Paulette (Me)

I was a beautiful, delightful baby. How happy the family must have been to see me. I mean, think about it as girls go, we had timid, clingy Rita; stubborn, pouty Monica and me, a ray of sunshine.

Mama said I was always smiling and happy. I liked to rock. Papa loved to rock babies. We bonded. The newest baby slept in a rocking cradle in their bedroom. Mama said I used to wake them up, not hungry or dissatisfied, but sitting crossways in the cradle and rocking.

I remember the happiest of childhoods, I remember long days with Mama as she cooked in the kitchen. Once those other kids were gone to school I had her all to myself. I was jealous of those kids going to school though. I really wanted to go too. One day I asked Mama "Do you love me?" and she said she did so I said "Then why don't you let me go to school?"

When it was time for Papa to come home from work I would stand by the alley gate to see him come around the corner from Lawndale. As soon as he was visible, I would start running to him and he would scoop me up and carry me home. I remember running my hand on his beard growth and laughing as he kissed me on the eye.

Of course after we got home, it was Monica he took up on his lap to give her sips of his beer.

I think I was a "good" child. I usually tried to do what I was supposed to. I do remember though, that many times if I had done something wrong or "bad" it seemed to be the fault of my sisters for having "let" me do that. I remember feeling bad when they were yelled at or punished for something that was my fault.

I remember Rita threatening me once. There was something I wasn't supposed to do and she said "You'd better not do that, or you'll be sorry". I was very worried about being sorry. That seemed like a terrible fate. I tried to avoid having to be sorry.

I was so proud when I got bigger than Monica. (Not so proud about it now) All the relatives made a big fuss about me. I was smart too, in the "choose the nickel or the dime" game, they had laughed at Monica for choosing the nickel because it was bigger. I couldn't wait till it was my turn, and I chose the dime.

I remember being put on display at parties singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. In later years the three of us sang together, but that one was a solo. I don't know why, or if the other girls had solos too.