Memories and A Little Girl In Tears
@Hatley (163781)
Garden Grove, California
November 28, 2015 3:15pm CST
So much of my memories of my home town at Christmas time are sort of bitter sweet. Every Christmas time a huge douglas fir Christmass tree was put up
on the Center of Newell S.D. Paren s were urged to hang special treats on the tree for their kids. Okay sounds good?
And Santa came, now get this,from a helicopter to drop down a ladder and hand out goodies to all the childrne,. WE were dressed so warmly we could barely walk but we loved all the pomp and circumstance of the season. B ut then Santa started to take down the well marked pretty gifts all wrapped in lovely paper. He would call out the parents name and they would step forward
The bad part of this was the few reallh well to do parents gave lavishgifts as if to show the whole t own how rich they were. Well a lot of people back then during the tail end of the depression were not rich. Most had not had
m ney to put any gift on the tree.
Sally Jones stood next to me, we were both about ten. I received a new doll froom my parents. But on the other side of Sally and her parents the Olsons received their gift and Terry their daughter received an expensive doll with a whole wardrobe. She started teasing me and Sally about how we could not get such fancy dolls. I did not mind as I loved my present and my parents. But Sally started to cry, and her parents tried to soothe her telling her that the crops had been so bad they just did not have the money.
I looked at them, they were close friends of my parents and I too liked them. I looked at my mom, whispered something to her, 'she nodded. I took my doll and grabbed ' sally's arm."I have a present for you, you're my best friend, Here." I handed her that doll as I had a lot of dolls aAlready I wanted her to
have something so she wo ld not feel so bad
.We were best friend growing up. I finally left Newell at age 29 lost track of Sally but now we are still alive at 89 amd she is still back in South Dakota while I'm here in California But I love the idea that we email e ch other most daily and keep in touch.
4 people like this
4 responses
@sallypup (57812)
• Centralia, Washington
28 Nov 15
An amazing story. You've seen the movie The Homecoming? That was the pilot for the Waltons show. There's a scene in it where a missionary lady comes to gift the "savages" and they all had to shout out bible verses. The littlest Walton girl got a broken faced doll. I watch this every year and every year I cry for the frightened little girl whose Mother had no money for a new doll.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Nov 15
No that is one I missed and I watched the waltons a lot too that wou lsd hav ehad me in tears too
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
29 Nov 15
that was quite a kind act! and a wonderful memory
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158876)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Nov 15
You are typing so nicely now days. Sounds like a very nice memory. So nice that you keep in touch with your friend. I have a friend I have known since I was 14 and she and I are BFF's. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and me here in Idaho. We have Facebook, emails and the telephone to keep in touch with. But, sometimes I just miss her so much and spending time.
@celticeagle (158876)
• Boise, Idaho
29 Nov 15
@Hatley ....She must be quite a detective. I am looking for an old friend on here too. I hope I find her. I used to work with her and she moved away. I lost contact with her several years ago now. Her email is very much like someone else's online and I don't know how to change it and make it right.
