Grace and Frank

Growing up with Moma's stories of her childhood is one of my most precious memories. I would beg her to tell stories on her front porch. Later she got a swing, but when I was younger, she only had rockers. We'd sit in those rockers for hours playing "Doodlebug" and drinking ice water (not iced water, ice water). She'd begin telling things from her childhood, and we'd laugh and laugh. She was a stinker! In fact, she still is!
One of my very favorite stories is about Aunt Grace and Uncle Frank. Aunt Grace was the 2nd oldest sister to Moma (she was the baby). As you know, they married very young back then, and I think Aunt Grace was about 14 when she married Frank. Well anyway, Frank would take Aunt Grace up to the mill store and buy her candy and ice cream. Moma tells how cheap candy was then and how much a nickel would buy. They would "trapse" back home and lock themselves up in the back bedroom to eat their ice cream and candy. Moma talks of begging to get into their room; beating on the door with both fists and screaming at them to let her in. She would always end this story by saying how stingy and hateful Aunt Grace was and how she hated Frank. Uncle Charlie (her brother) would always come to her rescue by dragging her away from their door and taking her to the store himself. This was the beginning of her reign as the forever princess.

This story has just recently come to life again. We have begun to hide to eat candy or treats. We hide food in strange places to keep Moma out of it. If she sees you come in with candy or cookies, she'll start hollering, "What's that?" and "Gimme some". She doesn't mind taking your candy, cookies, food of any kind...in fact, she'll drink from your drink. It is so funny, because even at 95, she is begging for candy and ice cream and calling us hateful. Only difference is Uncle Charlie is long gone, and there is no rescue in sight.