Me, two years old, playing outside my grandparents’ house and my first home. In my Radio Tot I tow my teddy bear—which I still have, its innards crunchy from dry-rot—and perhaps sheet music, to the likes of Oh My Darling, Clementine or She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain. The bonnet and jacket are corduroy and were handmade by Grandma. Standing in the yard, on the side of the house, I’m surrounded by a smokehouse, a cellar and a young maple tree. Those are my cousins, E and J, peeking out of the kitchen window behind me—Grandma used to watch them while their mom and dad were at work. I don’t remember this photo being taken, however, there was another instance that I do remember, although it wasn’t captured on film…something more interesting and a tad dramatic. I often wonder if it’s only a dream, but I don’t think so. My mother has agreed that, knowing my grandmother, it’s quite possible that it did happen. And if so, it’s my earliest memory…

The opposite side of the house had an L-shaped cement porch, a water pump, and a well, all shaded by a large apple tree. One fair-weathered day I was standing thereabouts, nibbling on a slab of bologna. Suddenly, a dog came out of nowhere. Grandma had a dog, but this was a different one…one I’d never seen before…larger and darker than her Queenie. It charged at me, but stopped short and grabbed the meat from my greasy, chubby hands. I squealed and started to cry. My alarmed grandmother ran out of the house, and upon seeing the four-legged thief gulping down my snack, went back inside and returned with a shotgun…or was it a rifle? Either way, she shot the dog dead. (I don’t remember being scared by the gunshot—probably because I’d heard shots before from hunters, including my grandfather.) She then grabbed a shovel, and she, carrying the poor thing, and I, walked to the field behind the house, then turned to climb a short way up the hill. At a chosen spot, she dug out some of the dirt, laid the lifeless body down and then covered it up. I asked her what would happen to him…where would he go? He’ll turn to dust and go back to the earth, she said.