Peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches at Mrs M’s

Upon arriving at the home of (I'll call her) Mrs M I was surprised that she lived in a large, brick, apartment building, which I later learned she owned. It was located near downtown. It had four large apartments with mostly older people and/or college age kids--no little kids (which I found out later also).

There were several steps leading to the front porch. Mr Clayton carried my suitcase; I, my purse and a little brown satchel. The porch had a swing and wicker furniture and plants. I’ll forever remember the huge, thirsty rubber plant that I watered that hot, dry summer. Mr. Clayton rang the doorbell and this eightyish looking lady came to the door and, after greetings and goodbyes, Mr. Clayton left.

After Mrs. M and her sister, Vennie, who was perhaps a little older, showed me where to put my belongings and where I was to sleep, they invited me to the living room to talk. She asked me a few questions and told me a few things that I'd be expected to do in the way of housework and helping with preparing and serving meals. She asked me if I belonged to a church. I told her I belonged to and went to the Methodist church. Later she asked me if I would want to go to her church, which was the First Christian. Although I was raised to think that if you were not a Methodist and a Republican--too bad! I told her that I would. Later I was glad I had as one of dad’s relatives taught the class I was in there (which I hadn't known before).

The room I would be in was on the third floor, and there was not any air conditioning, so I slept on a screened-in porch off of the kitchen area until the weather cooled, and then I slept upstairs. One thing about sleeping up there was that I liked was listening to the radio music of the people who lived in an apartment just opposite my room. That was from the Mertland Apartment Building which was next to Mrs. M's. I remember looking forward to hearing the Amos and Andy show, but most of all the beautiful theme song before the program started! Some of my family may know that my friend Yovonne E. roomed in that apartment building when she came to St. Joe to work for Production Credit several years after I’d lived at Mrs. M’s.

Mrs. M had two other sisters, one who came and stayed with her for two months and worked at Kirkpatricks Jewlery Store. The other sister lived in St. Joe and was an invalid. Mrs. M helped her in many ways, but didn't like her husband! Other things I will mention about living there: she had a laundress who did the washing and ironing, a colored yard man, Jim, a furnace and handy man, George, who was also black. They were all very nice people.

I attended school mornings and did most of the duties that were expected of me then. Afternoons, after arriving home around 4:00, I had an hour or so to study and do a few extra things before supper. For supper, they always had peanut butter sandwiches with lettuce and a special dressing (sort of like mayonnaise), a dish of fruit, and hot tea. I could go places with friends if there was something special to go to. I got Sunday afternoons off to go with friends, unless occasionally Mrs. M was having company. Mrs M hob-nobbed with some of the prominent families of St. Joe.

Some of my most dreaded tasks were having to learn how to serve her lady friends at a dinner party and washing her best china dishes afterwards (afraid I'd break something). She was a perfectionist about most everything. For instance when I made biscuits they had to all be in perfectly even rows, same with cookies. They had oatmeal, buttered toast, jelly, and coffee for breakfast every morning. The oatmeal was made in a double boiler, the same measure of oatmeal to a tee, and cooked a certain length of time. Mrs M had a fresh little bottle of real cream and Miss V had yesterday’s leftovers. I could have anything I wanted: bacon and eggs or just eggs any way I wanted to fix them. She didn't buy dry cereal, but if I wanted oatmeal I had to make it separately from theirs.

She had milk and cream delivered in bottles. She had groceries delivered mostly. Their noon meals were always the special meal of the day, the best of everything. I helped Miss V. prepare those, then later she helped me. I could have anything I wanted of the leftovers from the noon meal.

I had duties after breakfast which was always eaten at 6:00 AM. Sometimes I'd wash the oriental rugs with vinegar water, using a cheesecloth, then rinse in plain water and dry with a larger soft cloth. Ever so often the silverware and the silver pitchers and the silver everything! had to be cleaned that old fashioned way with a paste rubbed on, then wiped and polished. Some days were dusting furniture, which was a lot. She had furniture from different parts of the world: China, Japan, Turkey, Peru, and I'm sure other places. She had crossed the ocean seven times and was once in a typhoon off the coast of Japan.  

She had beautiful clothes and hats. One of her hats was trimmed with Bird of Paradise feathers. Her tables for dinner parties had the most beautiful covers. She had a huge grandfather’s clock that chimed on the hour, half hour, and quarter hour. In the vestibule were huge vases from different parts of the world and an umbrella stand. 

Once when I was going some place on the streetcar, it started to rain, so Mrs. M loaned me one of her umbrellas. When I came home it had quit raining, and I forgot and left it on the streetcar. I was feeling foolish and scared, but she called the right people and it was still there. She might have told me not to be so careless, but it must not have worked as I do things like that all the time now. After I had the dusting done she would go around and run her finger over some of the unlikely places to check me out!  

Once I was cutting cheese (the kind that came in large rounds), and I was cutting toward my hand. The knife slipped and I cut a gash in my thumb. Another time I had a really bad toothache and Mrs. M sent me to her dentist and he pulled it. I believe he should have filled it.

I got letters from home, from mom and dad especially, and a dollar or two now and then. Janice wrote often and sent me money also. Mrs. M paid me $2.50 a week. She kept some money in the hall closet and always had me go get it myself.

I rode the "Bug" (a small passenger train) home once in a while. That was always a happy time. Once Dorys went home with me. I used to go to her home on Sunday afternoons or she'd come see me. Mrs. M let me go out with friends, but I had to be in by a certain time and tell her I was back.

One of the hardest things was getting used to all the city noises. At first I jumped out of my shoes when the fire engines or ambulance screeched. Coming from the quietness at night time and even day time in the country to the hustle and bustle of the city, not to mention from a humble little home to one like Mrs. M’s, was quite an experience to say the least. She lived to be almost 100 years old.

I learned many things while staying with her. She, as many others like her, "took in" schoolgirls. I believe she donated to many causes, Gard Business College being one of them. There are other incidents I could write about my experiences there--maybe another time.

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