Mary Jo

Mary Jo                  

By John W. Vander Velden

 

At work in her kitchen, a place she knew better than the backside of her hands, Mary Jo had so much to do.  Yet all the while as she prepared the midday meal, her mind drifted to another time.  Weary, Mary Jo made herself a cup of coffee – instant.  It was quicker, and time always had rushed her along.  She sat at the kitchen table turning the cup with tired gnarled fingers.  The house seemed large these days.  It had not always been so.  Mary Jo smiled at the thought of how her three boys had been practically stacked in the only real bedroom upstairs.  And though both girls may have had their own rooms, each of those spaces were scarcely larger than the twin bed wedged within.  Yes, they had made do in so many ways.  Mary Jo Hawkins shook her head.  How many weeks had she wondered how they could afford the groceries.  But each week the pennies, dimes, and nickels had been enough.  That did not matter now – perhaps it never did. 

Mrs. Hawkins decided thing had turned out well – better than she had ever dared to hope.  The farm family had found a way to send all five to school.  Larry her oldest went to the technical school in Indianapolis and ended up settling there.  Both Jenny and Sue had become registered nurses with families of their own.  Jenny, her husband Leo, and their two daughters lived in Crawfordsville, so far away.  Well Sue wasn’t much closer.  Her brood lived two hours distant.  Lyle became an electrician.  He lived the closest, the drive only took fifteen minutes.  Lyle’s wife was a delight – of course she would be -- for she was a Mary Hawkins too.  Lyle and the young Mary didn’t have any children – yet -- but the Elder Mary Hawkins put in a good word for them in her prayers each night.  And though Mary Jo would deny it, her favorite, Jim the engineer, her youngest, lived furthest of all, in Sacramento.  Mary Jo sighed, California seemed a world away.

Now the house felt so empty – so quiet.  Lee had stepped out.  That man always seemed to have something to do – outside.  Leaves or some such thing Lee had said – if Mary Jo had heard correctly.  She wasn’t sure she had.  “Enough dilly-dallying” Mary Jo scolded herself.  “I’ve got lots to do.  They’re coming home today – all of them.  And I expect they’ll be hungry.”  Her smile grew as she went back to her stove.  Yes, today would be special – life was good!  

(428 Words)