I teach a writing class up at church and my students write about their childhoods. This is from my friend, Peggy Myer's, book, "It All Began on New Year's Eve". (She was born on New Year's Eve!)
Notice that even when really unusual things happen, kids don't know it's unusual until they are much older.
Peggy and Mrs. Simpson
The Simpsons lived in the house across the street. Their grandchildren came from Miami to visit for much of the summer each year and we would play Canasta and marathon games of Monopoly. Mr. Simpson was not well, and I really did not know much about him.
When Mr. Simpson died, Mrs. Simpson was afraid of being alone at night. She asked Mom if I could come and sleep at her house and I did most nights for about a year. I believe I was maybe in the third grade. I would get myself ready for bed, kiss my parents good night and head across the street. Mrs. Simpson would give me ice cream with chocolate syrup and a cherry on top before bed. I would slouch down on the sofa so my head wasn’t showing over the top and watch TV with her past my bedtime. I would sleep in a big bed in the back of the house with Mrs. Simpson. The next morning I’d head home and get ready for school.
Once, Mrs. Simpson asked me if I’d like to plant a flower garden in a corner of her yard by her garage. I remember planting the seeds she had purchased in packets in rich black, moist soil and being so proud when violets came up full of green leaves and eventually beautiful flowers. When Kingoff’s Jewelry store closed, she bought me a pretty white gold ring with a small diamond chip in the center. One thing that I thought was unique about her was she would gently stroke the backs of bumblebees that landed on her azalea blooms. As far as I know she never got stung. She lived to be about 100.
