Mary Morgan's Birthday Party

September 10, 2013

This morning at 3 a.m. I was awakend with a start. Oh, damn, it must be that "showing up" birthday party with its snafus exploding again. What this time, I pleaded with my mind?

I was answered almost immediately: Saturday I was telling an entertaining story about Alderson, my birthplace's, claim to fame--Fed. Penitentiary for Women, Axis Sally, Martha Stewart, etc., "A good place to spend time" on a popular T shirt and here, at Bryan Center, Yellow Springs, Ohio, about 6 feet in front of me was Hazel Tulecke who had "showed up" at the School of Americas, committed civil disobedience, was arrested, fined and punished with months of incarceration at The Federal Prison for Women at Alderson, WV and it was NOT in the video nor had I remembered it at the party.

 I was mortified. I had heard Hazel herself tell me, the first month I was in Yellow Springs, of her experience in Alderson. I was greatly impressed with her bravery and her commitment to peace and justice.

Two years later I stopped in Alderson, on my way to inter my sister Virginia's ashes in the family plot, and to see, one more time, my birthplace. Before leaving the town I wanted to show Jan Alderson's Department Store (now on the Nat'l Historic Registry). It a beautiful example of "art deco" architecture and natural woodwork interior.

We stopped and shopped! That store was where my father bought our textbooks while we looked at the gorgeous clothes we could not afford. But now, no longer poor, I looked at clothes and immediately saw what I wanted to take back to Yellow Springs--a ladies knit shirt that said, "Alderson-A Nice Place To Spend Time", which on my return to Yellow Springs I gave to Hazel Tulecke along with a note thanking her for her "showing up" to protest the SOA. Bill told me later that she wore it every day until he suggested she take it off to be laundered.

How is it possible, that 8 years later, I could have forgotten about Hazel and didn't get that in my "Showing Up'' video? And even worse watched the video at my birthday party, told about the famous T shirt with Hazel almost in my line of sight and still didn't remember it. I am mortified.

Today, Monday, after a rousing game of Jolley Ball (chair volley ball at the Senior Center) I asked Bill to hear this confession. Yes, when he saw and heard my video he remembered about Hazel and regretted that he hadn't picked out that shirt for her to appear in at the party. Hazel had other plans for the afternoon and they left early. Bill came back prepared to tell about Hazel's "showing up" at the SOA but the party was breaking up and he didn't get the chance . What a golden opportunity to enrich my "showing up" party that was omitted by my increasing "onset dementia" (that's the professional diagnosis--normal decline--not Alzheimer's, thank the goddess.)
 
Bill took my apology with a chuckle and told me about his friend who forgot his wife at a service station. That's Bill. Hazel waited, silent and patiently, for us to finish our conversation.

I'm sending this story to everybody in my email address book to make some amends and to show off the lovely birthday cake picture. Thanks Pat. In sisterhood, Mary M, Morgan, 88 tomorrow.