Long, long ago

Decided I would find old pictures in my albums and write a little about them as I remember.
This picture is of myself taken back when I was about 7. As you can see I am proudly holding onto a doll. There is a long story about this doll and about where I lived.

Well like many folks we were quite poor when I was growing up. My dad was handicapped from polio and by the time I was this age he would have been in his late 40's at least and unable to work anymore. We lived on ADC, which is Aid for Dependant Children in the state of Iowa.
We moved around a lot, sometimes twice in the same school year. At this time we lived in a tiny little town in SE Iowa. The little cottage had no electricity or running water. This is my last memory of using kerosene lamps in the evening. Don't know what Mom cooked on.

My little brother and I pretty much ran loose and since it was a very small town, like 50 people, I think we got acquainted with most of them. There was this old man, his name was Walter, that lived up the street from us. He didn't have electricity either and was an old bachelor. My brother and I would hang out at his house as he gave us some attention that I am sure we were craving. By today's standards this would have all been a big red flag if you know what I mean.

Walter loved kids. When we visited him, he would tell us stories and warn us to not go past his living room as he had a big black snake that lived under his bed so he didn't have to worry about mice. I sort of think this was true. We would sit and help him pick walnut meats out and he fed them to the birds (what we didn't eat). He would tack his old pancakes to the tree for the birds to eat also.

One day, I don't remember now if it was for Christmas or my birthday, he gave me this doll that he ordered. She is a walking doll. I think it cost around 18$. Which was a lot for him to spend on some rag tag little girl up the street. He was just a very nice old man who loved kids. It made me feel special probably for the first time in my life. Later on we moved away from there and I didn't see Walter till I was as teenager. I ran into him at the little country store in that same town. See we were living across the river at that time in another rental house. He remembered me, but it felt strange to talk to him by then. Years later I heard that he died in a house fire at a really old age. It made me feel sad.

Recently I got this old doll out of the trunk, washed her hair and pin curled it, and washed her cloths. Think I will take it to my store and sit her on the shelf. She brings back a lot of memories and all of them good. I have some more to tell about living at this house so maybe next week I will do this again.

Thought for the day: Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. --Eleanor Roosevelt