Troop Trains, Hershey Bars, No TV

I am truly blessed and fortunate to still have my Grandmother alive-she and I have always been very close. She' turned 97 in April. The last 2 weeks, I've taken the kids to read to her. The reading of the story books really jolts her and rejuvenates her mind during the time we visit. Today, after my sweet boy finished praying for our meal and before we started eating, she thanked him for the lovely prayer and dialogue immedialy broke out among him/her and my little one too...I realized at midpoint I should be using my shorthand dictation and capturing what I could. Some of the following is actually "word for word," some is how I remember the conversation taking place (a bit modified, but not much). It's worth sharing....

Great Grand-daughter (GGD): Little Grandma, you are really old. You even have white hair.

Mom (M) to daughter (GGD): Yes, sweetheart, you are right, little grandma is old. She is 97 years old and not many little girls your age can say that they have a grandma as old as she is. And, she's very healthy. Her daddy lived to be 102!

Great Grandma (GG): Yes, Mi Hita, I am old.

Granddaughter/Mom (M): I bet little grandma can tell you amazing stories of her growing up.

Great Grandson(GGS): Really, Little Grandma, you can?

(GG): Oh, let me tell you a story about the war. During the war, my father owned a cafe. It was called the Depot Cafe. Now it's called a different name, Pete's Cafe. But that's where I grew up. In fact, the room next to the bathroom, was my room. If you ever go to that restaurant, I want you to tell whoever seats you that this was once your grandma's home. Next time we go, I'll show you where my room was and where the "End Room" was too!

GG: Have you ever heard of Troop Trains Mi Hito?

GGS: No, grandma, I have not.

GG: Well, Troop Trains use to come into the railroad yard for something called, "service." I'm not sure what "service" meant, but it was something they did. Inside the trains were soldiers. My father would get wind of them coming and he would send someone to come get me. I was married and had small children. So, when I heard, I rushed over, took my kids, locked them up in the "End Room," because the adults had to work.

GGS: Oh, grandma, you locked them up in a room? Was one my grandma?

GG: Don't worry, we left them tortillas and slices of chesse. They would play. Yes, your grandma was one of the kids and so were your great-uncles! They were fine.

So, when I heard "they were coming (the soldiers)" I rushed over and we started serving the soldiers. We would bring out boxes and boxes of candy and they were Hershey bars and they would buy them up. My mother would be in the kitchen making beans and chile and tortillas and boy would they buy her food. Plus, we would sell lots of pop.

GGS: Pop? What's pop grandma?

GG: It's soda.

GGS: Oh, you mean like Pepsi?

GG: Yes, it would be like Pepsi.

GGS: Grandma, when you were a kid, did you play video games?

GG: What are video games?

M: Grandma, it's like that musical game you've been hearing all morning.

GG: Oh, no, we didn't have video games. We didn't even have a television or radio.

GGS: Well, what did you play?

GG: We played "Kick the Can." Have you heard of it? Let me explain the game to you. There are 3 people on each side....and she goes on to explain the technique involved in playing her favorite pasttime game as a kid.

GGD: Grandma did you have toys?

GG: Yes, I my sister and I had very pretty dolls.

GGS: So, Grandma, if you didn't have a TV or radio, how did you know what the weather would be like?

GG: We didn't.

GGD: Grandma, was is quiet when you were a kid?

GG: Yes, Mi Hita, it was quiet, but let me tell you, we were happy. We lived a happy life.

GGS: Grandma, how did you heat your home?

GG: Well, one time, my husband, your grandfather found one from a man in Clovis that had to get rid of it. He came home to tell me that it was $15. But, he only had $6. I was able to find a $10 bill in our home so we had enough. It was the most beautiful heater you've ever seen. It was beautiful. It was laticed, I guess you would say and when you lit it you could see the fire behind the latice, it was beautiful.