Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Mama Heaton's Birthday

Today, my grandmother, had she lived, would have been a thousand, maybe even a thousand and two. Timeless, true. I feel most like her when I’m in my old brown housedress, and I spread my knees and let the fabric hang between my legs, and there in that bowl made of cloth, I have a whole batch of beans to string or socks to match. I feel most like her when I’m propped up in bed sipping on ice water; when I’m yelling for someone and they don’t hear me so I yell and yell again; when I sop up bean juice with cornbread or call someone no-good or suddenly just want to sing. Sometimes it feels like a hundred years ago that we were all cooped up in that old green house, but sometimes, like this morning with the way the light is hardly even making it through the windows, it feels like I never even left.

7 comments:

Joe Hefner said...

I can't look at a sweaty glass of ice water without thinking of her. I actually blame my time in that old green house with my inability to sleep without a fan blowing right in my face...

great memories Nicole. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Nicole and Joe,
Thank you both. Sometimes I feel like I have turned into Mama when I yell at the kids or when I find myself wanting to buy a hanging basket of flowers, eat potato chips with cottage cheese or when I just want my kids to gather round me and give them a big hug. I love you both for rememberin g Mama with love.
Mom

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Mama Heaton!

There was never anyone quite like her, and there will never be another. I always remember her fondly, and there's no telling what might have become of the four of us (Nicole, Joe, Mary, and me) if we didn't have Mama Heaton around to help us out during those lean years.

Anonymous said...

hey all,

can you make sure your dad (r hefner) reads the thing i wrote to him in the comments on the weight watchers post?

thanks,

-Dan

Anonymous said...

Hey Dan... thanks for pointing out that note. I probably would have never gone back that far and found it. I responded on that post. Good to hear from you!

Anonymous said...

Nicole, how are you? Congrats on getting married, I heard through Lee that you were. Unfortunately, I could not find your email address or your existence in NYU. Moreover, I am wondering if you could email me at rmf312@nyu.edu, because I need guidance on my paper and you are the only one I know that writes really well. Anyways, I hope all well and despite this financial crisis I will be working at CRA, a consulting firm in April/May.

Thanks,
Richard Franciosa

Anonymous said...

Okay, thanks for the tears... and the guilt for not remembering her on her birthday. ;)

Oh, and that tall green glass of water... filled with cracker and cornbread crumbs! We couldn't wait to get a mouthful of it, could we? Damn we were lazy!!

Love you, sweets!

Heather