Winter Blues

Winter Blues

Winter time in farm country is really boring. Mama liked to shell the
pecans that we picked up under the trees after the first frost made
them fall off. It was a full time job trying to stay warm. We kept all
doors closed and stayed huddled around the coal stove in the front
room.

We hauled the coal from town, buying two tons at a time. You had to
pull your truck up on the scales and shovel coal into it, until the guy
behind the glass told you to stop. Truck it back home, pull up by the
side of your house and shovel it out on the ground.

The coal stove was our only heat source, it stood almost in the middle
of the front room . Most of the time we had a big pot with potatoes
simmering on the top.

For as long as I can remember I got up about four thirty in the morning
to build the fire in the coal stove. I got this job showing out. --I
can build a better fire than all you put together I said---- so they
let me.

First you had to squat down and shake a handle back and forth to let
the ashes fall through from last nights fire that had burned itself
out. Just maybe you remembered to bring in kindling and a bucket of
coal before going to bed. Put the kindling in, pour kerosens on it,
wait a minute until it soaks in and then light it. When it's burning
real good put the coals on. Slam the door, jump back in the bed until
five oclock.

When five oclock came every body had to get up no matter what. Get up
and make up your bed. If you were really sick you could bring a blanket
and huddle in front of the stove. You might get to lay on the couch, if
you were lucky enough to catch it empty.

Dad spent a lot of time rescuing people who got stuck, trying to drive
their cars down a dirt road in front of our house that would be knee
deep in mud, and had ruts so deep that a tank would have a hard time
getting through it. Out came the tractor and Dad to the rescue. Most of
the time he would pull them the rest of the way to the blacktop, about
half a mile away.

At night when the coal stove was burning red hot we would be sitting on
the couch listening to stories on the battery operated radio. Stories
like --The Shadow----The Great Gildersleeve.---Amos and Andy----- Our
fronts would be toasty warm and our heads would fall over to the side a
couple of times. Then off to bed in that cold room. God I hated to open
that bedroom door.

No heat in there at all. You could see your breath by the kerosene
lamp. Mama had so many itchy army blankets, and homeade quilts on the
bed you couldn't turn over, and your Sister wanted to sleep on her side
and yours too.

After a few minutes of chattering teeth and get over on your own side
or I'm telling Mom! the wonderful sleep of the innocents took over,
until I would hear Dad---Peewee get up and build the fire. My Sister
was so much smarter than me. It didn't matter to her that she didn't
know how to do anything, I was always there to show her I could.