If you have not read my story from the start, you may want to look at these links first
Freedom This is the introduction to my online book
Chapter 1 The book of my lifeI posted this photo
before in feb 09. In that post I declared my freedom of my Mom.
I left off with us in West Virginia. I do not Have a time line for this chapter So I may go back and forth. I would call this portion of my life the poor version of leave it to beaver. Because like the beav I had a few adventures and did some silly things.
Or neighbor Mrs Polman was always sitting on her side porch. And I would go to visit. We would sit and talk. She was a quilter and showed me her work, She talked about her family. Her son who is older than my parents lived with her. He has a scout to drive and in his basement garage was a 50's model corvette. It was all white and he had a hardtop hanging from the ceiling, So if he wanted he had a top to put on it. I never seen him drive it. But did see it in the yard getting washed. His name was Harold. He had some cinder blocks sitting to the left of his garage door. I remember many times. I picked one up or rolled it to the property line between his house and ours. I was wore out and could not get it any further. So before I could go back out. He had put it back in its place. I don;t know why , but I tried over and over, till one day I went to get the block and it was tied up to a tree. So I lost interest. His mom though I seem to have adopted her as a grandma.
Then across the road next to her was Mr Olsen. No I was not Dennis the menace to him. He was like my adopted Grandpa. He lived in a 2 story Victorian home .This house was amazing. It had a wrap around porch and detached 2 car garage. He showed me an electric generator. And told me it would power his whole house if the electric went out. The top floor of his home contained a massive train set up. He was a Lionel collector. I never touched them but I watched him run the trains.
I can remember 1 day my dad came home with a carp. My mom did not want a fish in her house. I saw it was still alive so I ran water in the bath tub. But the fish was on its side gulping. So I took it and ran to Mr. Olsen. I knew he would know what to do. He ran water in his sink and said go home now. I will do my best to save it. So I went. The next day I went back. He said I am so sorry. I tried really hard. But it did not make it. So I was sad but. At least he tried. As an adult my dad said. He talked to Mr. Olsen and gave him the other fish he had. So Mr. Olsen ate my fish. LOL
The neighbors on the other side of our home did not come out much. But one day I talked to the lady who lived there. She was an artist and an art collector. She brought me in and showed me beautiful paintings. So I learned to love art from her being kind to me 1 day . That is all the time I spent with her.
These 3 people added quality to my life. I learned from each of them.
Most of my time was spent playing with a few kids on the side street. I remember my mom did not care how long I was out side then. Her and my little brother were always in the house. It was like out of site out of mind. I do not have much memory of my brother at all. I know we shared the same room. I had a cot and he had a fold down couch till I was age 16. Then we got twin beds . The photo above is the house I lived in. There was 1 bedroom and we had it. My parents room was dinning room that was open to the living room. there was a kitchen and the bath tub had claw feet. We only had 1 closet. it was in the bathroom. I can remember this house was very cold. I slept with all the coats in the house on top of me. The furnace in the basement was an oil burner. I remember a big gas truck would stop buy and fill our tank up. Like you would put gas in a car. The furnace though was amazing. it took up most of the basement. It was a big round chamber with octopus like round tubes coming out of it. I would go down stairs and look through a window on it and see the flame burn.But with it being gravity fed. It did not heat the house well.
I remember the landlord put a washer in the basement that was coin operated. My mom had to hang the cloths up to dry. But this guy would come and empty the money out of it. I remember watching him. And he would talk to me. He was a nice person too. I think I would spend time with any one who would talk to me back then. I do not remember playing with many toys or games or coloring. I did get a doll that walked for Christmas one year. But my room was spotless. When I was a teen I could make a little clutter on my half of the dresser. But other than that. I spent my childhood talking or listening. I watched leave it to beaver bewitched. And the other shows. I could listen to Gomer Pile all day. He was so nice. As far as food went . My mom was not a cook. We had beans , potatoes and cornbread allot. Then when they invented hamburgers and French fries. I was in heaven. I lived on them and cheese sandwiches. She did make fried Spam. But to this day It is " P"S" hot dogs she is famous for. My uncle at the service station said she made the best. I asked my mom how she made them. She said you put them in a pot with water and boil them. I was like a OK.. lol
I did not know what many foods were till I moved out. Every one calls me a picky butt. As I do not eat any condiments, I order only cheese, lettuce and tomato on my burger. It has to be plain. But I found a world of new foods on my own. I love shrimp and fish. bison, elk . Many things my mom would not let in her house.
We only had 1 car and my dad used it to go to work in. My mom brother and I walked every where. At one time I would walk in front or behind them. And pretend I did not know them some times. I can remember one day an older couple stopped us and gave me a porcilen tea set. It was a kids size and I still have most of it today.
I treasured things like this. My dad would give us a stuffed rabbit and candy for easter.
And I remember embroidering his name on his work shirt. I don't know how I knew to do this. Because I had never done it before. So I have always had the ability to figure things out. Or learn from watching. Mrs Polman could have rubbed off one me. But I have never made a quilt. I love them but never tried. I have crochet one for my 5th grade teacher. She bought the yarn. When I gave it to her she gave me $20.00 for it. I thought that was allot of money.
I can remember my mom telling us about her past and how when we grow up she was going to leave my dad. She had allot of complaints about him. And all I did was listen. I assume I believed her, and did not like him. It may have been all her saying. It is your brothers dad not your. She would buy toy and things for my brother and tell me that is why he gets them. I remember saving all the money I could get including my lunch money to by a purple banana seat bike some time in the 70's.
Where they bought my brother a 10 speed when he was big enough. I was not jealous. I just had to accept her facts. That is probably why I do not know what jealousy feels like. So That is a good thing.
Like Mark said . I have a feeling that you learned many lessons through all of this.
He is right. I wanted cool cloths . But now I am happy if I have some to fit me.
And I dress for me. I do not care what others think of me. It is there loss.
As in, If I have to look a certain way to be around them.
But I in no way try to hurt any one on propose. .
It also made me not selfish. And gave me a desire to help others.
I will close for now stay tuned for chapter 3
Next chapter is the teen year.
Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.
