Since Dad was the treasurer and he and I ran a real estate business at this time with several sales people he made certain that each was offered free tickets not just for them but their entire families. He gave tickets to friends and relatives. He wanted the breakfast to be a success and have a good sized crowd and he just wanted to be kind, as he always was. He even made sure that I got the same offer of tickets for my family also. Seldom did all or some of us not make the breakfast. It was always good and served with generous portions.
One year when it came time for the fall pancake breakfast dad gave me the tickets and asks a favor from me. After a handful of free tickets it was impossible to tell him no. He told me he had offered two ladies that were from Felicity tickets but they didn’t drive anymore and would I bring them. I gave a sigh and said of course but who were they? He said Lucy Edwards Ayres and Lena Utter. When I heard their names I smiled and said dad this will be a pleasure for sure.
These two ladies had known my grandparents and known my parents all their lives and I had known them as long as I could remember. They were a part of where I lived and had seen them in passing almost every day. Lucy had been the midwife for Dr. Barber the night I came into this world and would proudly tell folks that she was the first to see and powder my bottom. This caused blushing on my part and the more I blushed the more she told it. Lena and her husband had farmed in the Fruit Ridge area over on Maple Creek Road and upon selling her farm she had moved to Felicity and was the school cook for what I thought had been forever and she was a very good cook! They now both were in their upper eighties so being their chauffeur was a pleasure.
Brendan my son was still too small to keep calm in a crowd for as long as we would be there, so my wife stayed home with him but my daughter Meghan very much wanted to go. She wanted to visit with her grandparents and eat those pancakes as she had a sweet tooth. I told her as we pulled out of the drive that we had a couple ladies riding with us. She asks who but when I told her she didn’t yet recognize the names. (This was to change forever before noon even would arrive!) We picked them up and I got the door for them but first they said Meghan would have to sit in the back with them and in between them so they could get to know her. Although a little hesitant at first she became very much at ease as she figured out they just wanted to find out what all she would tell them about things at home as these ladies were experts in the field of gossip.
When we got to the breakfast Dad welcomed them in and then even to my surprise they worked the room speaking to almost every person there as they already knew them and to say they were well known was to make an understatement.
After a few hours passed they agreed it was time to return to Felicity where they had chores to do like prepare a lunch. (Really?) When we got to Lena’s home both she and Lucy got out and Lena said, “Now you just wait here a minute as I have something for you.” I thought I am not taking any money for the trouble and Meghan wanted to get home as it had been a long morning. A few minutes passed and out of the house appeared Lena with something wrapped up in a cloth. She said “I baked these this morning and I want you two to take them as payment.” I looked inside the towel and there were a dozen homemade yeast rolls. Now I thought to myself I will take these gladly as payment as I had said she was a very good cook! Now Meghan had never tasted one of these before but on the way home she tried one and understood why I accepted them.
When we got home and into the kitchen Meghan quickly told her mom and brother of the treasure we brought home and I got out the butter to put on them. Meghan gave Brendan one and he learned at a very early age what a yeast roll was. Meghan said the conversation was great as one would say something and the other would say “what?’” to which the other would say she can’t hear thunder” or” she just don’t listen.” So when the next pancake breakfast occurred Meghan and I were more than ready to transport the two. I know Meghan asked me if we were going to get rolls again and I said it doesn’t matter as we are doing this to be kind. Deep inside I was hoping for rolls also and we were never let down.
Both of these ladies Lucy and Lena lived into their nineties and Lucy just missed the century mark. They both had faced hard times and worked their ways through them and showed just how strong they were yet kind all the way along the journey. I’m pretty sure the Lions Club still holds pancake breakfasts and I suggest if you were to go you would get your monies worth. Just look for the sign outside of the high school. As for my dad he would welcome you all to a warm hospitable event. Dad loved people and the people he knew made it very easy to love them. At least that was the way I saw it and that would have been without the yeast rolls.
Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories about his youth and other topics. He may be reached at houser734@yahoo.com.