“An Old 1940’s Memory” | Grandma’s Stories

Mar 28th “An Old 1940’s Memory”

“At age seven – Grandma did this…”

Today, while I was doing some bathroom cleaning – I got to thinking – “Why or when did I first start to think that I had to be the person to do the heavy house-hold cleaning???” hen it dawned on me – it was something that I just thought that I had to do – after seeing the movie “SNOW WHITE!”

Today – the movies that are supposed to be so good – I just hate to have to say – do not motivate me to do anything – but to turn them off. To me there just isn’t anything worthwhile – unless you are from a planet that does not know how to get in bed – first you have to take off all of your clothes! The other half of the movies teaches you how to commit any and every kind of crime – especially if you are of the type who wants to kill and murder everyone. Almost forgot the language – in just one simple word it’s – rotten!

What ever happen to making a good movie to inspire and motivate people – especially young children! So – that takes “ME” this old “GRANDMA” – back to the early 1940s – when I watched the “SNOW WHITE” movie – and I must have been right at the age of seeing what you should do – to help out in your home – and that was to fill a bucket with water and get down on your knees and start scrubbing the floors. That scene sure made a big impression on me – because that is exactly what I planned on doing.

My MOTHER was a couple of months pregnant and she was not feeling too good – some days she would stay in bed a little longer than she would normally do – as there were the three of us children – and I was the oldest. It just seem to me – – to do what I could to help when and where and keep an eye on my little brothers – no sense in causing problems – as everyone knows – everyone feels better when there is complete harmony in the home.

So, one day – when my MOTHER was staying in bed – and I thought that she was completely asleep – I filled a pail with water and got the scrub brush and cleaning cloth – just like I saw “SNOW WHITE” do in the movie – and in one corner of the Kitchen – down on my knees – I started to scrub the floor – wipe up and start another spot. My Mother had good ears – she knew that I was doing something – so she called me – “Mary Ellen what are you doing?” My answer was, “OH I’m just doing??” And then – she said, “WHAT are you doing??” “I’m doing just like “SNOW WHITE” did in the movie – I’m cleaning!”

Evidently, being down on my knees and scrubbing the floor was not a job for me – because my Mother came to the kitchen – just to see what I was doing??? Well, my Mother sat me down – said that she appreciated me cleaning the floor – but… she will do the heavy cleaning – that I was supposed to be playing and other things at my age – that to clean house will come later on – maybe when I’m older. So, to please MOM – I went and got my “nurses’ play-kit” and started being the nurse to my brothers – giving them ‘candy medicine’ and taking their temperature and wrapping up their arms in bandages – as they must have been ‘heroes’ – since we were still at WAR and there was a ribbon hanging in the front window of our house with a “GOLD STAR” – our DAD was still in the service.