Guest blogger: Loralee Anderson, character from Murder on Music Row
Hey ya’ll,
Kay’s off at the Killer Nashville Literary Conference and I’M BACK! It ain’t really my turn, but I didn’t know I was gonna have to wait a whole month to get to blog again. So I pitched me a little hissy fit to get to go next and Nan, the peacemaker—God love her—agreed to swap spots with me. Prob’ly just to shut me up! Whatever. I’m happy.
To keep us on the straight and narrow, we were given a blog topic this time. Our family. What is this a damned therapy session? I was told if I didn’t blog on family I couldn’t blog at all, so here goes.
My folks divorced when I was in the seventh grade. That’s when me and Mama (I’m an only child) moved to Nashville from Texas. My granddaddy was a rancher, but my daddy made his money in oil so we didn’t want for nothing. I went to private school which is where I met Nan. I told you that last time, but lots has happen’d since then so I’m reminding you in case you forgot.
B’fore the divorce mama was a typical housewife. She played bridge and tennis, was in Junior League, went to the country club all the time and had lots of friends. I saw our maid more than her. Daddy had his hand in several business ventures so he was gone a lot. We weren’t the typical family which is probably why I took to Nan and her folks like a fish takes to water. It was the kind of home I’d always dreamed of.
Some of mama’s people lived in Nashville so we moved here. After they’d introduced her to all their eligible friends (with money), she moved on to the personal ads. She paraded a new “uncle” through her bedroom just ‘bout every month. When she found true love (again) she moved off to Kentucky with him, leaving me to hole up with Nan’s family while I finished high school. After graduation, I moved to Lexington–the new boyfriend didn’t work out (surprise!)–and started at UK. Then Mama heard about online datin’ and was in hog heaven. I think she was one of the first people to sign up for Match.Com She finally did find someone to marry her (on line, of course). I was ready to get on with my life so I dropped out of school my senior year and moved to Texas to live with my Daddy. I for damn sure weren’t gone live with the newlyweds.
I hadn’t seen much of Daddy since the divorce—two weeks at Christmas and a month in the summer was ‘bout it—so it was a blast gettin’ acquainted as housemates. I got me a job waitin’ tables and singin’ for tips at a local juke joint. It was perfect for me ‘cause I hate mornins. Sometimes Daddy’d drop by to make sure I got plenty of clappin’ during my sets. It was sweet ‘till he hooked up with Millie, another waitress just five years older than me. You could’ve knocked me over with a peanut when they up and got married. Then they announced they were expectin’—just a month after the wedding. I hit the road and headed back to Nashville where I’ve been ever since. It just plain weirded me out that they were makin’ me a big sister at my age. The cutsie birth announcement said the baby was pre-mature at eight pounds—like anyone (except my mama) gave a damn.
I’m way over my word-count so I gotta run. But I’ll be back. ‘Specially if you leave lots of comments saying you like me. You don’t even have to say you like me best (unless you really want to). Bye-bye for now.
~Loralee
