My Baby Sister Sherry's Birthday

I just can’t believe that the youngest of the “Chaney Bunch” is 71 years old today. I’ve been thinking a lot, the last few days, of Sherry and all the mischief the three of us got into growing up (Loretta, Sherry and myself). Can you imagine dragging your little sister along everywhere we went, just because Mama made us? Lo and I thought we were so much more grown-up than Sherry. Actually she was only a few years younger than the two of us but she was always so small, like Daddy’s folks and we were much taller than she, like our mama’s folks.
When we started dating, we would ditch Sherry every chance we got. Mama would have a fit, when she learned of it, and Lo and I would be in trouble again. I remember one night, especially. Sherry and her date drove up beside us at the Silver Villa, the local drive-in restaurant where the  young folks hung out. They told us they were going to follow us and it wasn’t long before we lost them.
When we got home and walked into the house, there stood Mama with her arms crossed in front of her, and she asked us where Sherry was. Loretta and I stared at each other, with big eyes I might add, because we knew we were in trouble again. Mama asked “who were you with?”  WE both said Henry Galloway, a name we KNEW that she KNEW.   She said “OH, No you weren’t.  Get back up that road and don’t come back until you have Sherry with you!” Boy, We took off up that road, murmuring to ourselves and I said “Hey, Wait a minute! How did she know we were not with Henry, if she hasn’t seen Sherry?”.  We turned around and when we walked in the door, there was mama and Sherry just bending double laughing. WE didn’t think it was so FUNNY but it was better than being in trouble with Mama.
Sherry was petite and built like a “brick outhouse”. I don’t know exactly why we say that phrase in the South, but it is supposed to mean that she really had a beautiful figure. I can still see that tiny waist. She had a lot of boyfriends but met the love of her life when was in her early twenties. They had two little boys and were happy for quite awhile until Loyd fell into alcoholism. Through all the years of living with an alcoholic, she never wavered from her faith in God. Loretta had the restaurant then and Sherry would walk into work everyday, with a smile on her face, never once bringing her problems to work with her. Everyone loved her. At supper time, when the restaurant would fill to the brim, the customers would get up from their seats and help clean tables. The State Senator of North Carolina (Ollie Harris) would walk around refilling customers tea glasses and you would see our Pastor rolling silverware. Peggy’s was indeed a family Restaurant, in every sense of the word.
Even now, when I am grocery shopping or running errands, someone will say hello, they miss the cafe, but always “How is Sherry doing? Tell her hello for us. O.K.”
She lost Loyd a few years ago and I must say that Loyd overcame his addiction years ago and they had some very happy times. He spoiled her rotten and he also spoiled Loretta and myself. We never had to ask twice if we needed him to do anything for us. The two of us (Lo and Me) lived together and Loyd had a hard time looking after the three youngest Chaney girls. He was always good to us and we miss him.
Sherry and I wound up in Kings Mountain Manor, a Senior complex for older folks from 62 upward. We live in the same building, side by side.  No. 5 and No. 6. We almost lost her in May. She fell very ill and had to have a Colostomy. I have been privileged to care for her because after all, she’s my sister and the youngest of twelve siblings. She will always be my baby sister and I love her with all my heart. She has a lot of health problems, such as a bad back, bad hip, and also Glaucoma but God still loves her and knows all about her AND her health problems. She’s still trusting Him and He is still leading her.
One day before to many years we both, along with our other two sisters, Edith and Sue, plus our last brother Jack, will soar homeward to Heaven where we will be reunited with the rest of our family.
Until then HAPPY BIRTHDAY,  LITTLE SISTER!!!    I LOVE YOU!.