happen. Mom asked Mary to, again, take Lauren and I into the bedroom, and all the adults started talking very quietly in the living room. A few days later, everyone was dressed in black and went off to church and left Lauren and I behind with a babysitter.
When everyone came back, Mommy took me into our bedroom alone and said,
“Daddy has gone to heaven and he will not be coming home anymore.”
I cried and said, “Why did he leave me?”
“It’s not your fault, he just died,” she replied.
Somehow, I knew that was not the truth. Did Mom really know that man was in her bedroom? Why did she not go in there that day? From then on, whenever Mom or other family member told me anything, I would wonder if it was the truth. I felt very sad, bewildered and scared. What was this life? I see one thing and the adults see something very different. I do not think I will be here very long.
Chapter V- Life without Daddy
Mommy is very determined, but she is really in a hard place. I watch her face a lot when she is paying bills or has papers in her hands. After Daddy went away, she has very little money. Her passion and facial expressions assure me that she will make things work out for us because she is an educated woman and graduated from Union Endicott High School years ago.
A little while later, Mom sat Lauren and I down and said,
“I have to get a job somehow, and you two will be staying with my Mom during the day when I do. It is not normal for a woman to work but I have to. I have no choice and you two need to understand I will not be with you during the days, if I can find a job.” I did not know what Lauren and I would do if my Mom was not with us during the day. Lately, she spends a lot of time talking to my Grandmother and Grandfather about what she should do. Grandma and Grandpa also had a great deal to say, too, because they did not want their Grandchildren “living in a bad neighborhood”.
After much discussion, my Grandparents and especially Grandfather, Lawrence decided what the best course of action regarding housing should be. He and Grandma bought a large, old run down two-story house on Main Street in Endicott. It had two separate residences, upstairs and downstairs, plus a basement. The plan was that we would all live together as one big happy family. Both residences had two bedrooms, one bath, a living room, family room and kitchen. Grandma, Grandpa and Mary would live on the first floor and Mom, Lauren and I would live upstairs.
Our home upstairs has a kitchen equipped with a sink, gas stove and electric refrigerator. There was also a big cast iron furnace heater in the family room, in addition to several radiators throughout the flat. I had my own bedroom and Mom and Lauren shared the other. We were all to live together in one big house. Mom was very happy about our new house, except she still did not have any money and was still looking for a job.
A little while later, we moved into our new family home. At last, Mom found a job as a Secretary at General Electric in Johnson City, just a few miles away. The job did not pay much, but it was enough so that she could pay a small rent to Grandma and Grandpa. She said the amount of rent she paid was not very much, but it was all she could afford. Things were finally coming together, and I started to feel like I had a home and a real family. I still thought how much I missed my Father but I did appreciate the other people in my life, Mom, Grandma, Grandpa and Mary. As far as Lauren and I were concerned, they are very special and we are lucky to have them in our lives.
Mother is the oldest of three daughters of Lawrence and Nell. A meticulous and orderly person, she always has beds made and the house neat and clean, and expected Lauren and I to help keep it that way. She is a dominant and assertive woman and that personality is not popular and easily accepted in this culture. For many years before and during her marriage, she kept a diary of daily events,
When everyone came back, Mommy took me into our bedroom alone and said,
“Daddy has gone to heaven and he will not be coming home anymore.”
I cried and said, “Why did he leave me?”
“It’s not your fault, he just died,” she replied.
Somehow, I knew that was not the truth. Did Mom really know that man was in her bedroom? Why did she not go in there that day? From then on, whenever Mom or other family member told me anything, I would wonder if it was the truth. I felt very sad, bewildered and scared. What was this life? I see one thing and the adults see something very different. I do not think I will be here very long.
Chapter V- Life without Daddy
Mommy is very determined, but she is really in a hard place. I watch her face a lot when she is paying bills or has papers in her hands. After Daddy went away, she has very little money. Her passion and facial expressions assure me that she will make things work out for us because she is an educated woman and graduated from Union Endicott High School years ago.
A little while later, Mom sat Lauren and I down and said,
“I have to get a job somehow, and you two will be staying with my Mom during the day when I do. It is not normal for a woman to work but I have to. I have no choice and you two need to understand I will not be with you during the days, if I can find a job.” I did not know what Lauren and I would do if my Mom was not with us during the day. Lately, she spends a lot of time talking to my Grandmother and Grandfather about what she should do. Grandma and Grandpa also had a great deal to say, too, because they did not want their Grandchildren “living in a bad neighborhood”.
After much discussion, my Grandparents and especially Grandfather, Lawrence decided what the best course of action regarding housing should be. He and Grandma bought a large, old run down two-story house on Main Street in Endicott. It had two separate residences, upstairs and downstairs, plus a basement. The plan was that we would all live together as one big happy family. Both residences had two bedrooms, one bath, a living room, family room and kitchen. Grandma, Grandpa and Mary would live on the first floor and Mom, Lauren and I would live upstairs.
Our home upstairs has a kitchen equipped with a sink, gas stove and electric refrigerator. There was also a big cast iron furnace heater in the family room, in addition to several radiators throughout the flat. I had my own bedroom and Mom and Lauren shared the other. We were all to live together in one big house. Mom was very happy about our new house, except she still did not have any money and was still looking for a job.
A little while later, we moved into our new family home. At last, Mom found a job as a Secretary at General Electric in Johnson City, just a few miles away. The job did not pay much, but it was enough so that she could pay a small rent to Grandma and Grandpa. She said the amount of rent she paid was not very much, but it was all she could afford. Things were finally coming together, and I started to feel like I had a home and a real family. I still thought how much I missed my Father but I did appreciate the other people in my life, Mom, Grandma, Grandpa and Mary. As far as Lauren and I were concerned, they are very special and we are lucky to have them in our lives.
Mother is the oldest of three daughters of Lawrence and Nell. A meticulous and orderly person, she always has beds made and the house neat and clean, and expected Lauren and I to help keep it that way. She is a dominant and assertive woman and that personality is not popular and easily accepted in this culture. For many years before and during her marriage, she kept a diary of daily events,
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