Far from Home: Memories of World War II and Afterward

13. Together Again

13 Together Again 165 Nature is fine in love and where it is fine It sends some precious instance of itself After the thing it loves. Willam Shakespeare, Hamlet WINTER had set in, and Iron Mine was quiet. The teenagers were busy with schoolwork. Many of the adults had found jobs working on base at Camp Lejeune and Camp Davis. Jacksonville, North Carolina, had overnight become a boom town. The men and women who worked there were making more money than they ever had before. They built a dormitory on base for workers , and some rode back and forth daily on buses, cars, or trucks. Eunice had moved back home as well and found a job she liked at Camp Lejeune. After she helped me move back to Iron Mine, she first returned to D.C. but things weren’t the same. She and R. C. divorced and she came back to North Carolina. She chose to live in the dormitory and be close to her job so she wouldn’t have to ride so far every day. She came home for weekends. Other Iron Mine women also worked there, including Cousin Mary Liza, her daughter Nancy (Coochie), Fanny Bell, Annie Ruth, Bertha, and her sister Edna. The last two were newcomers 166 FAR FROM HOME from Sampson County. They lived at the end of the Bay Road, south of our house. Bertha had married Walter, the oldest son of our neighbors, Mr. Eva Murphy and his wife, Miss Lou. Bertha and Walter had five children, who became friends with Frank and Lattice’s little girls, Maxine and Marion (Nod). I got to know and enjoy all of them—Jean and Evelyn, the two oldest; Charles, the one little boy; Patricia (Tricia); and Geraldine (Gerl), the baby. All were pretty children. Jean had short curly hair like I had when I was a child. She was quiet and tried to look after the rest of them when they came to play. Evelyn was a sturdy little girl with long thick black braids. I didn’t see her smile much, but she sure talked. One day I saw her and some of the other kids in the back of Papa’s truck. They were all dancing to some music coming from somewhere, and Evelyn was saying shake it up and go. It tickled everybody. Charles, their little brother, sometimes didn’t seem to know what to do with so much female company and would just stand watching them. Tricia, too, was quiet. Her hair was the longest and very red. Gerl, the baby, was the same age as Nod, so they formed a baby friendship. She was round and chubby with red cheeks and thick brown braids. Their grandmother , Mrs. Sally, stayed with them while their mother worked. These children attended the same school I did as a child. Iron Mine Elementary still had two rooms, a wood heater, and water in a bucket from a nearby well. I enjoyed watching the children play. Nod and Gerl were busy, outgoing little girls, forever getting into mischief, while Jean tried to keep them in line. Evelyn and Maxine found other things to do. Tricia lived with her Aunt Edna in another town and was only home for visits. I found her a lovable child. She’d stay close by me not saying anything, but it seemed I always understood her perfectly. I enjoyed having her around. Nod and Gerl were the babies, and it was fun watching them try to learn to play and keep up. Maxine had discovered the Together Again 167 joys of fairy tales. She called them Timey Tales, and each night I had to tell her a couple before bedtime. And so slowly, my life was again becoming peaceful and pleasant. Once again Christmas was coming on. In spite of having children to enjoy the thrills of Santa, toys, and good things to eat, for the rest of us it was quiet and somber. Our boys were still in Europe and the Pacific getting hurt or killed every day. It was so good to be home to help clean, bake, shop for gifts, and join in all the other activities that go in for a happy Christmas. Only the worry and concern for Bennie and Willie were still there. We’d already sent them boxes, cards, and letters, and yes, our prayers too. Papa absolutely refused...