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The story of our
moving day from country living to city living is featured in Trading
Lives. I think I was twelve when my parents made their very happy decision to move back to the place
where they belonged. I kind of had to go with them, but I had built friendships and expectations on the next school year. As a kid you go where the folks go and make the best of the new until it becomes your normal.
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| Washington, IL: Family Picnic |
When we were just a couple of weeks out from moving for
good, my dad loaded me up with our Rat Terrier, Bluto, a few of our household and personal goods in the car and headed to Missouri.
MEMORY #1
Before we left Washington and sorry in advance for "too much information", my stomach began to hurt. I think I was nervous about traveling to Missouri, with my dad who really didn't talk to me much and staying with my grandma and cousins without my mom. At one point, I begged my mother to give me a laxative because I had not had a BM in a while. She did NOT want to do this, but I pleaded and won, if you call it winning.
The last hour before we landed in our tiny hometown, I was ready to explode. The first place we stopped was at our neighbors house. They owned one of the country stores and ran the post office. I stayed in their one bathroom so long that both Dad and the woman of the house knocked on the door, at separate times, asking me if I was okay. Of course, when I exited the bathroom there was some teasing, and I was embarrassed.
MEMORY #2
Our little Rat Terrier, Bluto, was a mighty dog, rarely
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(R-L) Me, my brother and Bluto with
his head turned. I'm probably 4 and
my brother near a year.
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afraid of much. He was a bit energetic so the long distance car trip was not his favorite thing to do. Along the way, he became...gassy. This was not fun for the humans, but it did make my dad (who NEVER wanted to stop and stretch) stop so that Bluto could take care of business, as needed.
MEMORY #3
As a child, anytime I stayed all night with anyone other than home, I missed my mom terribly. Until my parents, two siblings and a truckload of furniture and things arrived at our house, I would be staying with my grandma. Staying with my Grandma Sadie and the three cousins was fun, but I was so homesick for my mom. They were so excited to have me stay and spend time with them that I told no one of missing my mom.
My Uncle Charles, his wife Glenda and their children lived with my grandma and ran the farm. My uncle was leaving the army when my granddad died of a heart attack. Grandma couldn't run a farm on her own so Charles moved in. Later he would marry Aunt Glenda and their five children would grow up there. My youngest cousin was actually a couple of months older than my son.
Ultimately, my family moved back into our farmhouse, near both sides of our family. Bluto got to explore wherever he wanted--a much better life than in the city. Throughout the years, I felt sad for kids who did not live near grandparents and cousins. I understood the gift I'd been given. Not all family members are people you want to live near, but living near the "roots" of your family gives a glimpse into your own identity. A cool thing.
Teresa
5 comments:
Y'all are so cute in these pictures!
That's a *lot* of change. No wonder your tummy hurt!
Hard to make such big changes when you are so young! I hear trauma in your words, altho back then adults weren't aware of how such a move affects a young child.
I lived in Illinois my entire life until getting married. My location was across the river from Pike County MO to Pike County IL. Mom had family in Louisiana, MO so we visited a lot.
Those experiences are strong in my head, and part of my writing.
I enjoyed your memories and photos, Teresa! Thanks for sharing them. It is never easy to move, especially when you are a child and have no control over your life. Over the years I spent lots of time with my mother's family (Nova Scotia) and my father's family (Prince Edward Island). I'm so glad that I truly got to know my roots. It's not hard to tell how much yours mean to you. Your Uncle Charles sounds like a really good person.
I moved from Long Island NY to Ohio when I was 15 and thought I would die! Obviously I didn't and I can look back now and appreciate that I raised my two daughters in a much less chaotic and safer environment, but at that time it was very difficult. Great post!
Hi Teresa - interesting memories ... travel was always difficult too for me - we lived in the same home all my youthful years ... it was in the country - but now is surrounded by 'half of London' (an exaggeration) ... but we were near Heathrow airport ... which grew and grew like Topsy in the 20 years or so we were there after the War! We only had cats - but they came with us to Cornwall when we had building works going on in the house ... one got stuck up a tree ... but eventually were reunited - and ended up with my mother when she moved a few years later to Penzance.
So pleased you got to live near and on the farm with Bluto ... and you were both free to do your business as and when you could!! We get so 'nervous' when we're young and don't understand ... fascinating to read ... cheers Hilary
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