Matt and I had many names for Mama that we used casually and usually in jest. Atlas was one, for she loved nothing more than carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Miss Shay-ron was another, as that is what Ron Munnerlyn called her back in the Kindergarten days of rhythm bands, naps, playground adventure and the occasional trip to the "Bad Boy Chair". All were used appropriate to the circumstance of their locution, and our favorite epitaph for dear old Moms was "Miss Shirley" and we used it with much delight. How she earned that moniker is rather surprising.
Back in the 1980s Matt and I loved hanging out in the Kress parking lot on Friday and Saturday nights, doing what teenagers do best and that is to socialize (gossip), show off vehicles, chase girls and consume beverages of the hop and ale varieties. There would always be a crowd and the tempo of the revelry grew at midnight, as all the second shift crowd was out and ready to put the past eight hours behind them. Oak River, Delta, Galey and Lord, Marley and United Technologies all dismissed second shift between eleven and midnight, and the Kress parking lot would swell in population. Dean Turner, Little Bill, Gary Nolan and most of the maintenance shop at Oak River would be there swilling a cool one and showing off their rides. Someone would be planning a drag race or to chain trucks together to have a "pull-off" and Debbie Bullard would be slurring "Hide the law, here comes the liquor!" when the scene would be interrupted by the arrival of a Ford Thunderbird which wasn't the law but instead Frankie Burgess. Frankie spied Matt and started "Hey bo, I'm going to grab a twelve pack of Coors Light, swing by Cook Street and pick up Miss Shirley then take her over to the Hideaway Lounge in the Thunderbird!"
Matt and I howled in laughter, not over the imposition that Frankie was going to pick up Mama and take her to the Hideaway while she sipped a Coors Light but rather he had her confused with Shirley Johnson, whom was married to master bass angler Johnny Johnson, taught nursing at the Vocational School and had two kids, Chris and Wendy. We delighted in calling her "Miss Shirley" for years following, even unto her passing. We clued Mama in on the joke, and she confided that many more had the same confusion. It was a name she beamed in pride with, for she knew the joke continued on yet another unwitting participant! Frankie Burgess, the seven minutes to the bell rung for me the morning you called. I told you I had a good one for you. Have a Rice Day, hoss...Matt says hey!