10/27/04

My Early Memories by Nita Holstine

My dad has always been called Bob Jones and is known by that name. It's not quite his official name but close enough.

He is all of 88 now and in good health although he needs the 24-hour care of the living center where he now resides. After my mother died when I was 19, he remarried twice and now both of those ladies have died.

Back when I was 4, mom and dad took in 3 children for foster care until mom found out that she was pregnant with my little brother. The kids were two girls and a little boy. The girls were just a little older than me but enough so that they would pull or push me around in my little wagon, which to me was wonderful. I liked being an only child but these girls were great! The little boy was completely blind and had been left to lie on his back all the time. The back of his head was completely bald from rubbing on the bed but I don't remember him being unhappy or crying.

I don't know that it was all his idea or if mom helped but dad made a seat for the baby to sit in. It was connected to the clothesline and he could run up and down the length of the line. He quickly learned not to just walk but to also run just as fast as he could. When he reached one pole, he would turn around and race the other direction. Since he did not know night from day, he would not want to stop at dark to come inside. As he ran and ran, he would laugh and giggle just loving the feel of the ground on his little feet. The bald spot disappeared and he even had a jumper inside the house in a doorway. They make gadgets now days to do the same but it was my dad that gave him a life outside his small blind world.

The kids went back to their parents and we never heard from them again. My little brother could never do any of the fun things the girls could do and I admit that I was a terribly mean big sister. I thought that they could just trade him back in for other kids. But I will always remember the wonderful life my dad gave a little boy who had nothing at all.

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