Those 70ish Girls

This is a teenage Murdo Girl story rerun…

I’m just going to warn you, that from now on, the Murdo Girl stories will be nonlinear. It depends on what she remembers. It will however, have taken place in her lifetime. The photos will be random too. it’s possible they won’t have anything to do with the story. Are you ready?

_____________________________________________________

Mom and I were filling the pop machine at the Motel this morning and two of Gertie Smith’s kids came over. (They live in a house that’s real close to #10 at the motel.) They usually show up when we’re filling the machine because sometimes Mom gives them a free pop. Mom calls Sandy, probly I’ll have grape, because that’s what she always says. I spelled probably the way Sandy says it. Anyway, probly I’ll have grape, brought her older brother, Danny, with her today. He had some very bad news. He said, “Did you hear they shot Leonard King?” Mom and I both stood there with our mouths hanging open. Danny didn’t know who shot him, but apparently the shot was fatal. For those of you who don’t know Leonard King, he used to be our sheriff.

Well, Mom got right on the phone trying to get the scoop. I’ll bet half the town thought Leonard King had been shot and killed before someone who had been watching the news told Mom that Leonard King was fine. It was Martin Luther King who had been shot. Not that it isn’t still a terrible thing, because it is.

Dad has switched television shows again. Now he likes Hee Haw. He particularly loves one song they sing. “I searched the world over and I thought I found true love, but you met another and thptpth you were gone.” (thptpth is how you spell the razzberry sound.) He laughs his head off at that show. It is kind of funny when they pop up in the cornfield and say funny stuff. I guess since I don’t dance in front of the TV anymore, Dad feels it’s safe to watch shows with music in them again.

There will never be another Kitty Reynolds, but Marlene found a lady that will sew our dresses for us. All we have to do is buy the material and pattern and she makes the dress for only $10.00. She’s pretty fast and good too. It took me a couple of tries to realize that what I picture in my head, isn’t always the way it’s going to look finished. I found a pattern I just loved. It was kind of a flowing shift style and it had a white collar. When I went to buy the pretty blue and white fabric, I was shocked at how much it took, but I had to have it.

When the dress was finished and I tried it on , the flowing part was so huge, I practically had to take three steps to catch up with it before it moved. The sewing lady tried to fix it, but it never did turn out right. On the next try, I decided to play it safer, and I chose a pattern for a jumper that I saw a Noname girl in my Chemistry class wearing. Her Mom made hers, so I looked and looked until I finally found the same pattern. I had it made out of red material. Miss Noname showed up at a school function with her jumper on, and I had mine on too. I got so scared she’d be mad at me for copying her dress, I kept my coat on the whole time. On the 3rd try I had a dress made like one of Marlene’s, because she didn’t care. I didn’t end up saving any money since I could only wear one out of three dresses.

Mom says patience is not my middle name, and it continues to cost me a lot of money. Remember those loafers I bought in Kennebec? They were identical to Josephine’s. They didn’t have my size so I had to buy a size too big. I tried everything to keep them on my feet. I wore thick socks and stuffed the toes with toilet paper and I still couldn’t keep them on. I should have asked Josephine if they run big. I want to go back to Kennebec and see if they got my size in, but right now I’m out of money. (I saw a little elderly lady about Grandma’s size the other day. She had pumps on and they must have been too big, because she was keeping them on with rubber bands.)

I hope some day I learn what my style is. It’s too hard to keep copying everyone else. Besides that, by the time I copy their clothes and hairstyles, they switch to another look that I like better.

****************************************************************Since I was out of money. I decided to apply for a job as a waitress at the Skelly Truck Stop.  Well, I got hired. I had no idea how hard waitress work is. I was waiting on everybody sitting at one of the U-shaped counters and I thought everything was going fine, until one guy said, “Hey! This isn’t what I ordered.” Another guy sitting on the other side, said, “Shut up and eat it, and be glad you got anything.” I had switched their orders, and they were eating each other’s food. It worked out okay I guess because they ate what was in front of them and paid each other’s ticket.

Anyway, I didn’t last long. They didn’t exactly fire me, but let me put it this way…I mostly bussed tables…lots and lots of tables. Too bad because I really liked my new uniform. Anyway, as Mom always says, “Come back when you can’t stay so long.” I’m back to cleaning rooms at the motel now.