The Indomitable Aunt

My father was one of the twins. He had many interesting tales to relate about growing up in such a large and close family. But one of the stories he didn’t discuss was something that happened when he was about twenty. This incident compelled him to leave home for several years.

His twin sister became “with child” but didn’t want to marry the father. My grandfather and one or two of the older brothers went to pay a visit to the boy and his family (probably with shotgun in hand). But the culprit had eloped with another girl. There was nothing to be done but face the shame and disgrace of having a baby out of wedlock.

Of course, the entire family was affected by this affair, but my father took it particularly hard. He moved to a town about twenty miles from where they lived and didn’t return home for five years. (During that time his family would come to see him occasionally.) When Mother moved to the town and met Daddy and they became serious in their relationship, she insisted on driving out to meet his family. She was soon to get a taste of the family humor.

They purposely seated her at dinner in the middle of one side of the table and proceeded to ask her to pass food every time she picked up her fork to eat. She finally caught on and told them to get it themselves. They were forever playing jokes on each other and to this day the aunts who are alive still have that dry sense of humor.

Yes, there are two aunts who are living today not too far from where they grew up. Tommie, the youngest of the litter, is 94 and lives in the same town where my parents met. Her grandson lives with her, but I’m not sure who takes care of whom.

My father’s twin is 106 years young and still keeps her own house. A son and grandson live with her, and her daughter lives close by. Until a couple of years ago, she still tended her vegetable garden. Now she just cooks and crochets. (Her children insist that she use a walker, but I've seen her pick it up and carry it across the floor if she were in a hurry.)

When her first son was 4 or 5 years of age, this strong woman married a widower with five daughters, and then she went on to have five more of her own. (One aunt once told me that my grandmother was crushed when the little boy left because she felt like he was one of her own. I guess this is where I get my strong maternal instinct.)

My aunt has definitely had a difficult life, but she has maintained her sense of humor through it all. She said last year, “I don’t guess I’m ever going to die!” And when my sister told her that we would see her next year, she answered, “I hope not!” Well, we disagree with her – we hope she lives another 10 years, at least!