Railroad Man by Alle Wells

solemnly after the week’s long circuit ride from school to school. Mother was unusually quiet and sullen. Her moods changed with the wind in those days.

    I cleared my throat and stifled a laugh. “Mother, Sadie, Sophia, Flo has an announcement to make.”

    Flo glowed when all eyes fell on her face. She beamed perfectly and said, “I’m going to have a baby.”

    Sophia clapped her hands, delighted. “Oh Flo, I’m so happy for you—and you, too, Mickey. Having a little one in the house will be exciting.”

    Mother stabbed the food on her plate, not looking at Flo. “Well, I just hope you’ll take care of it. I’m in no condition to be rocking a baby all night.”

    Mother’s comment crossed a line. She had a lot of nerve ruining our special moment. I threw my napkin aside and said, “Well, Mother, that brings me to my surprise. I bought Flo and me a brand new brick house in Decatur. We’ll be leaving as soon as it’s ready.”

    Mother dropped her fork. She sent me the hurt, disappointed look that used to unnerve me. Mother’s looks had no control over me now. I stayed after dinner to help Mother stack the dishes on the butler’s cart. She brushed by me and bustled around me like she didn’t want me there.
    She swiped the cleared table furiously. “I’ll tell you one thing, Mickey. You will be a hungry man when you leave this house.”
    I scraped the plates and stacked them neatly. “We’ll be fine, Mother. Don’t you worry.”
    Mother grabbed the cart handle and moved toward the door. “Why should I worry about you and her? The two of you obviously aren’t worried about us.”
    I quickened my step to keep pace with Mother and opened the kitchen door for her. Inside the door, I gently held her arm and led her to the kitchen table. She faced me, impatience and frustration written across her face.
    I held her hands across the surface of the old wooden table and talked to her downcast eyes. “Mother, the check from the RFC will be more than enough to carry you through for a long time. Times are changing, and Sophia has a full-time job in the county school system now.”
    I looked around the room. “You know what you should do? You should have a telephone installed here. I’ll be just a short call away. I hear that President Roosevelt is planning more reconstruction projects in Georgia. You have more timberland to offer and plenty of land to sell if you need to.”
    Mother lifted her eyelids. “Mickey, I worry about Flo taking care of a baby. There’s no telling what will happen with you gone all the time.”
    I straightened my back, saying, “Ah, give her a little credit, Mother. She really hasn’t had the opportunity to be a mother yet. What was it you always said? Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater?”
    Mother got up and gathered the dishes into a wash pan. “Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen, literally.”

Chapter VII

    Dottie
    1940-1945

    Flo and I spent the next few months furnishing our new home. I was proud of the tasteful window blinds and draperies, wool rugs, and kitchen necessities Flo found at Sears and Roebuck on Ponce de Leon. We took our time setting up housekeeping while our baby grew inside Flo’s belly and planned to move into our new home after the baby came. When I saw the special interest Flo took in setting up the child’s room, I knew that she would be a good mother.
    I took no chances with the birth of our child and Flo’s health this time. I found a top-notch specialist at Grady Hospital to monitor her and deliver the baby. The doctor predicted that Flo would give birth in January. He suggested that she spend the last three weeks of her time in the hospital. I drove Flo to the hospital the first week of 1940. Weekends, I camped out at the YMCA, visited Flo, and worked on the house. As Flo’s time came closer, I slept in the hospital waiting room.
    Our little girl’s life began on January 23, 1940, during the biggest snowstorm in Atlanta’s