Posted on 4th September 2009 by admin in about
divorce, family, loss, marriage, siblings
When Mom Left Dad
When Mom finally got it together to leave Dad, after 12 failed attempts and 12 years of marriage, it was in a high speed chase involving a handgun, a pickup truck, and some old Chevy, the latter of which I was made to “get down in the floor! get in the floor now!!” with my sisters. I could not see what was happening, but I learned some 50 years later that Dad had a gun and was chasing us in the pickup and Mom had pulled the Chevy into a repair bay at a gas station, the kind of place where they pumped the gas and you could get your car fixed. She jumped out of the car screaming, “close the door, he’s got a gun, close the door!” and they closed the door, and Dad drove on by not being able to find us and we then drove to Somerset. (more…)
Posted on 28th August 2009 by admin in about
childhood, covington, food, shelter
Food and Shelter
Mom gave birth to me, her second child, just two months after turning seventeen. She continued to live with her parents for a short while, but a second child sounded the final closing of her childhood and the end of their protective shelter. Her parents had two more children at home; twelve-year old Johnny and fourteen year-old Susan, for whom I was named. They could not continue with the conjugal visits of Mom’s husband and unending pregnancies under foot. Mom had endured a miscarriage after a four month pregnancy between Jennie and me. She would have one more baby girl fourteen months later and name her Elizabeth, after herself. We were all born Cesarian, as Mom was too small at fifteen for childbirth and stopped growing with the advent of four pregnancies. (more…)
Posted on 20th August 2009 by admin in about
floyd county, friendly, transplant, wave
“I am a transplant living in Floyd County. My favorite thing about Kentucky is the wave. When I first came here and I saw everyone wave I thought I must have met them somewhere and since I didnt’ want to offend my new neighbors, I’d wave back. I have come to realize that the wave is just people being friendly. I love it.”
Kathy Curtis, Floyd County
Posted on 19th August 2009 by admin in about
home, Kentucky, leaving, loss, personal growth/discovery, writing
Our time together is nearing its end. Perhaps at first we both may have thought this wouldn’t be true, but I believe we’ve both sensed this coming for awhile now. Maybe I put more stock in you than you ever did me. I just couldn’t help myself. You came into my life when I had nothing more to lose. It was between dying or trying to make it work with you and I just wasn’t ready to give up. My mistake was to expect you to fix all that ailed me. How foolish of me! You were just as lost as I was… (more…)
