In the summer of 1961, Nana K. took Aunt Annie to see her sister, Aunt Gertie in Florida. While she was gone, D.J. And I stayed with my father on McKay Street.
Two events are remembered from those summer days. One was a fishing trip out Taylorsville Road. I have never been much of a fisherperson but we did catch a few despite the warm weather and the loud noises of a rambunctious four-year-old. Molter Jacob Kernen liked to fish so the trip was enjoyable.
The other event brought laughter and a happy smile to Mr. Kernen’s face. Although at first, I was quite distressed it taught me to shrug my shoulder when life throws you a curve. I can still see Mr. Kernen sitting in his living room chair laughing.
D.J. had done a very good job of catching lightning bugs. There were over 20 in his jar. It was a nice summer evening.
While cleaning up dishes from our supper, I heard my father laughing in the living room. Since Jackie Gleason was not on TV I went to see what was so funny.
They were everywhere! On the walls, on the curtains, on the ceilings. Everywhere you looked those creatures blinked a summer hello.
Molter Jacob looked at me who was noticeably disturbed, then at the blinkers and continued to laugh.
I was a short person. I was a pregnant person. There was no way in the world I could jump around catching those lightning bugs.
I looked at young D.J. Who was laughing with his grandfather. All I could think of was,” What would Nana K. say?”I sat down on the couch and followed the flight of some of the bugs flitting from a nice white curtain to the ceiling and back again.
I began to laugh. Some things are better than watching Jackie Gleason for amusement on a nice summer evening.
Nana K. would not say a thing if we didn’t tell her. And we never did.