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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

True or Not True? The Real Truth

Yesterday I posted this list and asked my readers to guess which one of these statements is not true:

1. I was suspected of being a drug dealer.
2. We were suspected of being in the witness protection program when we moved to West Virginia.
3. I once directed an upset man with a gun to the governor's mansion.
4. I had four children by the time I was 22.
5. I dropped out of high school.
6. A dress I made myself shrank to skin-tight while I was wearing it when I was caught in a rainstorm. My boyfriend appreciated it.
7. I've been a mail carrier, security guard, betting clerk, tobacco farmer, and teacher.
8. I was a smoker for 20 years before finally kicking the habit.
9. In second grade, I pulled Sister Ernestine's veil off because I wanted to see what color her hair was.
10. We lived without electricity for 15 years.


Number 2 and number 5 got the most votes, although since I made a mistake (geesh) when I typed number 2 I should probably throw it out. Here's the REAL truth:

1. I was suspected of being a drug dealer.
This is true. When we moved to this farm, people were suspicious of the amount of cash we had, our long hair, that painted van. The explanation: drug dealers! I can honestly say I've never been a druggie at any time in my life.

2. We were suspected of being in the witness protection program when we moved to West Virginia.
This is the one I messed up when typing, so those of you who guessed it was not true before I revised it were actually right. Again, because we moved to West Virginia and up this holler when we weren't related to anyone here and had cash to buy the land, this was one explanation that a few people came up with. Mighty creative! The truth was far simpler: we lived in the Washington DC area and our house doubled in value. Land here was SO cheap in 1974, and houses where we came from were so much more expensive, we had cash to buy with.

3. I once directed an upset man with a gun to the governor's mansion.
True. When I worked as a security guard, a man came to my guard station demanding to know where the governor was. He was obviously three sheets to the wind, and he had a handgun. So I politely directed him up the street, and called the state police at the governor's mansion to let them know he was coming. I never knew the end of that story, but I can guess.

4. I had four children by the time I was 22.
True. One son at 17, another at 19, the third at 20 and the fourth at 22. Then the fifth at 35!

5. I dropped out of high school.
True. See number 4 above. Back then, you did not go to school if you were pregnant. So I dropped out in my senior year, got married, and had two sons before going to night school to get my diploma. I started college at 36, and finished my Master's degree at 45.

6. A dress I made myself shrank to skin-tight while I was wearing it when I was caught in a rainstorm. My boyfriend appreciated it.
Sorrowfully, too true. It was one of the most embarrassing days of my life. I was 15 and we had walked down to a waterfall at Skyline Drive. While there, a hue storm came up and soaked us. By the time we'd climbed back up the trail, you could see every crease in my body. Mortifying.

7. I've been a mail carrier, security guard, betting clerk, tobacco farmer, and teacher.
True. A wild and varied career. Who would think it would lead to librarian and now facilities manager? Life is full of surprises.

8. I was a smoker for 20 years before finally kicking the habit.
Not true. I've never smoked anything in my life, or had any desire to.

9. In second grade, I pulled Sister Ernestine's veil off because I wanted to see what color her hair was.
True, I'm embarrassed to say. Not actually all the way off, but enough to see that she had red or reddish hair. I was on the playground and pretended it was an accident. I don't think I ever told anyone what I did. Sister did not seem to pay any attention to it, thank goodness.

10. We lived without electricity for 15 years.
True. From 1976 until 1990. It cost too much to run in up here, so we did without it and did quite well, actually. We learned to do many things the old-time ways, and I have never regretted the experience.

So that's the truth. How did you do?

10 comments:

  1. I so enjoyed reading this; some amazing things!

    The rumours about you when you were new to the area made me laugh out loud; I ran into the very same thing, and really it's not so surprising I guess. I showed up in town from another country, picked out a house and bought it cash within two weeks, then left again, and the paperwork behind revealed I was a 'writer'. You wouldn't believe what the neighbours have me writing!! ROFL

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  2. I can understand it too. After living here for 35 years or so, I'd wonder the same thing if someone dropped in like that. I don't think anyone lived on our holler who wasn't related to someone living there until we showed up. It must have been a real puzzle to those whose roots went back many years in the same place.

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  3. So funny. You know when we moved to Richwood, we were suspected as both drug dealers and narcs. Both sides of that issue watched us relentlessly.

    We didn't have money, but we were also suspected of having money. I wore Goodwill clothes, but they were good clothes, not daddy's jeans and sweatshirts with cats puff-painted on them. We didn't fit in, is what I'm saying. And it was our hometown!

    We don't fare much better where we are now, unfortunately.

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  4. It took a few years, Hazel, for us to be accepted. Fit in? In some ways we still don't but that's okay-everyone needs to be a little different! It helped when I remarried to a West Virginian :-) I like and respect my neighbors and would not want to live anywhere else now.

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  5. Hey Granny Sue!

    You sure have had an interesting life! Wehn we bought our farm almost 14 years ago we were outsiders because everyone around here is related too! When we built our house I had several people to ask me if this was my grand parents land. No! And because my husband works in Charleston they think we have connections or something which I don't understand. I love living here and wouldn't want to ever move but you really have to watch what you say around here as to not offend them.

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  6. Sue, The smoking thing was going to be my choice but I didn't get back in here in time. That's very funny about Sr. Ernestine. It's so strange now how they wear regular clothes but we were curious about them. Glad you enjoy living in West Va. I don't think I could live without electricity but I think we can do what we set our minds to do. Fun quiz, Debbie

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  7. Yah, I guessed right! Course I had a little insight. Funny about Sister Ernestine, I would never have been brave enough to touch the sisters! tm

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  9. I got a few of them right : ) I so enjoyed learning more about your interesting life!

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  10. Yeah you did well, Theresa!

    Tipper, I'd love to read your list! I bet it would be fascinating.

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