We were living in the small town of Trenton, Missouri, when Sam and I came home and happily told our mom we had met a very nice couple named Jo and Tom. I'm sure this sounded really weird to my mom. Looking back, it seems kind of weird to me that as young as we were (probably 6 and 4) we had been wandering the street meeting people. It was a much safer world back then! Mom was definitely relieved to learn that Jo and Tom were really "Joanne" and Tom. She came with us to meet them herself, and that was the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Jo and Tom were retired, and were the perfect Grandma and Grandpa for us, since we were so far away from our own. They gave us graham crackers and milk, and other various snacks when we visited. They told us stories. They even let us taste test their tea when they made it. That is, they asked us to, but we told them we didn't drink tea, not even a taste. One day when it was time to go I didn't want to leave, and Jo told me that if I was good and went home when it was time, she would send me a "ring" over the phone. Now, of course she meant that when she called the phone would ring, but I thought long and hard about how a ring could come to me over the phone. I waited in such anticipation to witness that. I remember that in the afternoons they liked to nap, so they had a special sign they put on their door when they were napping so that we would know not to knock, but to come back later. One day when I saw the sign on the door I decided I'd sit on the porch and wait for them to wake up. The porch was hidden, more or less, so when I fell asleep there, waiting, no one could find me. To me, it is a funny kind of memory, because I was so young, and because I didn't know anything of it until I was found. I didn't understand why they had been so scared. That became a story we all laughed over whenever anyone brought it up.
I don't remember a whole lot about them, but I do remember them talking to my mom about their daughter, Shelby Ann, who had died when she was 16. It had been decades, but they still felt the loss so deeply. I think they moved to Saint Louis, but they still gave us a call once in a while. One day Tom called and talked to Mom, and he told her that Jo had died. I remember feeling sad, but I also remember Mom telling us that Jo was with Shelby Ann now, and how happy she must be to see her again.
About 2 years ago when we vacationed to Missouri and Nauvoo we looked on the map and drove to Trenton. We drove down that little street we lived on, so long ago, and seeing the houses brought back a wonderful feeling. I'm sure that Tom has since passed on, probably many many years ago. It's nice to think of Jo, Tom and Shelby Ann, happy, together again.
