Miss MV

I have always had a special place in my heart for Miss Mary Virginia Smith. I also had special affection for Sam, her husband and a life long friend of my mother's. Mother and Mary Virginia were friends most of their lives. Our family's lives wove in and out of each other's. We all lived in the small delta town of Forrest City when I was but a babe. Miss MV tells me that she and Sam would come and fetch me to spend time with them. I was one of three girls, Lindsey 2 years older and Paula 18 months younger. Sam and MV were yet to have Leslie and David. I am sure I loved the extra attention paid. Time moved on as well as both families. I don't remember the particulars but we all lived in Little Rock for awhile at the same time. MV and Sam had started their own family by that time and ours had expanded to include two boys. Once we moved to Mississippi we saw the Smith's when visiting our respected grandparents in Forrest City.



My junior year in high school my parents moved us to Paragould, AR from Clarksdale, MS. For you blog followers you will remember we were struggling with the effects of the civil rights movement. I believe Sam and Mary Virginia and Miss Nancy had some influence on our choice because they had all made their homes in Paragould. We maintained our home and our dad his business in Mississippi for some time. Their were occasions when the family would return to Mississippi and I would choose to stay in Arkansas. MV and Sam were kind enough to let me stay with them. I am not sure how David and Leslie felt having a displaced teenager invade their home, but I loved it. MV would allow us to make all kinds of creative messes that my mother being the mother of five just couldn't allow. She had the patience of Job and never became agitated or lost her temper. MV was always and will always be the picture of a southern lady. Kind and thoughtful. Full of happy and positive thoughts. Quiet and thoughtful. I always had aspirations of some day being like her. I think I am more like my mother but hope I have some of MV's attributes.



It has been and is a privilege to have MV in my life. It is such a comfort to be around someone who has known you forever and finds no place for judgement in her heart. I know MV loved mother and me. I know mother loved MV. I hope MV knows what her life has meant to me. She will remain one of my fondest memories and best surprises when I am able to see her.