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Kokomo Kootsie
3/22/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
Depression Wedding
In the ‘Great Depression,’ when a lot of young couples married they often had to start married life living with one set of in-laws or the other.
It was a bit reversed when my uncle married. He and his bride had to take his mother and teenage niece and nephew to live with them!
His mother was widowed a few years, and the two children were orphaned when their mother died years before.
Uncle’s mother had all her furniture, so all they needed was a house. A week before they married, they found a small house with peeling paint in a nice neighborhood, and were lucky to get it for $7.00 per month! Incredible but true! The landlord said if they would paint the house he would deduct it from the rent.
After two coats of white paint, it still looked grayed, in need of paint! In the three years they lived there, it always needed paint; the wood was so old and pulpy, it just drank paint.
The couple was married with the mother and niece as the two witnesses.
After the ceremony, they all came home, and the bride cooked wieners for their dinner! I don’t recall what else was had, but that was this poor couples wedding to remember!
Neither had a regular job, neither had any training for skilled work. For their honeymoon, both took work, picking apples at a large orchard several miles away.
It was too far, too costly to drive back and forth each day, so they asked if they could camp out in an old empty house on the property.
They were told if they could sleep there, it was fine, but the house was haunted; that was why it wasn’t rented-no one could stay there!
They didn’t believe in ghost or haunting; old wives tales to them. So they decided to sleep in the old house.
The first night they were so very tired-cold and hungry, they just fell into their sleeping bags and were off to dreamland almost immediately.
Nothing disturbed them, and the next day they laughed it off when other apple pickers teased them about it.
The second night was almost as the first; perhaps they were a bit more tired. Apple picking was not easy work for them. But they found it was not as easy to fall asleep as the first night. Therefore they were aware of sounds of rustlings, floor boards squeaking and other noises they could have done without. But the house was old, and floorboards do settle-and the wind was blowing pretty strongly-and another night passed and sleep was sweet.
But the third night, there was no wind and there was a lot of squeaking, rustling, and they both heard stifled laughter, crying and moaning.
Needless to say, they got out of there in a big rush-taking their bedrolls-and finally spread them a great distance away under a tree and tried to sleep-out-not much sleep or rest was to be had, it was October and they were too cold. They picked apples the next day and that night they went home!
The honeymoon was over!
They took their first weeks pay and drove back and forth until picking season was over.
That’s how their married life began. Fifty-five years later, my uncle died, a prosperous man, owning property and a wholesale candy company, leaving his widow a very wealthy lady in deed.
Last year Uncle’s Lady went to join him in heaven.
They had 60 wonderful loving years together.
Now the honeymoon here was truly over.
Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the flood drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
Kokomo Kootsie
3/21/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
Lady
My Gift From God
God Said;
"I'll lend you for a little time
a dog of mine," He said.
For you to love the while she lives
and mourn for when she's dead.
It may be six or seven years
or ten or just three.
But you can care for her and love her
till I call her back to me.
She'll bring her charm to gladden you,
and should her stay be brief,
you'll have her lovely memories as a
solace to your grief.
I can not promise she will stay,
since all from earth return,
But there are lessons from her love
I want all there to learn."
and I answered;
"For all the joy Lady shall bring
the risk of grief I'll run.
I'll shelter her with tenderness.
I'll love her while I may
And for the happiness I've known
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call her
Much sooner than I've planned,
I'll brave the bitter grief that
Comes and try to understand.
But I miss her so--------
and I do not understand"
Mama
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
Kokomo Kootsie
3/21/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
A Silver Bowl
A few short years back, it seems so long ago, in another age, Shelly and I sat in the shell of our library, planning it all out; what we would do when it was finished.
We could just see it. Lady would be on one side of me, on the sofa, and Shelly on the other, as we read a book and enjoyed our library.
Shelly was going to buy Lady a real silver bowl for her water or food, from the Broadway, with her piggybank savings.
The days passed, and became months. Finally years rolled by; the library never got finished to the point we felt like adding the silver bowl.
There was no carpet on the floors-the new furniture not in. Just shelves up, and boxes of books all over the place.
We still sat up there and dreamed of one day it would be finished, and Lady would drink from the silver bowl.
The years moved on, as they do, and Shelly became ‘Tara’, turned sixteen, and was singing with her band; and beloved Lady, grew old-could hardly climb the stairs anymore. I had to carry her up or she would not go.
Finally, even if I carried her up, she didn’t want to stay-would leave me and go down stairs; she, who never wanted to leave my side, or have me out of sight!
She would sleep on the couch, across from the stairs where she could keep an eye open and hear me working up there.
One day she didn’t want to be in the new addition at all. I can see her yet, as I looked out the window by my desk; there she went, tail down, head drooping, the very picture of sadness and dejection, walking so slowly to the back door. I tapped on the window, she paused a minute, listened, and then went on into the house.
Today, the library is still not finished, almost, not quite; but it is ready for the silver bowl.
There’s no need for it now; beloved Lady, grew tired and weary and left me. Now I sit alone in the library with her pictures and only the memories.
My Lady, my Beloved, Precious Lady; Oh, I miss you so.
Today, twenty-three years after Lady left. The library is finished at last. Still, and quiet, in all it’s pristine beauty,-- without the silver bowl.
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
Kokomo Kootsie
3/21/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
A Dog’s Life
Oh, boy, I’m finally going home with a family. I knew you would come if I wished hard enough.
First day in my new home and what I do is have an accident on your beautiful rug. I’m so stupid I deserve the beating you gave me. I want so badly to please you. I’ll try harder, I love you.
You were right to put me outside tied to the tree. Chewing up your shoe like that was unforgivable. I’m so stupid I deserve to be lonely out here. I’ll try harder. I love you.
It sure is cold out tonight. I wonder what my family is doing inside. They probably have a fire going and I can hear them laughing. I love it when they’re happy. I deserve to be out here in the cold. It’s my own fault I didn’t learn how to behave fast enough. I’ll try harder-I love you.
I don’t blame you for not feeding me today. It’s too cold for you to come outside just for me. I’ll be all right. Maybe it will be warmer. I love you.
Summer’s finally here, hooray! Wait, where are you going with those suitcases? Don’t leave me. Well, I deserve it. Just look at me. I’m skinny. I have these awful fleas and my coat is all knotted and dirty. I don’t blame you for abandoning me. I should have tried harder. I’m so stupid. Maybe when you come back from your vacation you’ll find another dog that’s more deserving than me. I’m sorry I let you down. Goodbye family-I love you.
Reprinted from Jane Greenspun’s column
as published in the Las Vegas Sun Newspaper, several years ago.
Submitted by:
Jodey Elisio Whitmore, who witnessed four dogs deaths
after being abused
and wrote the forgoing.
comment:
All too many dogs are treated like that! I have a few stories myself of abuse-and I feel so sorry for them.
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
Kokomo Kootsie
3/21/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
A Dog’s Life
Oh, boy, I’m finally going home with a family. I knew you would come if I wished hard enough.
First day in my new home and what I do is have an accident on your beautiful rug. I’m so stupid I deserve the beating you gave me. I want so badly to please you. I’ll try harder, I love you.
You were right to put me outside tied to the tree. Chewing up your shoe like that was unforgivable. I’m so stupid I deserve to be lonely out here. I’ll try harder. I love you.
It sure is cold out tonight. I wonder what my family is doing inside. They probably have a fire going and I can hear them laughing. I love it when they’re happy. I deserve to be out here in the cold. It’s my own fault I didn’t learn how to behave fast enough. I’ll try harder-I love you.
I don’t blame you for not feeding me today. It’s too cold for you to come outside just for me. I’ll be all right. Maybe it will be warmer. I love you.
Summer’s finally here, hooray! Wait, where are you going with those suitcases? Don’t leave me. Well, I deserve it. Just look at me. I’m skinny. I have these awful fleas and my coat is all knotted and dirty. I don’t blame you for abandoning me. I should have tried harder. I’m so stupid. Maybe when you come back from your vacation you’ll find another dog that’s more deserving than me. I’m sorry I let you down. Goodbye family-I love you.
Reprinted from Jane Greenspun’s column
as published in the Las Vegas Sun Newspaper, several years ago.
Submitted by:
Jodey Elisio Whitmore, who witnessed four dogs deaths
after being abused
and wrote the forgoing.
Comment:
All too many dogs are treated like that! I have a few stories myself of abuse-and I feel so sorry for them.
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
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