Thursday, February 11, 2021

America's Big Families

 No reason to let those sissie Brits out-do us in breeding.  Scant research turned up two - both, of course, with reality TV shows with big families as the attraction.  I hate to think of the prurient thoughts going through the minds of any viewers with the Duggars - 21 and the Bates 19.  So much for them; God bless them of course, but I knew and became a great friends with a member of a 19 children family.   

I was a volunteer for the Beach Cities Health District; working as a volunteer to visit shut-ins or the elderly - people that were pretty much house-bound.  

The Powers That Be there assigned us to people they thought would be a good match.  

And so one Wednesday afternoon my "boss" and I met at Lucille's house at 2 p.m.   We knocked, she yelled, "C'mon in" so we did.  

She had seated herself at the dining room window where she had a view up and down the street and not miss a thing.  It was her Command Post, if you will.  She was using a long-tether oxygen tank (COPD,) was wearing a voluminous housedress (rather faded) and need it, being quite overweight.  She would later tell me the steroids did that.  

Introductions were made and Lucille informed me, "Ah'm a Okie."  What's the response to this?  "I'm not?"  

Seeing that I was somewhat stunned, she went on (the coup de grace?)  "I'm one of 19 chirren ."

"My goodness," I responded - is your mother still living?"

"She certainly is," said Lucille and without thinking, just blurting, I said, "Well in a 100 years from now when like all the rest of she dies, you'all should donate her uterus to the Smithsonian!" and we both roared like hyenas.  Lucille said to my supervisor, "We're gonna git along fine" and we did until the COPD got her some years later. 

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