Little Egypt Heritage Articles eduda tsunogisdi © Bill Oliver 26 November 2006 Vol 5 Issue: #36 ISBN: pending O’siyo, Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, “The Meeting” “How did you two meet?” is a favorite question asked by nearly everyone at some time or other. My wife and I met in college, yet unremembered by either of us, we really met ten years or more earlier when her Great Aunt and my Grandmother used to bring us along on picnics during the American Great Depression. I used to tease her and pull her pigtails [according to oft told stories]. As my ‘Sainted’ Father would say, “I know not how the truth may be, but I tell the tale as ‘twas told to me.” I often remember these words when I write articles and other tales. However, I must say that in this case ‘Sainted’ is a title of endearment, for in all truth he is representative of the rabbit in the myths of so many peoples around the world – a messenger, a storyteller, a dancer, and above all a great ‘trickster’ and mischief maker with a most devilish, gleeful chuckle. This story begins a bit before my birth at the beginning of the great depression of the last century in the United States. In those days in Mother’s family, Grandpa was laid off and Grandma had to go to work. She found a job in a small glove factory not far from their abode, which as a side is the house I was born in. The oldest daughter was about sixteen and completed her sophomore year of high school. With five under age children in the home and Grandma working, someone had to take over the chores and duties of housekeeper. Thus, the traditionally responsible sibling, Oldest Daughter, dropped her schooling and kept house for the family, quite a job with four younger girls in the household. She had always helped around the house and since there was not the same emphasis on graduation from high school as there is today, taking over the household/babysitting role didn’t seem out of place. Rather a natural duty as a member of the nuclear family. This took place for about a year. After Grandpa was re-employed, Oldest Daughter, being out of school for a year, didn’t return to the scholastic life. With the Christmas season approaching she found employment with a local brush company. During her interview she implied that she was eighteen, the magic age for employment, and was hired to operate a tooth-brush making machine. She didn’t like this and soon was offered an alternative of operating the ‘trimming’ machine. She must have been good at this job and loyal to the firm for when it came to ‘lay-off’ time following Christmas, she was kept on the job as ‘permanent’. When she did turn eighteen she applied for work with the telephone company. This was a popular occupation for many and with an Aunt or three already employed there, it gave her an ‘edge’; she was hired. Soon her proficiency rating was good enough and she was placed as a ‘long’ distance operator. Well, that is the introductory part of ‘The Meeting’. This meeting is how Aunt and Uncle met. It seems that a popular activity for young folks was attending Dance Halls. Monday nights in our locale was designated as ‘Ladies’ night and for the entrance fee of one dime young ladies would have fun evenings dancing and socializing. Aunt would, like many other girls, go with one or more friends and in this case one younger sister was sent along to chaperon[e] Oldest Daughter and friend. Men who wanted to dance with young ladies would go around and sign the ladies dance card. On one particular evening Future Uncle signed Aunt’s card for an early dance. Later he came back for ‘seconds’. This must have gone on for a short period of time, but Aunt reports that before she was really aware, they were dancing every dance on that Monday evening. Well, the story plot thickens, for Future Uncle asked if he could escort Aunt home. Aunt dutifully informed him that she was with two other girls. This didn’t deter Future Uncle as he was with two friends also. In the long run, Aunt agreed they could be taken home but first she had to see the ‘transport’ vehicle; thinking that IF Future Uncle had a nice car she would consent, otherwise .... As it turned out Future Uncle, who always parked his car in garages, never on the street, had purchased a brand new Chevrolet Cavalier. Aunt thought that was good enough to ride in. Well, they didn’t do more than meet and dance once in a while. However, once again Aunt found that she was dancing exclusively with Future Uncle and their relationship blossomed into marriage and family. Back when Aunt went to school, kindergarten was neither required nor necessarily supported by many mothers. Aunt did not go to kindergarten. On the first day that Grandma took Aunt to school to enter First Grade they lined all the first graders in a row and since there were two teachers for that grade level they divided the children, every other one, to assign them to a teacher. Aunt, with a sly smile, says that she drew ‘the mean’ teacher.. She bases that on the following exercise. The children were issued a piece of paper and a pencil and told to write their name. Those children with kindergarten experience followed directions. Aunt not knowing even how to hold a pencil couldn’t do anything but sit in her assigned desk. The ‘Mean Teacher’ circulated up and down the rows of desks and stopped at Aunt’s desk. ‘Mean Teacher’ scolded her for not doing as directed and continued her rounds. When she returned and Aunt had not yet attempted to complete the assignment, ‘Mean Teacher’, as punishment, told her to go sit up next to the teacher’s desk where ‘bad’ children sat. In those days children went home for lunch as school was shut down for the lunch hour. When it came time to return to school, Aunt didn’t want to go and displayed some of that family ‘stubbornness’. Grandma, when she found out the reason, marched Aunt back to school and they went directly to the Principal’s Office for some stern words. I’m sure that there was at least an outward change in relationship between student and teacher. What was your first day of school like? How did you meet your life’s partner? I’ll bet your great grandchildren will find it interesting. e-la-Di-e-das-Di ha-WI NV-WA-do-hi-ya NV-WA-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- 1076 PostScript: "What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset." [Crowfoot, Blackfoot warrior and orator]