We lived in walking distance of ‘town.’ When we did not play paper dolls, we would walk to town and window shop. We had fun just looking at new things, such as clothes, furniture, dishes and so forth. We had fun, especially when people asked if we were sisters. It happened more than once but on one memorable occasion, we almost ran to keep from being rude. That day we stopped to gaze wistfully at the gorgeous dresses before going across the street to an ice cream parlor, ordering a cone and then continuing our stroll.
We were dressed in similar clothing; our skirts made with a lot of fabric, gathered on wide waistbands, blouses that were pullover, gathered with ribbon at the neck and tied in a bow, and penny loafers with socks. They were the kind of skirts so well known for dancing in those days, with enough fabric to flare around our legs in comfort. Anyway, we continued our walk, eating ice cream when we noticed two young men walking behind us. At first we were not sure they were following us but soon it became clear and then we heard their voices, which seemed to be argumentative. We were very quiet now, and felt a little fear but it was broad daylight.
Maxine and I grew up on a farm in the deep country, then in a small town, where our parents were the biggest part of our world. Indeed, to that point our world was narrow, including only school and church. In our hometown, we knew most everyone and walked a mile to and from school. We lived on one side of town and the school was on the other side, so we passed through twice daily.
That day, however, we did not know the young men behind us and we were a little uncertain of the proper behavior. Therefore, not knowing, we decided to just walk faster and ignore the activity behind us. Still, even as our steps became a bit faster, the young men stayed up with us and their voices rose so that we could hear them. One boy would say, they are, and the other said, they are not. Puzzled, Maxine and I just stared at one another wondering if what they were saying had to do with us.
Suddenly the two boys stepped up faster and in front of us, stopping us. We just stood there not knowing what to do until one of them said, “Please excuse us, but we need to settle an argument. I think you are twins, but he thinks you are just sisters…, who is right?” This was the first time for that to happen, although we were familiar with people thinking we were sisters.
Well, Maxine and I had a habit of knowing what the other was thinking. Her face had a question and I just nodded. She looked right at the boys and said, “Now what do you think?” As we turned to leave, each boy was saying victoriously to the other, “I told you so!” That is when we ran to keep from laughing aloud. Similar events happened regularly if we were alone without our husbands with us and we thoroughly enjoyed every such incident.
One-week end, the four of us went to Houston. I do not remember why… It could have been a movie or just to look. The memory is getting on a one way street going the wrong way. We noticed people on the side walk motioning to us and acting a little weird but we continued on our merry way. I do not recall who noticed first that we were breaking the law, but we quickly turned down a side road to stop. All four of us were laughing so hard we did not start the car for a while. We were laughing because so many of those by standers were all but standing on their heads to get it across to us, we were going the wrong way. We also laughed at our own ignorance in not recognizing what they were trying to tell us, and between gasps we would say, ‘did you see that man…?’ ‘Did you see that boy?’
It was not long into January when Maxine and her husband decided to return ‘home.’ The details of their departure are too vague to describe, only that I was devastated they were leaving. They did not know how hard it was for me. Because Maxine knew me well, she probably guessed it was sad for me but her desire to return was too strong to dismiss. I am sure her husband felt the same; he was close to his parents, loved by them, and in fact, their only son. I have always respected the decision of others and if they considered it best to return, then it was not my place to try to dissuade them.
With their absence, life for me changed. I am sure it did not make that much difference to Ed, in spite of being glad they were with us. He, of the four of us, was less close to his family. Furthermore (a statement of fact that he made over 57 years), when he learned I loved him, it fulfilled all his dreams and if you knew him, you would know he meant it. He not only said that over the years, his actions proved it. To this day, not a friend, not a family member, not a son doubted his thoughts of me. But unknown to the both of us, there was more going on than we knew, as we told my cousin and her husband good-by.
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Sue, maybe it’s because we’re related, but it seems that a LOT of your stories are similar to mine! I have a sister that is 4 years older than me, but we look a lot alike. Everyone who sees us together knows we are sisters, but more than once people have asked us, “We know you have to be sisters… but are you twins?” We usually just explain our ages and so forth, but once Sandra (who is a little bit saucy at times!) told the person, “Why, yes, as a matter of fact we ARE twins! Our mother had an especially difficult delivery though (with an appropriately sad face that caused a similar face on the questioner)… I was born first and came pretty quickly, but then it took her 4 years to have Marian!”
We were so bad… we giggled so hard at the person’s astonished stare that we almost wet our pants! We are now 61 and 65, but we still have just as much fun as when we were kids. And Sandra still gets us both in trouble with her mouth!
I am so sorry that you lost Maxine at such a young age, but I am so thankful that you had such a wonderful friendship, even for that short time.