Gerri Davis told this story:
As a child we spent a lot of time at Grandma Bessie's. Kids were expected to let the grown-ups talk and we did. Many times her little living room was lined wall to wall with people sharing the week and telling stories and repeating memories. I particularly remember, how in the winter time during these gatherings, Grandma would tell PaPa Louis to go to the cellar and get a pan of apples. I can hear the modulation in her voice just thinking about her. It seemed that PaPa never argued with her and he would quietly leave the room in his own good time and return with cool Winesap or Johnson apples in a pan with a sharp knife.
Slowly, the pan would move around the room. Most people would peel their apple before eating it. Some of the men would pull out their prized pocket knife to peel their apple. MaMa would always peel and quarter one big apple for me and my sisters. This occurred year after year until, behold, one day my mother let me peel my own apple! I had graduated to being an adult, a responsible person with a knife. I was very nervous the first time I peeled that apple with everyone watching. But I did it. Actually I am still a very good apple peeler.
By Geraldine Davis