[4] Two for 2 Bits

Annie Mae saw an opportunity for her fourteen-year-old daughter to escape their life of poverty when she signed consent papers for Evelyn to marry a man in his early 30s. You would think getting out of that existence would have been a blessing.

The decision Annie Mae hoped would redeem Evelyn’s childhood, only further delayed her redemption. 

The newlywed couple moved from Natchez to Vicksburg to start a new life together as husband and wife. Evelyn’s hope of a relationship rooted in mutual love and respect, was replaced with days and nights spent in fear and submission. Too much alcohol, too little tenderness. Too much anger, too little kindness. Too much pain, too little joy.

(I remember well the night my mother shared this chapter of her life. She rarely looked at me as she recanted the terror of a young girl caught in the trap of despair and hopelessness. Her eyes were fixated, distant, peering into the window of the past, watching a horrifying replay of a season of life rarely thought of, yet never forgotten. She winced and recoiled as she shared the times of abuse, as if it had all just happened.)

Evelyn kept her young age a secret, so she could gain employment at the local Five and Ten Cent store. First to arrive, eager to help, she quickly found favor with her new employer. After a few weeks, she was moved to the register where she found an innovative way to win a store-wide contest.

Talcum powder tins were placed at the register as an add-on for purchases. The cashier who sold the most tins would win a dinner certificate at the “Help Yourself” diner down the street. Evelyn used her ingenuity and competitive instinct to close every transaction with the comment, “Don’t forget our special this week: Talcum powder two for 2 bits,” as she added 25 cents to her customer’s bill. Rarely did anyone turn her down.

The catch? The tins sold for 10 cents each!

The dinner was one of the most satisfying meals Evelyn ever enjoyed.

~~~

This…the beginning of mother’s upside-down perspective on how to get ahead in life.

More to come…