SHE DRANK THAT MILK! REMEMBERING BACK THEN...

SHE DRANK THAT MILK! REMEMBERING BACK THEN...

December 26, 2011

I was just sitting here thinking about my cousin, Linda. She answered a question that once in a while I wondered about.

When we were little and were taken to live at Grandma Alma and George's house... life was really rough for us.

George would get very upset when he and Grandma would order milk from the milkman. The milk truck would come on certain days and the milk man would bring George and Grandma white milk and chocolate milk and juice.

I learned not to drink that milk and from that I 'learned not to see the milk' when it sat in the refrigerator. I've been like that all my life... I don't 'see milk' when I look in the refrigerator as an adult. George wanted the milk to last and to be there for Grandma Alma. She needed it.

Well, the milk would disappear from time to time and 'out of the blue'... one would hear George holler 'who in the hell drank that milk!' Of course, everyone would say they didn't, me included. I told the truth and knew someone would be lying.

I always wondered 'who really did it' and through the years I never knew.... until the other night when my cousin, Linda, called from Oregon.

We haven't seen each other since she was taken away from Grandma Alma and George's home as a very young child. Wait.. yes, we did see each other at the hospital when she and her baby, Ursula, flew from New Mexico where she lived then. Grandma Alma was dying and in a coma... Linda flew here to also, be with her.

Getting back to what I was telling you.... we got on the subject of living at Grandma Alma and George's. I told her that all these years that I didn't 'see' milk in the refrigerator and wouldn't think about drinking it unless Skip reminded me to.

She wondered why and I mentioned about how George would get so upset over the milk getting gone because somebody was always getting into i t.

'I drank that milk!' I couldn't believe my ears and I said what did you say? Linda told me that she drank that milk and she loved it. The mystery was solved ... so, unexpectedly.

Linda, you were a little rascal! I think sometimes I got into trouble and you 'might' have been the culprit!!! :))

I was shocked when you were the one who told Ray to push me into the ditch while in his wagon... that was a terrible injury to my leg! At least, I did beat you up one time! We should be 'even'. :)))

She went on to ask me if I remembered different things and I did the same.

We both spoke of how when we'd be taken away from there and at a later date to be put back at their house... every little thing we left there... would always be gone. Someone would take our things and we'd never see them again.

She mentioned her dolls and I mentioned my beautiful encyclopedias that my Grandmother Lola had gotten me for school... each book had a picture of a famous painting on the front.... one I remembered was the Mona Lisa, that I loved as a child and it stood out to me. I don't know 'why'.

They were taken by someone and never seen again. Of course, Grandma Alma couldn't walk and George couldn't see.... they wouldn't have known who got them. That was the way it was when I was little and had to go live there... I never got to keep anything..... including family members.

I learned as a small child that I couldn't have people I truly loved and things I treasured.. they'd be taken from me. The strange thing is ... it's like I was being taught at an early age how it'd be all my life... I began being strong as a little girl.... it still didn't stop it from hurting, though.

Remembering.... still hurts, too.