Page 179 - Always Virginia

Always Virginia 167

Mary Pearl: My mother and father were very good to me. My
mother was a little on the jealous side, because my dad just idolized
her. If she said we were wrong, we were wrong; even if we were
right, we were wrong. Our dad always stuck with her, and that’s
the way it went. As far as my dad went, I don’t think there was a
better man ever lived, or better father. He was just wonderful. My
mother was good, but she didn’t believe in sparling [spoiling] me.
I did all the work.

Jack: What did you do when you wanted a dress and your
mother wouldn’t give it to you?

Mary Pearl: Go to my dad and he’d say, “Now what does my
little pet want?” He always called me his little pet. I’d say, “Well,
Dad, I’m going to a dance and I’d like to have a dress.” He said,
“Tell your mother.” I said, “I did and she said that I got a dress
before the last dance I went to.” He said, “Well, is it still good?
Did you tear it?” I said, “Nope, but I don’t want to wear the same
dress, because it is going to be the same crowd.” So I would get
the money for a new dress. Then my mother would get mad and
say to my father, “Sparl her, just sparl her.” He would say, “She’s
my only little girl and I’ll sparl her if I want to.”

Jack: Were those the nights he would throw his hat in the door?

Mary Pearl: Yes, he did that sometimes when they had a big
argument. I don’t know about what. He never would argue with
her. We lived near a little public square with a little park and he
would go over and sit in that park for a half an hour or so, until
he figured she had gotten over her crabbiness and then he would
come back and throw his hat in the door first. If she threw it out,
he wouldn’t come in. He’d go out and fool around in the yard a
little while. But she never threw his hat out but once I think. When
it was okay, he would say, “Well, I guess I can come in.” And she
would say, “Oh, you damn fool.” He really was a wonderful man.
I imagine nobody ever had a better dad than we did.