Page 2 - Lexie O'Hare Went to Boston

ISSUE : Issue 42

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1986/6/1

She said, "You can stay with me. Why don't you go in training (for nursing)?" You have to be a certain age. I had to wait a year. I did housework. I said I was experienced. It wasn't too bad at all. Peo? ple were very nice. They paid me. When I left to go in training, they didn't want me to leave, they wanted me to stay. (Even after you cooked the watermelon?) Even after I cooked the watermelon. I nev? er saw a watermelon before. We never had any up there in The Glen--and we just grew cabbage and turnips, carrots and onions and things like that. I hired out and went to work, worked a few days, showed me a- round. Had to get up at 6 o'clock, had the house all in order. (What did you do with the watermelon?) I put it in the copper boiler you had to boil all the clothes in those days. And they went to church and she said, "The gro? ceries are all there and we'll have the wa? termelon for dessert." It was a hot day. 1 I didn't know what to do with it. Nobody could eat that. It was hard. So I went down to the basement for the cop? per boiler and filled it full of water, and when it got hot I put the watermelon in, I thought it had to be cooked. And when they came home--the gentleman was very, very nice; she was a little bit snip? py. The men were always nicer than the wom? en- -so I thought. They weren't training you and didn't have to tell you to do this and that and the other. So he said, "What's in that, Lexie?" I said, "The wa? termelon." The thing was boiling and hit? ting the top of the cover. He took the cov? er off--"Oh, my God!" Did he ever laugh! Then years and years later, after my hus? band died, I was taking out my second cit? izen papers. And I had to call on anyone I'd spent any time in their house, had to make a regular form. And had to go to this house, you know. And I sat at the table like a queen, served tea. (Lexie went in training, nursing at Massa? chusetts General Hospital. Then, after 18 months:) I had to give up training. See, my sister died and left a little boy (Ray? mond) , two years old. Infection--turned in? to spinal meningitis--an ulcerated wisdom tooth started it. So there was my poor bro? ther- in- law- -and bills and bills and bills. They had furnished their house like so many did, on time. So he was chauffeuring for this Archer, the Moxie man--and they had a beautiful cottage down at Manchester- by-the-Sea for the chauffeur. I went down and kept house for my brother-in-law, took care of the little fellow., And the war came on (World War One). I was engaged to my husband. He enlisted. And so did my bro? ther-in-law. So I had had 18 months training. I learned fast, and all I could possibly. So I put an ad in the paper: women that were hospi? talized and wanted care in their own home. And it would have to be with the agreement that I could have the little boy with me. I moved into their home and I took care of them. The very first place, I was there for 6 years. Nursed her. She was married to a judge. When war was over, the boy's father came back and he married again, and Keddy's Motor Inn 600 King's Rd., Sydney, N.S. 164 Rooms Air Conditioned Colour Cable TV Licensed Dining Daily Features Restaurant Hours 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Featuring Cape Breton's Only Complete Indoor Recreation Facility • • Pool • Sauna • Whirlpool Bath • Oasis Pool Bar • Games Machines ENTERTAINMENT & DANCING NIGHTLY AT IVORY'3 LOUNGE For Reservations Phone 539-1140 For over 25 years the United Farmers Co-Op has been supplying the needs of the region's agricultural industry. CO-OPERATION WORKS! CO-OP United Farmers Co-Op Keltic Dr., Sydney 564-8134

Cape Breton's Magazine