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Bobbie Gene's Way
Rosemary McLemore
Copyright © 2020 Rosemary McLemore
All rights reserved
First Edition
NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING
320 Broad Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2020
ISBN 978-1-64531-887-3 (Paperback)
ISBN 978-1-64531-888-0 (Digital)
Printed in the United States of America
Table of Contents
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Bobbie Gene McKinney Dixon and her children. There is not a day that goes by where I won’t think of you, Mother (Mrs. Dixon), and not a birthday when I won’t cry for you. Your strong will, wittiness, and smile will carry us forward. Can’t help but laugh and cry at the same time when we, your children, will also do things Bobbie Gene’s Way.
Introduction
Growing up in the early seventies were some of the best times of my life. I can always go back there in my mind and think how we always seem to have so much going on. What made life so exciting was being with all my siblings as we explored the great backwoods of a small town known early on as Teaspoon, Florida. This tiny town would grow to be renamed Century, Florida. Being carefree and fearless is how we lived, loved, and learned. Things were so good in this small town but how good, we just didn’t know. What we did know early on was that things at home would be done Bobbie Gene’s Way.
Chapter 1
Backwoods Strong
Let me tell you a little bit about this lady, Bobbie Gene. Well, even though she only stood five feet tall, she had a spirit that was stronger and mightier than most. Growing up, she was petite with big brown beautiful eyes and an unforgettable smile.
Bobbie Gene grew up in an ordinary traditional household. She had her mother, father, and five brothers. With her five brothers around, she turned out to be quite the tomboy. She enjoyed doing things with her brothers like running through the woods, fishing, and shooting marbles. Needless to say, her parents weren’t very happy with her tomboy lifestyle. Living on backwoods road meant you had to work and play hard. This neighborhood consisted of mostly famers and housewives. However, there were some men who were able to obtain blue collar jobs. We stuck together in this tiny place as if it was us against the world. Most of our parents taught us to never expect handouts, but graciously accept if offered. We had each other’s back no matter what the outcome.
Her parents lived on a six-acre farm. Bobbie Gene and her brothers spent many days farming the land. Many long days were spent shelling peas, picking fruit, feeding pigs, and milking cows.
Farming season was often spent out in the hot scorching sun. While Bobbie Gene’s brothers didn’t seem to mind as much, this was part of the chores that she dreaded the most. Because she was a fair-skinned child, the sun would often burn her delicate skin. Back when she was growing up, nobody really used sunscreen. You put on your big straw hat and worked until the sun went down.
Bobbie Gene’s parents, Grandmama Rosia and Granddaddy Willie, believed that all their children had to work hard and pull their fair share. Being the only girl didn’t give Bobbie Gene any special treatment.
Her brothers were very protective of her. So when there was farm work to do that she just didn’t feel up to doing, they would pick up the slack for her. Even though they picked up the slack, she would sometimes still be put on punishment. There was very little that she could get away with.
As time went on through her teenage years, Grandmama Rosia started trying to dress her like the little girl she was meant to be; however, most of the time, Bobbie Gene’s coveralls took first place. Almost overnight, things started to change rather quickly for Bobbie Gene as she transformed into the beautiful young lady her mom knew was already there.
Becoming a teenage girl can often come with a lot of attitude, experiences, and resentments. When a teenage girl evolves into womanhood certain emotions start to play a key role. Things will come up and out of your mouth without thinking twice.
Well, Bobbie Gene wasn’t one to sit back too long before her true feelings would surface. Once she made the mistake of telling her parents how she really felt, that cost her dearly.
Being the only girl in the family, she was not allowed to participate in all the things her brothers enjoyed doing. She would have to come straight home from school for chores while her brothers participated in things with their friends. While her parents made sure that she had what she needed in school, they often overlooked the love she craved at home. This often left her feeling abandoned. Because her parents were so strict, this also led her to become very rebellious. Of course, her parents weren’t very happy with this behavior.
As time went on, her five brothers moved on to start their own lives in the world. Most of her brothers joined the military. Serving their country was just the beginning of a long journey ahead for the McKinley brothers. She stood proud as she acknowledged that her brothers fought in the Vietnam War. If we never knew any major words at that time, we knew the word Vietnam meant something special. The armed forces would later lead to Bobbie Gene’s sons all serving in various branches of the military.
In time, she was able to move out of her parents’ house and move down the street to a much smaller home that was once owned by her parents. She had gotten married to a military man and would start a family of her own. Back in the day, it was believed that if you married a military man, you were sure to have a stable home life. Well, things didn’t work out as expected; however, she was determined to take care of her children and make things work in spite of many tribulations that lay waiting.
Chapter 2
Tight Spaces
Our first house was a small three-room house that once belonged to our grandparents. Bobbie Gene actually grew up in this house. The small house had this huge fireplace in the middle of the house. My grandparents now lived in the big house up the road. If you can imagine being in a small house with eight screaming siblings and a mom who didn’t have much patience for nonsense, then you get the picture. Being that there was no inside plumbing, (yes) I said it, we had to use an outhouse and prime water from a well pump outside. As children, you don’t think much of what you don’t have; you’re just so glad to have (anything, something). Back then, a little was a lot. Water would be stored inside for drinking and taking baths. We would complain about having