“Good evening to You-all. See, I am from the south, south Phoenix that is. We start off with scratching your head and remembering back 20-30-40 years when you were still a kid. How long ago was that! Oh, well . . . “
The couples sitting in the backroom of Della’s Diner did expect a humorous start to their weekly meal and fellowship hour. Jackie went on to explain. “Give us something you recall, and prune it down to maybe a dozen sentences.
Howard was the first to volunteer. “When I was a teenager I discovered why I’d been such a well-behaved kid. Every Sunday in church I heard the people say, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, Howard be thy name.” I was amazed that mom and dad had named me after God. I knew my reputation was important to them!”
Lola spoke up, “When I was a little kid I remember my cousin Carrie coming over with Aunt Amy and Uncle Martin. When they got in their car to leave my mom would throw her a kiss and she showed me how, too. It means ‘I love you.’ So, after that I’d throw a kiss to the LORD, after my bedtime prayer.”
For Ronnie it was suppertime that he remembered. “I thought mom said we were having Chicken and Doodles. Later when I was maybe 10 or 11 I understood it was noodles. A couple of years ago I found a website on the computer “How to Doodle.” It just takes some paper and some kind of markers. You can turn on your artistic skills and have fun. Your history teacher thinks you’re taking notes; well, you can listen and doodle at the same time.”
