Bessie

Sadie and I get a kick out of things that happened a long, long time ago. We talk about folks who turned to dust so long ago that we’re the only people left on this earth with any memory of them. Why, we still have a birthday party for Papa, even though he’s been gone since 1928. We cook his favorite birthday meal, just the way he liked it: chicken and gravy, rice and sweet potatoes, ham, macaroni and cheese, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, and carrots. For dessert we’ll have a birthday cake—a pound cake—and ambrosia, made with oranges and fresh coconut.

Generally, we stay away from liquor. Except once in a while we make Jell-O with wine. It’ll relax you, but you won’t get drunk. The truth is, I have never been drunk in my life.

One thing Sadie and I do is stay away from doctors as much as possible. One time some doctor asked Sadie to do a senility test. Of course, she passed. A year later he asked her to do it again, and she said, “Don’t waste your time, Doctor.” And she answered all the questions from the year before before he could ask them. And then she said to me, “Come on, Bess, let’s get on out of here.”

People assume Sadie and I don’t have any sense at our age. But we still have all our marbles, yes, sir! I do get tired physically. But how can I complain about being tired? God don’t ever get tired of putting his sun out every morning, does He? Who am I to complain about being weary?

Funny thing is, some days I feel like a young girl and other days I’m feeling the grave, just a-feeling the grave. That’s why it’s important that we get this stuff written down now, because you never know when you’ll meet the Lord in the sky.