A Mere Fraction Of

I realize it may be hard to believe in today’s world of obsessive sexual saturation.

However, once upon a time and not really so very long ago, there was a three letter word beginning with s, ending in x, and embracing a vowel that was verbatim.

Of course, it may have been oft whispered in dark corridors or in a loved one’s ears, but never, never in the midst of “decent” folk.

Consequently, the first clue I had to my younger sister’s arrival was on a winter morning when my Mother accompanied me to a nearby 5 & 10, (another long lost facility). Mom insisted we purchase a framed picture of a smiling infant.

I was not impressed. Having been a pampered, whiny only child as well as the only grandchild for my five years of life, I had no interest in infants or their pictures,

I had never played with another youngster. My weekdays were spent in a dark tenement where my Mother and her family cared daily for their invalid and demanding Mother. Sundays, Dad and I went to Central Park where I rode the vintage wood-carved carousel.

Consequently when several days later Ellen entered my world, I was less than thrilled. I was totally uninterested and wondered why my Mother had permitted this intrusion into our family.

Oddly enough, history repeated itself twelve years later

Ellen, who had remained despite my unwelcome, was now on the fringe of adolescence.

She was obviously shocked when once again, our Mother carried a small blanket tucked around another baby girl into our quiet well ordered household

This lack of information as well as communication, could be condemned easily and justifiably today. However, the aura of innocence had its own integrity, and I refuse to take issue with the wisdom of yesterdays.

Nor will I dwell on any criticism of today’s mores and utter preoccupation with the now oft repeated three letter word.

Time and history can do that, not I, a mere mortal.

Yet, today, at the end of a Covid saturated period of history and my life, I remember with both sorrow and sadness, my reluctant welcome to both siblings.

One was borne home last year on angel’s wings fleeing from the curse of a pandemic called Covid.

The other is currently in fragile health.

If possible I would relive history and welcome them both with open arms into the brief time and place we shared for just a fraction of our allotted time on earth.