by Dale Castle
I’ve always wanted to talk to a person 100 years old. I finally got the opportunity last Saturday when I met Gladys Watkins. As I walked to her front door, I wondered what kind of shape a woman that age would be in. Surely, someone would answer the door for her and probably push her into the living room in a wheel chair. I’d probably have to almost yell to be heard and she wouldn’t be able to see me very well. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
When Gladys answered the door, I was surprised. Before me stood a woman who I would have guessed at being about age 80. She told me to take a seat and then walked to her chair as easily as a person half her age. As we talked, I soon realized that she recalls dates and hears better that I do and I’m only 54.
Theodore Roosevelt was president when Gladys was born on Feb 5, 1905, in Salisbury, Missouri. She has seen 18 men hold the highest office in American in her life. Her favorite president was Ronald Regan and her least favorite was Jimmy Carter. In the year she was born, the jukebox, yellow pages, popsicles and plastic were invented. When asked what invention did the most for mankind, her answer was television. After giving it some thought, I have to agree with that.
Other than occasional dances and parties at the Morehead hotel, there wasn’t much for Gladys and her six siblings to do as teenagers in Salisbury. Most weekend evenings were spent walking around the town square talking to other teenagers. Pretty much like the kids do today in small towns, except they have cars now. Back then, the mode of transportation was usually a horse and buggy. Electricity, telephones and indoor plumbing are three things we all take for granted in today’s world but people didn’t get to enjoy those modern conveniences back then. Gladys graduated from high school in an era when,I’m thinking, that wasn’t the easiest thing for girls to do.
She isn’t sure which one of the six wars she has lived through took her grandfathers life but she does know that he cut his thumb as he crawled underneath a barbwire fence and died as a result of blood poisoning.
1924 was the year that Gladys came to visit her Aunt who lived on 29th street. Her plan was to only stay for two weeks but her Aunt told her that the Wards store on St. John and Belmont would be hiring part time help for the Christmas rush. She applied for the job and was hired.
The part time position quickly turned into a full time job. Pay for a 40 hour week was 11 dollars. After traveling back and forth from 29th street to Wards for a few weeks she decided to move to Northeast where she has lived ever since. During the depression she was only allowed to work one day a week.
Of the many natural disasters the Midwest part of the country has suffered through over the years, the one Gladys remembers the most are the dust bowls of the early 1930s.
Gladys married Ed Watkins on Apr 27,1932. They have one son and one grandson who both live in Oklahoma City, OK. Ed worked for many years at Sheffield steel, retired in 1968 and unfortunately died a year later.
Gladys still cooks all her meals and keeps her house very clean. The only physical problem she seems to have is seeing things up close as do most of us over 50. Two broken hips haven’t slowed this woman down much. She is a long time member of the Bethany Baptist church at 141 North Lawndale. Her many friends watch out for her and the Pastor his self walks her home if it’s dark outside.
While listening to this centurion talk about how simple and uncomplicated life was as a kid, I started wondering what time period did she like the best. If given a choice I asked, would you rather live in today’s world or the world you grew up in? After thinking for a few seconds, she chose today’s world. This reminds me of the great Satchel Paige quote, ‘Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.’
My final question for this wonderful, wise, elegant woman was one I’m sure she has been asked many times. What is the secret to your long life? She mentioned four things. I had a pretty good idea that she would tell me she never smoked or drank alcohol and the good lord was watching over her. I was correct on those three but very surprised on her last statement. Peanut butter. That’s right. Peanut butter. Gladys eats a heaping table spoon of it every single morning with her breakfast.
I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m heading to the store to buy as much peanut butter as I can afford.
Copyright 2005 The Northeast News
by Dale Castle
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