THE FINAL LINK CLOSES THE CIRCLE

My Daddy had invited Mr. George Price and his wife Sally, to come to our house for dinner. He needed the General's help on getting Mr. Price to agree to let him rent his small forty-acre farm. They came on a Sunday morning about 11:30. The General fried up two chickens to a golden brown. She made mashed potatoes and a big skillet of chicken gravy. The dark pieces of chicken, about the size of a pea, had stuck to the skillet as she fried it. As she stirred the gravy, she scraped up the golden brown pieces of chicken off the bottom. What a sight poured over snow white potatoes. She had corn on the cob dripping with butter, English peas, big, sliced yellow onions and golden brown biscuits. For dessert, she had cooked up two of her famous chocolate pies. They lay cooling on the cabinet as we ate. The General apologized for having such a pitiful meal. She did hope they wouldn’t be disappointed. Evidently, they weren’t, as the chicken disappeared off the platter piece by piece.

The talk was relaxed. They chatted about farm prices, the tragedy of the boys being killed in Korea and most importantly, the price of cotton. Mrs. Price liked the General a great deal. They were both countrywomen and understood each other's struggle in hopes of giving their children a better life. She could see the General wanted desperately to move out of the woods. It was obvious, as the day wore on, that she’d decided to lend her support. They stayed until about three in the afternoon. When they got ready to leave My Daddy accompanied them to their old, green pickup truck. Mr. Price opened the door and turned to shake My Daddy’s hand, “I think it’ll be fine you moving up there on the farm, Johnny. But first I need to talk it over with Sally. I’ll write you a letter sometime in the coming week and let you know for sure,” he said. We didn’t have long to wait. The following Wednesday a letter arrived. We could enter the house on the George Price Farm any time after the first of the year.

I noticed that the General was getting larger. I first thought that she was just eating better now that she had her false teeth. But by February I knew she was pregnant. My reaction was mixed. I was embarrassed for people to see her. I’d heard the young teenage boys make cruel jokes about pregnant women. At the same time, I couldn't help feeling a little joyful anticipation. Time went by slowly and she got bigger and bigger. No one spoke of this coming event. I didn’t see any baby clothes or any other preparation that might have indicated the coming of a new family member. If she ever went to see a doctor, it was a well-kept secret. I knew what was expected of me so I went along with it.

My older brother was now sixteen. He’d fallen in love with a young woman by the name of Ruby Johnson. We’d never shared many common interests but with this new turn of events we drifted even further apart. It seemed I hardly knew him anymore. He was very kind to everyone, especially the General. I didn't think all that was necessary. I didn't like it much as it made me look bad. She always kind of favored him anyway, with him being the oldest and all. I never really gave up trying to change that. When it really mattered, we’d see who really loved the General. Our sibling rivalry intensified during the General’s pregnancy.

I remember the afternoon of May 6, 1951, when I came home from school. The General was lying on her bed taking a nap. I really didn’t pay much attention as she had been doing that a lot lately. I’d gone into the kitchen looking for a piece of cornbread or something to snack on. I heard My Daddy come in the living room and say something to Jeaner Jackson and the General’s Aide in a low tone. This got my attention and I hurried into where they were. “Jeaner Jackson and Boogie will be staying all night with Gladys Johnson tonight,” he said. I nodded and stood waiting for what I knew would be coming. “You and Darrel can go and stay with Leo and Alice. Granny Poe has come down real bad sick. Your mother and me will be going over there for the night,” he continued shyly. I knew, at last, the General's hour had come.

Now, the General's Aide took her position very seriously. There was no way she was going to abandon her duty. She threw herself on the floor and launched into a Messer tantrum. After a few minutes of negotiating she agreed to go if I went with her. Seeing that wasn’t going to work either, she renewed her fury. I watched as Jeaner Jackson dragged her away kicking and screaming.

The next morning My Daddy came for us. As we walked to the house, he informed us that there was a surprise waiting. This all sounded very familiar to me. “I've heard all this before,” I said to myself. Upon arrival I noticed the General's bed had been moved into the living room. When I first saw her I was struck with how tired she looked, but I tried to conceal my concern. She was dressed in a blue bathrobe and a pink nightgown. She’d combed her hair and even put on some lipstick. Our new baby sister was lying next to her on a white baby blanket. As I neared the bed I could see she was all dressed up in pink. Like all the General's new babies, she was wearing a bonnet decorated with frilly white lace. Her eyes were closed as we tiptoed up to take our first look. She moved her lips in a sucking motion. We all looked at each other and laughed.

My Daddy told my brother to go get The Jeaner Jackson and the General's Aide. It was a short walk through the woods and they returned within the hour. The General's Aide was still pouting. Upon seeing the new baby, and that the General was all right, she soon forgot her betrayal. We were complete now. The family circle had been closed. We were a happy, healthy family of seven. My brother cleaned the whole house and picked a bouquet of wildflowers and placed them gently in her hands. A kindness that was not forgotten. We still speak of it these forty-eight years later. Something to think about, in case you're ever tempted to do a kindness. I sure wish I’d thought of it first that day.

My Daddy lost his mommy at a very early age. Her death had been so devastating to him he could hardly even think about it, much less, speak of it. He’d never had the opportunity to really share in a loving family in his growing up years. To be hugged by someone other than the General didn’t come easy to him. He’d not yet learned to say I love you to his children. When his oldest was born, he was a mere boy himself. Lots of hard knocks had come to him and the General in the past seventeen years. This new baby had been a shock, and certainly nothing he’d planned on.

The General's attitude toward this new baby had been less than enthusiastic. My Daddy knew she’d always been a good loving mother and he could always depend on her to do the right thing in all circumstances. But he didn’t like the idea of her caring for this new addition like it was a joyless chore.

A few days after my little sister had joined us My Daddy walked over to the bed and picked up his new Cleo Doris. He made his way to the rocking chair and sat down. Cradling her in the crook of his arm, he moved the blanket down so he could see her face. As he gazed down, suddenly something happened to him. An overwhelming feeling of love gripped him as he looked at his child. All he had been robbed of when his mother died was restored. For a moment, the veil cleared, and he felt the love of his mother pour through from the other side and enter his soul. He stood up, and holding his sweet child in front of him, he danced around, around and around. All of the sadness of his life passed from him. The pain, suffering, hunger, disappointment, and disillusionment, it all vanished. All he’d ever hoped for was here with him now. What more was there? The enlightenment, that only love really matters, was revealed to him in those few seconds. Briefly, yes! But, undeniable.

My Daddy never heard of the word, imprinting. In Psychology 1-A, they demonstrate this phenomena with a newly hatched duckling. They put the baby duck in a room, and bounce in a tennis ball. Somewhere, in those first few minutes of life, nature pushes a button. Whatever moves in sight of the new duckling becomes its mother. This process takes about twenty seconds.

Now, My Daddy was no duck but something happened to him that night. All of the love that he was capable of giving another person manifested itself in his new baby girl. He finished his dance, took her over and laid her next to the General. “Here, feed my Fuzzy,” he commanded. That wasn’t to be the last order the General received in reference to her husband's new love child.

My Daddy took Fuzzy as his own. No one could discipline her, not even the General. As soon as she could walk, she was put in a pair of little blue overalls. A bottle of milk was put in her pocket and she’d accompany My Daddy everywhere he went. She was given anything she wanted anytime she demanded it. She went to bed when he did and got up when she was ready. She ate her dessert first if she so desired. My Daddy insisted he didn’t see what difference it made. If one of us crossed her, she reported it to him. There was hell to pay if he thought she’d been treated unfairly. Her word carried much more weight with him than ours did. It was a volatile situation.

The General decided she’d had enough. She was going to take this child back and bring her under control. My Daddy was unbending. Many heated words were exchanged between him and the General but it just didn't happen. We loved Fuzzy, but we gave her a wide berth. We were all sure she’d end up no good. She was just too rotten to ever amount to anything.

Years later the General tried to explain to her younger daughter how this all came about. After the General fell ill she was no longer able to feed herself. Fuzzy and the General’s Aide worked out a schedule where one of them would be there daily to feed her the evening meal. During those quiet moments of caring for her the relationship between mother and daughter came to full fruition.

We’re all left to ponder this rare relationship that My Daddy and Fuzzy shared. They had an undying love for each other that has stretched down through time and beyond. He sits now with the General and his sweet mommy. They undoubtedly, speak of the great pain of life and try to send us comfort. As My Daddy peeks back through the veil to this side, he sees his Fuzzy has turned out to be just fine. Seems a special love doesn't hurt anyone after all.