I believe this was likely a typical chilly June Daily Vacation Bible School day when Mrs. Bumpus and a helper, with Kent on far right, and I near the center with dark coat and white hat…posed for this picture close to the helper. Suppose there was a reason both Kent and I were within arm’s reach of the energetic young woman? One look at Kent’s face might give a clue…and of course I was always a perfect little angel. (Not!)
Twin girls who were in my class fascinated
me. Their names were Leona and Leola Hughes.
I quickly learned to tell them apart because one had a mole on her face
and the other didn’t. We became pretty
good friends while at school but lived too far away to visit in each other’s
homes. One day I did get to visit them
at their house way out in the country though.
We rode the bus there after school had ended for the day. Sounds pretty innocent, right? But…I was sneaky! I had a choice and some freedom. (Most of the
time I walked both ways, and yes, some was “uphill” as the old folks
would have you to believe!) My brother Lincoln had married Fran Jones. Fran’s brother-in-law was John Simpson who
was also the bus driver. The bus was
kept not far from our house so Mamma let me ride the bus around the loop after
school if I chose. I got more time with my friends that way and I suppose Mamma
got more peace that way, too. The visit
to the home of Leola and Leona had not been okayed by Mamma, but
children were taken at their word, no permission slips needed, so Mr. John was
innocent in all this! After I had been
at their house for a short while darkness began to fall. (The days are often dark by 4 PM at the
latest after the fall time change on the clocks.) I started to worry about how I would get
home. We didn’t have a phone so I called
our neighbor, Mrs. Titcomb, who lived across the street. She took the message to Mamma and while I am
sure Mamma was relieved to know where I was, she was definitely not pleased
with my antics. We had one Chevrolet
pickup truck and Daddy was still at work for a while. It must have created a hardship on them. I do not recall the punishment for it but I
do recall grumpy parents on the trek home.
I was never even tempted to do that again!
Kent, Beverly and Marilyn on a
typical winter day in Garland Village.
(Damaged
photo, not an alien object!)
Little thoughts run
to and fro.
Throw out the bad
And let the good ones
grow.
That little
poem, likely summoned up for the moment by my mother (who often spoke such things "just right for the occasion")has held me in good stead all these years.
From time to time I need that reminder!
Looking forward to your memories next!
Sending smiles ~
Marilyn Sue
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