The first memory that I have of my childhood is a time when we lived on the Thornhill farm northeast of Sand Creek, Oklahoma. Mama was making me a new dress. I became reluctant after she had interrupted my playing a few times for me to try on the dress to see if it fit me correctly. I had to have been about two years old because we moved to the Caywood farm southwest of Sand Creek when I was three.
After Mama completed my dress, she told me to go to the barn to show it to my daddy who was milking the cows. I did not mind doing that so much, but I could not find him. I came back to the house and mama told me she knew he was in the barn and became very upset with me. Since I had been reluctant during the dress making, I am sure she felt I was just being stubborn. She fussed at me and sent me back to the barn again. I looked even harder, even looking around the corral and still could not find daddy. I do remember dreading to go back to the house to tell her I had not found him. My feelings were right as she really scolded me telling me I really did not try hard enough. She not so gently removed the dress and feeling somewhat slighted, I went on to play.
It was not until much later when daddy finally came to the house. It seemed he had trouble getting the cows in from the pasture and was not even near the barn when I looked for him. By that time, the showing of my new dress was cold.
Mama was not one who often apologized, so if she ever did, I do not remember her saying anything. I think the reason my memory of that incident stayed with me all of these years was because mama was so upset with me. Secondly, I felt like I had been unduly scolded for something that was not my fault. To this day, I am easily offended when I am misrepresented.
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