City Living #2

Before we moved from Berg Road to Mona Avenue in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, my uncle had decided to ad two rooms on the back of the house, one a kitchen and the other a laundry room. This meant we could cook and eat in the same room and in the laundry room we could hang clothes when the weather was bad. It was not easy living without running water, no bathroom, only outside. The water we used came from a small pump at the end of the sink, this same house now has all modern conveniences, is remodeled inside and the outside is painted. I might ad that the water was so clear and tasted good that came from our well, today it has city water. Mount Garfield (Berg Road) today dead ends into the expressway, something we never visioned in our days, I loved to ride my bike for a few miles on the road, but today you would come to the fence that runs along the expressway (US 31).

We moved in town the summer of 1950, I had just finished the 9th grade, at first we did not want to move away from our friends and neighbors. We were new in town, we had all summer to get acquainted with the neighbors, Aunt Margaret never visited only one neighbor. My sisters and myself liked our new place in no time and soon was getting acquainted and playing with the kids. Our bedroom was bigger and boy did we take a good bath the first thing after getting settled. I have to tell you it beat trying to fit in a washtub, with your feet hanging out.

This house has two bedrooms, bathroom (running city water), front room, dinning room, large kitchen, basement and a garage for Uncle Floyds car, the yard was very small compared to the two acres we are use to. We live in a neighborhood where the houses are close together and it is easy to know your next door neighbors business.

I started babysitting for Mary, who had six children, she was such a nice person and we played all kind of games with them. At that time kick the can, hide and seek and baseball. Mary had a field out behind them and at least three times a week we had a neighbor ball game, all the kids and parents that wanted to play did. My aunt thought we should not associate with Mary's family any more because she might influence us to be Catholic, so we were not allowed to go there. I was very upset, we liked them very much and my aunt went and had a talk with Mary, I never knew what it was about.

I answered a babysitting notice on the board at school, she had two boys and a girl. Her name was Marge and she was a court stenographer, so I watched the kids after school and on weekends. She had me proof read her transcripts for spelling errors, I was honored. I fell in love with this family and I started sitting in 10th grade through graduation. Marge bought my dress for dress up day at school and they came to my commencement, which made me so happy. Right after I graduated she ask if they went on vacation would I sit for the week with the kids. I said yes, she told me her neighbor two houses away would help me if I needed it, which I did not. I would like to say that Marge's family fell in love with me and wanted to adopt me, well guess what, Aunt Margaret paid her a visit and even had our minister talk to Marge, I never knew what they talked about. Marge just hugged me and told me if I ever needed anything or things could change just come to them and they would help me, and any time I needed a place to stay that their house was my home.

While Marge was on vacation I received a call to come for a job interview. I went down to the neighbor lady and she came up to watch the kids while I went to see what it was about. I was hired on the spot, the company's name was Universal Camshaft Company in Muskegon Heights, I was so happy and nervous. Marge came home the next day and was so happy, she knew she would have to replace me. which made both of us sad. My life was moving into a new phase and I knew I would have to leave some of my former life behind, I guess this is called growing up, my childhood days was fast coming to an end. New doors to the future were opening and what lies ahead of them is unknown.

I will be posting more soon, I am glad you like it so far, thank you friends.