My Friday Memory

This week's Friday memory isn't a specific instance...it's more of a summation.  My parents have expressed regret many times.  What adult doesn't?  They think they spanked us too much, or pushed our studies too little.  Did they leave us alone too much, or smother us with attention?  What could have made things better?

Nothing.

I can remember hot breakfasts before the bus came.  I even remember hot cocoa to sip at the bus stop.  I remember real dinners, not the frozen fare that my kids get.  I remember real lessons being taught on a tractor, in a pickup, in a garden, or in a kitchen.  When I screwed up, I was taught to apologize.  Period.  No excuses, no double-talk.  Just 'fess up and move on.

I was given $5 when Dad didn't have it to give...because I asked for it.  I was given 2 Pepsi's a week (remember the glass bottles?  The 8 packs?) even though Dad worked hard and only got two himself.

Dad got the last piece of any treat, but if there was more than 1?  Jim and I ALWAYS got some before mom.  Poor Mom.  I didn't know then, but I know now.  Her joy came from seeing her food enjoyed...not from eating it.

Mom built igloos in the snow with us.  They lasted "forever" to me.  We made shelves and crawled in and out for days.  We don't get snow like that any more, but we did back then.  Mom wasn't an old fuddy-duddy...she was fun.

She let us have parties, inviting all of our friends.  She put on a good feed and stayed out of our business.  My friends loved that.  If we needed something, she was right there...Otherwise, she was missing.  How cool.

Dad taught us things.  Things that come flooding out when they're needed, but are hard to come up with in a journal.  I can change my oil, change a tire, watch my gauges, and listen for a "miss" in an engine.  I can drive a tractor, "tie in" bales on a hay wagon, and back a trailor anywhere you want it. 

I could ask Dad for $5 and I'd get it...even if he only had $6.  I didn't know then that they  didn't have it.  They didn't let on.  I had a letter jacket, even though I didn't do anything to letter in.  I had a senior ring (still have it), even though it was very expensive.

We were poor, but I didn't know it.  I knew we weren't rich, but they NEVER let on that we were POOR.  Mom was aces at paying the bills, and Dad was aces at working to make the money.  We had electric blankets to fight the unheated rooms, so we didn't notice that we had unheated rooms.  What a great job they did. 

I hope, someday, that my kids think they're as rich as I really was.  I was (and am) truly rich.