A reader responds to last week's post: serendipity

 

 

by Pat Laster

 

SHE: Another great post! How interesting, starting with the name “Edward F. Dolan.” That was my daddy’s youngest brother’s name – Edward Frank Dolan. He was killed at the age of 18, working for Arizona Power and Light (how he got there, no one ever told me). He started up a power pole, threw the switch to turn off power, and unfortunately, someone had done it before him, so he actually turned it back on. He was burned horribly and died a few days later. I never knew him, but my grandmother used to tell us about him. His picture showed a handsome, dark-haired man with beautiful blue eyes. All daddy’s siblings had the black Irish coloring, but he got red hair and green eyes and wasn’t remotely handsome. The two sisters and two brothers were all good looking. Too bad I didn’t inherit their looks. Ha

You always find something interesting at flea markets, etc. and share them with your readers. You are a born writer!

My grandmother’s sister and her husband lived on a farm about 2 miles out of Crossett and we (grandmother, little brother Jack and I) spent the better part of the summer on the farm, helping can the vegetables and fruit. Those were the happy times in my young life. I can remember Uncle Louis checking the Almanac religiously. I thought it was some kind of magic book and would take it out on the back porch in the afternoons and try to fathom what they found so interesting. You really brought back some good memories. Thank you! Love, J

 

ME: You must give me leave to use your glowing letter in my next post. Any time I evoke memories for myself or you or anyone, I am a happy camper. Don't denigrate your beautiful Irish looks, m' dearie!

 

SHE: Of course you may use my letter! You can’t imagine how delighted I was to read the post and recall those happy childhood days. Jack was very fragile in his early years, having been born prematurely and weighing a hefty pound and a half at birth. (Our mother had died shortly after his birth.) My grandmother fed him goat’s milk with an eye-dropper until he was strong enough to suck on a bottle.

I often felt “put-upon” because I had to pump water, wash canning jars and bring in firewood, but now that I think about it, I really didn’t mind. I spent the afternoons in my favorite Chinaberry tree which had a perfect fork for sitting and leaning back to read. The adults, worn out from the morning’s work, always took naps after lunch. How hard they worked! And I don’t recall, as a child, feeling the least bit grateful for all their hard work. Isn’t that just like a child!

Oh, I have to tell you my grandmother and aunt’s full names--Grandmother Zada’s name was Ada Kinzada and Aunt Tena’s name was Tena Albertine. Why would anyone name their daughters such names! The brothers had sensible names like James, Norman and Edward.

See what you stirred up – all those memories! Ah..... Love, J

 

            Serendipity, indeed!