East Side: 1115 Central, Joplin, Mo. Leonard and Cozetta Thompson’s House

It’s Saturday morning in the neighborhood 6:00 a.m. Mrs. West’s rooster just crowed to wake everyone up. It’s an Indian summer day. Angie’s leaving to go to “the place,” that’s what we call Harper’s BBQ, her dad’s restaurant on Broadway. 

Bobby Gene, your Moma’s lookin’ for you, Uncle John yells out the window of his car. 
Bobby’s on the basketball court practicing his free throws with his buddies Donny and Ralph. They got up real early this morning to practice, the big game is tonight at Lincoln school. 

Daddy is outside getting the newspaper, inspecting his rose garden to see if there is anything else he needs to do to get them ready for the winter months to come.

He speaks to Mr. Jackson across the fence. Hey Theo, how are you, it’s a great day isn’t it? Leonard who do you think is going to win the game at Lincoln tonight? I don’t know it’s a toss up. Are you going? Oh sure, my dad says, see ya there.

Cheryl’s up getting ready to go to her voice lessons, that girl can sing, that’s what my Moma says. She’s always winning awards and stuff in school competitions. She can sing opera, jazz, gospel and the Supreme’s songs. Mr. Oliver Sovereign is her voice teacher, he thinks she’s the cat’s meow. Whatever that means. 

Tony is running around outside with his pajamas on dragging his quilt along as though he were a lost child in the woods. 
Boy, Dad calls to him, you’d better come in the house before you get in trouble besides it’s time for breakfast. 

Leisa is braiding her hair. She has brownies today, they’re going on a field trip to Neosho on the train no less. Don’t forget to make up your bed and straighten up that quilt, my Moma says. 

Rex Berry is trying to find his shoes, he doesn’t know where they are, he raises the quilt and looks under his bed. There they are hidden in front of his nose. Rex and Jeff are going to the movie matinee, they will be at the movies all day!! 

Tracy John, had to go to the barber shop today to get a haircut every Saturday. Tracy John make sure you straighten up that quilt on your bed before you leave today don’t leave your bed in a mess. Yes ma’am, I thought somebody better go help him, he’s the baby you know and he’s still learning how to make his bed. Oh here comes Tony to the rescue, they made the bed together just in the nick of time. Looks good boys, good job, that’s what my Daddy said. 

Leonard Jr., would you please set the table for breakfast? Moma do I have to? That’s a job for girls. Boy set the table. Someday you’ll have a wife and children of your own and whose going to show your children how to set a table? It won’t be me, he mumbled under his breath. Then he started singing anchors away my boy, anchors away, I’m going into the navy so I can travel all over the world and eat out in expensive restaurants all the time. I know one thing my Moma said, when you step into one of those expensive restaurants on the other side of the world I bet you’ll know what a butter knife looks like and is used for so hush and set the table. 

Mr. Jackson is cutting his grass and trimming the hedges and checking on the sidewalk in the back he just put down. 

Mrs. Jackson is throwing her quilts out on the line to dry. Oh my it’s laundry day at the Jackson’s house, that means Janny is home cleaning her room, she won’t be going anywhere today until her room is clean, poor girl. It’s a great sunny day outside. I hope she finishes her room soon, it’s a bike riding kind of day. 

Miss Cleo is the single lady that lives in the big white house across the street. Every Saturday the Lord sends, that’s what my Moma says, she hangs what all us kids call the sunshine quilt on her line to air out air out from what? That’s what I want to know. Her quilt is really pretty, in the middle is yellow, around the yellow is some light pink, then it goes on with some blue and then purple and then a soft mint green. It’s really pretty the way it waves in the breeze and all the colors show off as it moves back and forth but I still want to know why her quilt has to air out besides, what does air out mean? 

Moma’s in the kitchen cooking breakfast and starting her Sunday dinner, the smell of nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla entices my nose buds. 
She’s made sweet potato pies for Sunday, oh my goodness mm,mm,mm!!!!!!!!!! 

I’m in the kitchen, in the way of course, Moma do you need some help? 
No she answers, did you make your bed? Yes ma’am. Don’t you have violin lessons today? Yes ma’am, do I have to go? I don’t like the violin it sounds terrible. I can stay home and help you cook or sew or something? Moma, please? 
No, I think I have everything under control but I tell you what, this afternoon I have to go to Sister Lee’s house. Some of the ladies from the church are making lap quilts for the sick and shut-ins, you want to ride with me? 

Yeah, sure, this afternoon when I get home? Yeah sure! Oh, I mean, yes ma’am. 
Hey Moma, what does air out mean? Do you know? Miss Cleo across the street has her quilt on the line airing out every Saturday morning. My Moma laughed, and explained that dust can rest itself on blankets and quilts and the best way to get rid of what dust can bring is to shake it off and hang it on the line to air out. Imagine dust can rest and not move around wow! Made sense to me, so there, mystery solved she said. Yep, mystery solved, I said, thanks Moma, and skipped out of the kitchen. 

Then Moma announces, breakfast is ready, you better come on it’s time to eat. Sonie, go tell everyone that it’s time to eat breakfast. Like the town crier I called everyone to breakfast. 
Bacon, ham, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, pancakes, warm maple syrup, sliced tomatoes and cinnamon apples and Moma’s homemade pear preserves, mercy!!  It’s a feast! 
We all rush to the kitchen and slow down at the kitchen door. I wiped my hands on my pants to make sure they were dry. Good morning Moma, we sat down in our respective seats, the room quiets down, my Daddy folds his hands and bows his head to say grace. 

Bless the food we’re about to receive for the nourishment of our bodies through the Lord and savior Jesus Christ I pray, amen. I raised my head and peeked out the kitchen window, I was grateful even still that I had put my quilt on the line to air out so the dust wouldn’t rest on it, aaaaaaaaaa-men! 

That’s Saturday mornings at 1115 Central on the East Side of Joplin.

Amani 
Sonie 
Copyright 2005