Working together for a common goal

The Old Holland House we moved to when I was four years old is pictured here in the background. There's a story about this picture in which I like to think about. There's a lesson to be gained from the telling of it.

Daddy was much of a man, a carpenter by trade and he believed that he should be the sole support of his family. So he wasn't too keen on the idea of mother slipping behind his back and going with Pauline Williams to the Social Security department to apply for a job one day. No sir, he had quite a bit to say about that, but mother convinced him that whatever she made would help us out as a family. He gave in.

Mother made $75.00 every two weeks working as a seamstress at the Kinston Manufacturing Co. I still am amazed at how far she stretched that money every two weeks. It wasn't long until I heard mama say to daddy, "Grady, let's build us a new house. We can buy the supplies we need each week and you can build it. We'll pay for it as we go." Daddy signed on to that challenge and it wasn't long until he dug a trench in the ground laying off right where the concrete footing would be poured. He drew the plans for our modest three bedroom home with one bath, living room, dining and kitchen combination. Mama was as good as her word and daddy took pride in showing us just what he was doing.

I look at the picture and see the extension cord that daddy ran from the Old Holland house to the foundation of our new house. I remember it well.

I had my share of helping to build that house. Daddy instructed me on how to put the design in the ceiling with plaster and a round sponge and I guess it is still there today. I filled the sponge with plaster, positioned it just right on the ceiling and gave it a twist. I was so proud of myself and what I had done.

Mama is sitting on the foundation of the house in the picture. She was so proud of it and rightfully so. We all were. Who gets a new house in the early '60's, right? We did. All thanks to mama and daddy working together.

Mama and Daddy were like that. They worked together. They had it rough but they never gave up on each other nor the vows they made to God and each other. They lived together until death parted them after 55 long years. They had tough times and lean years but they didn't give up on each other or on us their three children.

The house still stands on route 4, Elba, AL. The address is no longer the same. The house is no longer painted white, the plants mama planted have grown into trees, and the people who own it don't have the love for the place that we did. But somehow it will always be home to me.