Small pox inoculation
It was the BIG thing to do. The government pushed it, the communities supported it-It was THE thing to do. So we all did it.
We went in to get our small pox inoculation. Back then the parents would get one of those small plastic bubbles from a gumball machine and tape it over the inoculation site to keep the kid from scratching it. They were warned by the doctors and nurses administering the shots that if a kid was allowed to scratch it they would have severe scaring and possible secondary infections.
Mom was convinced that any skin wound would cause severe scaring. That may or may not be true. She touted it a miracle that the small pox inoculation did not work on me because the Sunday after the inoculation we went to church (usually only did that twice a year-Christmas and Ester) and I was squirming around. I remember that part of it. I really, really had a hard time sitting still for anything-this was called squirminess when I was a kid-now it's called ADD or ADHD. I was climbing on the pew and even was sitting on the aisle-end arm of it when I fell off.
My teeth went through my lip and cut up the inside of my mouth as well. There is no scarring. IF there is ever a small pox outbreak or I go someplace where small pox is still a threat-it will probably kill me. An interesting thought considering my Shoshone heritage.
I remember sitting around the front porch as dusk descended and chasing (I never caught any) fireflies. It was fun, fulfilling and frustrating.
This is a sort of ugly memory to tell. I have a vague recollection from my perspective and a clearer remembrance from what my mother told me when I was a teen.
The accompanying picture is Ruth wearing my mom's wedding suit.
Here's the simple background for this next story. Dad hadn't finished high school before he was enlisted in the Navy by his parents (at age 17). He met mom on leave, their first date was to go to church together and before he shipped out they were married in that same Episcopalian Church as their first date. Mom even made a beautiful burgundy suit to be married in. It was quite practical-she could use it again and again.
He shipped out to the Sea of Japan (deployed as part of the Korean conflict action) leaving mom quite pregnant with Bob-so dad never saw her pregnant. Once he was released from the Navy he got her pregnant again and about that time he decided he needed to at least get his GED.
He went to night school and couldn't afford the book so studied at a cafe with another classmate. She let him use her book. Somewhere in there he was behaving inappropriately with his classmate. How far it went I'm not certain-at least flirting and perhaps no further than verbal posturing of possessing her. This is not meant to trivialize the situation. He had marriage covenants he made which did NOT allow this behavior. He was wrong. End of report.
Short version is dad was in the hospital after his hunting 'accident', barely clinging to life; mom was very fearful of his dieing and leaving her to raise Bobby and she was pregnant with me when dad's classmate came to our home asking about retrieving her textbook. Before she left she said, "I hope you know he intends to leave you for me." To which mom replied, "Good! As long as you two earn enough money to support me and this baby-I'm fine with it." Mom then slammed the door as the classmate left.
Mom told me she then slammed her fist to her abdomen and said to me, "Damn you! It's all your damn fault that I'm so fat so he doesn't want me."
Needless to say there weren't government programs to help back then, his parents knew she wasn't good enough for their son, her parents knew he wasn't good enough for their daughter, mom felt alone and that no one could help her support her two kids and she knew she couldn't get a job and support them and herself. She thought all would be well and fine when dad slowly recovered and was released from the hospital and neither of them ever heard from his former classmate again.
There were days mom recognized this was a defining moment in her marriage. One that proved her allegiance to God and the commitment she had made with Him.
We went in to get our small pox inoculation. Back then the parents would get one of those small plastic bubbles from a gumball machine and tape it over the inoculation site to keep the kid from scratching it. They were warned by the doctors and nurses administering the shots that if a kid was allowed to scratch it they would have severe scaring and possible secondary infections.
Mom was convinced that any skin wound would cause severe scaring. That may or may not be true. She touted it a miracle that the small pox inoculation did not work on me because the Sunday after the inoculation we went to church (usually only did that twice a year-Christmas and Ester) and I was squirming around. I remember that part of it. I really, really had a hard time sitting still for anything-this was called squirminess when I was a kid-now it's called ADD or ADHD. I was climbing on the pew and even was sitting on the aisle-end arm of it when I fell off.
My teeth went through my lip and cut up the inside of my mouth as well. There is no scarring. IF there is ever a small pox outbreak or I go someplace where small pox is still a threat-it will probably kill me. An interesting thought considering my Shoshone heritage.
I remember sitting around the front porch as dusk descended and chasing (I never caught any) fireflies. It was fun, fulfilling and frustrating.
This is a sort of ugly memory to tell. I have a vague recollection from my perspective and a clearer remembrance from what my mother told me when I was a teen.
The accompanying picture is Ruth wearing my mom's wedding suit.
Here's the simple background for this next story. Dad hadn't finished high school before he was enlisted in the Navy by his parents (at age 17). He met mom on leave, their first date was to go to church together and before he shipped out they were married in that same Episcopalian Church as their first date. Mom even made a beautiful burgundy suit to be married in. It was quite practical-she could use it again and again.
He shipped out to the Sea of Japan (deployed as part of the Korean conflict action) leaving mom quite pregnant with Bob-so dad never saw her pregnant. Once he was released from the Navy he got her pregnant again and about that time he decided he needed to at least get his GED.
He went to night school and couldn't afford the book so studied at a cafe with another classmate. She let him use her book. Somewhere in there he was behaving inappropriately with his classmate. How far it went I'm not certain-at least flirting and perhaps no further than verbal posturing of possessing her. This is not meant to trivialize the situation. He had marriage covenants he made which did NOT allow this behavior. He was wrong. End of report.
Short version is dad was in the hospital after his hunting 'accident', barely clinging to life; mom was very fearful of his dieing and leaving her to raise Bobby and she was pregnant with me when dad's classmate came to our home asking about retrieving her textbook. Before she left she said, "I hope you know he intends to leave you for me." To which mom replied, "Good! As long as you two earn enough money to support me and this baby-I'm fine with it." Mom then slammed the door as the classmate left.
Mom told me she then slammed her fist to her abdomen and said to me, "Damn you! It's all your damn fault that I'm so fat so he doesn't want me."
Needless to say there weren't government programs to help back then, his parents knew she wasn't good enough for their son, her parents knew he wasn't good enough for their daughter, mom felt alone and that no one could help her support her two kids and she knew she couldn't get a job and support them and herself. She thought all would be well and fine when dad slowly recovered and was released from the hospital and neither of them ever heard from his former classmate again.
There were days mom recognized this was a defining moment in her marriage. One that proved her allegiance to God and the commitment she had made with Him.
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