I've been thinking of writing an autobiography or memoir but it just never comes together for me but I figured if I write one story at a time and post it on my blog maybe once a month, I can do that. Maybe one day I'll pull all the stories together and put them in a book but for now I'll just share some stories with you about my childhood. Some of the stories will be happy, some sad and some horrific because that was my childhood. But they will all be real, things that actually happened. If it seems like something that people enjoy reading maybe I'll keep it going. These stories will not be in any kind of order, I'll just write them as they come to me.
Thanksgiving Dinner
When my younger brother was 9 years old and I was 11, right before my parents split and divorced, that Thanksgiving my parents who were alcoholics got so drunk they didn't make Thanksgiving dinner like they usually did. So my brother who was just 9 years old came up with the idea to take some money from my dad's wallet while he was passed out on the couch, walk down to the grocery store that was about a mile away, buy some Thanksgiving food, push the cart back and we would make dinner.
I swear my brother was fearless because the whole time he was gone, I was freaking out that they would wake up or my dad would realize that my brother had taken money from his wallet. We used to walk down to the grocery store with my mom all the time so he knew the way there and back. This was around 1981, no one thought anything of a kid going to the store and even buying cigarettes for their parents with a note. We did it all the time. So no one batted an eye that my brother bought all this stuff and was pushing the cart back home by himself.
So my brother brought a turkey, stuffing, pie, vegetables, dinner rolls, potatoes, some snacks for me and him like a little kid would and a 6 pack of Near Beer for my mom because he didn't want her to drink and it's non-alcoholic beer. There were other things my brother got but those are the ones I remember.
We put all the groceries away, my parents didn't wake up. I put the turkey in the oven and made the stuffing and put it in a baking dish like my mom would have. It was then that my mom woke up and came into the kitchen. She saw the turkey and stuffing in the oven and the vegetables on the counter and she thought that she had done all that. She had no idea at all that my brother went to the store or that I had started dinner. She took over and just acted like she had started it all like she would have. She had no clue at all until she looked in the refrigerator and saw the Near Beer. She took us outside so my dad wouldn't hear and asked us what was going on. So we told her what we did and how. She told us not to tell our dad anything because we all knew he would be mad. After dinner was done a while later, my dad woke up and we all ate. My dad never knew a thing about the money my brother took or the fact that he walked by himself to the store and did the shopping for Thanksgiving dinner that year. My mom never told him.
My grandson is 10 years old and I cannot imagine him doing anything like this by himself right now. It would never happen. It still surprises me when I think about it that my brother did that but he did.
Your grandson wouldn't go that - but then he wouldn't need to either. Your brother's actions (and yours in starting to cook dinner) were born out of necessity.
ReplyDeleteThat's very true.
DeleteYes, born of necessity, which is Sad for any Child, but, I imagine that it did shape you and your Brother in ways that made you fiercely independent Adults later on and Old Souls in your Childhood. I had very good Parents but my Mom was Mentally Ill and had fragile Health, my Dad was Career Military and often sent away on Assignments, so, my Younger Brother and I became quite adept at doing things beyond our Age level as if it was normal to. Also, it was a different time and Era, when I hear the Stories of my Parents Generation it is amazing to me what Children not only did, but were required to do! My Friend Leo is almost 90, he was driving a Farm Truck and large Farm Equipment when he was 7 Years Old, riding the Rails by 13 and going cross Country to do Migrant Farm Work and help feed his Family back Home... I can't even Imagine. My own Dad cooked from the Age of 4, became a Master Chef in Adulthood. He grew up on a Reservation and had to often make everything they had, he just always did it so to him that's what you just did. I'm glad you're going to Share these Stories Mary, and perhaps one day compile them into a Book.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I really appreciate that. I agree, our grandparents had to do a lot of things that we never did at such young ages.
DeleteI agree that it would be insane for most kids that age nowadays to do such a thing, but kids going to the store wasn't as out of the possibility years ago. I know I went though I was a few years older and never had to for holiday meal or sneak the money. Quite the story- your brother, the hero of Thanksgiving. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think back at all we were just used to doing when we were kids so many years ago. He was the hero that year.
DeleteI couldn't see my 14-year-old niece doing that. It was brave of your brother to do that.
ReplyDeleteHe was always the brave one.
DeleteThat is a crazy story and hard to imagine a 9 YO doing all of that now. However, I think the way you guys grew up, you were a lot more mature/worldly than most kids that age today. Did the food taste good?
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think back and remember some of the things that we used to do. We really did look out for each other because we had to. The food was good and I smiled inside knowing that we made it happen.
DeleteGiven the shocking environment in which you lived, I think you and your brother were very lucky to have each other.
ReplyDeleteOh we definitely were. We still are very close.
DeleteWhat a wonderful story for a young boy doing what he thought ought to be done Brave indeed and very smart. A story that won't be forgotten. Thanks so much for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I'm glad that everyone is liking these monthly posts.
DeleteYour brother is awesome. What a Thanksgiving memory to have. I'm glad you're writing all of these stories down.
ReplyDeleteThank you. He's a great brother. I'm glad I'm writing them all down too.
DeleteThat's a great story. How brave and it sounds like a wonderful meal! My kids have no idea what it was like to be a kid back then- so different!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these Mary.
Oh I remember being able to go buy cigarettes for adults! My friend's dad used to send us down to go get his Pall Malls ha.
Thank you. I used to go buy cigarettes and vodka for my mom with the note she would write for the cashier.
DeleteThat was pretty amazing to put the dinner together like that. We won't tell anyone either!
ReplyDeleteIt was a memorable one for sure.
DeleteBro was brave and determined. How did you know how to bake a turkey and make dressing when I myself STILL can't bake a turkey? At least this was one time your mom had you kids back and didn't tell dad.
ReplyDeleteMy mom always had me in the kitchen with her when she was cooking. I had to make breakfast for me and my brother before school and get him up and walk us both to school back then too. I was already cooking and responsible for some things after school until they both got home.
DeleteThat's a lot for such young kiddos, even back then in a time when parents let kids do all sorts of stuff on their own. Glad it all worked out!
ReplyDeleteWe sure did do a lot back then but yeah, this was a lot.
DeleteWow. Yep, when I was that age we were outside all day and now we don't let the kiddos go anywhere by themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely was a different time.
DeleteIt's wild what we did as kids. I remember doing something similar after an ice storm in the 70's. I dragged a sled with a handful of money almost a mile to the grocery store and stocked up on food they had outside on racks (no one had power) I think I was around 9 or 10.
ReplyDeleteThat's a rough story but I'm glad you and your brother had each other.
It wasn't unusual to see kids that young in the store buying stuff by themselves back then. Times sure have changed.
DeleteMy daughter who is almost 20 has anxiety just walking into Starbucks to grab her order that she placed on her mobile phone. I was a lot like you and your brother. Independent and would walk a mile or two to the grocers when I was 8 for food because my mom had 2 jobs and it was our job to clean and make our own meals. Good thing your dad never found out about the stolen money!
ReplyDeleteRight! Kids young as us back then were left on our own a lot to fend for ourselves back then. I took care of my younger brother most of the day but he had no problem taking care of me too.
DeleteThat's a rough story indeed. I glad you and your bother had each other.
ReplyDeleteI am too.
DeleteThat must've been rough with your parents being alcoholics, but I am glad you had your brother. And what a story he went to the store and made most of dinner before your mom realized she didn't do that and your father never found out.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think of some of the things we did as kids out of necessity.
DeleteThis is both a sad and an uplifting story...the very idea that you were so resourceful when you were kids and took care of each other (plus your brother buying nonalcoholic beer for your mom!). Then again, as I said, it's really sad as well.
ReplyDeleteI can see that. It's crazy to think back at all the things we did as kids.
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