“Continue with High School Days”

Only  and because the “NEWS” is continuing with the story  of what someone had down forty years ago to someone else – – and the possibility of   a   contemptible  and or unforgivable action  and last year’s popular word would be deplorable people doing things that are just not  “Cricket” with the majority, today! 

So if , I go further back in “TIME”  I do not believe that I had ever told a soul   – but , I sure did get the surprise of all,  just for being in “HIGH SCHOOL” and not minding my P & Q’s like a very good little girl, should do.

There I am working after School,  at the “Woolworth Dime Store” and in the “Toy” department,  stacking merchandise into the proper places – and  with a little dusting and cleaning – and moving  in and out of boxes  lots of stuff – – finding a good place to set-up toys for good visibility,  for customers to see – and want to buy!

After a few hours  of work, just standing to see how things are shaping up and my next move – a fairly nice  looking young man is standing there, so I ask if I can help him? This man asks me, “Would you like to have dinner and a movie with me after you get off work, tonight?” I am just a young teenager and could possibly  pass for being “18” so, I said,  “I do not know if I could do that or if the “Store” allows  the employees to go with someone after work?”

While working I continue to clean up the area assigned to me while looking for customers to help – and just wondering what kind of a joke,  “this is”  – – to be asked to go to dinner and a movie – nothing    like this has ever happened – and can not remember anyone  else  that I know, telling any stories of this type of thing happening – and all kinds of stuff –  such as – what kind of trouble will I get into – – by not going straight home after work?

After all of these years can not remember, if I even got this man’s name – or if I even wrote it down – or even if I asked him for some identification to see where he was from or anything else of any real importance? Time was going by, and I was not saying YES or NO and so this young man said, “When you get off work, I’ll be waiting outside for you,  and you can decide then, okay?” So he left the “Toy” area and was I ever glad – – all  I could think of – Is there  a “BOSS” watching this guy – – and will I get fired for letting someone waste my time – – just talking too much – – instead of  doing my work?

When the “STORE” closed and we, employees were all going out the side entrance onto “Olive Street” and as I was walking toward “Grand Avenue” – there was this young man. He just came over to me, just as if we were the best of friends, walking to the corner. So, standing there he pointed to a restaurant across the street and ask me if I decided to go and have dinner with him? I said, “I guess so?” and we just crossed the street and into the restaurant we went. 

 He did the ordering , enough food for a ‘Thanksgiving dinner’ and a “Drambuie” for me in a very small  fancy  type shot size glass and I was not even near being eighteen! No one ask me for identification for age ! So after all of that we walked across the street and there was the “Fox Theater”  – we saw a good movie, because as we rode the “Streetcar”  headed for my home – – that is what we were talking about. After getting  off  the ‘streetcar’ the bus for the next connection was not there, so we walked up the maybe eight blocks to my house.

So, now we are standing on  the steps to the front porch, and I am guessing this “guy” in wanting a “KISS” for the wonderful evening – – and since, this is not something that I am in the habit of doing – have no  way of not being nice… when all of a sudden,  the front door opens – and my “MOTHER” in a rather loud voice that could be heard all the way to  “Grand Avenue”  yells, “Familiarity  breeds Evil” – I start into the open  door – – and this young man takes off like he was  given direct orders from the “Almighty, himself!”

Never heard form this young man – never saw him at the store – -and all I could think of  were  “those words” as I got the third degree interrogation for being late coming home that night! 

“Live and Learn”    D.V.


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“My High School Days of Activities – Not in the NEWS”

 Just found this  ‘poster’ with,  “This too shall Pass” and was wondering,  if anyone that listens to the ‘NEWS on Radio and TV ‘ – – “Is there any TRUTH,  at all, in anything that is said or done?”

Over the years, each of us has different experiences than our neighbor, and further back, our Class-mates.  So, I was thinking back to HIGH SCHOOL days, and I can remember some things that did pertain to me,   like walking to and from ‘School’ and through the “Fairgrounds Park”  and that, was in ‘hot’ weather,’rain’ and or ‘snow on the ground’  – can not remember ‘School’ ever being cancelled due to weather – I just had to be prepared for whatever –  hit.

Several times my  “Aunt Irene Riley,”  met me and we went to the Grocery Store,  as she thought,  that I should learn how to cook a decent meal for my “Mother”  while she was at work,  and have it ready for our dinner. She would show me how to select the vegetables and fruits for ripeness and good flavor and then the right selection of meats – we did walk  to and from the store. Then,  when at home – she had the best of ways to prepare everything, just the right seasoning and cooking times –  for  a very tender and enjoyable dinner.

There came a time when so many friends had after ‘SCHOOL’ jobs, that,  I thought,  I should also apply for work at the “Dime Store” – the one close to home and within walking distance.

One of  my  “Teachers”  told me about a program that they had to help  “students in need” with  a “Bus Pass”  if they were working after school and on weekends. So, I applied at the “Woolworth’s” on “Grand and Olive Streets” and was hired to work on their second floor, in the “toy” department. This was a very good start for me in working and helping my Mother with the paying of our bills.

  By having a job and working after ‘School’, I was also able to use this “Bus Pass” to catch a “Bus”  in the morning to School – – saving me some time,  in the long walk time – – had a little more time  in the “HOME ROOM”  to prepare for that day in class – – and not feel too rushed .

There was  a “girl-friend, Gloria”  that worked in the “Lunch Room” and she knew everybody and anybody – and told me, they needed another person to work in the “Lunchroom” and if,  I wanted to work during “LUNCH” instead of  going to a  “Study Hall” – that,  I would get my “LUNCH” free!  “WELL, who in the world  ever turn down a free LUNCH?”   

I was right there – she showed me where I would be working, and I am guessing,  that I worked there for a couple of years. Easy work and did get to see lots of the students –  a good many more,  than I would have ever had the chance to see and talk with – and just over their election of what they would be eating for lunch!

Will have to write more – could find some excitement to unearth – just so grateful,  that so many had  me in their PRAYERS!     D.V.


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“More Information and PHOTOS of Mom”

This first Photo is of Mom,  when she was first expecting me! 

 It is terrific that  some of the soldiers were coming back from the Philippines on trains from California to Saint Louis, and then my “Father to be”  also on that train – met up with a fellow soldier by the last name of  “Fleming” – cousin to  “MARIE Brady” – was telling “Denny McClarren” about a party for him and  his friends coming back  home – – and to come with him and meet his FAMILY.

Denny McClarren was going to his home in “OHIO” but,  there would be a lay over giving him time to take in a “PARTY” for returning soldiers  in the ‘North Saint Louis’ area, and there is the beginning road work for a romance leading to marriage,  and only the “Almighty Creator” knew what  –  was to follow. 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     If only they made cameras that would be perfectly focused in,  on the extra special  subject, my MOM to be,  – – way back  and then,  in the 1930’s?

If  –  “Marie” did mot have to be the one child in the “Brady Family” to have to be the “Care-taker” of the older “PARENTS” –  since they did not have  that “Social Security”  thing,  set up way back then – maybe we would have had the chance to get to know our MOTHER when she was much younger? But of course, we do not have that choice to make,  as we  have been “thought of ” – way before the ‘world’  was a reality – – and we are only the “creatures” – and never  have been,  the “CREATOR” of this universe.  Everything had been in  a special  plan of the Creator and only by the “CREATOR”  as we read in the BIBLE “Psalm 139”.

So, I am very  well pleased,  with the way everything has been and is going according to a plan and we just need to learn to be content with what we have and have received – and to do our part to help to make everything better for our neighbor as our self – and without complaining. “Who in the world likes to hear constantly,  from a big complainer – any way?”

There was an old sayin so long ago – – forgot who started promoting it – – but it goes like this, “The LORD helps those that help themselves” – – and of course most people took that the wrong way – –  but,  if you give a thought or two about it – – it means that if you  can help some one along the road to Eternity –   – instead of only doing for yourself – – you will be receiving so much more help in your own needs – – because – – when someone is only receiving and never giving – his empty hand will cause such “backache” – – that there is no healthy  LIFE for  such a stingy one.

“In giving,  we receive  more Blessings from our CREATOR – – and that is what is most important  for us – – on this trip to our Eternal Reward!”     D.V.


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“Marie, the Guardian of the Family”

Every FAMILY has different rules – – and what will work for one Family,  may not be what another Family will agree to doing.

On the right is Marie Brady and neighbor friend,  Martha  Hoffman sitting next to her and on the next set of steps by himself, Thomas F. Brady  is Marie’s  father. In the very early 1900’s  those front steps where  they are sitting, were scrubbed every week – – regular as clock work – and as you can see – they enjoyed sitting on these nice very  clean steps – – what more could you ask for – to be outdoors and just  enjoy talking with neighbors and keeping  as “COOL” as you will get during  that hot Summer weather.

This Photo has to have been taken,  before 1927, as that is the year that Mr. Brady died. The reason to mention that, is that Marie was the care-taker of her parents since all of the rest of the FAMILY was married and moved away, only to come home on those weekends when old Mrs. Brady, would prepare a very large dinner for all of the children with spouse to enjoy. Jim Brady and wife were living in Texas and Phillip Brady  not married was living in Chicago  due to some riff he had with his Father.

 This is my “Grandma Brady” sitting on  her back porch with their   “canary”  getting some fresh air and SUNSHINE. They always had a bird and my Mother had one also,  for the longest time – – and I still have their  keep safe “bird-bath” – which meant so much to all of the “Brady’s” –  and I did use it for our Bird in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This is a very good profile shot of  “Anne Brady” and the same profile for  “Aunt Irene” and most of the Family that picked up the British  genes.

 

 So, on this Photo we see all of them enjoying  the good ole days  – a well deserved rest after a long hard and hot day of work. Each day of the week there were always the same chores to be done – the clothes to be washed on Monday – no fancy wash machines and then everything hung outside on the clothesline, Tuesday everything that was washed had to now be ironed, even down to the last handkerchief. They may not have had electric irons – – can not remember for sure – – because I have seen some old irons that were used as “door-stops”  so that was a job that could last a couple of days.

Regular house-cleaning  follow by Friday and Saturday  “BAKING”  bread, cakes and pies and all of their favorites to last the week. Mr Brady never ate any baked goods from a “BAKERY” would only eat that which  his wife would bake! Everything was  baked from scratch,   and I still have some of their old recipes.

After Mr. Brady died, Marie and her Mother still lived together – still doing all that they had done in the past, and Marie was still obligated to staying at home taking care of her MOTHER,  and as her Mother was getting too old to do all of  her own  baking and making the large meals for the family to come over and enjoy – a small change was made.

On Sundays, one of the brothers and wife would come over and take the “MOTHER to their home and they  were  to enjoy a good time. Every time that Mrs. Brady was to be taken out, she would have Marie give  to her $50.00,  and she put it in her purse. After several months of this going on,  Marie did not put the $50.00 in her Mother’s purse this one time – – just to see what would happen.

“WOW!” They brought the MOTHER back home so fast and the Mother was upset – – that she did not have any money to give them – -but that was the idea of this!  Did they want their MOTHER – or did they just  want the money,  that she would be bringing to them? So when the air cooled down – – everybody knew how they stood – –  just  simply connivers for as long as they could get by with it. Naturally  “Marie”  was now the enemy – since she held the purse strings.

That is the way it is – – in some Families – – lessons to be  taught and  then  – hopefully  – we all learn the correct way of living, with your own Family!  D.V.


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“Still Remembering Mama”

 This is one PHOTO that I had found of my “MOTHER” – It was hidden in a closet! 

 When I came home from the Orphanage, I was still in the habit  of  doing different chores each and every day – and,  for hours at a time. So, in my opinion that is, I thought that I should start doing some of the  things that I had done – – and that was cleaning out  areas that  look like no one had done anything about for years.

Since  having worked for “Sister Seraphine” for several different times – and,  I did like her – and,  she was in charge of the  “girl’s Clothing”  area on the third floor – -I was always nosy and like to go through the boxes of stuff in closets. So, that is where I began. I checked out everything  hanging on hangers, to see what there was – if anything was,  what I would wear –  and,  what if anything my MOTHER did not want any more –  because – there was a  ‘second -hand dealer’   in the near-by neighborhood – – and things that my “Aunt Irene Riley” would give me – – that were not what I could use – that was the place to take them –  turning the stuff  into money.

In the apartment building where my  “AUNT Irene”  lived – there was a woman that did “shoe-modelling” and she gave to my  “AUNT” some of the sample shoes she thought I would like –  they were “high-heels”  and my MOTHER thought,  “that they were  not  correct for a teenager to wear” –  so they were new and I took them to the “second-hand dealer” –   and he paid me a nice price for them,  I felt  that I had made a good friend and a ‘good buyer’  of  junk!

It is amazing the stuff you will find in a closet –  especially one that  no one ever  cleans out –  the stuff is put in, and just as fast,  forgotten – getting older – and no one will ever think to look at or for anything – except me – I just LOVE  going through a closet and looking for what I consider highly valuable –  to me,  or to sell!

When I had started going through the boxes and stuff on the upper shelves –  stuff that no one had looked at for years – I was in HEAVEN finding things that no one remembered and things that belonged to me as a “baby”  like the “Snow White Doll” still in the original box  – as it came out when the “Movie”  was first released and maybe someday would be worth lots of money – but, too good to just be played with,  and destroyed!

The “PHOTO”  above that was  carefully wrapped up in the original papers from the  Photographer –   just there and nothing else. So, this I had to take and show my MOM – and wanted to know if I could hang it up?   “NO!”   “I do not like that PHOTO,  just put it back!”   – Well,  I did as I was told,  and put extra wrapping paper around it –   as I wanted to be able to remember where this was –   in hopes that maybe some day, “Mom”  would change her mind, and I could hang it up!  That never happened,  but years later when I had all of these PHOTOS of the ‘ancestors’  – I decided to frame the PHOTO and NOW have it hanging in my   bed-room,  and I LOVE the PHOTO –   as it does look terrific in my ‘book,’    as I see it, my MOM was a very beautiful woman,  inside and out, as so many of her Friends have told me, so many wonderful things, that I did not know,  from her younger days!

“Happy Birthday, MOM – – I know that in HEAVEN,  You can celebrate,  all week long –  so have  FUN!”    D.V.


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“Happy Birthday to the Best MOTHER”

Little Marie Brady, herself.

 This PHOTO of little, MARIE gives  to me, an idea of where certain  features  of some of   our  generations  now   following  – whether  or not,  they LOOK like  the maternal side of the FAMILY.

Just to start off in LIFE, as the “thirteenth child” – that just has all kinds of things that we today would not know how to handle, much less  understand. A couple of “MARIE’s” older brothers were already married and no longer living at home – and with FAMILY gatherings – – so many thought that  “Little Marie” was one of their  daughters’.

“MARIE” was now replacing the previous ‘baby’ in the FAMILY, and that was Phillip Brady,  just ten years older than Marie. The only other girl in the FAMILY was Irene Brady and she was five years older than Phillip – and in a few more years would be getting married to a William B. Riley.

 “Here is one of my favorite PHOTOS of little, “MARIE” – and just the way she is looking – – I have seen several of  the future children to come along through out the years – that have this very same look!”

How would you like,  to have to wear so many clothes on  a hot “SUMMER DAY”  as little MARIE has on – and do not forget the extra ‘petticoats’ and the “Pantaloons” which  generally fasten around the waist and could  reach to the ankles, and all of these were wonderful for WINTER weather – – but for the SUMMER time – – no wonder people were all small and they melted off any chance of getting too heavy.

Also, as a small child, Marie had the lightest of  “Blonde color hair” – as she grew older  – her hair would start turning brown and getting darker, and instead of grey or white hair when she died –  it was dark brown – –  just the opposite of most people.

Just  need to add a few other words  that describe  “MARIE” some  – qualities, motherlyprotectivecaring, nurturing, lovingdevotedaffectionatefondwarmtendergentlekindkindlycomforting – and only if you really spent  some quality time with her – – would you  really get to know what a wonderful person she always was!

May our Almighty Yahweh bless  “MARIE, my MOTHER” more so than so many others – – as  her LIFE was arranged for those times  which  made  it impossible  to live her own LIFE – – when the youngest girl in a FAMILY had to be the “care-taker” of her parents –  presenting problems  and a  difficult  LIFE here  on EARTH, and she did deserve so much better than she received!
“Happy Birthday, MOM” – – -D.V.


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