Book Cover  •  Table of Contents  •  < PREV Letter:  •  NEXT Letter: >

Letter: 9

December 11, 1994

      DEAR KIDS: When you are age 77 everyone under 50 is a kid and that includes your Mom and Dad.

      I have mentioned that you kids can help your parents a lot on their finances if you don't clamor for too many things. After being out of work for two years your dad has a lot of catching up to do. If you don't have all the playthings, it shouldn't matter too much because you can't ride a skate board and a bicycle at the same time. You can't ride a skate board and roller wheels at the same time, so if there are other things you might do without them because you can value the things you already have. If you have everything, you can't value any one thing as much as if they were scarce. When I was a kid, things were scarce. If I got one toy for Christmas, I felt lucky. One time I got a present that was not for any particular occasion.

      I don't remember just how old I was but I was quite a small boy. I happened to be at the hardware store that Pa and Uncle Gus owned. They had a few coaster wagons for sale and Pa put one in the back seat of the old Studebaker and we got into the car to come home. I asked, "Papa where are you taking the wagon" He said, "It's to a kid who lives down our way. His dad bought it for him." I thought that was a lucky boy to get a new wagon. When we got home Pa took it out and set it on the sidewalk. "Do you want to see how it works?"

      I sure did. I put my left knee in the wagon and pushed with my right foot. Pa asked me if it was a good wagon and I assured him that it was, and he said, "Well, I guess. I'll give it to you instead." I caught on then that it was intended for me all the time. At that time it was the best toy I had ever had. I treasured it until it completely wore out.

      There was one Christmas that I got a little windup train. It had an engine and a couple of cars and a little oval track. There were no switches or tunnels or any other accessories. My three older brothers insisted on showing me how it worked until it wouldn't run anymore. Pa took it up to the shop and tinkered it until it ran and brought it home. He laid down the law that no one was to show me how it worked. I then finally got a chance to run it myself.

      I have told you that you are lucky that you have a dad with a good job who is able to please his employers. But I also want you to remember that you also have a great mother. She deserves all the help and consideration you can give her because she does so much for you. She drives some of you to school when you could ride the bus. She drives Jeff to and from work. She helps with your homework and a lot of other things. This takes up a lot of her time so it is important that you help her. She is the only daughter I have, and I want you to take care of her. You are lucky that you have two parents. Two-thirds of the black kids in Los Angeles have only one parent, usually their mother, who has to work and can't stay home to run the house.

      This isn't much of a letter but I just got to thinking of some of these things and started writing about them. Christmas is just around the comer. I saw A Visit From St. Nicholas in a book and still got a kick out of reading it again, so I copied it to give you a copy in case you would like to read it again.

      Much Love and Merry Christmas

      Grandpa

Cover  •  Contents  •  < PREV Letter:  •  NEXT Letter: >  •  Page Top