Cat Food and Crackers
Getting Through Life With a Little Humor
After Grandma died, Aunt Sarah sank into a deep depression and hardly ever left her bedroom. That meant Uncle Joe, and I cooked or reheated leftovers.
I listened to a lot of music and watched TV that made me laugh. Chico and The Man, Good Times, Welcome Back Kotter, and What’s Happening!! Were a few favorites that got me through the sadness at home.
Uncle Joe still dropped me off and picked me up at school every day. He’d bring the Detroit News or Free Press and read until I came out and jumped into the big blue station wagon.
“You want to stop at the store on the way home?” He asked.
“Sure, I said.”
Uncle Joe never shopped without a list. Between his grocery list and Aunt Sarah’s, shopping was an Olympic event.
“Where are we going?”
“Felice’s — my prescriptions are ready.”
We shopped at the stores with the best deals for what we needed or that doubled coupons. By the time we finished, our cart was overflowing.
Uncle Joe must have sensed Aunt Sarah was in a cycle of staying upstairs because he stocked up on TV dinners. I could gag them down when I needed to. He always bought a couple of the turkey dinners for me…
