I can recall growing up picking blackberries and plums. This was a “Land Before Time.” The world was slow. My only concerns were how fast I could run or how fast I could eat a watermelon. I also think about picking cucumbers with my older sister and mom to help pay a bill. I enjoyed going up and down the rows and breathing in the fresh air. I use to beg my grandmother to take me to the field with her, but, looking back, she never did. She always had popsicles for us though.

Barnwell and Aiken were like major cities. They had a Wal Mart & McDonalds. New York was a place we could only dream of. When our cousins from N.Y. came down, to me, they were like gods and New York was Mt. Olympus.

Food Stamps & Free Lunch during the summer was never viewed as “freebies” from the government but instead a vital part of our life. We couldn’t afford Disneyworld so a trip to the grocery store & filling up the cart was seen as relief from our circumstances.