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| Gov. Frank Clement |
Daddy had no job and he was not finding one in the small town. Momma got the bright ideal that she was gonna call the governors office for the state of Tennessee and ask for help! I think that she did it just because Uncle Leon was a main contributor and a good friend to Governor Frank Clement and she wanted to show uncle Leon that she could. Yes she did! When she got though to him, she told him, " I have lived in Tennessee for seven years and now we are broke and have no job and we need help." Governor Clement asks her if she could get to Nashville and she said yes. She asked Billy Sam Rainy took her the next day. The governor was very impressed with momma and so after he talked to her for a while he asked his sister to come into the office and that’s when momma met his sister Ann Belle Clement. The governor told momma if she could pass the civil service test he’d give her a job. Anna Belle was to take her to where they test momma and she came out with flying colors. Momma had a great mind and there was nothing that she couldn't do if she wanted. The next week momma got a job in the sales tax division of the state. If you remember we had no car so momma got up each morning about four a.m. and rode the bus to Nashville and back again in the p.m.. It was fifty-two miles one way and she rode it for almost two years and never complained . . .
At that time the state hired anyone who could pass the test, no degree or college needed. Momma said that there were lots of, just plan lazy people that worked there. She was put to work in the sales tax division. After she had been there for a month her review was up and the super asked her why she posted more forms than anyone here. Her answer was, " the majority of the forms I post are worked up by someone else and I post those for them. " I am fast at working the forms so I have some extra time to post for other people. The super loved that. She was not trying to make points with the boss, she just liked the people she worked with, she didn't want them to get in trouble. There was Mrs. Rector, she was an older lady that lived in Gallatin and rode the bus with momma. The other she said was a drunk who reeked every day of booze. Momma always loved taking care of or helping other people, so she just fit in. She also liked it because Toby would come to Nashville and eat lunch with her. No one knew except her and I the way it should have been . . .
I had just been tested for psychological problems again at D.D. Wallace. While I waited to see what my diagnose was, momma and daddy were advised to go to A.A. once a week. I went with them to that meeting and I remember after the meeting that the people were played bingo. They all looked old to me. They all also looked happy. They never went back after their first meeting. You need to remember this part of my book because the subject of the Friendship House will arise again in my story . . .
At that time the state hired anyone who could pass the test, no degree or college needed. Momma said that there were lots of, just plan lazy people that worked there. She was put to work in the sales tax division. After she had been there for a month her review was up and the super asked her why she posted more forms than anyone here. Her answer was, " the majority of the forms I post are worked up by someone else and I post those for them. " I am fast at working the forms so I have some extra time to post for other people. The super loved that. She was not trying to make points with the boss, she just liked the people she worked with, she didn't want them to get in trouble. There was Mrs. Rector, she was an older lady that lived in Gallatin and rode the bus with momma. The other she said was a drunk who reeked every day of booze. Momma always loved taking care of or helping other people, so she just fit in. She also liked it because Toby would come to Nashville and eat lunch with her. No one knew except her and I the way it should have been . . .
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| Miss Anna Belle Clement O'Brien |
Momma and daddy had such bad finances, that they were in danger of losing the trailer we lived in. That was gonna be a big factor as to whether or not I went to the children's home that D.D. Wallace said would help me with my schooling and psychological problems. The same time that D.D Wallace told momma and daddy would benefit from going to AA and gave them the address to The Friendship House which is a house where they hold AA meetings. I went with them on a Saturday night and everyone look real old to me. They were playing BINGO after the meeting. They all looked happy lots more than us. Remember The Friendship House it will come up two more times in my story. I ended up going to Monroe Harding a children's home in Nashville. Lee Ann went to beauty school at Ray Reeds and got an apartment. Grandma and grandpa paid for the school and apartment. She always was a beautiful girl and she was just right to be a beautician . . .
The next chapter is me and my new home . . .
The next chapter is me and my new home . . .