Saturday, October 11, 2008

Last installment too dry

Here's a funny from that time of life. I was a feminine person (tailored) at that time, and I've always loved clothes. So one night I was sitting around with friends in a black pegnoir set. We were talking about our childhood and I said I remember when I could shinny up a tree. For those who don't know about shinnying, it's when you grip a tree and pull yourself up using your arms and legs. They said "No, you couldn't or wouldn't do that." I took that as a dare. We found a tree about 6-8 inches in diameter, and I crawled out the window (shortest way there) and shinnied up the tree in my black pegnoir. Needless to say the nylon pegnoir was damaged beyond repair, but we all laughed and laughed and laughed. I couldn't get back in through the window because it was too tall for me, and hedges blocked my path; so a friend climbed through the window, boosted me up, and he jumped up to the window and we pulled him in.

I also discovered during that time that I couldn't drink champagne. For my 19th birthday, some friends gave me a champagne party. Personally, I think it was just a good excuse to party, but after two glasses of champagne, I remember nothing until I awoke very ill the next morning. I was living in the unfurnished apartment - had a single bed, and oak buffet and a borrowed card table and chairs. I don't know how Pete got me from the party, two blocks away, back to the apartment on the second or third floor. But, he was sound asleep on the floor cushions (very thick and comfy) when I awoke the next morning in the bed. Bless him.

Pete

Then I got Asian flu - the stomach kind - in 1964, and dragged myself to the doctor - also two blocks away. They gave me an IV and prescriptions and sent me home. I couldn't afford a taxi to get home. The drug store was next door, and I managed to get the prescriptions filled, but getting home as another story. I began walking, and I ended up crawling before I got to the building. I don't remember the stairs up to the top, but my boss came by to see about me. He called Mom, and she came to get me. She made me take the stomach medicine before we left for Columbus, Miss. As we traveled down the road, my tongue began swelling. I was lying in the back seat, trying to tell them something was wrong. This is nighttime, and we are speeding down the two-lane road in the back side of nowhere. I'm choking by this time and my tongue is swollen and sticking out of my mouth about four inches. Pete was driving, and he saw a hospital sign in some tiny town. We were lucky; the doctor had been called in for a severe cut and was still there. I don't know what she gave me, but it lessened the symptoms, and she sent me by ambulance back to Memphis where I spent the night in Baptist Hospital. Pete spent the rest of the night in a waiting room and Mom stayed in the room with me in a chair.

My soup making abilities developed about this time. Roomie and I decided we would take some of my homemade soup upstairs to our landlord and friend for supper one night. The door was unlocked and we trooped upstairs with bowls and soup and spoons. What a shock to find him and his girlfriend naked in bed. However, we found another bowl and spoons and enjoyed the soup - us sitting on the floor and them propped up in bed - still naked. Laughing and eating soup.

1 comment:

shallotpeel DonnaB said...

Was it one of the prescriptions that you had an allergic reaction to? Or whatever was in the IV? Or just another symptom of the Asian flu?