An Answered Prayer for Mama In about 1956, we got our first telephone, not at our house but at Mama’s beauty shop in the back of Lipe’s store. The first time I had to call Mama at the shop, I did not know how to dial a phone, and either Linda or Margaret had to show me how. Mama had the same phone number until we had to close down her house for her to go into Fairfield Assisted Living three years ago. Mama has had a cell phone for the years she’s been there and was quite proud of it, but now Mama can’t remember how to dial even Nyoka’s or my numbers. She also can’t keep it unlocked, or drops it requiring repairs too much, so we have no way of calling her. With a heavy heart, I called this morning to get Mama a regular landline to replace her cell phone. While placing the order with Sharon the ATT rep, I told her the circumstances and said how it would be wonderful if Mama’s old number were still available. While she checked, I prayed. With tears erupting down my face and dripping onto the hand holding the phone, I waited. “You won’t believe this! It’s available,” Sharon told me laughing as I sobbed on the other end. I remember well our old phone number where Nyoka and I once had fights with party line members; talked for hours with our boyfriends (and sometimes talked to each others’ boyfriends pretending we were the sister since our voices were identical); talked to Mama and Daddy from wherever we were, be it Memphis, just down the road, Alaska, Canada, or New Zealand; where Mama received heart wrenching news requiring a rushed trip to Huntsville to sit with a dying daughter; received joyous news of a new grandbaby or great grandbaby born, or of an upcoming visit from the family; talked to brother Buddy every morning and sisters and brothers as often as possible; and, of course, talked to friends at Pope like Miss Lillian, Ramona, Belle, and Louise to mention a few. Sadly, many of Mama’s friends and siblings are no longer here for Mama to talk to, but the old number will ring again as of next Wednesday. Hopefully, our beautiful, unique Mama will be around to answer it for a long time. Are you listening in, Daddy, Minnie, Buddy, Sadie, and Jeannette from the other end of that great party line you share with her? I hope so, because she still talks to you daily.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 16:38:01 +0000