You can open your eyes now Ma.
My Mothers friends at the reunion dinner.My Mother grew up in the Midwest glory of Ft. Wayne, Ind. She went to IU and then on to Michigan. She eventually escaped the Midwest for the fashionable East Coast but she occasionally goes back to visit and when that happens I always hear hilarious stories of "remember when?"
I am not a stranger to the Midwest myself, having spent all the summers of my youth at camp GUCI (Goldman Union Camp Institute). A reform Jewish camp smack in the middle of KKK country outside of Indianapolis. But camp stories will have to wait.
My mother recently went to her 50th High School reunion. She has a small group of girlfriends that have mini-reunions so they all went together to this big one.
One of my favorite "Mom" stories happened to her on her way home from school one day. She had a best friend that would walk home with her everyday. One day this so called best friend yelled at her the entire way home. She yelled "You killed Jesus! You Killed Jesus!!"
By the time my mom finally got home she was nearly inconsolable. When she finally calmed down enough to tell my Grandmother Ebby what was wrong all she could get out was "Susie said I killed Jesus, but I don't even know a Jesus!"
Clearly, truer words had never been spoken. ( and I made up that her name is Susie - not that I am trying to protect her but I can't remember her name.)
So we were all wondering what happened to this girl who yelled at my Mom? What had become of her? She has been talked about in my family for years and Mom was about to come face to face with her accuser. I am guessing my Mom was not looking forward to seeing her again But it made me giddy with anticipation.
At some point during the reunion dinner "Susie" approaches my Mother and just when my mom is rolling her eyes to her friends and one of them is laughing like crazy "Susie" gives my mom a big hug and someone takes their picture for the archives. I am waiting to see that picture. I wish I had it to post for you all now but I promise I will track it down soon.
Now don't get me wrong, my Mom had a great time at the reunion and I am only speaking of this particular moment because the story has always intrigued me. Every time I spoke to my Mom while she was at the reunion she sounded blissfully happy. That includes the two times she called me as she was passing the childhood home of James Dean. (the actor, not the sausage guy).
I think little old "Susie" forgot about that fateful day my Mom killed Jesus because she was very nice to her this time. Apparently she is a minister now so I would have liked it if she apologized but you know - it's only been 50 years...baby steps.
10 comments:
I swear on my eyes that I never heard that story before. Figures that Susie is a minister, though. This just proves that even siblings aren't really brought up the same even if they have the same parents. I DID have a "friend" who locked me in her bedroom in Corpus Christi, TX and then let her father inside and he pointed me to a verse in the New Testament where it says Jesus is God's son, and then he interrogated me for 2 hours about why I don't believe that when it's written RIGHT THERE IN THE BIBLE in GOD'S WORDS. That shook me up a bit. That's when I took to calling all non-jews "churchers". That was the dirtiest word I could think of when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. Bye, love you. Great story.
Churchers?
I hope My sissy hasn't offended anybody.
But really - I had NO idea that happened to you. That must have been very traumatic. So sad.
I don't understand your statement about siblings? We are very much the same I think - I don't know how you missed hearing that story though. It must have been all those family vacations we took without you. (tee-hee)
Oh, and that's not all. Living in Corpus Christi (translates to "body of christ") was not all fun and games for this sheltered little girl. On several occasions, grown up adults asked me to show them my horns. Or they just walked up and felt my head to see how my horns were growing. I was only a little kid, so I guess they thought I'd have nubs but still wanted to feel them. I never realized how bitter I still am until this very moment!
I am sure that any friend of yours would understand how a little kid would get upset and not know any better than to call people "churchers" ! I mean, it was pretty traumatic. I don't have any problems with churchers today. I am married to a minister's daugter!
I humbly apologize on behalf of so-called "christians" everywhere. Can you say mortification?
I had my horns removed after puberty but now I am wishing I still had them.
I am sure noone is offended. I am also sure we are the only people who read this blog!
Oh - and Lisa - thank you. It is not your fault. You Rock!
Actually, the lady minister gave a beautiful and tasteful invocation at our reunion dinner-and I felt much closure on the 62 year old case. The picture is on a disc made by a company at the reunion-so, I have to figure out how to get that picture out of the 100! (The only one of me!)
I am sure she has no idea that she did that to me!
(:
the same thing happened to me in elementary school right here in rva - the kids stood up on the cafeteria chairs and table and screamed at me "you killed jesus, you killed jesus!" and i was so upset and terrified. and not one single teacher did a damn thing to stop it.
my mom also had to go to school several times a year to force them to remove anti-semetic graffiti from the bathrooms. in the west end of richmond in the 80's.
but no one ever asked to see my horns...i'm not sure what i would have ended up interpreting that as and showing them!
Yes, I might add, muffin face is very clever. It wasn't her horns she had removed at age 16!
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