Winnie Kelly J....

Sad news in Christmas cards

When you get to be my age, some times
Christmas cards aren’t so jolly… and I got
such a card is one I got this year…

They are from the family of a dear friend.
A family who slightly knows you, but not
enough to write to you… And I understand that.

This year, I got my first family Christmas card with “I
am sorry to tell you but Mom passed away in Sept.”
I sat there staring at the card and the funeral card in
my other hand.. Such sadness. Feeling so bad for her
family, as I know they are a very close knit family.
I sat there for a long time… with a tear running down
my face one at a time, off and on, as I thought about
our lives in the past.

See I went to work for my first real job (babysitting, work
as a balloon sales person at parades for a family friend and
working in a fruit stand in the summer didn’t count.

It was the Naval Exchange in Newport, R.I. There was two
different sections in one large room. She was in one and I
was in the other. She had been working there a year before
me. As I was getting use to my desk and what was required
of me.. and I would hear this laughter. Such a laugh. One of
those that gets others laughing too. Very contagious.

We became fast friends. Ended up being 3 of us. Carol, who
graduated with me… and Winnie and I. Winnie was such a
kick. It was always fun when we were together.

We went to Providence (29 miles north of Newport) to an
Ice show. We were coming home, dropping off Carol first.
When we heard bump bump…flat tire. Being country girls
we knew how to change a tire, but it started to snow. And
snow hard. We got to giggling and out and out laughing that
a guy came out of the house and helped us change the tire.
I think he wanted some sleep.

The 3 of us went to see I was a Teenage Frankenstein. I think
it was Michael Langdon in his teens. We were sitting behind
these 3 10-12 year old boys. Who were kind of smart mouthed
to us just before the movie started. So when it got to a really
scary section of it… Winnie nodded her head and pointed at the
boys, and we all reached forward and put our hands on the shoulders
of the boys, who let out a scream and raised out of the chairs a foot.

Later that night we were cruising up and down Broadway as teens do,
The 3 of us in Winnie’s car.. when we saw 3 guys we knew from our
school days. So we stopped and they jumped in the back seat.. We
took one round at Broadway and headed out of town to Portsmouth.
(about 3 miles from Newport) and headed to a cemetery. We parked and
started telling the guys about the movie, and when we got to the part about
the cemetery, one of the guys said … lets’s get out of here, and told Winnie
to start driving… as they kept glancing around the headstones. Sissies…lol
We took them back to town to drop them off.

We use to have more fun the 3 of us… and over the years when ever I
happen to be back in town, be it 5 years or 11 years… as soon as I walked
into her kitchen, it was like I was there yesterday…

Winnie worked for the Navy Library for about 30 or more years.. she was a
great mother who had so much fun with her kids.. 3 boys and 2 girls. Loved
her grandchildren… they were the pride of her and Al… She and Al loved each
other as much as the day that she passed away, as the day they got some 50+
years ago….
Going to miss ya, kid… Going to miss your laughter, your twinkle in your eyes,
and the warmth of your home…God Bless….