Special Girl

Everybody has those 'family stories,' which signal in some fashion 'from whence we came.' Late night a week or so ago, I was unable to sleep and while laying in bed permitting random thoughts to come, I recalled such a family story that I must share with my grandchildren. The recollection is about my wife (Gerry); the grandkids' Nana when she was but a little girl.  Our grandkids know a Nana, today who is fun to engage and a nurturing fortress of love. Our grandkids want for little while enjoying the 'good life.' Sometimes the present defies the past when history is revealed.

In 1947, Gerry (Nana) was a second grader in a Catholic school and her family (Bischof) lived near downtown East St. Louis. The Bischof family did not have a family automobile. Nana's father drove a residential milk delivery-truck for a St. Louis dairy. He left his house each workday morning at 5A.M. and made two bus transfers to get to his company west of the Mississippi River. Nana's mother was consumed with the demands of raising six children, sacrificing financially to insure the Catholic school tuition for all. She made her girls' school dress uniforms and fought the daily cramped wars of eight people living in a four-room flat. The Bischof family lived the inner-city low income life. Today those houses are all mostly gone; burned out giving way to crime and slum conditions.

Gerry (Nana), as most little grade school girls, made attempts to cultivate friends and 'join' groups, i.e. Brownies...always the socialization need to 'belong.' Her mother supported all the children in those desires but her efforts were compromised by a limited income, caring for her polio stricken youngest son and her dependency upon others for transportation needs. When seven year-old Gerry told her mother that there was to be a Brownie/Girl Scout/school carnival affair on a particular Saturday at the Parish, her mother sensed the excitement in her little girls voice. Since the event was a scout fund-raiser, Gerry's mother made a cake for contribution sales. A neighbor picked Gerry up Saturday morning for the day long carnival style event. Late afternoon, a tired little girl returned home to an inquisitive mother wishing to know what her daughter did at the Scout happening. Gerry told her mother that she had lots and fun and made some new friends. What Gerry never told her mother was that all carnival rides and foods cost money...money Gerry did not have. Gerry only said, "I had lots of fun and made some new friends."

I will share that story with Gerry's grandchildren because it gives a backdrop view of their Nana's much different youth. The girl who continues to have lots of fun orchestrating 'joy' for others. I find it amazing that often those who had little growing up are the most giving...excuse me, I must stop and take breakfast up to my wife.