A Short Walk to Faraway Places

     Wilma had no children of her own and no husband, but a host of kinfolk lived in the tiny dilapidated house on the “other” side of town by the railroad tracks. A city bus brought her within walking distance to the house five days a week. She stayed from early morning till late afternoon when Mamma returned from work and George Bibb resurfaced to prove the South could rise again. An occasional ride home in the family’s Chevy broke the monotony Wilma encountered from the daily routine and hassle of double bus rides. Her pay was fifteen dollars or less, a week, or less maybe, and she might have been glad for that. Deane and George Bibb were pleased to have dependable help from a kind woman, but Nannie complained that $15.00 exceeded the necessary wage for a “negro”.

     Each morning Deane walked a few blocks in her high heels and knee-length skirts to an office downtown. She was an eye-catcher for sure. Her life in Montgomery cultivated a new dimension as she began to realize the route to the office presented life beyond the confines of tradition and familial expectations, not to mention freedom from the watchful eye of George Bibb and his mother. This new autonomy at The State Abstract Company became both a boon and bondage.

The business card is one from a later date when things had changed quite a bit. The State Abstract Company was at 23 South Perry, downtown Montgomery for it seemed, eons, and it was owned and run by Jack Thorington, a local Montgomery attorney several years older than Mamma. She worked as a clerk, or a secretary for Jack in the early days and continued as a loyal employee and friend for over thirty years. Her tenure, experience, and dedication earned her the reputation as a top-notch abstract guru. When Jack sold the business after he had run his course,  Mamma saw some reward when she was asked to head the new State Abstract Company under new ownership of Mr. Ed, or Ed Azaar. The company moved a few blocks to Washington Street at that time.

Back to the old days and Wilma...

     On a typical Monday morning, after eight years and a couple of raises, Wilma did not come to work. An appointed friend called to break the news that our faithful companion was moving to Detroit and not returning to work. She just disappeared. Her abrupt departure shocked and afflicted the family in various ways-the little ones old enough to have a serious bond tasted their first indisputable rejection. Deane felt obvious disappointment and a sense of loss in not having the one person she had trusted all those years to help her with the children and house. Things would be difficult until someone could take Wilma’s place. Could anyone take Wilma’s place? Did she know how important she was? Was it too hard to say “good-bye”? Or was it a one-sided affair? Her puzzling departure left many unanswered questions and remained a mystery and source of sadness, especially for the children and Deane.