Whats UP down South

On my drive to Little Rock the other day, I passed through some of my old "stompin grounds" and the memories began coming to mind again.

My Aunt Ruth used to live not far from Rich, Arkansas and I spent many weekends and lots of fun summers with her. Her husband (my Uncle Billy) and his family had a rice and soybean farm and it was there that I honed my driving skills. If a key was left in it, it was the ride for the day, so we learned to drive everything from tractors to pickups. Since they had 4 boys, it was a big change for them to have the "girls" around and I think there were many occasions when we (my sisters and I) entertained them greatly. Aunt Ruth was my mom's youngest sister and was only 13 when I was born so she became surrogate mother, sometimes sister, and my very best friend until her early death in March, 1982. I miss her terribly and not a day goes by that I don't think of her. She had a magnificent sense of humor and we sure had some good times.

Once, while I was away in England, Aunt Ruth took my two sisters and a cousin to the movies to see "Love Story". My sister Paula can sometimes be very emotional and I was told that she sniffed and sobbed thoroughout the movie. At one point she asked Aunt Ruth if she had a tissue and being someone who is always prepared, Auntie digs around in her huge purse and hands my sister something to blow her nose on. Finally the movie ends and they walk up the aisle, Paula is still sniffing, still wiping her eyes, blowing her nose, when they exit into the lobby where she notices Terri, my youngest sister, and my Aunt laughing at her. She looks around, finally looks down, and sees in her hand a sanitary pad. Having not found a tissue, Aunt Ruth figured this was the next best thing and dingbat that she is, my sister never noticed!