by LadyX
design by Billie
It was an ordinary Tuesday, sitting in my cubicle normally shared with Johnny Mac, the two of us Free Republic's Finest Newspaper Editor's Special Assignment part-time reporters. The oscillating fan Billie allowed us to purchase at a yard sale hummed away, quietly ruffling the warm afternoon air.
Just had mail from Johnny Mac, on his way, supposedly, to Colorado 'to vacation with his sister,' but I happened to have overheard a phone conversation (it is a very tiny cubicle!) where he had an odd question: "Do you have a Pirogue to rent once I arrive there?" he asked someone.
Now, what kinda car is a Pirogue?! Something new, I suppose. Might be he is tracking down a clue and will confirm before presenting it. We shall see - - it's about time for some more Freeper Forebear Biographies to be unearthed.
Suddenly the sound on my computer blared The Flight of The Bumble Bee and a message from Miss Billie appeared on the monitor!!
"*ATTENTION* Maggie Malone - - perhaps while Johnny is away you would be interested in covering a Finest Event. A good source says those two Venerable Ones - WVNan and LadyX - are planning to get together down South."
"Would you want to cover the occasion for The Finest Newspaper? It would give the hostesses a day off."
Whoopee! Anything to get outta Dodge for a couple of days! Perhaps Aeronaut can wing me there in his charter airplane since Billie increased ever so slightly our expense account. (Okay - she didn't exactly say "The sky's the limit," but I think I can successfully slip it by her!)
For background, she told me these two are Sistahs in The Spirit, closer than biological ones, and plan to meet in South Carolina. Oughta be an easy assignment - take a few pictures and notes - eat Southern food - acquire a Southern drawl . . . piece a cake.
The Meeting of The Sistahs
07-25/26-03 Note to Billie:
OMIGOSH! You failed to inform me of important details relevant to this assignment! Sure - it was gonna be soooo easy to cover these two Survivors of the 1998 - 2001 Whitewater Days, coasting along in their twilight years. Anticipated a couple of sweet little ladies looking something like this:
Checking into the motel where they were to meet right off Interstate I-26, I settled in, checked my supply of film and readied my tape recorder to make notes as I observed what was to transpire. LadyX, known also as Sistah Maggie on The Finest, arrived first; then WVNan - Sistah Nan - breezed in at 3:18 p.m. and knocked on her door.
After The First Hug, they exchanged Christmas in July gifts!
They were surprisingly spry and, well . . . full of energy! You should have told me to wear track shoes - that Nan hoofs it at Warp Speed, and Sistah Maggie stays not far behind! They did not waste any time getting down to brass tacks, reminicing over their Sistahhood, each armed with their respective albums and going over highlights of Their Life, beginning with an old Family Photograph.
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It was hard to keep up with the flow of pictures of all the years, and I chose just a few to include, like these around ages 12 and 13:
At the age of 12, WVNan was already feeling isolated in the middle of five siblings. She was missing her Sistah of the Spirit whom she knew was out there somewhere. To fill the void she spent her time playing with her brothers and their friends. Don't let the frilly dress fool you. She was 100% tomboy, daring to outrun, outclimb, and outfight all the boys in the neighborhood.
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The month LadyX turned 13, she also was a tomboy, but took Time Out from roaming canal banks to participate in the National Spelling Bee. Always knew there was another Sistah out there somewhere - - There were lots of pictures in their school years, Nan a Head Cheerleader, and Maggie excelling in subjects and serving in Class and Student Council Officer positions, adding the DAR History Award and Bausch-Lomb Science Award to her collection.
Here are a couple of the gals in their early 20's as Florida Beach Babes. On the left is Nan, at the beach in Miami. At right, Maggie on Indialantic Beach.
 
Billie, this turned out to be a Marathon of The First Degree! After they chattered and recalled dozens of events in their growing up (not that they're there yet) and laughed a lot, they went out to eat and then buckled down in earnest.
They totally ignored the name of the motel, Sleep Inn, refusing to obey and do so. Would you believe they moved down to the area by the lobby to talk a while, and then stepped outside, the night reasonably comfortable? Can you imagine them still going at it there at 1:30 in the morning so they were positioned for an unusual happening and request? A group of six young women approached them, asking if Nan would mind taking a photograph of them together, explaining one would be a bride in a few hours.
Maggie informed them Nan is a minister, and she and Nan extended special blessings upon these lovely women, promising to add extra prayers that rain from a tropical wave coming ashore around Charleston would hold off from upstate until after 3 p.m.! You never know when the Lord has need of Sistahs to add a unique touch and give intercessory prayer, Nan and Maggie thrilled to be part of this moment for them. They finally went to bed at 2 a.m.
You know, I remember one night when they were on The Finest late at night, bickering back and forth, egged on by deadhead, contending the other was the one "Mama loved best" when they were growing up. Referring to the fact they were born during The Depression, LadyX said, "Mama loved you best, because I got the flour sack jammies." WVNan shot back, "No way - I got the white ones with 'Martha White' stamped on them, while you got the pretty ones with flowers!"
To that LadyX said, "WELL - until I was 7, I thought your name was Martha White, and she loved you best, giving you monogrammed ones!"
That was when Diver Dave intervened from the West Coast in his striped referee uniform, furiously blowing his whistle and telling them to STOP THAT !! But you know, Billie, this time they did not argue at all; not one time - amazing! Saturday morning they went to eat breakfast at Denny's down the block, hiking it rapidly as I huffed and puffed trying to keep up with them. Nan, mind you, is a Small Person, but ordered the Meat Lovers Special with scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, and a side order of grits! Maggie was no slouch either, with scrambled eggs and bacon and sausage, grits (swimming in butter), and raising Nan one piece of toast..:)) (I tried the grits, and they were outstanding.)
Here are the Sistahs saying a long goodbye....
and one final hug
Summarizing, it was impossible to be objective and report just 'hard, cold facts.' These two are indeed Sistahs of The Spirit, obvious in their interactions, and they rather glowed the entire time. Must say it was delightful to know there can be such precious time packed into precisely 20 hours, parting company at 11:18 a.m. Saturday, both waving goodbye so long as the other was in sight.
Gives a whole new dimension to 'the joys of older age' when two True Sistahs share the love of the Holy Spirit.
(Added three different analgesics to my Expense Account to ease the sore leg muscles. Plan to take off two days to catch up on sleep. Hope to recover fully before the Next Assignment.) ~ Maggie Malone ~
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