| The Creative Expressions of... Bill Vivrett |
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| Updated 12.24.04 |
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| THE CHRISTMAS OF '39 Page 6 of 9 �When we all see Jesus, we�ll sing and shout the victory�. She kept them going with the chorus. �Sing, Billy,� she encouraged. ��Froggie went-a-courtin an� he did ride uh huh, mum huh��, Billy was playing to his captive audience. Buck chuckled between mumbled �damns�. The froggie song was one he had taught their youngest. �Oh, children, look there,� Mother pointed distracting all of them, again from their Dad�s increasingly poor word choices regarding engine performance. All seven looked as they approached a road sign that read BLESSED HOPE MISSOURI ahead. �I never heard of Blessed Hope in Missouri,� Dad said. �I have,� Mother said. Dad kept going, slowly leaking water along the way. Jack noticed that the last twenty-five miles, he had to stop more often because the bid �36� Buick V-8 had started leaking oil droplets, as well. This was very bad. With forbearance and God�s Grace, he somehow managed to pull into Grandma�s drive for the planned rendezvous by 2:30 PM. The children had not had a real meal all day. �Got anything to eat?� Vee asked. �Where are your manners, child?� Grandma responded and immediately began preaching about acceptable Victorian manners to an inattentive group of sullen children. Just then Uncle Pat drove up, Aunt Mary quickly appraised the situation, pulled their mother aside and gave her money for food. Then they drove her to a nearby grocery. Within a few minutes jovial Mike Kelly drove up. While the children were inside eating, Margaret quickly looked over the shipping bill. The store had run out of the specific toys she had selected and paid for, so Mike, with his usual initiative had upgraded the quality on his own. �I can�t pay you for these,� Margaret protested angrily, when she quickly notice price differences. �Here we go again,� Mike laughed, rolling his blue eyes for emphasis. Elmie got her two books and more. Vee got her doll, a very expensive doll. Jack and Bobby instead of sharing a scooter would share the deluxe model Radio Flyer red wagon. Billy seemed both amused and perplexed by it all. Instead of some kind of push toy, Mike had selected a bright red train engine he could sit down on and push/ride. And it had a Raggedy Andy doll to ride in the coal car seat. Unbeknownst yet to either of them, Raggedy Andy was destined for fame as young Will�s loyal sidekick and forever bestest friend. Of course the children did not yet know what was in the boxes. The oldest four were still inside eating and probably still being lectured abut something or other, while they finished off on hard candy. The driver, Mike Kelly, seemed to be enjoying this last stop and the chance for more banter. |
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