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My Uncle bought this Buick
for me to drive to school. It was a beautiful convertible in a soft
yellow, and an interior of rich tan leather upholstery. As long as I
behaved myself, it was mine. In the summers I drove for my uncle for wages
while he engaged in his Indian artifact and souvenir business. This is
what the trailer on the back is about. He trusted me completely and would
often sleep between appointments while we covered great expanses of the
country. It was a busy joyful time and there are no complaints. The effort
I put into school as to doubling up on studies was of great use to me
because it wasn't long after this, my father was injured on the job and I
had to go to work.
By working at Chilocco
Indian School I was able to make very good wages at the time. Rent was
eleven dollars a month there. I had a meal ticket at the café for
twenty-eight dollars a month. The most expense I had was the pair of shoes
bought usually every two weeks. The walks on the campus from my room to my
job, to the café, the main office and back to the principal's office on
cement sidewalks were what ate my shoe soles up. The rest of my salary
went to my family at home, my two brothers, my sister, Mother and Father.
Mother was working a double shift cooking in a café but it wasn't enough.
This didn't last forever though. Dad soon recovered and was able to resume
his work. This is when I began to save in order to return to college which
my husband, Rodney Lee Flood and I attended together after our marriage in
1957. |
