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Nostalgia October 2015

Moving On

Kinfolk Competition

By Patsy Pipkin

There we were, flying down Highway 65 South, several miles out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, at a breakneck speed trying to get to the church on time, when I glanced back to see if my dress was riding okay. Of course not! My pretty new dress was hanging on the tailgate!

Aunt Beth got married before me. Of course, she did. She was two years older than me. Always had been. I was born to her oldest sister exactly two days after her second birthday, and we always competed for attention from her sisters, including my very own mother, and my aunts (her two other sisters), and my uncles (her four brothers), and also from my grandparents, which of course, were her parents!

Our competition was never exactly friendly, except for the time she agreed to take me on her date. I forgave her a long ago for the fit she pitched when Mama Dean made her find a date for me before allowing her to go.

How was she to know I had never been on a date? I thought I played it pretty cool, until that little pimpled-faced boy her date had fixed me up with tried to kiss me! I slapped him!  He cried, and Beth turned around, looked into the back seat, and screamed to her date, "Just take us home! Right now!"

As time marched on, and I gained a bit of experience, I was invited to participate in Beth's wedding. I had never even been to a wedding either! But, I really wanted to be in Beth's. I had just graduated from high school and had my first job, so I splurged and bought a really pretty light blue, form-fitting dress with a little jacket, size 9, or maybe an 11, at The Ideal Shoppe, and was all set to steal the scene. (The bride wore at least a size 12, probably a 14.)

At the time, Mother and Daddy lived way out in the country, and we all had to ride to town in a pickup truck. I casually put my new dress, still in its box, in the back of the truck to make room for us: Daddy, Mother, me, two younger sisters, and our little brother.

There we were, flying down Highway 65 South, several miles out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, at a breakneck speed trying to get to the church on time, when I glanced back to see if my dress was riding okay. Of course not! My pretty new dress was hanging on the tailgate!

I screamed, “Stop!”

Daddy skidded to a halt! I jumped out and grabbed the little wet jacket from the ditch, while he unhooked my dress from the tailgate.

“What in the world will we do?” cried Mother.

Daddy said, "Don't cry, Honey. It will be okay. I have a friend in town who owns a dry cleaning shop. We’d just run it by the cleaners and get it fixed right up."

He was even willing to bet his friend could get tractor grease out of the front of my dress!

Dropping us off at my grandparent's house, Daddy headed to the cleaners. Mother, Jane, Brenda, Steve and I went inside, and, it’s hard to explain, but I started laughing. Like it was funny, my dress was ruined and I was about to mess up Beth’s wedding plans.  I swear I couldn’t help it! I knew it wasn’t funny to Beth, but thought surely she could see a little humor in the situation.

Instead, Beth screamed, “Well, shut up! I don’t see one thing funny for you to be laughing about! You’re just trying to ruin everything!”

She got all dressed up and ready to go, while I stood there in my slip waiting for Daddy to bring my dress. She looked really pretty in her white suit and with her beautiful natural curly black hair sticking out from under a cute little hat with a tiny veil and a big orchid on her shoulder.

Soon she gave me another dirty look and said, “I’m going on. You can just come when you get ready.”

I stood there, envious as always, trying to not let my jealousy show.

Actually, I had my doubts if I’d show up at the church on time, or any time, and began to wonder who would light the candles. Surely someone would light them before the ceremony began.

I was beginning to get really worried when Daddy rushed through the back door with the dress! I slipped into it and we went really fast, arriving at Olive Street Baptist Church just minutes before time to light the candles!

Nobody seemed to notice the light spots on the front of my dress, but I don’t think Beth ever forgave me for causing panic on her wedding day. Anyway, I waltzed down the aisle in my little blue dress, lit the candles, and enjoyed the occasion very much.

Our family turns out in full on birthdays, weddings, and funerals. All of Mother's family, as well as Daddy's five sisters and their families filled the church.  I think some of my cousins actually enjoy funeral visitations. They probably relate them to wedding receptions, birthday parties, or perhaps it's just because we all love family get-togethers.

The last family funeral I attended was Aunt Beth's. I miss her, but I should have known she'd get to Heaven before me.

 

Patsy Pipkin is a freelance writer, columnist, and author. She lives in Searcy, Arkansas.

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