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It was December ,another favorite time of the year for the family. The lights were all lit through the city and secrets being whispered to everyone. I could only sneak a peek at the lights or outside when someone wasn't in my bedroom - Well pops bedroom.
School started in September as usual and I was in second grade. No problem with me being there. I went straight to the class room and stayed put. A few weeks later I was down with.. the measles. That whole year of school I was there only about 8 weeks. Sister sent my home work home via "Binky".
I went from one childhood illness to another chicken pox, measles, broncitis, mumps, croup, and including pneumonia. Pops bedroom was converted into my bedroom and Uncle Mike and his friend put the bed up on boards so I could look out the window, but only if I wore sunglasses. The shades were kept drawn all day until the sun was almost down.
The family came to visit but never came "in" my room. The doctor came almost every other day. I hated medicine by now. The cousins were always coming with cutouts or coloring books or something to play with. Mother and pop brought me books from the library and uncle Mike brought me ice cream. Aunt Edie would bake me cookies and the "Witch Lady" came with herbs and home made root beer.
Christmas was upon us and the discussion was on about a tree. Grammy said NO tree. Well it seemed that they argued about a tree for weeks! I hated that. I would cry when they fought. It made me so sad.
One night Uncle Mike and his friend Mike came in and I heard grammy saying NO NO NO. Unc said "I am taking her mom and that's it". Mike came into my bedroom and bundled me up and carried me out to the car. Off we went with grammy shouting keep her warm!
We rode down to fourth street then third street over the hill to Hill Bridge through North Bethlehem then back over the bridge and up Delaware Ave where all the wealthy people live. The house were so big! and eveyone had a Moravian star hanging on the front porch. They were and still are my most favorite of all Christmas Decorations.
I heard the two men whispering in the front seat and asked what was going on. They said "nothing". Well I listened real close and heard them say.. "no only one". I heard Unc say, "we'll check the side porch too". All of a sudden we stopped, Mike jumped out of the car and ran onto the porch.. slid a little in the snow and came back with a tree. Uncle Mike had opened the trunk and in it went and off we went.
By the time we got back home it was snowing so hard. When we came in through the porch Grammy opened the door and saw the three of us.. covered in snow! And she saw the tree.
Well with all the medical bills there was no money for a tree that year so the two Mikes "borrowed" one from a wealthy family that had 3 on their porch. Of course they took the smaller of the three. Well it went up in the living room and when it was all decorated I was carried in to see it. It was the best Christmas I ever had. My family was with me.
I never knew until yrs later that the two Mikes snuck back a few days later and put a few dollars in the mail box with a note explaing what happened to the tree.
I never knew what my family would do to help each other. I learned as I grew. I hope I have instilled that into our sons.
We were a poor but proud family and my grandparents paid their way through this world. My heart is full of love for them to this day. It goes with me everywhere and when my time comes I will still have it. Who says you can't take it with ya?
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