Meatloaf

Because summer afternoons were steaming hot and sweaty in Murfreesboro we children on South Church street often waited until early afternoon to gather for some outdoor playing. The children on the street were all ages. When this event took place Jere Warner and Anna Ogilvie were early teens, Butler James, Billy Miller and Gloria were early elementary. I was the youngest. Most summers the two Gannaway girls, Edie and Mary Jane visited their grandparents and joined our group. We never knew how many children there would be present. All were welcome.

We would gather at no set time and with no set agenda. Someone would would suggest a game” Let’s play “Captain Midnight” or “Blind Man’s Bluff”.Then we would choose sides and race as fast as we could. Or we mi ht play “Hide and Seek” and scatter to climb a tree or hide behind a leafy bush. Our number of games was extensive.

As twilight began to descend and a slight breeze was bringing relief to our sweaty bodies Gloria asked Anna, “Did you like that meatloaf last night?”

“What meatloaf?”

“You know—for supper”

“We didn’t have meat loaf last night.”

“Yes you did.”

“No. we didn’t.”

Gloria turned to Jere. “Didn’t we all have meat loaf last night?”

Jere looked surprised “We didn’t.”

Just then one of the mothers on the street stepped onto her back porch and gave her suppertime whistle.

“Time to get washed up for supper” Edie said.

Gloria, thinking the group was teasing her frowned and mumbled “We all eat the same thing every night”.

The group turned and looked at her. “No we don’t. Surely you didn’t think we all ate the same thing.”

Gloria realized that was exactly what she thought—an untruth she for some reason believed.