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Show in my father's house/ 51 became more difficult as she neared middle age. Her capacious nature malingered, yearning for a means of expression. Here, the young women produced children more quickly than they could handle them, while Gerda -- who was fully prepared for the peculiar type of matriarchy demanded by the Principle -- was not blessed with any tiny charges. In addition, Gerda found the other women veritable teenagers who knew next to nothing about domestic management. Some of them had to be shown everything. Gerda would mold them into respectable housewives or know the reason why not. "Check with Boss Two," the other mothers reminded each other before opening a jar of strawberry jam or planning an evening with my father. One of my father's colleagues dubbed my father Boss One and Aunt Gerda Boss Two -- although in fact, the positions interchanged. Once, my mother returned from visiting her own mother in southern Utah just in time to celebrate her anniversary. My father invited her to a movie, but Aunt Gerda broke in. "The family went to a show last night. We can't afford another movie." One of the other women (probably Helga or Sarah)told Gerda to mind her own business. Then everyone stood and gaped. No one had actually rebelled against the pecking order before. "You need to understand," my mother said in defense of Aunt Gerda, "we older girls had to help raise the younger wives. Rachel, for instance, had just turned fifteen when she married |
