Thanks to memories shared in histories and journals, and the prompt for this week's Six Sentence Stories - Migration provided by Denise of Girlie on the Edge's Blog, a story written in six sentences was easy to create. This story is dedicated to my mother, who passed away this month and because of a move from a mountain home in the Ozarks did go on to attend and graduate from high school in California. If you want to read more of her adventurous move, click here.
“What about all those jars of fruit I canned and our pump organ?”
“I think that they just want us closer and know I can’t take care of this big farm by myself. Ever since I got sick with malaria and we had to move to the Ozarks, they've worried about us and how the rest of our children wouldn’t have a school to attend up here beyond the eighth grade. They think we will have more opportunities in California and want us to join what seems to be the great migration westward.”
“Hopefully they are right, and if we get everything sold, we should all be able to squeeze into the Model T and be there with them by Thanksgiving.”
“It looks like we will be ending the year of 1929 with some new adventures, hopefully good ones.”
Historical fiction?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is.
DeleteImagine the world, to drive for months to get where one can arrive in three days by the same mode of travel.
ReplyDeleteSo different, yet as the shaping of your story allows, not so terribly unfamiliar.
Very familiar, Clark.
DeleteSo many dreams were shattered in 1929 and the following decade. A real American Tragedy. You could go on from here and book this...Good six.
ReplyDeleteThe year 1929 was the beginning of many tragedies, but some triumphs too.
DeleteGuess 1929 had more in store than most expected.
ReplyDeleteIt surely did.
DeleteIt certainly did.
DeleteIt definitely did.
DeleteHow very, very different life was then! And so very difficult. There must have been an equal sense of satisfaction at having achieved such a goal. A life changing experience in more ways than the obvious.
ReplyDeleteTo be able to look back and think about the fact that they made it certainly held a degree of satisfaction and was an example to those who followed that they too could do hard things.
DeleteA lovely dedication to the truths of your dear mother's history. We made the move to California when I was in 7th grade, auctioned all our belongings off and it was mom, dad, Jeffrey and me, all the rest onward with their lives. You may have inspired me to tell that story. More needs to be told, I am learning more each day God gives us on this earth.
ReplyDeleteThere really is so much to be learned from the journeys families take, and I think the perspectives vary from individual to individual within families. I agree that each day on this earth gives us new lessons to learn and more time to practice those things we are learning.
DeleteThe many reasons for folks to pick up and go. I hope it worked out.
ReplyDeleteIt worked out. I wouldn't even be here, had one of those people not moved to California!
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