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Barefoot In The Sand: Remembering the Waning Days of the Hopewell Community (1998) Bruce C. Gragg 85/123

RELATIVES VISIT

It was always such a thrill when relatives came for a visit. Over the
years I can remember brothers or sisters of both grand parents coming
for a visit at different times. I always looked forward to any of
their visits, as all the relatives seemed to take a special interest
in Vera and me. Sometimes they would come just for the day or
afternoon. Once when Papa, Vera and I came home from fishing some of
our Fargo "kin" were there, when I went in the kitchen to greet them
I was holding the rifle with one hand and greeting them with a hug
with the other arm. I got a bit of ribbing about that, too. They came
to my defense reminding Burnette they had always been around
fishermen and hunters all their life and I didn't bother them for me
not to worry about it. We would at times have several visiting at one
time. Much of the thrill came from having a different face around the
house for a day or two. It was not that they brought kids our age,
they didn't, they usually took a little time with Vera and me. We
liked the special attention we received.

When Sally, Papa’s sister, would come, she could be persuaded to go
wet a hook and lose a worm or two. We were on the river at one time
and the sandy bank was a bit steep and I was still a little young to
try to walk them alone. I began to slip on the sandy bank toward the
waters edge, and I was beginning to get a bit scared of going into
the water. I didn’t know how deep it was but it was dark water and at
the time I was not interested in checking out the depth. Aunt Sally
was fishing nearby and came over and reached out with her fishing
pole and helped me through the immediate crisis. Even then I knew the
Ole Suwannee had places very shallow a short distance further down
stream it would drop off very deep. I was glad she was there when
needed. Most of the banks in that area were wide enough to safely
walk, and even stop and try a particular spot for that fish waiting
to be fed a worm or cricket or what bait was being used. In the
Summer it was always great to have a shade tree near if you stopped
to wet a hook. Fishing, what a way to spend a lazy Summer morning or
afternoon with favorite family members, or really any family members.

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