Author: Vickie Brown

Uncle Walter

I was only 5 or 6.  I can’t believe I remember Uncle Walter.  I’m not sure, but I think he was from Dad’s side of the family.  He came to visit us when we lived at the Linkhart house. He had a heart of gold and wasn’t a fat man, but he had a bowling ball belly.  He couldn’t speak or hear, but he was funny.  We all tried to play horse shoes and  he usually won.

One morning I was getting ready for school and I had a dress with ties and everyone was busy except Uncle Walter.  He tied a beautiful bow that instead of encircling snugly around the waist, it was hanging around my butt like a bustle.  I showed him to try to tighten.  Still not snug.  Needless to say I wasn’t happy, but I remember going off to school as was.  (At least I hope that’s what I did…it’s a bit vague.)  He was a very kind man.  He was a keeper!

Becoming a woman at 9yrs old! Not literally, just physically!

Back in the old days…I tried to talk w/Diane Beverly about my horrid disease…(she was 2 yrs older), but it just didn’t register, I needed more information.

When I was just 9 yrs old I thought I had an incurable disease and was dying.  I recall telling Mom and then Shirley came to the “rescue”.  (Myrtle was attending nursing school at Bethesda, so Shirley was on duty.)  I was absolutley mortified when she showed me a diaper strung up by a rubberband!  I was supposed to be cured by this contraption?!  Needless to say I finally got the picture and survived.

The birth of Marnee

These weren’t the best days for me, but I still remember.  Shirley and I were birth coaches.  We were called early in the morning and went to see what was up.  Martha was actually working and exercising in early stages of labor.  Shirley, Ricky, and I went to the hospital and everything went very quickly.  Never having kids, I was just amazed.  Martha was sort of OK and then came “transition”…literally!  I saw Martha’s face turn shades of purple I’d never seen before.  Then at the last part of the birth process, there was a turd that plopped on the doctor’s shoes, then Marnee was born.  It sounds weird, but it really was beautiful.  Ricky took Shirley and me to his house, but stopped on the way and bought each of us a rose.  I don’t know how Martha felt, but I was exhausted.

How Martha and I loved each other as kids!

I came home from school just in the first grade to discover that Martha had chicken pox…10 days later so did I.

My first experience with “pot” and Martha,  As kids do instead of playing w/toys, we were playing w/a big soup pot.  I promised Martha I’d give her a turn when I was finished, running and sitting in the pot.  I took a longer turn than Martha wanted, so she hurls a rock at me which landed sort of between my eyes.  I have a hint of the scar today, fifty years now.

Well into my teen years, I was afraid of the dark.  Even as late as the Cornstalk Rd house I remember leaving my bed and getting into bed w/Martha.  She hated that and but always gave in (even after I layed in the floor for a bit). 

Given the fact that I was once afraid of the dark, it is hard to believe I now live totally alone and go outside in the dark without a thought…what was I thinking?!  There usually aren’t any boogie men in the dark.  I’ve discovered most of the bad men in the clear blue daylight!

Christmas 1958 or 59

I recall one Christmas Eve night-  I of course was sleeping in the same room as Myrtle.  We were living in the Linkhart house with sooo many rooms and the winding staircase and the two seater outhouse.  (This was also where Gary burnt his little _eter (he was a kid) on the stove while taking a bath in a tub in the kitchen).

Back to my recollection-  I began to wake up and heard moaning and complaining and words telling me to go back to sleep so Santa could make his visit, so I guess I did and the next morning what did I find?  I received a beautiful ballerina doll all dressed in a beautiful tutu, w/tights, shoes, and a beautiful lavender dress and pink cape, both covered in organza.  My not so secret Santa “Myrtle”, was trying to sew these beautiful clothes and wanted me to be surprised on Christmas morning.  My secret Santa was only a kid herself, yet even then she was thinking of others. 

I still treasure that doll, even though she has not aged well.  Bobby and I had a disagreement and fought over my doll.  She was injured (broken leg) and over the years of grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc. my doll incurred other traumas, but through everything, I have her still today…2008 & ALMOST 2009!  (I’m not sure which of us aged better…I hope it’s me)!