My first memory is when I am three and half years old, my mother is in bed in her room and I am sitting with her. My great-uncle, Tonton Gene, comes in the room and takes my hand and says good-bye to my mother. I shake my hand free and I’m crying, I don’t want to go and I start to scoot under the bed. My mother or perhaps my Tonton Gene made it very clear to me that I had to go with Tonton. I remember being on the bus going to his house, crying and a lady was looking at me, she must have tried to comfort me. I must have gotten shy, because as soon as she tried to say something to me, I latched onto my Tonton, as hard as I could. When we got off the bus I was still sniffling, we got to the house and my Tantine Georgette opened the door and opened her arms to me and said “the Easter bunny came here looking for you and come see what he left just for you” She took me to the refrigerator, opened the door and lo and behold, a big chocolate bunny. I forgot what I was crying about. I think or rather I am assuming that I had forgotten. This memory is all related to the birth of my little sister, when she was born my mother contracted an infection in her blood and she was too ill to look after me. I don’t remember knowing that, I only remember being sad and afraid and not wanting to leave my mother in the worst way. This is my first memory, the good news is that all my other memories involve my little sister and how much I loved her. I was so proud of being an older sister.
laurieanichols 