Earliest Memories
1. I
think my earliest memory happened at church when my sister was about one and I
was about three. At our
Presbyterian church everyone, adults and children, went to Sunday school first and
then church. So Mother and Daddy had to think of things for us to do to keep us
quiet during the church service. Mother had let Geri look in her purse. Mom
looked down at her and saw she was choking on something and turning blue. She
and my dad grabbed Geri and ran to the foyer leaving me alone in the sanctuary
pew. I felt abandoned, so I stood up on the seat and screamed. Someone carried
me out. My sister survived. She was choking on a thimble but they were able to
get it out.
2.
We lived in Des Moines, Iowa and both my paternal and maternal grandparents
lived in Indianola, a small town about 17 miles south. Another early memory I
have is that we visited down there often, and the trip seemed to take forever (at
least to children under five). The road was hilly and on one of the higher hills
about halfway there we could see the town’s water tower. So in a singsong voice
my sister and I would chant, “I see the water tower - I see the water tower -
Now I don’t - Now I don’t - Now I do - Now I do…” as we went up and down the hilly road. It must’ve driven my parents nuts! But it was probably better than “Are we there yet?” every 30
seconds.
3. I
had a favorite blanket which was a quilt made for me by my Grandma Giebrich. I
called and my “Whilt,” and I had it for several years.
4.
We had a play area down in the basement where we played when mother was doing
the laundry and ironing. The baby crib was down there and some doll beds, and a
doll dresser. Sometimes Mom would put a blanket over a card table for us to
play in. My cousin Lloyd who was two years older than I was, and who I loved,
was there playing one day and we played “You be the Mommy - I’ll be the Daddy.”
Next thing I know Mom was yanking me out from under the card table house and
taking me upstairs to my room, scolding me all the way. I don’t remember what I
did, but it had to do with getting a little too realistic in our mommy-daddy
play.
5. We were on a summer vacation trip. My
mom was driving. My dad and sister were also in the front seat. I was in the
backseat between Grandma and Grandpa. I was sleeping. Suddenly I was jolted
awake by being jolted around and ending up on my side, squashed between Grandma
and Grandpa. The car had tipped over. This one-car accident happened because
the wheels of the car had gotten into a pile of gravel at the edge of the road.
One by one we climbed out. No one was hurt. While Dad and Grandpa were getting
the car tipped back upright, I went wandering off down the road crying. Mom
came running after me. She comforted me and then I didn’t feel so afraid. But
after that I would often tell Mom or Dad they were driving too fast. “So fast I
can’t count the fence posts,” I said one time. Dad responded, “Try counting the telephone poles.”
6. My paternal grandmother died about two
weeks after my fifth birthday. She died of a brain tumor, and I remember her being
sick for a long time. The summer before her death we had been visiting them in
Indianola. She became critically ill while we were there. And the three adults
had to carry her to the bedroom. My mother had my sister and me sit on the sofa,
and she instructed me to take care of your sister. We were both very
frightened, but I put my arm around her and comforted her.
7. I loved playing on the swing set. I loved
picnics with aunts, uncles, and cousins. I loved collecting rocks. I loved
drawing. My favorite book or story
was Honey Bear.
8. I remember my parents bragging that when
I was very young I could say the words ‘catastrophe’ and ‘predicament.’ (What strange words to teach a little
child!)
9. I remember my dad talking about how
exasperating it was when I went through the WHY stage.
10.
I remember my mother interrupting
a squabble between my sister and me by roughly separating us and loudly and
angrily saying, “We do NOT GET ANGRY!!!” I was frightened and confused and thinking maybe mother was
not to be trusted if she didn’t even know she WAS angry.
