aunt helen

I always thought when I grew up and got rich, I would do some of the things my Aunt Helen did. She went to the beauty parlor every week for a shampoo and set and frequently had a manicure. Every couple of months she would get a permanent. She would set aside a day each month to buy clothes; she always purchased fashionable dresses. Neighbors knew because she hung her new drrsses on the clothes line to air and for them to see.
Once a month, on Saturday, Aunt Helen would take me to an ice cream parlor for lunch. An egg salad sandwich, potato chips and milk were my favorites and of course a dish of strawberry ice cream with whipped cream.We'd talk about my friends, Patricia and Diane. Aunt Helen liked to hear about my school activities and what subjects eight year olds liked. She had a son, Frank, who was 17 and didn't care to go to lunch with us girls.
A trip to the grocery store was an adventure I'd rather miss. So when Aunt Helen tasted the grapes and cherries by the handful, I was astounded. My parents taught me not to take anthing that didn't belong to me. Once she even bit into a peach before she bought any. I was embarrassed when she enjoyed her free samples. I think she enjoyed not having to pay for these extras.
She was a kind hearted lady who just often said the wrong thing. Aunt Helen gave unwanted advice to her friends; saying, "I don't like that red dress on you." Then finish her sentence with, "I was just saying." She was good to my mom, often inviting her for coffee. Mom didn't mind things Aunt Helen would say, realizing that this was her way.
When Uncle Frank, who was an Office Manager for General Electric died, Aunt Helen with little education and no skill went to work on an assembly line for RCA Radio. At work my aunt made a few friends. Mary and Sophie who enjoyed going to lunch.
One Saturday afternoon, they went ot to celebrate Sopie's birthday. Aunt Helen had a martini which tasted so good that she ordered another. She became dizzy and unsteady on her feet. She was embarrassed when her friends called her son, Frank, to drive her home.
My aunt, a 45 year old attractive widow who was meticulous and well dressed, became friendly with an older man, Tom, who was a passenger on the bus that took her to work. One Friday, Tom said he would bring her some cosmetics as a present next time he saw her. On Monday morning, Tom gave Aunt Helen a brown bag. My aunt had expected a lovely wrapped package of sweet fragrance. She thanked him and excitedly looked into the bag. When she openedit, instead of a festive package, out puffed loose face powder. Tom explained that he was a make-up artist for a funeral parlor., Aunt Helen was so disappointed to receive bulk face powder that she decided to take a later bus.
Aunt Helen had many suitors but never remarried as she would often point out their shortcomings. Either the gentleman didn't dress to her satisfaction or his conversation wasn't what she expected. She never remarried
True to my word, when I grew up and got my first real job teaching school, I went to the beauty parlor every week just like my Aunt Helen.