Annie Mae and Brother Ed……

Annie Mae was my favorite great aunt. She was cool and would let you get away with anything. She was the liberal one of the bunch. She could also pinch a penny till it screamed but she always seemed rich to me even though she lived on a modest income. Her income would be considered dirt poor by today standards. She was rich in life, love, and kindness though. I value those things more than money any day.

Annie Mae would always stay home on Sunday morning and cook lunch while we went to church. I always wanted to stay home with her. I hated going to church.

My grandmother’s church was a small southern Baptist church founded in the late 1800s. It was within walking distance of both my grandmothers and great aunts house. The preacher was known to us as Brother Ed. Brother Ed scared me. He would preach fire, brimstone, and damnation. He would strut up behind the pulpit up and down the stage like a cocky rooster while waving his bible in the air. He always seemed angry and mad at the congregation. His idea of preaching was screaming at the congregation and telling us we all better shape up or we would be going to hell.

Now that I am older I realize that it was all just a show and drama for the congregation. It was the most exciting thing to do on a Sunday in Waverly for the old folks. Brother Ed had a captive audience and put on a show that would make TV evangelists blush. The congregation would urge him on by saying, “Amen!!!” aloud at the proper moments as he took a breath.

Now and again, I would get lucky and my grandmother would let me stay at home with Annie Mae. I could forego putting on those scratchy and hot Sunday clothes and get to stay in my comfortable t-shirts and shorts. She would cook lunch while I would run around her huge back yard exploring and catching insects. I would pick strawberries out of the garden and eat them or work on my pitiful looking tree house.

I miss you Annie Mae. I hope the good lord in heaven lets you stay home and cook on Sundays. I bet he would enjoy one of your fried chicken and mashed potatoes with homemade biscuits dinners too. Go cook him a good one and know that we all miss you and love you as much as the day you left us.