GROWING UP ON STRANGI

      GRANDMA MOVED DOWN THE STREET

    I DON’T REMEMBER HOW OLD I WAS WHEN GRANDMA, MY MOM’S MOM, GRANDMA ANDERS, MOVE DOWN THE STREET FROM US.  THEY USED TO LIVE IN THE PROJECTS DOWN BEHIND THE OLD HOWARD NUMBER 2 SCHOOL.  THE PROJECTS WERE  A LOW RENT HOUSING PROJECT.  I REMEMBER GOING THERE ALMOST EVERY SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH AND STAYING MOST OF THE DAY.  THAT WAS A NEAT PLACE, THERE WERE A LOT OF KIDS TO PLAY WITH, BUT BEST OF ALL WAS GRANDMA.  THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE SOMETHING SWEET AND EVERY NOW AND THEN UNCLE PETE MOM’S BROTHER WOULD TAKES US TO THE ROXY, A FEW BLOCKS AWAY TO SEE A MOVIE, IT COST A DIME.    SOMETIME WE WOULD SEE UNCLE FRANK DAD'S BROTHER IN LAW, AT THE FIRE STATION THAT WAS ALMOST ACROSS THE STREET.  THE WHOLE AREA WAS COVERED BY OLD OAK TREES AND WAS A COOL PLACE TO WALK.

       ANY WAY GRANDMA MOVING MADE IT BETTER THAT EVER BECAUSE WE COULD GO ANY TIME WE WANTED TO SEE GRANDMA WITH OUT ASKING.  WHEN I WAS ABOUT TWELVE OR THIRTEEN I STARTED TO COOK SUPPER FOR GRANDMA.  SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE CORNBREAD AND OTHER THINGS SHE AND AUNT RUBY, MOM’S SISTER, LIKED.  I WAS REALLY GOOD A COOKING PEAS AND I COOKED THE FOUR DAY STRAIGHT.  ONE DAY AUNT RUBY ASKED GRAND MOTHER TO TEACH ME HOW TO COOK SOMETHING ELSE, SO I LEARNED HOW TO DO BUTTER BEANS,  AND AGAIN FOR FOUR DAYS STRAIGHT THAT IS WHAT I COOKED. THEN GRANDMA SAID I NEEDED TO CHANGE UP THING SO I COOKED PEAS ONE DAY AND BUTTER BEANS THE NEXT. 

      GRANDMA MADE THE BEST TEA CAKES AND BANANA PUDDING.  WHEN I WENT  TO COLLEGE SHE MADE SURE THAT I HAD ENOUGH TEA CAKES TO TAKE WITH ME AND EVERY TIME I CAME HOME THERE WAS A GRAND BANANA PUDDING AWAITING ME.  ONE TIME AUNT RUBY COMPLAINED THAT THE ONLY TIME THEY HAD BANANA PUDDING WAS WHEN I CAME HOME, AND GRANDMA SAID,” WELL YOU’RE HERE ALL THE TIME.”

    I WOULDN’T SAY I WAS SPOILED BUT WHEN I SPENT THE NIGHT WITH GRANDMA, AFTER THEY MOVED, WHEN  IT WAS BATH TIME SHE WOULD MOVE THE TV SO I COULD SEE IT FROM THE TUB.  BOY THAT MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL.

    SOMETIMES MY COUSINS WOULD FEEL LEFT OUT AND MADE FUN OF ME BECAUSE GRANDMA AND I WERE CLOSE, BUT I DIDN’T CARE.  I STILL MISS MY GRANDMA, TODAY!!