May 8th will be 5 years since my Mom left the planet. I intended to write something in honor of her for Mother's Day however in my Weed stories I came across one that always makes me smile from when I was 5.
For my Mother with Infinite Love...................
Some people believe in the power of charms, crystals and talismans. Weed believed in the power of Cowboy boots. They could walk her through any dangerous or scary situation. She learned of their power and used it in time for Kindergarten.
When Weed was about to be enrolled in Kindergarten her parents broke family tradition. Her two older brothers, along with her ten cousins, had all attended Catholic School. Weed was enrolled in a neighborhood public school and she was both annoyed and confused about it. She asked her mother why she wasn’t in the same school her brothers’ had attended. Her mothers’ reply was honest. She told Weed that because her brothers had constantly misbehaved and gotten in trouble she was afraid the Sisters who taught there would remember what her brothers had done and it would be held against Weed. They were legendary having done everything from shake down kids for lunch money to selling fireworks to classmates to use on the eighth grade class trip. While Weed had no choice but to listen to her parents concern she resented it. Over time she settled this resentment with her own imagination. The school she was to attend was called Catherine E. Doyle School, named after a prominent and much loved teacher. Her cousins went to schools with regal and mysterious sounding names such as Academy of the Holy Angels, St. Thomas and Our Lady of Assumption. Weed knew enough religion to know that Saints were greatly loved and admired by many. In her world Catherine E. Doyle sounded like a name from a phone book. In her world it sounded much nicer as St. Catherine Of Doyle.
Weeds interest and admiration of Saints had begun a year before when she met Sister Saint Anthony from Our Lady of Assumption Church in Wood-Ridge. Back in the day, Nuns were allowed to drive but not alone. The Convent had an old 57 Chevy for her to use but Sister St. Anthony needed a companion to drive with. Weeds mom had known her for some time and when no one volunteered to help, she did. Sister St. Anthony wanted to visit her family an hour away so it became routine to walk to the Convent, get in the Chevy and drive with Sister St. Anthony to her families home.
On the very first trip though something transpired that Weeds mom could have never anticipated. Sister St. Anthony started the car and put the pedal to the medal. She traveled at 70 miles per hour regardless of whether they were on the highway or on the Boulevard in Wood-Ridge. Traffic stops were taken at a screeching halt. All corners were turned on two wheels. Also, in the early 1960’s the habit that Sister wore was very long. The only parts exposed were a little bit of her sweet, angelic face and her tiny snow-white hands. The black wool sleeves were huge. Weed could see the horror in her mother’s eyes as Sister St. Anthony grabbed the steering wheel. Later at home, Weed heard her Mom tell her Dad how scared she was, not only of the speed, but also of losing sight of the steering wheel in one of the wide sleeves.
When Sister suggested they pray the rosary on the way down, Weeds mom looked relieved. Weed guessed her Mom now understood why Sister St. Anthony had a hard time finding a companion to travel with and needed the rosary to help her find a way out of this.
At age four, Weed was pressed against the back seat by the sheer force of speed. In those pre-air conditioning days all the windows were down. Weeds hair was blowing in the breeze and becoming more tangled by the minute. Having been teased about her unkempt hair as far back as she could remember, Weed was sure by now it was a bird’s nest. She just hoped with all the prayers being said in the front seat that the Holy Ghost itself would land in it to keep her safe. Weed passed the time watching the treetops and clouds race by. On the return trip it was more of the same, with the rosary being said in the front seat sounding like a soundtrack for the race between all she could see of the tree tops and clouds.
Weed and her Mom made several more trips with Sister St. Anthony to see her family. The night before the second trip Weed had watched Gunsmoke with her Dad. While watching it, it occurred to Weed that Sister St. Anthony drove like a stage coach driver being chased by a posse. The next day and on all subsequent trips she wore her cowboy boots, bandana and hat. As the treetops and clouds raced by she pointed her cap gun out the window to protect Sister St. Anthony and her Mom from the Unseen.
The trips ended with the beginning of summer. It was just in time for Weed and her Dad to take walks after dinner to the school she would be attending in the fall. They did this occasionally in July and August so Weed could learn the way. It was just six blocks from her home.
When the first day arrived, her Mom was preparing to walk her to school. Weed demanded she stay home. Actually, Weed demanded she not follow her outside. The very independent Weed left the house and waved to her Mom who was holding her brother and watching from the front picture window. Then Weed turned away looking down at her new shoes and pretended they were her cowboy boots. Once she visualized her boots she felt for her trusty cap gun she had hidden in her pocket the night before. She then skipped her way to her very first day at “Saint Catherine of Doyle.”
Several years later when Sally Field debuted as Sister Betrille in “The Flying Nun” Weed was sleeping at her Aunt Theresa’s house. She watched it with her cousins and was mesmerized by the story. When she returned home, she found her Mom and told her the story of Sister Betrille while jumping nonstop on the couch in her excitement. Her Mom, sitting at the kitchen table with Weed’s sister on her lap, listened patiently while smoking her cigarette. In the end she said nothing but hugged Weed and laughed.
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