Me and Oil Can Harry

Mother was stuck taking us everywhere she went, even to buy a new washing machine just  days before her fourth baby was born.  She never asked anyone to keep us since that would have insured she had to return the favor and keep someone else’s monsters in return, probably some of our killer cousins.  She was always on guard against that.  We followed her into to appliance store.  It was maddeningly dull to me and my Brother Billu.  We wanted to ride in the dryers and jump on the doors, but she put a stop to that pretty quickly, making us sit on our hands with our backs to each other wher Phyllis could watch us.  Eventually, she made her choice and went to sign the mortgage papers.  I knew all about mortgages!  I was an avid fan of Mighty Mouse! He’d saved Sweet Alice countless times when Oil can Harry was about to do her in all on account of that danged mortgage, and here my own sweet mother was about to sign a mortgage.  I set up a protest, as only a righteous eight year old can do!

“” Mother, Mother, don’t sign it.  We’ll lose the house se!  Please don’t sign a mortgage!”

She was infuriated, as only an overwrought pregnant woman can be, snarlingly at me hatefully through clenched teeth. “. Go over ther and sit down.  If you say another word, I’i’ll tear you up right here in this store!”