In the 1940 and 1950's, children started school in 1st grade. Pre-school & kindergarten did not exist. During that time I found ways to play by myself, but the one thing I always wanted to play and never did, was a board game.
They intrigued me when I would see them in the 5 & 10 Cent store. I wondered what all was in the box wrapped up. My parents were not into board games, so I never got one as a gift because I had no one to play with.
I craved companionship of girls my age.
I decided that I wanted a sister, but alas, when I told this to my mom, she just laughed. She said it was doubtful that would happen, and if it did, she could not promise the baby would be a girl.
So I told her that I was going to ask my best girlfriends if they would be my sisters.
Back then in order to be sisters. you each made a small cut on your arm, enough to make it bleed. Then you rubbed each others arms together to mix the blood. Presto, I now had a sister. The first friend that I did this with was Betty Ann. We did this when we were in 1st grade. We went into the woods across from her house. We had pen knives, all kids had them so they could play mubly peg. I made a small cut on my arm and then she did and we rubbed out arms together and became blood sisters. I doubt very much that my parents were aware that we did this. Did any of you do this as a child?
The first best friend I asked to be my sister was my next door neighbor, Letti Jo. She was older then me, very pretty and always treated me so nice. We walked back and forth together to First Ward school every day. She said we didn't have to cut ourselves to be sisters, that we still could be sisters without doing that.
Her family had a TV before my family did, and I was allowed to go over and watch The Lone Ranger at her house every Friday night.
Her family didn't live there long, and moved when I entered second grade at St.Cecelia's. I have thought about Lettie Joe through the years and never forgot her. In fact a couple of months ago, I searched for her on face book and found her. It made me feel good to know that she remembered me also.
When Letti Joe's family moved, another family moved in with 2 kids around my age. a boy and a girl. I met Nancy and her brother, Gerald. I immediately had a huge crush on Gerald. Every girl had a big crush on him. He was so cute and nice. But, the very best thing that happened to me, was I truly found my soul sister, Nancy.
Our lives entwined from the time we met. We did everything together, went school shopping by ourselves. stayed at each others houses. We would play 45 records, and I accidentally broke her "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets by sitting on it. We double dated, and when I met my husband and introduced him to Tom, they became the best of friends. Both of us were asked to be in their bridal party.
Our friendship has lasted over fifty years, we did everything together. including taking turns at each other's place for New Years Eve. We only went out to party one time, we said no more, because we realized we wanted to celebrate with our kids. That's how we spent every New Year's. Our boys and their boys were best of friends. We thought it would never end, but 3 years ago, our Tom passed away. It has not been the same since.
If ever I had a sister,I could not have picked one better then Nancy.
She is a much better sister then I am though, but she still loves me and would do anything for me, as I would for her. We may not talk every day, but when we do it seems like it was yesterday. I am blessed.
My other young friends I asked to be my sisters were from St. Cecelia's grade school. I had many of them and I am pretty sure not all of us did the blood sister thing. I still remember a lot of them to this day.
Hope, pajama parties,and first loves - hers was Eugene ?, and mine? I'm sorry to say I can't remember who it was. There was Dolores, we just clicked together, and Jo Ann, Patty (who passed away to young).
Patti and I spent many New Years Eve's together, babysitting my brother. At midnight we would grab the pots and pans, go out on the porch and bang the heck on of them with wooden spoons or whatever else we thought would make noise, screaming at the top of our lungs. We thought we made a lot of noise, but at our age, I doubt if our lungs were fully developed. As the years passed, we double dated, and she was a part of my wedding party. I asked her to be Godmother to our 1st son. I miss her still.
There's Marlene, who I met in high school. She lived quite far from the school. I told her to come to my house and eat . So everyday we walked to my home and ate our lunch. My mom would make her fresh coffee, which they would drink together, while I drank milk. Then we would walk back to school. When we would go to the Friday night dances, Marlene is the one who taught me how to smoke a cigarette, and oh it was awful! To boot it was a Kent, now anyone who has ever smoked knows that Kent's are a dry smoke. I would say no, and she would tell me she could not take them home and I had to help her smoke them. The "good" sister that I was, did as I was told.
I finally quit in 1991, cold turkey. Best thing I have ever did for myself.
There were other friends that also became my sister and shared lunch with me at my home. My mom always treated them so special and they loved her. It made me feel good to see that.
There have been many friends who became my sisters in the course of my life so far.
In grade school, Eleanor K, she was the funniest of all the funniest. Her parents owned a small store across from the school. Patti S. and I would walk back to school after lunch. and always stopped in the store to buy some penny candy. Eleanor was always waiting to walk with us across the street to the school.
You know, to this day, and I kid you not. I can still hear in my mind the sounds made by everyone's shoes as they walked to get in line to go back into the school building. Isn't it strange the things you remember?
Then there is Paula! Paula P. was the closest to being my true sister. We were so bad, and she made me that way, honest. She taught me how to put pin curls in my hair,and how to swear, (yep). I became a trooper, thinking it was so tuff (cool) to say all those" bad" words. She would call me on the phone, and we would say all the swear words we could think of. I could not say the words my Dad would say, because he swore in Italian. Believe me when I say that our swear words were nothing compared to today's words.
It's so funny looking back, and remembering how we were. Paula and I would do our homework at my house, we spent a lot of time together. My dad always stuck up for Paula. If I said she was doing something wrong with her homework, my dad would find something good to say, and my grandmother considered Paula her grandchild.
Then there is Paula's cousin, Linda P. altogether different, I don't think Paula ever taught her how to swear :-)
Char B, and I would have sleepovers, our mothers were close friends and also played cards together.
There is Janice & Natalie. We stayed together from 2nd grade through 8th. We shared so much together, and then it was done. We were starting high school, going to 9th grade, but not all of the kids went to the public school, some went to private schools
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I know I'm forgetting some names, like Mary Ann P., I am sure for those of you reading this, it is way to much information. But, don't forget, this blog is also a part of" Writing My Own Life Story," to be handed down to my grandchildren, and then to their children, so that one day they will all gather together to read this, finding out what a crazy Me Maw they had( lol).
In high school we still stayed friends, and added new friends to our circle. Counting me, there are 7 of us that try to have lunch every couple of months. We have Face-book to thank for that. That's how we found each other and resumed our childhood friendships.
I welcome all comments, that is how I learn. Thank you in advance.
1 comment:
Thanks! It's nice to have all of this written down for your kids.
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