Yesterday I wrote about my parents, and about their lives and marriage. Then, today, as I was cleaning out some drawers, I ran across copies of two stories that my mother had written. I mentioned her love of writing yesterday. What a coincidence that I would find her stories today. I believe that these were written about 1946 or 1947. I believe that she submitted at least one of these stories to a contest held by Arthur Godfrey's radio show. My mother listened to this show every day in the mornings as she did her work. So the following is her story - just as she wrote it.
THE HOME SHOW
I was standing at my ironing board, not doing my weekly ironing, but an array of unironed shorts belonging to my daughter. They were of assorted colors and styles. I was rather enjoying the outlay of color and thinking disconnected thoughts, with the radio going in the background. All of a sudden, the announcer's voice caught my attention. "Be sure and attend the Home Show beginning this week in your capitol city. On and on his voice went , telling of all the wonderful new home appliances and inventions. He even told of a model home, completely furnished, to be seen Sunday at the show in Indianapolis.
Thes set me to reminiscing. How many home shows had I seen? How had they affected me? If I were to go this year, what would I look for? - What would I see?
I remember the first one. I was quite a young thing then. This was the first time that I was aware that a home show existed. I had been going with a young furniture salesman, who proved that he could sell more than furniture, because later I married him. His company had given him two tickets and had asked him to attend. Since we lived in a progressive town of about 40,000 people and were about forty miles from Indianapolis, it was quite a trip at that time.
We had a delicious dinner at a rather swanky place. I was dressed in my very best. I can remember now how important my clothes were to me at this stage of my life. Perhaps it was good to have had so much that I wanted then. I think it made it easier to do with less later on.
But, the home show - we were so confident then, that all those new things would be a certainty in the home of our future. I can see that model home now, with the rows of red geraniums in the kitchen windows. I still think I would like that. But, you know, twenty-five years later, the most I have had at one time in my kitchen windows, were two geraniums, and they were pink, not red.
The first home show was one of the memories that has a way of lingering. It is strange how little things remain in one's memory.
The next home show found us married. In fact, very much married. We were interested especially in the booth devoted to helpful necessities for the nursery. I can remember how terrible I felt. I was in the early stages of pregnancy, and felt as if I would have to make a dash for the rest room at any moment. But, in spite of this, the whole thing was fun. We didn't have our own home, so we were vulnerable to everything. But, nothing looks especially good when waves of nausea are sweeping over one.
The next home show was several years later. My husband had changed positions in the meantime, and the country had gone through a war and a depression. We had gone through several small wars ourselves. This home show found us in our own rented home with four small children. But we still had our dreams of our own home that would have all the new ideas and improvements.
Up to this time our furniture was just "gathered together". We added pieces as the requirements arose without much stress on beauty and design. It was usually bought to fit the pocket book rather than the house, and after much juggling of the family budget.
By the next home show, my husband had gone back into the furniture business. This was the time we made our one and only purchase at a home show. It was a little packaged "start" of a giant redwood tree, with instructions for planting. In fact, it was to be started in water, in a bowl. This "knot" of a redwood tree happened to be the shape of a tiny, standing bear. It sprouted and grew beautifully and adorned our dining room table for months. To this day, the children call the bowl our "bear dish," although the tree is only a memory now.
We went to the home show a few times after that. I must confess, the model house didn't impress me much. The whole show had taken on more of the atmosphere of a fair. Our lovely dinners were my nicest memories of the trips. We always had fun.
No, I think I will change that. We always "have" fun.
But, the realization came to me this morning, that perhaps I would see so much more, if I were to go this year. To be sure, we have a nice rented home now- still furnished with pieces we have gathered together through the years. But, they do have a certain charm to us. We probably never will have that home we were so "cocky" sure we would own on that first trip. Our home has not been built with material things. But, ours has been built with more lasting things - a happy home with five children.
All of a sudden I want to go to that home show this year. I will dress up in my very best. We will eat at some perfectly dreamy place, and, who knows, perhaps we will find another tree for the "bear dish."
by
Gladys Lininger Green
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