Christmas in Asheville 1953
My grandfather took this photo of my family just as we were leaving our grandparents' home in Asheville, NC, for ours in Alexandria, Va. This was before the interstate system was complete, so we usually stayed in Goldsboro, NC, overnight before making the rest of the trip.
We'd just finished having our picture taken with our two cousins, who had left with their parents to return to Charleston.
We all loved that old Chevrolet "woodie" -- the ultimate family car. Three rows of seats, perfect for carpooling; we removed the third row on vacations to store more luggage. Daddy would set up a mattress in the back for us all to lie on during trips. Big Sis would start sitting with the parents the next year, and our dog Shakespeare would join Ruthie, me, and whats-her-face on the mattress.
According to Tiz (our mom) Alicia and I had just been reprimanded for fighting when Pop took this photo. Alicia was always beating on me. My cap was stuck on my head by my mom in an obvious hurry.
I don't know what became of Alicia's bunny rabbit. She probably sold it.
I love my dad's fedora -- when he died my sisters and I all hunted it down, but to no avail. I didn't discover until my 20th high school reunion that a classmate (damn you, Jonny Barrett !! ) had taken it from our hall closet and kept it. Motherfucker. Shithead.
I think it's interesting that Daddy wore a tie and a three-piece suit on the way back to Alexandria. And those pants -- they look like they belonged to the Tin Woodsman.
I also love Ruthie's pose on the far left. Poised.
Christmas in Asheville 1953
My grandfather took this photo of my family just as we were leaving our grandparents' home in Asheville, NC, for ours in Alexandria, Va. This was before the interstate system was complete, so we usually stayed in Goldsboro, NC, overnight before making the rest of the trip.
We'd just finished having our picture taken with our two cousins, who had left with their parents to return to Charleston.
We all loved that old Chevrolet "woodie" -- the ultimate family car. Three rows of seats, perfect for carpooling; we removed the third row on vacations to store more luggage. Daddy would set up a mattress in the back for us all to lie on during trips. Big Sis would start sitting with the parents the next year, and our dog Shakespeare would join Ruthie, me, and whats-her-face on the mattress.
According to Tiz (our mom) Alicia and I had just been reprimanded for fighting when Pop took this photo. Alicia was always beating on me. My cap was stuck on my head by my mom in an obvious hurry.
I don't know what became of Alicia's bunny rabbit. She probably sold it.
I love my dad's fedora -- when he died my sisters and I all hunted it down, but to no avail. I didn't discover until my 20th high school reunion that a classmate (damn you, Jonny Barrett !! ) had taken it from our hall closet and kept it. Motherfucker. Shithead.
I think it's interesting that Daddy wore a tie and a three-piece suit on the way back to Alexandria. And those pants -- they look like they belonged to the Tin Woodsman.
I also love Ruthie's pose on the far left. Poised.