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She lived in Charlotte, she was eventually able to say, and she was on her way to a party her father had forbidden her to attend, something she regretted even before the partygoers had become too drunk to drive and had lost control of the car they were in and ended up in a ditch. They managed to get the car out, but they had driven off and left her there in the dark.
She had no money. No way to get home. No shoes. My mother searched her closet to find some shoes for her -- gray suede penny loafers that were a couple of sizes too big. Getting her home was a little more difficult. We all piled into the car and took her to the bus station in nearby Salisbury. I remember how strange I felt, wearing my winter coat over my flannel, nursery-rhyme print nightgown. I didn't get to go to town at night very often, and at that time of year it was dazzling with Christmas lights, the kind you don't see anymore. Everything was so beautiful -- a real treat despite the strange young girl in the car who was still trying not to cry.
My father bought her a bus ticket to Charlotte -- which literally took all the money he had -- and he insisted that we would wait with her and make sure she got onto the bus all right. It seemed to take forever for the bus to arrive, but eventually it came. She got on it, and that was that. We never saw her again, never heard from her. But I always think of her this time of year and wonder what happened to her and whether she ever thinks of us in return...."
I’ve also included my late SIL’s legacy recipe for Lemon Fruit Cake in case you need a Family Christmas Tradition to round things out. One should not let the words “Fruit Cake” throw one—it really is good. - Cheryl Reavis
GAZIE'S LEMON FRUIT CAKE
1 pound butter
6 eggs at room temperature
2 and 1/3 cups of sugar
3 ounces of pure lemon extract ("pure" is underlined twice so I'm guessing it matters)
4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 and 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 pound candied cherries (red)
1/4 pound candied cherries (green)
1/4 pound candied pineapple, diced
1/4 pound white raisins
4 cups of chopped nuts
Lightly flour fruit and nuts with a couple of tablespoons of additional flour.
1 pound butter
6 eggs at room temperature
2 and 1/3 cups of sugar
3 ounces of pure lemon extract ("pure" is underlined twice so I'm guessing it matters)
4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 and 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 pound candied cherries (red)
1/4 pound candied cherries (green)
1/4 pound candied pineapple, diced
1/4 pound white raisins
4 cups of chopped nuts
Lightly flour fruit and nuts with a couple of tablespoons of additional flour.
Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
Add lemon extract and beat well.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Beat it into creamed mix a little at a time.
Fold in candied fruit and nuts.
Pour into 10" greased and floured tube pan.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours or until cake tests done.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
Add lemon extract and beat well.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Beat it into creamed mix a little at a time.
Fold in candied fruit and nuts.
Pour into 10" greased and floured tube pan.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours or until cake tests done.
THE FIRST BOY I LOVED is truly my “book of the heart.” Let me take you to a foreign land. Let me tell you a love story….
THE FIRST BOY I LOVED, available in all formats at online bookstores. (Don't have a Kindle? You can download the free Kindle app from the Amazon website to any device you have: phone, tablet, desktop, laptop.)
https://www.amazon.com/.../ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp…
