Matilda Mae and Kimberly Kay

Matilda Mae and Kimberly Kay

By: Calimurphy

Page 1

         My name is Kimberly Kay, and my Gramma’s name is Matilda Mae.  I think it is cool that our names rhyme because I love my Gramma so much!  I want to be just like her one day.  Every summer I get to stay with her, and when we are together we stick like hot bread and honey.  I mean, we do everything together. 

         She doesn’t know it, but I watch everything she does.  She teaches me things like how to bake bread and make pies.  She even lets me help make quilts at her summer quilting bee.  She always makes people happy, even when she isn’t trying to.  Everyone loves my Gramma.  It seems that people are always saying, 
         
         “You just made my day, Matilda Mae"

Page 2

         One summer day, we were finishing the breakfast dishes (Gramma always wanted my help, and I felt important) she said to me; “Kimberley Kay, we have to run some errands, and will have to go a ways out of town.  That means we get to take the car!” 

         Most of the time we walked everywhere because the town was quite small.  I loved special occasions when we could ride in the big orange car.  My mother said it was old, but my Grandpa kept it so shiny and clean that I thought it was beautiful.  That car was the most beautiful color of orange, like those bright orange leaves that drop from trees in the fall. 

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         Our first stop was the gas station.  It is the only gas station in town.  A big boy named Bart works there.  He always has a smile on his face when he comes to fill the tank for us.  He washes all of the windows and even polishes the hood. 

         “What A nice job you have done today, Bart,” Grandma observed. “here is some extra money for a tip.”

         “Thanks!”  Now I can go to the new show in town with my buddies tonight.”  Bart was all smiles.  “You just made my day, Matilda Mae!”

Page 4

         Our next stop was Aunt Ruby’s house.  Aunt Ruby is Gramma’s sister, and she was a widow.  Her husband died and she lives alone.  She has to use a walker to get around because she broke her hip.  We walked into the house without knocking.

         Aunt Ruby was sitting on the couch.  She looked sad.  Gramma looked at Ruby and asked in her cheerful voice, “how are we doing today, Ruby”

“Oh, I’m feeling a little lonely today Matilda Mae,” she sighed.

         Well, of course Gramma had the solution.

          “you know what Ruby?  I was just talking to Evelyn.  She told me that she wants to crochet a blanket for her baby, but she needs help.  I’ll just call her.”

         Gramma called Evie (short for Evelyn) and sure enough Evie said she would come right over.
         “That’s so wonderful!  You just made my day, Matilda Mae!”  Ruby beamed happily as she slowly moved about gathering her crocheting supplies. 

Page 5

         Gramma wanted to buy some bread at the bakery on main street.  When we walked in, the lady behind the counter hurriedly wiped tears from her eyes.

         “Whatever is the matter, Nelly?”  Gramma inquired.

         “Oh, just come and see!”  moaned Nelly.
We walked to the back of the room where Nelly had made a beautiful wedding cake.

         “Why, that is the most lovely cake I have seen in quite some time!”  Crooned Gramma.

         Nelly sobbed as she said, “it is suppose to have red hearts all around it.  The wedding is red and white, not just white.  The candy company just called to say they couldn’t get the candy here today and the wedding is this afternoon”!
         Gramma thought deeply for a minute.  Suddenly, her face lit up.  She reached into her big black bag and pulled out a small bottle of her canned cherries.  I had even helped to put them into the jars.  I knew she had brought them along for my snack, but I didn’t mind 
         “This should do the trick.”  She opened the jar and put the bright red cherris all around the layered cake.  The cake looked beautiful!  It was definitely red and white, and Nelly was smiling from ear to ear.
         As we walked out the door she called,  “You just made my day, Matilda Mae!” 

Page 6

         We had to drive out of town for our next stop.  This was the stop that was the reason we brought the car. 
         I loved Thelma!  She styled Gramma’s hair every week, and her salon was a few miles from town.  Gramma once told me that she had gone to Thelma to get her hair fixed for as long as she could remember.
         Thelma would sit Gramma in this great chair that would go up and down, and turn round and round (I had tried it several times). 
         I sat on a cushion on the floor and read a book that I had brought along.  Well, I pretended that I was reading, but I was listening, too.  It seems that Thelma’s son was in the army, and had just been sent of to a far away country.  Thelma was so worried about him.  Her eyes were wet as she talked.

         “He will be blessed for his service to his country, Thelma, and we are all so proud of him,” Gramma soothed. 
         
          Thelma talked about her son as she worked, and Gramma listened.  Gramma also said some things that seemed to make Thelma feel better.
         
         Thelma hugged Gramma as we left,  “You just made my day, Matilda Mae.”

Page 7

         Our last stop was my favorite.  We went to Frank’s dollar store.  I loved it because he had a whole wall full of toys and candy that kids like me could buy for ten cents.  Gramma would give me a dollar, and I would spend a long time trying to choose ten things to buy!

         Frank seemed nervous today.  He told Gramma that his wife was sick. 
         “Oh my,” Gramma said.  “Can Kimberly Kay and I come over first thing tomorrow morning?  We could look after her and visit with her while you are at the store.”  She coaxed. Frank smiled.
         
         I finally paid for my ten things and we turned to leave.  “You know, I will be so relieved to have you with my wife tomorrow.  You just made my day, Matilda Mae,”  Frank exclaimed.

Page 8

         That night, Gramma tucked me into bed and read me a story about flying children and a pirate.  When she finished, I gave her a great big bear hug and said, “You are the best Gramma in the whole world.  I love you to the moon and back!” 

         “Love you more!” She said.

         Gramma turned out the lamp by the bed and got up to leave.  Just before she shut the door she turned and said, 


         “You just made my day, Kimberly Kay!”