Episode – 3 | Grandma’s Stories

Jan 17th Episode – 3

No other “ORPHANS” at German St. Vincent Orphan Home had a Father like ours! Since this was a Catholic Orphanage, every First Friday – of the month – we had Devotions to the Sacred Heart! It seems to me that also that there was a Full Moon – at this same time – and my Father would get sufficient to “DRINK” to give him “COURAGE!”

All the Orphans and all the NUNS would be in the Sacred Heart Chapel – for First Friday Devotions! If you take a look at a photo of the Orphan Home and the grounds surrounding – some thirty acres – you will see that the entrance to the HOME has an entry foyer area and then maybe ten foot part of the corridor area – with doors opening up to the Chapel.

So with everybody in Church for Devotions – the door bell rings – the NUN that has “Charge” of the “Entrance area” immediately runs to see who is here and lets them in. That’s my Father – Denny H. Mc Clarren Sr. – Who now has the “COURAGE” to tell the NUN – “Get my children ready, I’m taking them home, now! She immediately tells Sister Michael to get Denny and Tommy Mc Clarren ready to go home with their father. I’m thinking the NUN‘s name in charge of the entrance area was Sister Adeline She now hurries to get Sister Seraphine, who has charge of the girl’s clothing and third floor area – she gets me to run to my locker and get my coat and tells me to run to the “Entrance Area” that my Father in waiting to take us home!

I am so happy that I am going home. My brothers and I are jumping to all hold on to my “DAD” – we are walking on clouds – you just have no idea what it feels like to get out! It feels like getting out of “PRISON!” I can tell he has had too much to “DRINK” – but when he has been drinking – there is a different side of him that you have to learn to “watch out for and be very careful” – because the wrong word or action – you could be facing a wild “beast!”

As the oldest I would keep track of what was going on – always had to be prepared for a catastrophe – at any time – but we were happy to be on our way HOME!

In the first years of our being in the Orphan Home under the guidance on Mother Erentrude – this “FULL MOON” episode took place quite often. But – when Mother Meinulpha Meyer took charge – she was younger and stronger and she called the Normandy Police Dept – that was the end of my Father taking us home – when he got up enough “COURAGE” from the bottle!