I am sitting here at my desk looking out the window wishing for spring. Everything is brown and dead looking. But if I close my eyes I can almost smell lilacs and see green leaves and green grass growing. On my eleventh birthday I had my first birthday party with invited guests other than my family. I was so excited. I had a new store purchased dress, a new permanent, and six little girls to stay overnight.
Generally on my birthday, the lilacs would be in bloom. I have a picture of me with lilacs pinned to my new dress.
A trailer house was very uncommon in those days. Most people I knew lived in regular houses. The lady that lived in that trailer house I remember came to visit one day. My mother was very nice to her, but after she left, she said that it was alright if she didn't visit again. I thought that was unkind. I liked her and besides that she wore lipstick and makeup on her face. A day or two after my birthday party, I decided that I would find her house and take her a bouquet of lilacs. I walked up the lane and looked both directions before I crossed the highway. I had to be careful, because I had not told my mother where I was going. I was afraid that she would not let me go. I spotted the trailer house about a mile away. It probably wasn't that far, but it seemed like it. It was parked in the middle of a field. As I approached the trailer, I felt disappointment. There in her yard were lilac bushes in full bloom. I knocked on her door and she answered it with a smile. I think she was lonely all by herself with no one to talk to. She was very gracious and thanked me for the lilacs and immediately put them in a glass of water. I noticed how clean and pretty her house was. She had an embroidered table cloth on her little table and put the flowers in the middle so we could both enjoy them. I can remember how wonderful they smelled. We visited for a little while, and then she asked me if my mother knew where I was. i told her no, and she told me to hurry and go home so that my mother wouldn't worry. I did just that. I never told my mother what I had done that day. I wondered about that lady sometime afterwards because the trailer was gone. I hope she still picks lilacs for her table.