From: U.V. Waldrop
To: Patrick Hogue (Samples), Weed, California
Date: 31 May 2001
Subject: A Story About My Granddaughter Joanna
Joan and Joe were living in Canton, North Carolina in 1992. We decided to go visit them in the fall to see all the beautiful colors in the Mountains. David and Jody Waldrop decided to meet us there. Frances and I stopped at the Factory Outlet Mall in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on way to Canton, North Carolina. That night Frances started breaking out with a skin rash and her tongue began swelling. We decided to go to the Hospital at 2:00A.M. We didn't tell anyone as we didn't want to disturb their sleep. They gave Frances a shot and she had to lay still for 2 hours. She had a reaction to some of the cloth she had to handle at the shopping Mall. They dismissed Frances at 5:30A.M. We decided to go to McDonalds for breakfast and sit there until 7:00A.M. so we wouldn't wake everyone up when we returned to Joan's. Joan met us at the front door to see what was wrong. She woke up when we turned our car lights on. She woke David to see if he knew where we could have gone. We explained what we had done. David informed us that was the dumbest things we had ever done. He and Joan had been up since 2:00A.M. worrying about us. He told us in the future to wake them up and stop trying to not disturb anyone. Frances stayed in the bed all day Sunday.
On Monday, I decided to take Joanna to the library so Frances could rest. Joan and Joe had to work. Joseph went to school and David and Jody went home. Joanna was excited to go to the library. Joanna was five years old in June. Now to make this story clear I will have to tell you something about Joan. Joan did testing of children in her home. She would test children with learning disabilities, children with behavior problems, and children that were very smart. When she was doing these tests, Joseph would go out in the yard and play. Joanna would sit in the kitchen and listen to Joan testing the child in the living room.
When we arrived at the Library, I took her to the children's department. Joanna knew the lady there. The Lady hugged Joanna and told her how glad she was to see her. I asked the lady if we could take some children's books with me up to the Genealogy Department for Joanna to read while I did Genealogy. She assured me this would be fine. I looked around and Joanna had a wood puzzle in her hand. She turned the puzzle over on the desk and pushed the pieces around. She looked at me and said, "Hop I think I need to test you to see what deficiencies you have." I sat down at the table and thought this should be good. Joanna reached over and patted me on the arm, and told me I shouldn't be nervous. She knew I would do good on the test and my mother would be very proud of me. I picked up a piece of the wood and put on the puzzle form. Joanna patted my arm and told me that was very good. She told me I shouldn't be afraid as she knew I was going to do very good. I put the next piece on the board and she told me how good I was doing and my mother was going to be very proud of me. I finished the puzzle. She told me, "See you did a very good job. I knew you would do a good job. It wasn't anything to be nervous about." She looked me in the eyes and asked me if I had any personal problems I would like to discuss with her. I said, "Yes, Frances. She is driving me crazy. She wants to buy presents for the grandchildren all the time." Joanna looked at me and said, "Tell her to buy rings, I love rings." I told Joanna to be serious. This was a problem to me and I needed her help on this problem. She looked at me, then she looked at her watch and told mee my time was up. She didn't want to deal with this problem today. If I wanted to discuss this problem, I would have to make an appointment for another day. She was ready to go read her books.
By U.V. Waldrop
A Story About My Granddaughter Joanna
