Life Was Hard, But The Food Was Delicious (cont)

Jim, Allen’s stepson, remembers a time soon after they had moved to the farm that demonstrated Allen's tender heart. Jim was about ten and was very sick with the flu. He awoke from a fevered sleep to find that Allen had caught a little wild rabbit and put it in bed with him. Jim and Allen grew very close, Jim becoming the son that Allen had always wanted. Just before Jim was going overseas in the military service, he told Allen that he was going to save money while he was overseas. Allen told him not to. Instead he told him to have a good time, because the country that Jim was going to was one that Allen had always wanted to visit and being there would be a once in a lifetime experience. Enjoying himself while there was more important than saving money. They then went out and tied one on.

Audrey and Allen had their problems. Portia and Veta were very unhappy in their new family situation. Portia lost herself in her books and school affairs for the four years it took her to finish high school. After Portia graduated and left home, things got even worse for Veta. When she was just 14, Allen moved Veta to Ada Bell’s house where she was to work for her room and board. But, soon afterward, Veta decided to move to her friend Olene Willis’s house where she lived until she married Olene’s brother, Dale Cooper.

As children, we didn’t see much of our mother after she left. Now and again she would turn up one afternoon and soon be gone again. She was there several times, however, when we really needed her. For example, she visited us when Portia was badly burned in a butane explosion. Virginia also came to Portia’s graduation and took her back to Dallas. Virginia helped Portia get a job as a car hop where Virginia worked so that Portia could pay her rent while she looked for a better job. Virginia also helped Portia get her start in Dallas after Portia had collapsed just as she was finishing college. Virginia helped Veta, at 16, to move to Dallas with her husband, Dale, and daughter, Darla.
Eventually, we were able to restore our relationship with our mother. She even lived with each of us for a time.

We were not able to be close to our father while he was married to Audrey. However, after their divorce we were able to become his family again.

Allen and Audrey in their years of financial problems sold the farm except for the 10 acres on which the house stood. Allen lost even that in his divorce from Audrey. However, Portia was able to make her father very happy in 1984 when she bought back the 10 acres where the house was, and where the barn still stands.

Allen eventually became cheerfully bitter about the effects his relationships with women had had on his life. Not long before his death in a talk with Portia he said with a laugh that “He knew he wasn’t going to Hell because it was full of preachers and women.”