies. Aunt Georgy was splutterin' and almost foamin'at the mouth. Why the nerve of a five year old hurting her two babies who were 11 and 15. How rude of her.
Anyway when we started to first grade in Sep. There was Tommy sitting across the aisle from me. He was the only one I knew so of course we were instant friends. I cried every day till recess when I could get outside with Brenda. Tommy would smile at me and it made me feel better. He would hand pencils, gum, candy, ect. across to me when I was crying. Now in 4th&5th. we got 'struck' on each other for a while. Puppy love for me. Don't know if Tommy felt the same way or was still just my friend. And Friends we remained through all twelve grades. There were only nine in our graduating class at the very small school. We were friends, almost like sisters and Brothers. We graduated in 1961 and Tommy was gone. Never knew what happened to him. Only saw him once in the many years that followed. Then when I got my first computer my Nephew happened across Tommy's Web Site and gave me the address. I contacted him. WALA' instant friends again.
Now I have mentioned these things to Tommy and he doesn't remember a bit of it. It is glued in my memory and I'll never forget the first time someone gave me flowers. Guess that is the difference between boys/men & girls/women. We women remember the sweet things better. YEP!!
I have mentioned some of my friends from school at different times. I'd like to talk about my Friend Tommy today.
I first saw Tommy when I was five yrs. old. I was at my Aunt Georgia's with my Parents visiting. Tommy lived with his parents just down the lane. Tommy and his Mom came up to Aunt Georgias. Tommy and I were outside playing. Aunt Georgia was sooo! fussy about neatness and she always had a beautiful yard. I was shy but Tommy wasn't. I knew better than to pick Aunt Georgias flowers, Tommy didn't.
I had a good time playing with Tommy in Aunt Georgias yard. Tommy picked a big boquet of Aunt Georgias flowers and was handing them to me just as his Mom, My Mom, and Aunt Georgia came on the porch. Come on Tommy we gotta' go. No! He said. I had taken the flowers and heard a big gasp. It was Aunt Georgia and her mouth was wide open as I clutched the boquet in my grubby little hands. "Tommy! You weren't supposed to pick those without asking". Oh! My Aunt gushed, It's allright, she lied. She was livid inside but trying to be polite. Anyway Tommy said "I want Clydene to go home with us". It is Ok with me his Mom said. I backed up and was shaking my head no. She don't want to go Tommy. As I said, I was very shy, Tommy wasn't. Tommy got hold of my shirt sleeve and was gonna' take me home with him anyway. I was jerking back and Tommy was pulling. "Tommy, turn loose of her you are gonna' tear her clothes up". Now folks I really did want to go but I was just too bashful. They went on home and My Aunt started moaning about her flowers. Oh My Goodness, Clydene you knew better. Did You pick them Clydene, asked my Mom. No! Then Georgia (we pronounced it GEORGY and still do) Then Georgy don't get on to her.
That evening Aunt Georgy's boys came home from school and when they found out they started teasing me. Clydene's got a boyfriend, Clydene's in love. Hey! I was five and didn't even know what having a boyfriend meant. But I knew how to get my claws out and I did just that. Tore in to them like a mama cat protecting her babies. Aunt Georgy was splutterin' and almost foamin'at the mouth. Why the nerve of a five year old hurting her two babies who were 11 and 15. How rude of her.
Anyway when we started to first grade in Sep. There was Tommy sitting across the aisle from me. He was the only one I knew so of course we were instant friends. I cried every day till recess when I could get outside with Brenda. Tommy would smile at me and it made me feel better. He would hand pencils, gum, candy, ect. across to me when I was crying. Now in 4th&5th. we got 'struck' on each other for a while. Puppy love for me. Don't know if Tommy felt the same way or was still just my friend. And Friends we remained through all twelve grades. There were only nine in our graduating class at the very small school. We were friends, almost like sisters and Brothers. We graduated in 1961 and Tommy was gone. Never knew what happened to him. Only saw him once in the many years that followed. Then when I got my first computer my Nephew happened across Tommy's Web Site and gave me the address. I contacted him. WALA' instant friends again.
Now I have mentioned these things to Tommy and he doesn't remember a bit of it. It is glued in my memory and I'll never forget the first time someone gave me flowers. Guess that is the difference between boys/men & girls/women. We women remember the sweet things better. YEP!!
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