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Growing Up Proud - Red Marble
So, when I was growing up as a kid in the 1950's and 1960's I remember my Dad was away in the Army and my Mom, oldest brother and I would stay with my grandmother on my mom's side of the family. My grandmother was a very petite women Mexican/Native American and I remember that she always had her hair in a bun. At night, she would undo her bun and her hair was long and straight and would fall to the ground. She brushed it 100 times every night. It was silver white and it went from her head to the ground. She had very small lips and she was a very thin women.
My grandmother was a very poor women. She lived in an ally and in a one room shanty. The whole house consisted of one room, a kitchen and a restroom. To wash in the morning, we went outside and washed with a facet. She also received government subsistance...I remember she got government coffee (instant) and cheese and pet/carnation milk and powder milk. The toddlers growing up (my cousins) did not get milk in their baby bottles because milk was to expensive so they got coffee in the baby bottles with pet milk and sugar. This is why we grew up addicited to coffee. I also remember she was a very proud women and she didn't care for people's pity. I also remember that all of the time when I stayed with my grandmother, I was never ashamed. The older cousins earned money by selling coke/milk bottles, washing cars, cutting grass and even knocking on doors and asking the family if they wanted their garbage thrown for a nickle. Some also went to the cotten fields or tomato fields and earned money. So with that said, I remembered this story that best explains how I felt (pride) during those times as I was growing up. I was not looking for a handout...just to earn what I got. Back then, a man's word was his bond...with many young kids today a young man's word is to check if the person can be manipulated or taken advantage of...I hope you enjoy this short story...times have surely changed since then...
RED MARBLES
by
Rod Russell
During the waning years of the Great Depression in a small southeastern Kansas community, I used to stop by Mr.Miller’s roadside stand for farm fresh produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce and bartering was used extensively.
One particular day, Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
“Hello Barry, how are you today?”
“H’lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus’ admirin’ them peas…sure look good.”
“They are good, Barry. How’s your Ma?”
“Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla’ time.”
“Good. Anything I can help you with?”
“No, Sir. Jus’ admirin’ them peas.”
“Would you like to take some home?”
“No, Sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ‘em with.”
“Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?”
“All I got’s my prize marble here.”
“Is that right? Let me see it.”
“Here ’tis. She’s a dandy.”
“I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?”
“Not ‘zackley …..but, almost.”
“Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble.”
“Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller.”
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, “There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps.”
I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys and their bartering. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon our arrival at the mortuary, we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts – very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing smiling and composed, by her husband’s casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. “Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’ them. Now, at last when Jim could not change his mind about color or size – they came to pay their debt. “
“We’ve never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,” she confided, “but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.” With loving gentleness, she lifted her husband’s lifeless fingers. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined, red marbles!
My grandmother was a very poor women. She lived in an ally and in a one room shanty. The whole house consisted of one room, a kitchen and a restroom. To wash in the morning, we went outside and washed with a facet. She also received government subsistance...I remember she got government coffee (instant) and cheese and pet/carnation milk and powder milk. The toddlers growing up (my cousins) did not get milk in their baby bottles because milk was to expensive so they got coffee in the baby bottles with pet milk and sugar. This is why we grew up addicited to coffee. I also remember she was a very proud women and she didn't care for people's pity. I also remember that all of the time when I stayed with my grandmother, I was never ashamed. The older cousins earned money by selling coke/milk bottles, washing cars, cutting grass and even knocking on doors and asking the family if they wanted their garbage thrown for a nickle. Some also went to the cotten fields or tomato fields and earned money. So with that said, I remembered this story that best explains how I felt (pride) during those times as I was growing up. I was not looking for a handout...just to earn what I got. Back then, a man's word was his bond...with many young kids today a young man's word is to check if the person can be manipulated or taken advantage of...I hope you enjoy this short story...times have surely changed since then...
RED MARBLES
by
Rod Russell
During the waning years of the Great Depression in a small southeastern Kansas community, I used to stop by Mr.Miller’s roadside stand for farm fresh produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce and bartering was used extensively.
One particular day, Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
“Hello Barry, how are you today?”
“H’lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus’ admirin’ them peas…sure look good.”
“They are good, Barry. How’s your Ma?”
“Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla’ time.”
“Good. Anything I can help you with?”
“No, Sir. Jus’ admirin’ them peas.”
“Would you like to take some home?”
“No, Sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ‘em with.”
“Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?”
“All I got’s my prize marble here.”
“Is that right? Let me see it.”
“Here ’tis. She’s a dandy.”
“I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?”
“Not ‘zackley …..but, almost.”
“Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble.”
“Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller.”
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, “There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps.”
I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys and their bartering. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon our arrival at the mortuary, we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts – very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing smiling and composed, by her husband’s casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. “Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’ them. Now, at last when Jim could not change his mind about color or size – they came to pay their debt. “
“We’ve never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,” she confided, “but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.” With loving gentleness, she lifted her husband’s lifeless fingers. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined, red marbles!
Thank you for a great story. Times have indeed changed, alot but I did find out, because of circumstance that indeed there still are people today with kind hearts. With extremely kind hearts. People who still lend a helping hand, share their hearts, and make the world a more beautiful place. I have the honor of having just such a friend. Even though things are so crazy, I avoid watching the news because I don't want to live in fear, I lock my doors and double check them at night, and worry about my children, more now that they are getting older than when they were babies, but still people find a way to show love for each other, through all of this madness. Thank u for sharing.
Excellent story. Thanks for Sharing
Oh you are just adorable you have made the begining of my day ..which I need, I get so involved and tied up with what is happening to our country in the turmoil and battle I forget that folks like this exist and that I was one of them , time to try to also get back to what matters in this life .thank you
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