Early Impressions

 Maddie

“Mom, Maddie is really nice,”  It was true.  Of all the maids who took care of us when mother was away working, she was my favorite.  She braided my hair just the way I liked it.  She put one marshmallow in my hot chocolate.

One night, when I was in bed but not yet asleep, she came in the bedroom.  “Listen Joanie, I don’t want you to be scared but I have to leave now for awhile.  I told Jo too.  You both will be fine and your mother will be back later.”

I listened to mother on the phone, it was something about her daughter trying to kill herself and the police and stuff.  Mother said mean things about Maddie and I never saw her again.

Now, I can make room for everybody in this story.  Then, I just missed Maddie and wanted her back.

FDR

I found mother in the breakfast nook.  She was crying.  I hadn’t seen that since my father’s funeral so I knew whatever it was it something really sad.  “Joanie, come sit next to me.”  She put her hand on my leg.  “The President has died.  He was a wonderful man.  He took care of us all.”

I thought that Roosevelt was the President and there would never be another one,

And, you know what?  In some ways I still think that today.