Eugenia Howard Hunt AKA Jeana
Kidnapped and taken to Alpine!
*I can corroborate this story. I too was abducted by this woman who introduced me to very nice people and taken on day trips to beautiful places, as were my brother, sisters, and cousins. Signed, Uncle Sperry Now to Jennie’s tale:
I wasn’t sure whether this story was worth sharing, but why not? I don’t remember anything about the summer of 1962, the summer between kindergarten and first grade, except that it must have been during that summer that my grandmother Mimi (Ninon Kiesling) had me flown from California to Texas (how did that happen?) and grandmother Jeanna intercepted me en routeand took me to Alpine (or so Ninon told me later). None of that story makes much sense, but, as I said, Alpine was the most important thing that happened to me that year. Actually, I am only guessing at the date, but it seems plausible…
I remember looking out over what Jeanna assured me were looking out at the edge of the Great Plains (where the Indians lived!). I imagined riding a horse through the sage brush (and later told my school friends about the possibility of Indians…). We took a train to Mexico (El Paso?) and ate quail at a restaurant with real Mexicans. I sat in an armchair in the living room and figured out once and for all which hand was my left and which my right (when in doubt, I still visualize that armchair). I was diagnosed with chicken pox, which seemed unfair because I had already had chicken pox (Mimi had something to say about all that), and they made me sit in a dark room. Jeanna assured me that I was in good hands with Dr. Lockhart. Aside from the chicken pox, it was wonderful, and Alpine always represented adventure.
I still remember the taste of the quail…
Love to all,
Jennie