auctioneer

GRANDMA SUZANNE AND COLONEL KATHLEEN

/ middlesisterkathleen / 2 Comments

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

I’d heard that voice before. It was the lion tamer in my head, ready with its whip and chair.

As I sat behind the other auctioneer waiting for my turn, it piped in again.

“What do you think you are doing? This is your hometown, you know. These people have known you longer than anyone, and you are getting ready to humiliate yourself in front of several hundred of them. I told you a long time ago to get back in your cage, and you didn’t listen. Now, look what you’ve gone and done. You have no choice but to get up and try to pull this off. You will likely fall on your face, but you were warned. Yes, you’ve done this enough times to know what you are doing, but this crowd is different. These are your people from long ago, so good luck.”

Once again, I told that voice to shut up. I didn’t completely doubt it, but I couldn’t let it win. I had been professionally trained, volunteered for this, signed up willingly, gave my word, told everyone I would, and now it seemed there was no way out of taking my turn calling bids at my hometown’s annual church picnic auction, a fundraiser that supports the private Catholic school I graduated from so many years ago.

I wanted to help, but I also wanted to run away. I knew I had to go through with it, and I did. And I didn’t fall on my face, at least, I don’t think I did. I am a novice with a long way to go before I sound like the professionals who have been doing it for years–if I ever do. But, I think I did okay. Once again, I was “Colonel Kathleen,” the title used by auctioneers.

Perhaps it is because the fine folks from my hometown are kind-hearted, or maybe I really did do okay up there behind the mic, but I survived my turn calling bids, I was warmly received and the show went on. I faced that fear, and made it through the “baptism by fire,” as a fellow alumni friend called it.

I did the thing I thought I couldn’t do.

*********

The celebration is a much-anticipated, locally famous community-wide effort that fosters the ever-present, strong sense of community in our small hometown.

The community continues to support a small grocery store with a big reputation for “Tipton Sausage.” It was recently purchased by a young couple with family ties here, feeding the mouths and the souls of area residents. Everyone is thrilled to support this legacy by supporting the new owners. Gail stocked up on this famous sausage this weekend.

The annual celebration includes a train ride around town. I didn’t get to take the tour on it this year but Gail did. She captured its reflection as it ferried the riders down Main Street.

If you have never been to Tipton, Kansas, I hope you someday will get the chance to take your own tour around town. You cannot fail to notice the pride that the residents have in their small town, there is nary an unkempt house or yard to be seen. Everyone takes care of their own space to continue to present and preserve a beautiful community.

Our annual visit last weekend also consisted of a visit to the cemetery. We normally take a burger and a beer to Mom and Dad, but the burger line was too long, and the storm was brewing, so it was only a beer this year. I know they understood.

The storm did indeed continue to brew. Suzanne and I headed home with our families in tow and stayed just ahead of it. Unfortunately, the storm did shut down the celebration, but only until it passed. The folks in our hometown are resilient; they just keep going. It’s what they have always done. The auction typically continues until late in the evening, and since it was already simulcasted online, the remaining items are being sold online, instead of the live/online combination. The burger and beer stands were in business throughout, as I understand from Gail and other family members.

Another church picnic is in the books; thank you to our hometown for continuing this legacy. Thanks especially to all our hometown readers. There are two–B.G and S.L–who gave me the nicest compliments on this blog at the picnic. You both made me realize I can share both joy and pain with my writing. I believe that joy multiplies when shared, and pain is divided when shared. My goal is to do both.

*********

I have saved the most exciting news for last: Suzanne is now a grandma! Jasper Ellis Miller was born to her daughter at the end of July, on the same day I gave birth 23 years ago. Mother, baby and grandma are all doing fine, and Suzanne has now joined the ranks of grandma with Gail and me.

Welcome, Jasper! Congratulations, Suzanne!

Thank you Tipton, Kansas!

THE LIBERTY LIST

/ middlesisterkathleen / 11 Comments

“According to my watch, the time is now.” –Jimmy Buffet

My generation remembers where we were and what we were doing 21 years ago today: I sat in the recliner all day, holding my sick baby as he slept, watching the horror unfold before my eyes on TV. These memories are seared into the brain of anyone old enough to remember that dark day, the day that forever changed our country.

Gail was preparing her soon-to-be opened donut shop for business. I called and told her about it, she hadn’t heard yet. She went home to watch it on TV, something she rarely does. She knew this needed her attention at that time. The donut shop could wait.

Suzanne arrived at work, not knowing what was happening. She and her co-workers remained glued to the TV for the rest of the day. Her five-year-old daughter had a friend over that evening, and they wanted to watch TV. She heard her ask him what they should watch. He replied innocently, “I guess we could watch the explosion channel.” We all remember there wasn’t much else on, and he realized this, too.

That dark day won’t ever be forgotten, nor should it ever be forgotten. The people who lost their lives that day should be remembered as heroes, even though they likely had no idea what was happening in those horrific moments leading up to their deaths.

The rest of us get to continue to live our lives, even though that scar will always be on the face of our country. The family members and loved ones of the victims, as well as the first responders and others who sacrificed their safety that day should always hold a special place in our memories and hearts as well.

Our veterans, active duty military, Reserves and National Guard are the heroes every day of every year; they are the ones who protected and continue to protect the freedoms most of us take for granted–including me.

Our small hometown held its 150th birthday celebration last Saturday; Suzanne and I were able to go to this special gathering, but Gail couldn’t join us. The veterans of our hometown who were present were honored with recognition: a profoundly moving speech and a special flag salute by some of our town’s youth, followed by a standing ovation:

They are the reason we live in this nation of freedom. We have so many liberties that we fail to realize, all thanks to them.

One of them is the opportunity to travel freely about this country, and take in all it has to offer. Gail, Suzanne and I do our best to enjoy this privilege. Another is to partake in whatever activities interest us, because this country is indeed the land of liberty.

Which is why the term “bucket list” is widely known. Popularized by a movie of the same name, many of us have a list of things we’d like to do, or places we’d like to travel to before we euphemistically “kick the bucket.” Instead of using that term, however, I decided to call it “The Liberty List.” It reminds me that I am so fortunate to have these liberties.

My 25-year-old son lives on the other side of the world. He is checking something big off his “Liberty List” at a relatively young age, exercising the freedom he has as an American to put this big world right in the palm of his hand. He has had the opportunity to travel to other countries as well, and has given himself permanent reminders of this liberty.

Last year, when America was celebrating it’s Independence Day, he traveled to Egypt with 5 other American friends. To remind themselves of this freedom, they gave themselves a permanent reminder in the local language–Arabic. This year he spent July 4th in Thailand, and added to this reminder in Thai:

The translation is “freedom” or “liberty,” both translate into the one foreign word. You pick the one you like best. I like the ring of “liberty.” And what kind of a mother would I be if I didn’t follow my son’s example? An unfit one, that’s for sure. So, my next tattoo will be inside my upper arm, just like his, with “Liberty” as my English word of choice.

I am already sure I will never regret this permanent reminder of all that America has given me.

*********

I asked Gail and Suzanne what they had on their “Liberty Lists.”

Gail: “I don’t really have one. I just live life to the fullest every day.” I can attest to this. She makes every moment of every day the most it can be, whether it is working one of her multiple jobs, or cruising around with her friends in “Lola,” her 1974 Chevy Nova, into the wee hours of the morning. It’s usually a party whenever Gail is there. Always has been, always will be.

Suzanne: “Going to any beach, anywhere, anytime.” Simple and true. If you recall, my maiden post on this blog just over five years ago detailed our epic beach trip to Florida (The Sister Lode, June 16th, 2017). We haven’t been back to a beach together since, but it is on all three of our “Liberty Lists.”

If you know me, you may want to be sure to be sitting down when you read what I am soon to check off my list. When I tell people, it is generally met first with disbelieving laughter, then something along the lines of, “That’s so cool!”

This endeavor has been on my Liberty List for some time now, and the time is right to check it off. I see it as a natural extension of my 28-year career as a speech therapist. I have been a speech scientist, and now it is time to be a speech artist.

I will spend eight days at the end of October/beginning of November in Des Moines, Iowa, training to become–wait for it–an auctioneer! I have long been fascinated with this skill, knowing that one day I would learn it. That day has come. I don’t know yet how much, or in what capacity I will use it, but I am doing it–now! All we have is now, and as the wise Willie Nelson says, “It’s always now.”

*********

Now only comes once, which is why I am struggling so much with some heartbreaking news I received this week. A friend, a bright light with an electric smile and unforgettable laugh, was cruelly taken by COVID and its complications. We bonded after she lost her parents separately, but both in devastating ways. We understood each other. We spoke this dreadful language. We connected, but I had let too much time pass, knowing I needed to reach out to her again. But I didn’t do it then, and I can’t do it now. My heart breaks for her family, because I know how it feels to lose your mother way too young.

I’m not feeling the strength yet, but I will regain it after this heartbreaking news, and I will check a few more things off my Liberty List. They are things I have needed to do for some time in order to reach out to other important people.

We never know when it may be too late. I smugly thought I had learned the Life is short lesson after our parents died in that one moment, but if I think I have fully learned it, that only means I need to go back to school. Clearly, I didn’t. It is a lifetime of learning in order to make sure every now is the most it can be.

We would all be well-advised to think back 21 years ago to September 12th, or perhaps a few more days or weeks later, when so many people used that tragedy to galvanize their efforts to create more peace toward each other. Let’s all do our best to do that again, every day. Connect with those you need to reach out to before it’s too late. The time is now.

So, turn off the explosion channel in your head; we’ve all seen enough, and it will always be there. Use that memory to honor those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones, the first responders and our military–past and present.

And get out there and work on your Liberty List.

Raise your hand high and place your bid on that.