A funny little story from Mary
I always looked back at this time with humor and a precious memory because I lost my Grandma to cancer less then five years later.
I was in high school at the time this was originally written and just now transferred it to a journal I keep on line for my kids to read some day.
The assignment was to write something personal and a little embarrassing.
The teacher said we would NOT be graded for anything except turning something in.
By the way Mrs Blain at KUHS gave it a D. Of course she lied and graded it.
Down the road years from now when I am gone and my grandkids or Great grandkids ask what was it like then their will be stories to pass on.
I only met my Great Grandparents (pictured) on the Fodge side of the family once in the summer of 1971 when I went back East with my Grandpa Carl and Grandma Ruth.
While there I met so many people my six year old self could not comprehend or even remember names. It was a huge family!
My few interactions with my great grandparents were when Great Grandpa told Great Grandma to have me remove the old coffee can from the front porch that they used as a spittoon.
I asked what it was and great grandma made a disgusting sound and demonstrated.
I gagged and wretched.
I said in my six year old words you can spank me and not let me eat for being bad, but I can not do that. I will throw up.
Great grandma called my grandma Ruth over. (Her daughter in law.). She said this child is willful and disobedient. Is this how you raise my sons children and grandchildren?
Grandma Ruth told me to pick it up.
My eyes started to tear up and I silently and sadly shook my head NO.
She picked it up and thrust it in my hands and said take it to the bathroom.
We had been there two days and I had not yet been able to find an open bathroom and had been peeing in the bushes (might of been weeds) in the ally because of it.
Grandma steered me to the bathroom but about 7 steps into the living room I gagged and vomited all over myself and the can overflowing it and spilling it on Great grandmas floor, couch, table and carpet.
Grandma Ruth speed walked me to the bathroom. I sloshing the mess all over myself and on the path there. Once I almost slipping to the floor but she grabbed the back of my sun suit to keep me upright.
She opened the door to the bathroom where four kids where bathing, she took and set down the still full can, stripped me and plopped me in the tub with these strangers!
Those kids promptly vacated the tub and ran around naked till others corralled them and clothed them!
Grandma Ruth had rinsed my clothes in the sink and left with my them.
She came back in what seemed like an hour later but was probably just minutes and said they where washed and hanging up to dry.
She rinsed me off and handed me a towel.
I dried and wrapped it around myself.
She told me pick up the can and pour it in the toilet.
I picked it up shakily.
Poured it in the toilet, missed, made a mess, sloshed it on myself trying to correct it and finished dumping it as I again wretched and vomited.
Grandma Ruth told me to use the towel to clean up the mess. I did so.
She rinsed me one more time and looked for a clean towel.
There were none. Drip drying is fine on a hot Ohio July day.
People were knocking on the door, turning the knob, door not opening and trying to get in to use the bathroom.
Peoples voices were out side in the hall saying who spilled and made a mess then arguing and yelling about someone needed to be cleaning it up.
We sat in silence for a few minutes.
Probably her only moment of peace at her in laws.
Silence
She asked if I felt better.
I nodded yes.
She said, I don't think anyone will ever ask you to carry the spit can again.
All I could do is Sa sickly smile and think I hope so.
Someone was Knocking at the door again.
I said finally said I hope not. Looked to her and she smiled then clapped her hands together like she always seemed to do and laughed a hearty laugh.
Then suddenly she was serious and said were you disrespectful?
More knocking at the door.....
I replied a firm No. and continued I told the lady she could spank me and take away my food but I would be sick if I touched it.
She said You tried to tell her?
More louder knocking.
I nodded yes.
Alright. All you have to do is apologize to your great grand parents.
I said okay.
More knocking even harder this time.
She said let's straighten the bathroom while you dry and in a few minutes your clothes hanging in the sun can be put back on.
More feverish knocking at the door. Some older boy child is crying outside the door because he is pooping his pants.
She had me use the towel on the floor and she cleaned the tub toilet and sink.
She then said sit down in the tub it's dry and she sat on the seat of the toilet.
More feverish knocking.
She smiled real big at me.
We waited
She finally said let's go and opened the door the boy outside smelled like poop, and we headed out.
Me naked.
Head heals high.
Everyone stared.
I was embarrassed. But I keep my head high and stared right back.
She steered me through the house full of people and to the kitchen and back porch area.
Grabbing my still damp sun suit from the line she helped me into it.
She then grabbed a comb from her purse and tried to tame my riot of curls, looked at me, smiled and changed her mind.
You go apologize. I am right behind you.
I went to the front porch.
I Said to my great grandmother, I am sorry for making a mess to my great grandmother.
Grandma Ruth thrust the empty rinsed can at her mother in law and said unless you want a repeat of that mess in the house don't have her do that for you again.
Great Grandma Fodge got up, looked into her living room at the furniture and carpet and said who's going to clean that up?
Grandma Ruth then called those of us children who had arrived with her to her and we went back to the trailer that had been pulled all the way from Oregon to Ohio for the visit for the rest of the day.
I guess I wore our our welcome that day.
I always looked back at this time with humor and a precious memory because I lost my Grandma to cancer less then five years later.
I was in high school at the time this was originally written and just now transferred it to a journal I keep on line for my kids to read some day.
The assignment was to write something personal and a little embarrassing.
The teacher said we would NOT be graded for anything except turning something in.
By the way Mrs Blain at KUHS gave it a D. Of course she lied and graded it.
Down the road years from now when I am gone and my grandkids or Great grandkids ask what was it like then their will be stories to pass on.
I only met my Great Grandparents (pictured) on the Fodge side of the family once in the summer of 1971 when I went back East with my Grandpa Carl and Grandma Ruth.
While there I met so many people my six year old self could not comprehend or even remember names. It was a huge family!
My few interactions with my great grandparents were when Great Grandpa told Great Grandma to have me remove the old coffee can from the front porch that they used as a spittoon.
I asked what it was and great grandma made a disgusting sound and demonstrated.
I gagged and wretched.
I said in my six year old words you can spank me and not let me eat for being bad, but I can not do that. I will throw up.
Great grandma called my grandma Ruth over. (Her daughter in law.). She said this child is willful and disobedient. Is this how you raise my sons children and grandchildren?
Grandma Ruth told me to pick it up.
My eyes started to tear up and I silently and sadly shook my head NO.
She picked it up and thrust it in my hands and said take it to the bathroom.
We had been there two days and I had not yet been able to find an open bathroom and had been peeing in the bushes (might of been weeds) in the ally because of it.
Grandma steered me to the bathroom but about 7 steps into the living room I gagged and vomited all over myself and the can overflowing it and spilling it on Great grandmas floor, couch, table and carpet.
Grandma Ruth speed walked me to the bathroom. I sloshing the mess all over myself and on the path there. Once I almost slipping to the floor but she grabbed the back of my sun suit to keep me upright.
She opened the door to the bathroom where four kids where bathing, she took and set down the still full can, stripped me and plopped me in the tub with these strangers!
Those kids promptly vacated the tub and ran around naked till others corralled them and clothed them!
Grandma Ruth had rinsed my clothes in the sink and left with my them.
She came back in what seemed like an hour later but was probably just minutes and said they where washed and hanging up to dry.
She rinsed me off and handed me a towel.
I dried and wrapped it around myself.
She told me pick up the can and pour it in the toilet.
I picked it up shakily.
Poured it in the toilet, missed, made a mess, sloshed it on myself trying to correct it and finished dumping it as I again wretched and vomited.
Grandma Ruth told me to use the towel to clean up the mess. I did so.
She rinsed me one more time and looked for a clean towel.
There were none. Drip drying is fine on a hot Ohio July day.
People were knocking on the door, turning the knob, door not opening and trying to get in to use the bathroom.
Peoples voices were out side in the hall saying who spilled and made a mess then arguing and yelling about someone needed to be cleaning it up.
We sat in silence for a few minutes.
Probably her only moment of peace at her in laws.
Silence
She asked if I felt better.
I nodded yes.
She said, I don't think anyone will ever ask you to carry the spit can again.
All I could do is Sa sickly smile and think I hope so.
Someone was Knocking at the door again.
I said finally said I hope not. Looked to her and she smiled then clapped her hands together like she always seemed to do and laughed a hearty laugh.
Then suddenly she was serious and said were you disrespectful?
More knocking at the door.....
I replied a firm No. and continued I told the lady she could spank me and take away my food but I would be sick if I touched it.
She said You tried to tell her?
More louder knocking.
I nodded yes.
Alright. All you have to do is apologize to your great grand parents.
I said okay.
More knocking even harder this time.
She said let's straighten the bathroom while you dry and in a few minutes your clothes hanging in the sun can be put back on.
More feverish knocking at the door. Some older boy child is crying outside the door because he is pooping his pants.
She had me use the towel on the floor and she cleaned the tub toilet and sink.
She then said sit down in the tub it's dry and she sat on the seat of the toilet.
More feverish knocking.
She smiled real big at me.
We waited
She finally said let's go and opened the door the boy outside smelled like poop, and we headed out.
Me naked.
Head heals high.
Everyone stared.
I was embarrassed. But I keep my head high and stared right back.
She steered me through the house full of people and to the kitchen and back porch area.
Grabbing my still damp sun suit from the line she helped me into it.
She then grabbed a comb from her purse and tried to tame my riot of curls, looked at me, smiled and changed her mind.
You go apologize. I am right behind you.
I went to the front porch.
I Said to my great grandmother, I am sorry for making a mess to my great grandmother.
Grandma Ruth thrust the empty rinsed can at her mother in law and said unless you want a repeat of that mess in the house don't have her do that for you again.
Great Grandma Fodge got up, looked into her living room at the furniture and carpet and said who's going to clean that up?
Grandma Ruth then called those of us children who had arrived with her to her and we went back to the trailer that had been pulled all the way from Oregon to Ohio for the visit for the rest of the day.
I guess I wore our our welcome that day.
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