Buried Can’t in the Fence Corner
My heart cried out for Nanny Eve. I don’t remember why she was chosen to be my nanny, but I was sure missing her at the moment.
My mind went back to when I was three. She’d said, “My child, your Guardian Angel is right there on your shoulder.” I remember looking to see if I could see my angel. Nanny Eve had smiled at me when she said, “Child, you can’t see the angel, but if you listen very closely, your angel will speak to you in a wee small voice. God has given each and every one of us a guardian angel to watch over us and protect us. It doesn’t matter where we go, our Guardian Angel is with us. Child, you must always listen to that quiet voice within yourself for guidance. That’s the way God protects us in life. Now when you get to the place you think you know more than the angel that God has sent to protect you, that’s when the devil gets his turn with you. That’s the time you will get yourself into trouble. You just remember what I’m telling you. It will help you get through many a trial in life.”
I clung to those words as we got closer to the railroad station. I closed my eyes in hopes of blinking back the tears. I wanted to be three again and hear Nanny Eve say, “Child, you need to get yourself up under that table before someone runs you down.” Momma loved working with wood and had built a sixteen foot table for our kitchen that I spent much of my time sitting under and playing.
During the winter months the women dedicated themselves to putting scrap pieces of cloth together for making quilt tops. I had begged Nanny Eve to let me try. She had gone through every little detail I needed to know to make a successful quilt square. After I had cut my little squares she showed me how to thread my needle. Everything was going great until I got to my third little square piece of material. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t keep my seams straight. By the third time it puckered up on me, I was ready to quit. Nanny Eve walked by where I was sitting on the floor. I had reached up and yanked a handful of her dress.
“What, child?”
I had taken her by surprise. “Nanny,” I had cried with teary eyes, “I can’t do this!”
“Can’t? Can’t? Whatever do you mean child?” her voice had softened.
I showed her my puckered little mess.
“Take it apart and do it over”
“I did Nanny, it just won’t work. I can’t.”
She had exclaimed, “Whatever do you mean child? You know Mr. Marion and Miss Elma ain’t going to raise no quitters.”
“But Nanny,” I had pleaded, “I can’t.”
“Child, don’t tell me you can’t. Yes you can.”
“Why, Nanny?”
“Cause there’s no such thing as can’t. I done gone and buried can’t out yonder in the fence corner.” I couldn’t remember ever telling her I couldn’t do anything else after that incident. But, I sure wanted to tell her I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t go fifty miles away from home all by myself. What would happen if I couldn’t find the rooming house? All I had was a piece of paper with the address and a few directions scribbled on it. I was only thirteen. I had to find a job or I would starve and be homeless. I didn’t even have a penny on me.
I wasn’t sure why this was happening to me, but I could hear Nanny Eve say, ” I done gone and buried can’t out yonder in the fence corner.”
I finally realized my sister-in-law, Vernie, was speaking to me. I glanced at her, and she grinned.
“Welcome back to the real world. Don’t be scared. There’s not any reason to be worried. It won’t be long until you’ll meet a nice young man who’ll want to marry you and take care of you.”
At that moment, I heard the train whistle in the distance. It was time to stiffen my back and prepare myself for what I would be facing. I had to be mature enough to handle it; there was no choice.
