Jun 30, 2008
The Return Of Bossy’s Family Tree.
A Crash Course.
Last fall, Bossy began telling the story of her maternal grandparents using the vintage photographs that reside in a large wooden trunk at her mother’s house.
Bossy worked her way through their adolescence and a chunk of their young married life before other things got in the way—but Bossy is ready to pick up the narrative where she left off.
For those of you who may have forgotten the story or are new to this fog blog, here is everything you need to know but have too much of a life to ask:
Bossy’s grandmother Bert was left on a doorstep as an infant—and that doorstep belonged to a crazy American Indian woman, and that doorstep was in a slum. That’s Bossy’s grandmother on the right. That’s the Crazy Old Woman in the middle—and to the left of her, the Crazy Old Woman’s crazy sister who has one pure white eyebrow and a pure white set of eyelashes. What a prize this
bunch is.
Meanwhile across town:
That’s Bossy’s grandfather Walt in the center flanked by his paternal grandparents who are raising him after Walt’s parents pursued one of the rare divorces of the early 1920s.
During his childhood, Bossy’s grandfather learns how to play the drums, and when not gigging around town with his homemade drum kit, he lobs eggs into crowds and hops freight trains to his elementary school where he stares out of barred windows, watching the construction of a steel suspension bridge and memorizing the feats of engineering.
Walt is full of life, and full of hell.
Meanwhile Bert’s situation becomes more desperate as her crazy caretaker—emphasis on the word taker with no care whatsoever—marries a shattered man with St. Vitus Dance and two threatening sons—and the whole crowd of them gets caught up in a series of evictions.
Walt meets Bert through his neighborhood buddies, and he falls instantly for this serious, beautiful girl who is sad, starving, and reading her way across the municipal library.
As their relationship grows, Walt scales the bricks of Bert’s row house to smuggle food through her bedroom window—but the Crazy Old Woman steals the food and dashes whatever remains of Bert’s hopeful spirit.
So Walt and Bert hatch a plan to marry after enough money is saved to allow for an apartment of their own. For months and months they squirrel away used linens and homemade furniture and on July 4, 1936 they get hitched in front of a small circle of family and friends, kicking the Crazy Old Woman and that whole mess of a life to the curb. For good.
Young married life is sweet despite the fact that the depression is on and Walt works a full time job and plays in a Big Band every night. Soon there is a baby, and that baby is nicknamed Dondi. She is Bossy’s mother:
As many of Walt’s friends go off to war, Walt becomes restless for an adventure. First he takes a job on the other side of the state, but Bert refuses to uproot a life she is finally growing into. They separate.
Walt soon realizes the error of his ways, and he and Bert reunite and carry on—until the next fork in the road: Walt has been offered work a half continent away, in Wyoming. This time Bert agrees to the scheme, and what proves acceptable is the fact that they will join their best friends in Wyoming, Bud and Mickey.
So they sell off everything they own, and throw a few pieces of luggage on top of the old Packard.
And when last we saw Bert she was scouting around the Casper Wyoming refinery job site with Walt, who never minds the No Trespassing signs.
Or any signs.
So that’s the Family Tree summary—minus a few carrier pigeons, a case of Poison Carbuncles, and one Italian mother-in-law chasing a car down Danenhower Street.
And so forth.
Actually, Bossy suggests you read the actual Family Tree archive here—and then see you in the left-hand column soon with a new… episode?
yay!! Can’t wait! Thanks for picking this back up–I was at the edge of my seat! =)
wow, what a great story, and I love the way you tell it. I checked the archive. What a remarkable story that Bert’s life and upbringing was!
Interesting about Walt’s parents being divorced in those years – I think it may not have been so rare, after all. My dad’s parents divorced, too and he was raised mostly by his aunts, since his mother was in ill health.
I think divorce was something that had such a stigma in those days that people tried to deny it. My dad’s grandfather was a preacher, and so having his daughter divorced was even worse!
Wow. Bert was quite the interesting one.
Love the bathing suit in the top pic! It is a bathing suit, right?
Hallie
http://wonderfulworldofweiners.blogspot.com/
I think I’m in love with your grandparents.
Wow. I’m all sucked in to the story, now! I’m glad you’re returning to it.
But I have no idea why. Escape much?
After months and months, I’m so glad Bossy has finally decided to get Bert off that rig in Wyoming. Can’t wait for a new episode. I can only imagine how much bigger Donde is by now.
Thank you, Bossy
WOW. I wish we knew that much about our families history! I will be checking back for sure!
Fantastic photos and very compelling story. People had it hard back then, it seems like.
Woo to the Hoo!!! I can’t wait to get sucked back into the adventures of Walt and Bert. I’ve been going through withdrawal.
Madness is SO EXCITED that you have returned to tell us more of your family story. I cant wait! Im bouncing in my seat! YeeHaw!
YAY! I’m so glad Bert can finally let go of that pose she’s been holding for months!
Hooray!!
I feel so excited, it’s like when my favorite shows are coming back in the autumn-time!
Hi Bossy, this is an interesting story and I really love those pictures. I rarely see those on my grandparents I just wonder what happened to those pictures.
So much drama. Now think of the reality TV that could have come out of that. If there had been daytime talk shows, do you think Bert would have gone on Maury?
Wow, what a great idea. I’m going to read through the archives and get the whole story. Can’t wait for the next installment. Don’t be surprised if you see something similar pop up on my blog, I love the idea!
Sounds so familiar … like my family. A divorce when there was no such thing, etc. Did anyone murder anyone? Cuz we had one of those, but unfortunately it was not a blood relative that did it. It was a relative by marriage only … so does that count? Cuz I like to claim a lot of crazy in our family!
this story is what hooked me to bossy. more please. awesomely awesome.
I’ll stay tuned for the next episode.
Ah, back to the story. Thanks.
Yeah the family tree is back! I LOVE it, especially the one about Walt’s mother taking off to Newark to head up an orphanage-’cause man, did those kids NEED her!!
That dress with the buttons down the front, in front of the car? Can I borrow it?
White hair could be a copper deficiency or vitiligo. But neither is an excuse for not being a decent caretaker.
This is awesome. I love vintage photos especially if there is a history and story to go along with them, and it was a real treat to have such a great story-teller. I loved going through the archives too, even if I did feel just a tad voyeuristic doing it…but in a good way.
OMG Bossy, you look just like your mom !
xoxo, SG
OH I’m so excited..this has always been one of my favorite on going episodes!!
I read the whole story this morning and was riveted by the whole epic. I love it! Give us more!
Off topic: Is that a McCain ad on the left?
SO glad it’s back. Also? My great-grandparents were probably not legally divorced (although no one knows) but they were definitely permanently separated for most of their adult lives, in the same era. Divorce did happen back then, but I think they tried to hide the details.
FAMILY SCANDAL! Love, hate, romance… this story has it all. Beats the hell out of my great-great grandmother, America Bishop, who was the madame of a whorehouse in Paris, Illinois a generation before! (Yeah- explain that one to the kids!)
Hooray! Can’t wait to hear the next installment!
Very interesting!
That last photo… isn’t from that era, is it? It looks like a four lane interstate, and those weren’t built until the cold-war era?
I think Bossy’s Family Tree could be the next great HBO series.
Bossy is my hero for telling more of Bert’s story! Hooray for Bossy and her family tree!
Out of lurkdom to say….No way you could make this up. What a totally wild life. Is the carnival involved anywhere in this?
Oh my god that old crazy hag STOLE her food?! Say wha…
Finally!! I read through all the archives of this story when I first found your blog and I haven’t felt complete since! I neeeeed the rest of this story..so interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, I really see you in your mother. A lot of you! Such a pretty little girl. Love the story and the old pix.
Wow…you’ve inspired me to start digging through some old black and whites. I could only hope to find something so interesting. And that lady in the middle looks like my old babysitter. Scary!
http://www.peglegstarfish.com
Very interesting story. I love the photos and your mother was beautiful. This makes me want to inquire about my family history!
Don’t go keeping your light under a bushel blog, girl. You KNOW this is a book. The first one.
You have my support–and advice if you’d like.
From the Pink Door in Seattle.
I’m new to the family tree archive and I’m hooked! What an interesting family you belong to!
Katy
http://mynutvillage.com/
Cant wait! Woo hoo….
I LOVE family history stuff! What a great story!
Holy Schmoly, this is fantastic! The photos accompany the narrative beautifully. It reminds me of my post:
http://choosingmyown.blogspot.com/2008/03/letter-to-my-dead-grandmother.html
only, not with the Bossy touch.
My grandmother was left on a doorstep too! Luckily they were very nice and not heinous or ugly or mean.
That picture of Walt with the cig looks like he’s the type that’s gonna flick the cig and break into some killer hands in pocket tap dancing.