Buddy's Bear
On Spring Cleaning Day that year my job was to keep Buddy out of their hair. I can't remember whether it was his idea or mine but I got him up onto my back somehow, him with two broken ankles, and we snuck down the stairs to the stable. Mother and Helen still clanging the big washer, both of them grunting to lift the drapes through the wringer. And I managed to get the horse saddled all by myself and Buddy lifted up onto her and we rode all about the neighborhood as pretty as you please, snorting into our sleeves. Everyone came up to Buddy and said I thought your ankles were broke and he just answered, nope! By the time we got home he was about gray, his ankles were bothering him so, and Mother was like to tan both our hides. I got sent to my room and Helen had to watch over Buddy, which always put her into a temper. In our day a girl was expected to become a nurse or a teacher and I think that's when she decided she wasn't going to be a nurse.
Aunt Jessie
