"Mama's Bank Account"

       This is a story Kathy once told me as we were walking in Grey Forest all those years ago, but I hadn't actually read it until this morning.

       It's the opening story in the book by the same title by Kathryn Forbes.

       The family is poor.  Every week, the mama divides up what money they have for the essentials--and it's always tight. When a sister needs a Girl Scout uniform or a brother needs materials for school, Mama lets them know that she hopes they don't have to dip into their bank account.  One by one, the members of the family pull together so that they don't have to withdraw money from her account.  One takes on an extra job, the father gives up tobacco....

       She looked around at us proudly.  "Is good," she smiled.  "See?  We did not have to go down to the Bank." 

       When the writer-daughter sells her first story, she takes the money to her mother and places it in her lap and tells her, "This is for you to put in your Bank Account."

       Mama looked at me.  "Is no account," she said.  "In all my life, I have never been inside a Bank."

       And when I didn't--couldn't--answer, Mama said earnestly: "Is not good for little ones to be afraid--to not feel secure."