|
A Sister’s Personal
Tragedy
By Nancy Hampshire Rush
Author of My Mother’s Child
The following is a
selection from my book, “My Mother’s Child.” It reflects my memories of
a sister who faced the tragic loss of a child and the event that led to
that tragedy. It is also a story of dealing with that personal loss and
learning to live life without a vital member of her family. While the
memories I have of this accident are very vivid, I will never be able
to understand how this sister of mine found the strength and
perseverance to face the future.
When I was about eight or nine, there was a great tragedy in our
family. I was standing on our front porch when I heard someone
screaming. I told Mom and she said, “Oh, it’s probably that Tim Harris
again.” (Tim was a little bit famous in the neighborhood for all the
noise he made). I went back out on the porch and saw these two women on
each side of Margie dragging her up the street towards her house. It
seems that Ricky Joe had been hit by a car.
I guess what happened was that Gary and Ricky had asked Herbie if they
could go to Pinney’s Grocery - where they had to cross Main Street - to
buy some candy. He told them no. Then the two of them went in the
house to ask Margie. Knowing how kids are, they probably begged until
she said it was okay. I guess their intent was to buy some black
licorice candy so they could chew it up and spit “tobacco juice” like
Grandpa Elliott always did. According to Gary, they got their candy –
Ricky was holding the bag of licorice – and left the grocery store.
Gary took off and ran across the street and Ricky followed suit. It was
then that tragedy struck. Apparently, Ricky didn’t look for oncoming
traffic but just took off and ran to catch up with Gary. A car, driven
by a local gentleman, struck Ricky. The people who owned the grocery
store just happened to witness the accident from inside the store and
it was then that their son Bob ran out and grabbed Gary to make sure he
was okay.
I remember going down to the scene of the accident; it’s a picture in
my mind that’s just as vivid as if it happened yesterday. Ricky
was lying in the fetal position on his left side and had been hit so
hard the impact knocked his shoes off. Both shoes were sitting upright
and side-by-side as if he had just taken them off. Both shoes were
still tied and the sack of candy was clutched in his hands. The
ambulance took him to the hospital where he died that same day. The
date was August 28, 1951. The doctors later told the family that if
Ricky had lived, he would have been severely brain-damaged.
I can’t even begin to imagine how Margie and Herbie dealt with this
kind of tragedy. In those days, the casket was set up in the living
room of one’s home for a period of three days and friends and neighbors
came to the house to pay their respects. That is just too creepy for me
but that’s the way it was traditionally done. I can remember Margie
being put to bed and how hysterical she was until she was given
medication to calm her down.
The man whose car hit Ricky came to the viewing with his wife and sat
there for hours. I had never really thought of it before, because at
the time there was so much anger toward him, but I’m sure that he must
have gone through hell himself.
Life went on after the accident but it proved to be a troubling time
for my sister and brother-in-law. Additionally, Gary was now an “only”
child and he was also grieving for the little brother he had lost. I
know that Margie blamed herself for the accident, as did Herbie. Herbie
was torn by the fact that he had told Ricky he was not old enough to
cross a major street by himself, while knowing that he would soon be
starting school and doing this very thing while Margie bore the burden
of giving Ricky permission to cross the street by himself.
The toll on their personal lives was monumental. In time, Margie found
that she needed to find some type of employment. You have to
remember that Margie had quit high school and lacked a diploma or
formal training other than that of being a wife and mother. However,
she soon found a job working as a telephone operator at the local phone
company. This was in the days when you actually talked to a telephone
operator rather than listen to a recording. Mom took on the task of
babysitting for Gary during the hours Margie had to work.
“My Mother’s Child” is a
collection of stories of the Hampshire family in Darke County beginning
in the early 1800’s. It is steeped in county history with dozens of
photos, and is a ‘must read’ for Darke County history buffs. “My
Mother’s Child is available at Garst Museum, Bear’s Mill, Montage,
Heads or Nails by Candy and Fair Photo Express in Greenville, the
B&B Frame Gallery in Arcanum, Corner Cupboard, the Antique Mall and
Hair Productions in Union City and Curves and the Randolph Grille in
Winchester, Indiana for $25.00. Or you can query the author by emailing
County News Online at www.countynewsonline@gmail.com for further
information. Copies mailed will include a shipping and handling charge.
|
