Barefoot Memories of a Hillbilly - A Stroll

Walked down to the church school today with Mom. She needs to see Miz Viola about finances and sign papers and such. Since it's Tuesday, we thought maybe we'd go by the Cheap Store to see if there's any irresistible bargains on the tables or hangers. Since it'll take Mom a while to argue with Miz Viola about what is and isn't owed, figured I'd go over to see Miz Brockman. She's the art teacher, and she and her husband operate the Weaving Room where lovely rugs, runners and placemats are woven using everything that can be wound on a shuttle, including Aunt Lydia's yarn, coats cut in strips and men's neckties. Strips of coats are sewn together or neckties sewn together, and these long chains are woven just like yarn, except with heavier threads.

The weaving room, as well as the wood shop (where handsome pieces are made such as candlesticks and salt shakers,) are located in the brand new Sexton Hall, named after one of my Granny's brothers, Hobart, as he had worked for the church school for many years, as did her other brother, Otis (aka Red). The new building is as slick as a whistle. Miz Brockman seems glad to see me, strangely enough we have nothing in common, but I actually like her. She treats me well, with respect, and thoughtfully. I've worked a couple summers for her, and she can find more work to do than Mom...almost. I've always tried to give her a solid day of work, and she appreciates that I think. My short round body doesn’t make me fit for weaving very well, but I’m willing to learn all I can, wind skeins of yarn, sew lengths of materials, tie the warps (strings threaded on the looms for weaving the yarn thru, tiring fringe on rugs, lift, fetch and tote.

From Sexton Hall, I swing by Lincoln Hall to say hello to Miz Couch; she lives in the Annville area, and I always enjoy saying hey to her. She was my Bible school teacher at Upper Annville church a couple years, and her son and daughter went to school with some of the brothers. She has some people washing walls, some washing desks, some waxing floors and some using the buffer to shine the wax on the floor. The buffer is fun to use as a recreational vehicle. Let someone sit atop it and turn that machine on and watch it slide everywhere with a passenger perched on top! Ssshhhh, don't tell anyone or we'll all get in trouble for doing that, I mean big demerits!

I glanced out the big windows that frame the door and see Mom on the porch talking to the powers that be. From her stance and gestures, she's giving them down the road...guess I'd better go rescue them, we want to catch some bargains, and I'm sure there will be plenty of other times for Mom to fuss at administration thru out the year. She may be small, but she packs a lot of sermon! All in all, it has been a pleasant trip for me.

I wear shoes now, but sometimes I have barefoot memories.