A Local Inventor and His Mama
Last week in our Wednesday ladies class we sang “Happy Birthday” to lady who was proudly celebrating a birthday that ends in zero. It’s not my place to tell you her name or the other number. Let’s just call her Miss Myrtle.
She’s actually a Mrs. who is a widow with two grown children and some grown grandchildren, too. I just call her Miss Myrtle because I’m a Southern girl and that’s the way I was raised (I learned in English class in junior high that I’m supposed to say reared instead of raised — you raise crops and rear children — but it feels more true to my roots if I say raised).
Miss Myrtle shares openly about her childhood. She grew up in a family of eight children, one godly mama, and a father who was an alcoholic.
Last night after our children’s Christmas program, we had a finger food fellowship in the basement.
During the festivities, I joined in on a conversation my husband Ray was having with Miss Myrtle. He was hearing a story I hadn’t heard her tell before.
As it turns out, Miss Myrtle’s brother is the inventor of the plastic pick-up truck bed liner. She told about how her brother melted old Tupperware® until he perfected his product — and made it free of any bubbles.
After he perfected the product, he formed a company. A few years ago he sold the business. “I hope he made a lot of money,” I said. Miss Myrtle assured me that he certainly has and that he has made good use of those profits, too. She told of his building ball fields and buying buses for teams to use for traveling.
Miss Myrtle told us that out of the eight children only she and this brother are left. She told about her sister who was a nurse and her sister who was a CPA. She was proud of how all of her siblings turned out. “Do you give the credit for that to your mother?” I asked. She assured me that she certainly did give her mother the credit for that.
Ray told me later that Miss Myrtle told him that none of the eight children “turned to drink.” In her words, they didn’t touch it. They didn’t want anything to do with it.
You are so powerful in the lives of your children. Way to go, Mama!
For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you,
which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice,
and I am sure that it is in you as well.
2 Timothy 1:5