Darla's Genealogy

Love, Grandpa And the Whiskey Bottle

This story originally published in the Antelope Valley Press in about 1995

It was probably about 1923 in Ada, Michigan. I was five years old and lived with my Grandparents, William and Dora Perkins as my Father, Benjamin McCrossen Perkins had died in the flu epidemic of 1918.

Gramps, Gram and I had been invited to Valentine's Day dinner at the local barbers house. Gramps decided to go over a day ahead and wallpaper their dining room, Of course I tagged along to watch and "help". I mixed the wallpaper paste and unrolled the paper for Gramps to cut and hang.

Gramps liked to keep a bottle of whiskey "hid" and do a little sipping. When things didn't go my way I'd tell him I would tell Gram where it was hidden. It might be in a box of nails, or in the bag of chicken feed. It seemed I always got my way when I'd mention Grandma. So with my bribed nickel in hand, off I'd go to the General store where they sold "penny" candy and a nickel would buy a bag full. So home I went with my "Loot"

We didn't have running water or inside plumbing on the Perkins farm, It was a "chic Sale" out back and a pump for the water. I used to like to lick the handle until I got my tongue frozen to the handle and Gramps had to thaw it with warm water so I could get un-stuck!. When I got home I pumped a pail of water for Gram and helped her make dinner that night, It was getting late and Gram said "What is taking Gramps so long?" He had been at the barbers house all day papering. No Gramps so we ate and I went off to bed.

A long time later I heard a loud crash, I came running out to see and in the kitchen, There sat Gramps on the floor with a red heart shaped box of candy in his hands, His valentine for Gram. But Gram had put a pail of water, dipper and all in the doorway and he had tripped over it and fallen, Gramps was covered in soapy water and the Valentine candy and it was all over the floor too. Needless to say Gram didn't approve of the drinkin' and would do anything to let him know it!

I looked at gramps and we snickered to each other, cleaned it up and off to sleep, once again I went.

Valentines Day found us at the Barbers house for dinner, Plates of food were heaped high and placed on the dinning room table, we all washed up and got seated, We said Grace and just then I looked up at the wallpaper and started to giggle out loud. Everyone was curious as to what I found so funny, I pointed to the wall. The wallpaper had all been hung upside down, Bouquets of flowers with their stems pointing up! Gramps looked a little sheepish and the air was blue and it didn't clear for a while!

I think the bottle stayed "hidden" for quite some time, Until the house needed a new roof and Grandpa fell off, but that's another story for another time!

Have a Happy Valentines Day.

Dorothy Perkins

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one of the many Valentine Love Stories the Valley Press has received over the past few weeks)