Since starting the renovation project I have learned I have several genetic predispositions that date back to generations before me. Not only was my Grandma Jennie a prankster, so was her daughter, my Aunt Shirley. My Momma was the baby of the family, 9 years younger than my Aunt Shirley; which made for an easy target. When my mother, Charlotte, was about 6 years old Shirley decided it was about time for the "ole baby" to experience a Shirley Borron prank.
Since Charlotte never left her momma's side, Shirley waited until Charlotte and her momma Jennie were outside. Once the two left the house to do chores, Shirley went about the house collecting items for her dastardly prank; an ironing board, the brand new mop her momma just bought, a lipstick, rouge, black, blue and brown pencils, an old white pillow case and pillow, a long sleeve shirt, a long jacket from her momma's closet, gloves, and a scarf.
Old houses are full of nooks and crannies not open floor plans, perfect for hiding places. In order for Charlotte to get to her room, first she had to open a door to enter another room, then walk a few steps to the door to her room.Shirley set the stage for scaring Charlotte to death just behind the first door. She propped-up the ironing board, flat side facing the door, and dressed it to look like a person. Shirley being the talented artist and pillow sculpture made a face with a nose, big blue eyes with log black eyelashes, rosy cheeks, and voluptuous red lips. She placed the long roping of the mop on top of the pillow for hair and placed a scarf around the hair. She tied the knot of the scarf under the chin. Shirley put the shirt on the ironing board, then the jacket, stuffed the sleeves and pinned the gloves to the ends of the sleeves. Lastly she rigged the arms to look as if they were reaching out for someone. She was ready. Now all she needed was for Charlotte to open the door and walk into the ironing board. I'm sure she was tickled with herself.
It was getting late and the sun was setting. Jennie, Charlotte, and Willie finished the chores and returned to the house to get ready to turn in for the evening. Shirley was sitting in the main room next to the carosene lamp reading a book, probably peeking over it to see how close Charlotte was to opening the door. Hard to contain herself Shirley snickered under her breath. Jennie, knowing Shirley liked to play pranks on Charlotte, went to the door, opened it and let out a scream "Oh my heavens!" Jennie grabbed her chest, leaned against the door jam and slowly slid to the floor. She sat with back her propped on the wall. Shirley's prank meant to scare Charlotte, scared her momma half to death. Jennie had had a slight heart attack. Grandma Jennie did survive, but to this day they claim Shirley's ironing board prank was detrimental to Jennie's heart for the rest of her life.
You may be asking, "How does this story connect to my genes?" Well I have to admit I am a pretty good prankster myself; although, I don't think I ever gave anyone a heart attack.
My birthday is October 16th and I absolutely loved Halloween, and still do. On my 12th birthday, my parents let me have a sleepover with six of my closest friends. In our backyard was an old bunk house. The sleepover was going to take place in the bunkhouse. The festivities for the sleepover included a hayride, a wiener roast in the woods, entertainment by a witch who read our palms, and a scary ghost story back at the house. Unbeknownst to me (Momma Charlotte being a bit of a prankster too) mom enlisted Lee and Cheryl Cheek to be partners in crime. While mom was telling the ghost story, Lee and Cheryl, disguised as goblins, lurked around our house looking in the windows with flash lights lighting up their faces. We were all screaming, even me. Once we were scared out of our wits, we headed for the bunkhouse to sleep. From what I can recall, I don't think we slept.
A couple days earlier I decorated the bunkhouse to look like a haunted house. I made a life size witch and hung it just inside the door. I used string to rig the hands to move up and down as people entered the bunkhouse. All my friends, accept Kim, figured I had decorated the bunkhouse so they did not want to go in first. Kim was a timid, kinda clumsy girl and new to the group. We coaxed her into walking in first. I tugged on the string to move the hands and the entire witch fell on top of Kim. She was screaming and rolling around in the floor with the witch attached. Finally, she calmed down and I pulled the witch off of her. Needless to say Kim did not spend the night.
Now you see the connection?
A little note on Shirley and myself's behalf. We really didn't mean to hurt or scare anyone half to death.
Picture: From my 12th birthday party. Left to right is Jill Jennings, Rhonda Cheek, Cori Burnett, Angie Shackelford, Julie Hageimeir, and Kim Hageimeir. No picture of the ironing board person exists, wonder why?
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