My sister in law messaged yesterday that one of the farms down the road was being sold off.  The contents of the barns were that day, the A-Frame was to be sold next year and the main home separately.  Geeze, I remember when that A-Frame was built on the opposite side of the road of the main house, down the field from the McClure’s place.

I realized that I probably didn’t know any of the neighbors back by the farm anymore.  Mrs. McClure (Gladys) was living alone in her home back when I was young.  I can recall her more vividly than anyone.

She was one of the older neighbors.  A beautiful white haired woman who never had a hair out of place and she had ample hair and it was styled in a complementary way.  It makes me wonder now, just how often  her hair had been done/styled and was it plastered with hairspray to keep it that way 24/7?  I mean, I never saw the woman with a bad hair day. Never.  I wonder if they put that into her obituary. “Gladys was a well coiffed woman with impeccable taste”

What I saw of her belongings were what I thought of as impeccable anyway.  She had some china tea sets that were beautiful – although I only saw them just a few times as we did not visit her often.  She generally came to our house to visit.

She drove a large green beast of a car.

I think we all tended to “get lost” when she was coming over as she was so hard of hearing that it was painful to be in the room when someone was trying to have a conversation with her.

I think back now and wonder about those conversations.  I think dear old Mrs. McClure might not have needed to hear responses as much as she just needed someone to listen to her.  I’m sure she was lonely and just to have someone let her speak was enough some days.  My mom didn’t complain about the visits and wouldn’t allow us to either.

A person could be in the barn across the street from our house and know when Mrs. McClure was leaving from a visit.  Since she couldn’t hear the car start, she would rev it up so high and loud when turning the ignition that it was akin to a shuttle launch.  The entire capsule would scream and roar and then the body shake with the explosive power of the engine not yet released into motion.  I’m guessing she knew it was running when it was shaking her teeth fillings loose.

It’s funny how some people stick in your memory much more vividly than others.

Love,

Sally