Great Aunt Sarah

Sarah Hesson was really my cousin's Great Aunt but she adopted me and John when we moved to Nashville. She loved it that we found a little house about three blocks away. Every and I emphasize every Thursday night we would go watch the Waltons with her. They teased us at Vanderbilt Divinty school--don't plan anything with the McGarey's on Thursday they watch the Waltons. It kept our visits regular and gave us something to talk about. Sarah was a southern lady thru and thru. I hear she even fudged on her drivers license so no one would know a 'lady's' real age. Anyway Sarah was a honey. She would meet us on her porch and you could hear her saying..OHHHHH Goodie Goodie! You are here! We could sometimes smell the greens she'd cooked for dinner when we first got out of our car.

Sometimes she would make pie. Chess pie. Which to us tasted like pecan pie without the pecans. But she loved to cook it for us anyway.

She watched the Love Boat with me one evening and turned off the set and said, "Tell me the truth now. Do things like that really go on?" She was referring to the cabin hopping that was part of that particular episode. I said , "Yes, I'm afraid so!" "OOOOO My! she said, "I was afraid you would say that. Goodness! Gracious!" She shook her head.

Sarah lived about 10 years after we left Kentucky. She wanted to die in her kitchen. She said it was where she belonged. Don't feel bad for me if you come over and I'm dead on my kitchen floor. She didn't get her wish. But she did have a gentle passing in a care facility. I know she was ready. She always went to church. Wore the right color gloves and shoes. She would only take off one glove, as was the ladies custom, to take communion. Always a lady.

What stories she told us that we've now forgotten. Do you know someone like Sarah? What stories will you wish you had heard and remembered? Even if it means they tell them again?

OHHH Goodie Goodie... another story you can pass on to your family...down the road.

God abide
Bobbie McGarey
@2004