After more than seventy years of absence from her, it is hard to recall in any detail things about Momma and me that would make a story that anyone would be interested in reading. In the beginning Momma was the proud parent of an extremely handsome and well-behaved little boy who was tolerant of his many admirers and their acts of admiration. Momma put up with much of this kid spoiling; it made her proud to be the mother of a star.

Unfortunately the sweet little boy grew into a regular kid who could no longer do no wrong. In case there be any question, I was that little boy. In my third year of life Momma gave me a little sister. Now Momma had two little people to look after. She must have done a credible job because we both grew to be adults. Momma looked after our needs as children and gave us love. She scolded me when I teased my little sister with a spider and told me that that was wrong. I protested, for I didn’t really have a spider. After that I behaved for a little while, maybe an hour or two.

I was eight years old when my family, because of the great depression, moved from our country home to a town. The move was very hard on Momma. She believed that it was much harder to raise children in town. I don’t know if it’s true, but we didn’t give her much trouble. 

Momma had flu in the epidemic of 1918 and nearly every weakness or sickness that she had she blamed on that flu. She could have been right for many people didn’t even survive the epidemic.

Our family was a regular Church-going unit. Nevertheless Momma wanted to be sure that we didn’t miss a chance to say yes to Jesus. Thus we went to a lot of revivals at various churches in town. She always urged me to go for the alter call, no matter that I had been several times before.

Momma was one who didn’t believe in wasting time waiting for meetings to start. As a result she and the rest of us, were late for things. One time I remember we were going on a train trip. We were in sight of the conductor when the train was about to leave the station. Daddy waved and the conductor happened to see us coming and held the train while we trotted the last several steps. I recall a second time when we didn’t quite make it.

During the depression Momma gave many a traveler a meal at our back door. New things were scarce for nearly everybody in those days. Momma didn’t throw anything away. A worn out garment served a second life by being patches for a not quite worn out one.

During those lean years Momma gave birth to a big baby boy. He grew into a fine little fellow, twelve years my junior. I believe that his birth took a lot out of Momma, for she didn’t seem to have much energy after he was born. Having both a pre school child and teenagers must have been quite a challenge to her.

I have little or no first-hand knowledge of Momma after I left home for college. I saw her only on short visits. I believe that she didn’t take good care of herself and she didn’t like to visit doctors or dentists. During the twenty years that followe her health declined until her death at age sixty-one.

I must admit that I was more my father’s child than my mother’s. He did things that interested me, and sometimes he would let me help. Nevertheless I loved Momma even when we disagreed.