Small town girls: life in the 1950s (for RussianBunny)

[Renton]

Becky thought the time over and agreed. She didn't want to impose on her new friend, or the pastor. "8:30 is fine, mama," she said. "I'll see you then." She hung up the phone and went to find Olive. "My mother will pick me up in an hour and a half, if that's all right with you, Pastor Driver," she said. She then turned to Olive with a smile, hoping the girl would lead the way. Becky was sort of hoping Olive would show her around the house. For so long she'd viewed it as a spooky old place, she never thought of it as somewhere people would live.

~~~~~~~~

Jordan sighed sadly when Olive told him what had happened at the dance. "Someone should tan that boy's hide," he said, shaking his head. "You don't take a girl to a dance and then mistreat her. That is just uncalled for." Jordan knew that times were changing and kids were looser today in their interactions with the opposite sex than in his time, but he still didn't see any excuse for being rude to a young lady. "I don't mind, sweetheart," he said. "I was going to head to bed as soon as you were back, but I didn't expect you back so soon. If you need anything I'll be reading in my study."

Becky emerged from her phone call and he smiled. "That sounds fine, Becky," he said. "You girls have fun." He returned to his study to read, leaving Olive and Becky in the front hallway.

[Bye_bye_birdie45]

Olive knew very well that boys should treat girls well - and vice-verse, on a similar scale - and she knew her father's heart was in the right place. Still, it made her feel a little uneasy whenever she heard him talk about spanking so openly: usually because when he talked about it, it meant she was getting it. Pavlov's dog and all that, Olive guessed.

"I'm going to give Becky a tour of the house, Daddy, then we'll be in my room," Olive said. "I'll be sure that we stay quiet so you can read easy." When Becky returned and her father went to read, Olive grinned and gave her an excited hug before saying, "I want to show you around."

Which, of course, lead into a tour of everything in the house - except for her father's study and his bedroom - and she ended it with showing Becky both her bedroom and her "office", which was really a room with all of Olive's scrapbook and photography stuff. There was a small box marked Cameras, which had her cameras and her film and Polaroid paper, and there were a few scarce pictures around the room: one of the house, one of the church, another of her father and mother (it was taken only a few months before her death). "I have my own office, since I don't have any brothers or sisters: and I'm going to put a typewriter right here," she said, putting her hands on top of the desk she had. "And I'm going to write stories or articles or whatever else I can think of."

[Renton]

Becky followed Olive around, her eyes wide with interest at how big and old the building was. When Olive showed Becky her "office", she squealed with delight. "This is wonderful. When you have siblings like I do, you just don't have much space," she said. "You're a writer, then?" she said, inquisitively. She looked around the room. "Such a perfect atmosphere for a writer, I think." She felt the surface of the desk and looked up at the pictures. One of them was clearly one of Olive and her parents. She felt a surge of sympathy for Olive again as she looked at the photo. "Your mama was very pretty," she said. "You look like her," she added with a smile.

[Bye_bye_birdie45]

"You have siblings?" Olive asked, grinning a little. She had liked the idea of having a sibling of course, but she knew it wasn't exactly meant to be, unless her father decided to adopt (which she doubted would happen now). "Could you tell be about them?"

"Oh, yes, I love to write! I love to take photographs too, but getting the film printed is expensive, so I have to wait a lot before I can see them." Such was life, and Olive was content with that. "It's very quiet in here, especially when Daddy reads downstairs. Sometimes he practices his sermons, and I type them up and keep them for later. I know that sounds really weird."

"Thank you," she said, with a small smile as Becky noticed the photo of her mother. "I miss her a lot, but I see her everyday in my mirror, so that's a blessing."

[Renton]

Becky smiled sadly at the thought of her siblings. She loved them very much, and was close to them. At the same time, they had both so thoroughly met Jennifer's hopes and dreams that she sometimes felt like it was an insurmountable obstacle to live up to them.

"My big brother Joshua is the oldest. He's 23" she said. "He's a lieutenant in the Army, first team all-American football player, the works. His dream is to be governor someday. My sister Jeanne is 21. She got married last year to her high school sweetheart, after he finished college. He's on his way to being very wealthy. He's in advertising. She... lives in New York now," Becky said, sadly. "I guess I have more space than I used to," she chuckled, trying to keep the mood from being glum. "But mama won't let me use their old rooms, so they can have them when they visit." She shrugged.

Becky smiled when Olive told her she typed her father's sermons up. "That's not weird," she said, although it was a bit eccentric, she felt like she knew Olive well enough that it wasn't oddball. "Good practice for typing, if anything."

Becky found herself putting her hand on Olive's shoulder supportively as the girl talked about her mother. Becky could not comprehend what it would be like to lose a parent. Even if she and her mother often didn't see eye to eye, she still loved Jennifer more than just about anyone.

"Where's the radio?" she asked, suddenly in the mood to have some fun with her new friend, in a day that had been full of emotional ups and downs. "I know a station that plays only the best new songs around this hour," she added, hoping Olive would be open to listening to some contemporary music. If Gospel tunes were all she could listen to, though, that would be fine, and not all that unusual, and least when parents were around.

[Bye_bye_birdie45]

Olive grinned when Becky spoke about her family. They all sounded very nice, and she could see why she loved them and missed them. "Well, I hope they visit often, so you don't have to miss them as much," she quipped, hoping her cheerful tone would also cheer her up.

"It certainly helps with my speed," Olive said, then she admitted. "I... It makes me feel better doing it because, I'll read the words on the paper, and I can hear his voice and... I don't know. He would be gone a lot after my mom died, and it helped..." She put a hand on top of Becky's supportive one, then she grinned. "Our radio is downstairs: it's a big old, one, and it's a little static, but we'll have to keep it down low so we don't bother Daddy."

Then, tiptoeing like mice, Olive showed Becky back into their living room where the large, brown radio stood.

[Renton]

Becky eyed the radio and and let out an "oooh." "This is nice one, the big types they used to make before televisions began taking up room space," she said, running her hands down the sides of the radio. Jennifer had told many a tale about how families used to gather around the radio after supper. She knew that one of her favorite soap operas, Guiding Light, began as a radio show, which Becky always thought was interesting. She turned the dial, and then made sure the volume wasn't too loud. "Ooh, I love this one," she said as she hit upon something on the scanner. It was the new Johnny Cash song, "Walk the Line". Country wasn't Becky's favorite, but there was something about Johnny Cash's voice that she loved. She sung along for a little bit before turning to Olive. "Sorry for taking over so quickly. What do you like to listen to?" she asked.

[Bye_bye_birdie45]

Olive grinned a little as Becky's compliment about their radio. They had inherited it with the house, which she thought was a blessing since they didn't have the money to purchase a television (like many of the other families in the town). She and her father used it constantly, whether to listen to the news or radio shows or music.

Sitting down in a nearby chair, she urged Becky to scoot close to the radio as well, since they had turned it down so low. "I'm fine with listening to whatever you'd like to listen to... but I don't think Daddy would appreciate if any rock music comes on."

[Renton]

Becky nodded, understanding. She was a rock enthusiast to say the least, but a lot of people weren't comfortable with it, and she was not going to put Olive on the spot. She wondered if Olive might listen to her rock records with her back at home, but that would be another time. Becky sat down and leaned against the wall, rocking her feet back and forth to the music. Time passed and at 8:30 she remembered that one of her favorite radio programs was on. "Have you ever listened to to Suspense?" she said, excitedly. It was a radio show that featured dramatic mysteries and tales of suspense, often starring famous actors. It was great fun, and the content was clean enough for the whole family without being boring for Becky. "Tonight's episode is supposed to have Cary Grant and Lucille Ball in it!" she added, wondering if that would sweeten the deal.

[Bye_bye_birdie45]

Olive was grateful that Becky didn't push about the rock issue: she didn't mind it, to be honest, but she hadn't heard a lot of it because her grandmother and her father didn't want her listening to it (just like many other parents in her old town had been). But she did enjoy the music that Becky picked, and when 8:30 rolled around, she forgot that was when Becky's mom was meant to show up.

She shook her head. "I've never listened to it." For more reasons than one. "I do love Lucille Ball, though..." However, before she could say yes or no, there was a knock at the door, and she checked the clock. "Oh, that might be your mother!" she chirped, feeling slightly disappointed. The time had passed so quickly!