I think all families have stories about bathrooms and underwear. And they’re nearly always told with a grin.
Today we were leaving work and I stopped by the bathroom on the way out. I caught up with my colleagues at the elevator and of course comments ensued. But it reminded me to tell them about an assistant I used to have who always reminded me of how dangerous it was to get on the road without stopping by the bathroom first. I’m sure it would be problematic to have a wreck and suffer internal injuries with a full bladder, but somehow it just always seemed pretty low on my list of considerations as I got ready to get on I-35 for the 40 minute commute home.
Then, of course, one of the other colleagues related how her mother really had always told her and her sibs to have on clean underwear when they left the house. We never got that particular speech at home, unless we were going to the doctor, but it did remind me of my mom telling about taking her 2 aunts to visit their parents’ (and grandparents’) graves.
This would have been about a 4 hour trip. Sometime into the journey, Aunt Edna requested a bathroom stop, with which Mom promptly complied. When Mom noticed Aunt Lorene wasn’t getting out of the car, she asked her if she didn’t need to use the facilities.
“No,” came the reply, “I’m training my bladder.”
I don’t know if my mom laughed then, but I know she did many times later on, as did the rest of us.
This was so typical of Aunt Lorene. She was always training something. She got me started on a quilt of the state birds when I was about 10. I still have most of the pieces and I WILL finish it one of these days. (This project has been complicated by the fact that Aunt Lorene’s house burned with blocks for the states from Texas up through North Dakota). She taught me a how to make hospital corners and a great deal about cooking–she’d trained as an LVN in Albuquerque. She made lots of her gifts and I still like to make presents for others and treasure a handmade gift when it comes my way. She taught my mom a great deal about home decorating and making curtains and slip covers. She was a smart woman. But she did have that “training” gene. She was, after all, the sister to my grandfather who was referenced earlier as drilling holes before he drove in nails. Either one could fix or make almost anything, except peace between them.
Here is one about “clean underwear.” I don’t know if we were ever told to make sure we had on clean underwear when we went out before this one.
Betty Story and I must have been about 11 & 12 yrs. old. Betty had gone to the beach with us and spent the night – a Tuesday during summer. Auntie Lois (Aunt Elois – say it fast) closed the shop on Wednesday and Sunday. When she got up at 6:00 am she decided to come surprise us and have breakfast. She put on a coat over her baby doll PJ’s and arrived at our door a little before 6:30 am. It was a great surprise and we had a splendid morning. After breakfast when we were getting dressed (She had grabbed clothes to put on at our house) she realized she had forgotten underwear. of course the teasing from her little sister Kate started and she was reminded that if she got in an accident she would have not underwear! Undaunted she said she would be fine with her pj bottoms, and continued on with Betty to do some shopping.
Just a few blocks from home after shopping (they had bought some little figurines to put in the beauty shop) they were hit by a mac truck. This was one of the rare times that it was fortunate that it was in the days before seat belts. The car was squashed. They were both thrown free and only received scrapes and bruises. Auntie Lois ended up on the median of High Way 39 with the skirt of her dress torn off and in her baby dolls! Again she was teased by her little sister. But after that we were reminded about having underwear – I am not sure anyone cared if it was that clean.
Cousin Kitty
Comment by kitty — 11 June 2006 @ 4:52 pm