6:11 p.m. - 2005-08-24
PART TWO OF THE STORY
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Chapter alternative<
Peggy Jo was so tired of taking care of her younger brothers. All Johnnie, Charley and Harley did lately was argue and fight. They didn't really hurt each other but they sure torn up their clothes. Money wasn't very plentiful and Mama got really tired of all the mending. She had never taken the time to teach Peggy Jo or her younger sister, Lydia how to do housework, sew or even cook. She would rather have Peggy Jo take the children outside so she could have some peace.
Peggy Jo was hoping that Mama would let her visit Auntie Ethel. Auntie had such pretty clothes, hats and purses. Mama used to have time to make Peggy Jo's clothes when there weren't so many children around .
Auntie Ethel even had a wind-up telephone. Peggy Jo had watched very carefully the last time she was with Auntie Ethel. She was sure she knew how to make a call. First, you took the little piece off the hook, then you wound up the handle on the right side, several times until someone called the Op rader started to talk. Then you asked the Op Rader if your friend was home and could answer. Somehow the Op Rader knew everyone in town and found them so they would talk on the telephone. It was so exciting! Almost better than getting free ice
insert ice man story
end of alternative chapter
Chapter 1942
Peggy Jo waited impatiently for the birth certicate to arrive from Oklahoma. She needed the document to get a job and she wanted to start earning some money. She was tired of being responsible for her brothers and sisters. She never wanted wanted to have children. They were too hard to handle. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to get married. Even though she loved Papa with all her heart. she remembered how many times Mama cried herself to sleep at night because he was at the tavern. Peggy Jo wanted to enjoy the good things in life, the things she saw in the movie magazines that her friends bought. Pretty clothes and shoes and hats, having dates with handsome men, a better future and something to look forward to in her life.
Her Mama had been sick for a while now, she had to rest during the day more and more. Fortunately Lydia was taking over with the housework and the cooking.
Finally the envelope she had been watching for came in the mail. She eagerly opened it up and read the contents. Yes, there was Mama's name, Margaret Josephine Dawson and there was Papa's...... But, but it didn't say Thomas William Sanders. It said Arthur Hill. What, there was a mistake! This must not be her birth certificate after all. But the birthday was correct....January 11, 1924. And it does say female. But what does 2 of 2 mean? She spend several days looking at the document.
Finally she decided she had to ask Mama. Mama had never talked about her family before Papa so Peggy Jo had to wait for just the right moment.
She prepared a nice cup of tea and knocked on her Mama's door. Peggy Jo told Mama that the birth certificate had arrived but there was something wrong with it. It didn't have Papa's name on it. Mama took a deep breath and said" Peggy Jo, this is something I never wanted to tell you but now I must. Papa is not your real father."
Peggy Jo gasped "but Mama, I love him and he loves me, I know he does!"
Mama smiled and said, " Of course, he loves you. He has loved you since the first time he saw you and he feels you are as much his child as the rest of our children."
"But, Mama, does that mean that Lydia, Kathryn, and the boys are not my real sisters and brothers? How can that be, what happened, Mama?"
"They are just like your real brothers and sisters. I am their Mama and your Mama. But Papa is their father and he is not your real Papa." Mama replied softly. Mama started to cry.
This is too hard to talk about. Your father is Arthur Hill. I was married to him before I met Papa."
"Mama, then what does this part mean, female, 2 of 2?" Peggy Jo asked, starting to cry herself.
Mama said, "Peggy Jo, I just can't talk about it, I'm sorry." "Please leave me alone now and let me rest."
Peggy Jo quietly left the room and shut the door. "What was so terrible Mama can't even tell me?" Peggy Jo thought.
She looked at the birth certificate constantly. She finally decided that there must have been another baby that died at birth...a twin! Peggy Jo wondered if it was a girl or boy. Peggy Jo decided she would never ask Mama again because it upset her so much. Peggy Jo did not want to see her Mama cry anymore.
If she ever got to California, she would ask Auntie Ethel. Auntie would tell her the truth, she was sure of it.
chapter 1943
Time passed slowly, the brothers and sisers were growing up. Lydia was taking over more and more of the housework, cooking and laundry.
Mama seemed to be aging, she was sick more often with pain in her stomach and headaches. She was too embarassed to see the local doctor. Sometimes, her body seemed to bleed a little every day and she felt like she wasn't clean enough.
Papa worked was less, even though he was still employed by Sears and Roebuck. There was less money coming in. And Papa spent more time at the neighborhood tavern, so he brought even less money home.
Finally Mama and Papa decided to send the boys to live with Mama's half brother, Leonard. He and his wife Vernice lived in the country and had a small farm. They didn't have any children. But they were trying to adopt a little boy in the area. They had plenty of farm work for the boys to do and Kathryn could help with the house and the little boy.
Peggy Jo was still working but she had gotten a job in the neighborhood drug store. She still dreamed of moving out, especially to California. She was giving most of her pay to Mama to buy food and pay the rent when Papa didn't come home with enough money.
Auntie Ethel wrote to Mama every week and talked about how beautiful it was there. It was warm and sunny and everything sounded so wonderful. Mama said they couldn't afford to move to California. Besides, Mama wouldn't leave her children, even if they were still living with Uncle Leonard and Vernice.
One day, Peggy Jo decided to treat her Mama with a special gift. She was going to stop at the Fanny Mae Candy Store and buy her a piece of chocolate with the pretty little paper wrapper and have it put in a Fanny Mae Candy Store bag.
She waited until payday and then walked to the candy store. It was late, nearly 6:00 P.M. As she was walking to the front door, she bumped into a young man who was also trying to enter.
Peggy Jo stopped, smiled and said, "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking. I hope I didn't step on your foot."
The young man looked at her and replied, "No, I'm fine. Please let me get the door for you."
"Oh, Thank you." Peggy Jo said, blushing all over her face. She was so embarrassed. Thank Goodness she had a fresh white blouse on today and her best black skirt. She had even tied a white ribbon in her hair because this was a special purchase.
As she entered the Fanny Mae Candy Store, she stopped to look at the white wicker baskets of candy. Each white basket had a different pastel color of ribbon tied to the handle. Every color and shape of candy she could imagine was there. The store smelled so good, she wanted to stay there forever. Finally she saw a chocolate fudge piece that looked so beautiful she couldn't believe it was really candy.
As the clerk approached her, Peggy Jo said softly, "How much is that piece, please?"
The clerk was dressed in a sparkling white uniform with a white apron. She was a sweet faced, soft spoken woman. She said, "why, it is 25 cents."
"Oh, dear", Peggy Jo replied, "I don't have enough for that piece. It was going to be a surprise for my Mama. She has not been feeling well for a long time and I wanted to cheer her up." I guess I will have to save more money and come back later." She turned away and started towards the door."
"Wait, please!" It was the young man she had bumped into at the door. He turned to the clerk and said, "Mother, can we afford to buy that piece of candy for this young lady's mother?"
Smiling, the clerk said, "of course, we can. Every Mama liked to get a piece of candy from a beautiful daughter like this one." With that, she scooped up the candy, wrapped it in tissue and put it in a special little Fanny Mae bag and tied it up with a ribbon, just like the pastel ribbons on the candy baskets in the display area. She handed the bag to her son, who turned to Peggy Jo.
"I hope your Mama likes the candy." My name is Donald and this is my mother, Leonetta." I came to walk Mother home tonight." May we walk you home as well? It is getting very dark outside."
Peggy Jo stuttered, "Oh, I don't know if that is proper." I just live a few blocks from here. "
Leonetta said to Peggy Jo. "Please, Dear, let us walk you home. We live on N. Clark St. and I am sure you don't live much farther. You work in the drugstore, don't you? I think I have seen you there." "What is your name?"
Peggy Jo smiled and said, "Yes, I do work there. My name is Peg...I mean Patricia Jeanne and it would be very nice to walk with you."
Peggy Jo hoped they didn't notice her hesitation in saying her name, she thought Patricia Jeanane sounded much more grown up than Peggy Jo.
Chapter
Several weeks went by and Peggy Jo continued to dream of California. She didn't see how she ever would be able to afford to go there, even to just visit Auntie Ethel. She knew Mama was getting worse. She seldom felt up to doing anything. Even Papa would invite Mama out for dinner and she would not go. She just had no strength any more.
Peggy Jo would stop by to talk to Leonetta at the Fanny Mae Candy Store from time to time. They formed a nice friendship. Leonetta became like a mother to Peggy Jo. They were both very fond of each other.
Occasionally, Donald would stop at the store to walk his mother home and he would talk to Peggy Jo. He was so handsome, almost like a movie star in her eyes. He had dark black curly hair and a dimple. He was quite a gentleman and dressed as nicely as he could considering he worked for a small lithograph printing company. He lived with his mother and brothers and sisters in an third floor apartment near Peggy Jo.
Finally he asked Peggy Jo if she would like to see a movie with him one evening.
"Of course.", she said "Yes, I would love to." Inside, she was jumping up and down," Yes, Yes, Oh Yes."
They did go out a few times and became more and more interested in each other. She already loved his mother and wanted to meet his family.
He told her that his father, Arthur, had moved them to Chicago before his youngest sister was born. Once they got the apartment, his father left and never returned. His mother had 7 children and 1 on the way at the time. Arthur Jr, Marge, Catherine, Virginia, the twins Leo and Robert, Donald and then baby Donna. Leonetta had to find a way to feed her growing family and got her first job with Fanny Mae Candy Store.
Over the years, the children helped out as they grew old enough to work.
Some of they had married and moved to their own places but Catherine, Virginia, Donna and Donald still lived with their mother.
Peggy Jo finally got to meet all of them and she had an instant liking for Virginia and Catherine. She felt like they were sisters.
Peggy Jo still wanted to go to California but she didn't think it was ever going to be possible.
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OKAY, I WOULD LOVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU. This is based on my family, I have changed the names. I have taken some liberties in using conversations that may not have taken place. But, what do you think? Would you read it if it was more detailed?
PS, Our little Chloe had to be put to sleep last night. She was just so weak, we couldn't bear to see her that way any more. She was about 12 yrs old, Himalayan cat.
