Hot diggety dog!
We were so happy
and proud
and we clapped the longest and loudest
when they called his name
and he went up to get a handshake and a piece of paper
rolled up and tied with a blue ribbon.
Daddy went around with a big grin on his face
all day long
because he did it!
He was a preacher
AND
we were moving to Alabama
where we would have a church of our own
and Daddy to be the Pastor!
Mom started rushing around
and Daddy said she was a whirling dervish
but he kissed her anyway.
Daddy took us out to the desert
for the last time
and to take our goodbye pictures
but Mom was itching to get home
and get working
so we didn't stay but an hour or so.
We got down to the business
of cleaning
and poor Daddy had to take down
all of Mom's yellow dotted swiss curtains
that he bought for her at Monkey Wards
and shake them outside
because of all the spider's nests that were in the top ruffles.
Then she washed them good.
Mom made a bucket of warm water
and suds
and put me to washing the cupboards
but she saw a roach run out
and land splat on the counter
and make a run towards me
and she grabbed the water and threw it down the sink
and she said
"We have cleaned and cleaned and cleaned this awful house
and now we are done".
I was real glad!
Mom said we should leave the cupboards
and the icebox
and the range
just as they were when we walked in.
Dirty.
Which was not like Mom at all
but even Daddy said he didn't blame her one bit.
A couple of men came over from the meat packing plant
on their lunch break
and looked Daddy's car over
and one of them gave Daddy a hundred dollars for it
even though it wasn't worth a kick in the pants.
Daddy said it wouldn't make the trip
from Arizona to Alabama
so we were going to take the train.
The boys were excited to hear that!
The church ladies came over
and hugged Mom
and kissed her
and helped her take the picture of Jesus down
off the gray wall
and wrap it in a towel
and set it in her suitcase
so that she would never forget them.
On our last night
at the stinky house
next to the meat packing plant
Mom broke down
and gave the icebox and the range a swipe with a soapy rag
in case they were sticky
and she folded up the tablecloth
that was on the kitchen table
and the cigarette burns were still there
but she gave the table a swipe anyway
and we all finished packing our clothes
and Mom was up late rinsing out the mosquito netting
in case we would need it again
and Daddy and the baby were snoring away
and Mom came into our room
and knelt by my cot
and she prayed
real quiet
"Dear Lord, be with us and our children
as we embark on our new lives
in Your service
and I pray that we don't have so many bugs
in our new house
and that our children
will be a shining example
of what Preacher's Kids
should be".
Of course we all three heard every word
as Mom intended for us to do.
This page contains copyrighted material
in the face of danger from the Iraqis in Kuwait...
Click on my award to see a sight that is sure to lift your spirits!
