Migrant Mother, 1936

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Weathered hands, that were once those of perfection, hold a malnourished infant, wrapped in a blanket of filth, and the chin of a woman who lost a part of her soul. Her eyes appear to look forward at the blurry world surrounding her when, in truth, they are always looking behind at the crystal clear past.

Adorned with love and everything she ever wanted, the woman grew up spoiled beyond belief. She took all of it (the expensive horses, pure bred dogs, and china dolls) for granted without stopping to say a grateful "thank you" to her endearing parents. They wanted her to strive to be the best woman she could possibly become. Her childhood days were crammed tightly with constant tutoring in French, German, English, Arithmetic, and Physics. She was an incredibly bright pupil that was always so eager to widen her knowledge.

Her father, a hardworking business man, considered her the son he could not have so he hired college professors to teach his beloved. All of the professors had outstanding resumes but they were constantly outsmarted by the young, witty girl in the most simplest of things. She apprehended everything laid in front of her ever wandering eyes, all but the piano. No matter how hard she concentrated on the keys she could never get them to sound as beautiful as Miss Mae, the Juliard graduate. That was, of course, only when she tried to make music with the piano. The woman had a different musical talent hidden in her silky white sleeve.

She decided to break out of her thick cocoon. She took a deep breath of hope and sang her heart out during an afternoon lesson with Miss Mae. She was an instant hit and continued singing at every local club and bar in need of classy entertainment.

Her supportive parents were thrilled at the discovery of their only daughter's marvelous gift. The woman was overwhelmed by her sudden local fame; she felt like a celebrity on the red carpet every time she walked downtown. She started skipping out on classes and going to interviews with the reporters that followed her around like pesky flies around a ripe banana. All of her teachers eventually quit after a repetitive month of showing up to teach no one. Instead of going to her lessons, the woman was going on several dates a night with mystery men around town. Her family was quickly losing their patience with her unruly behavior; they demanded her to stop and return to living life on the right track. She could not stop because the sudden popularity she had gained over that short period of time had become addicting. She could not go back to living her old life that consisted of studying, reading and writing. She needed the thrill of being an independent woman that had a life in the lime light.

The woman did not have any street smarts, only book smarts. After a tiring performance at a club a few miles from her home, she was approached by a charming Englishman who claimed he was a European talent scout. He said he found the next international singing sensation and the asked the woman if she was interested in traveling around the world. She was quickly entranced by not only the words he was speaking but his clean cut looks. He offered to buy her a drink and she accepted without a second thought. They got talking about her plans for her future and what she was going to do with her voice. He said that he wanted to make her a star; he had the paperwork at his hotel room, right down the road. They left the club together, the woman stumbling all the way, to his hotel room. She was going to become a famous singer, she knew it in her dulled mind and longing heart.

She did not get home until three days later. Her parents cried out when they saw her running to them, face covered in tears. Her usually quiet father screamed in rage at her while her fragile hearted mother wept. They were disappointed in the daughter they raised. They wasted their lives trying to provide for an ungrateful girl. It took them twenty-five years to finally realize it was all a mistake. It took the woman five seconds to realize everything she did wrong in the past few months and she regretted them. She begged her broken parents for their forgiveness but they said they would not accept an apology, ever.

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⏰ Last updated: May 25, 2011 ⏰

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