Hickey Theology

The Hickeys were considered lower middle class in socioeconomic make up of Pasadena, Texas. We had just enough to not be classified as dirt poor, but we were close. Our mother did her best to care for her 6 children given our father’s salary (Merchant Marine) was not substantial enough to cover all the needs 6 kids required let alone house rental payment and utilities.

We went through 10 quart milk containers (Mr. Fresh) in a day and half. We were lucky if a loaf of bread lasted more than one day.We often didn’t have a whole lot to eat, but we weren’t starving to death. There were some foods that if you were to open the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator would be well stocked.

There were things like spam, Vienna Sausages, Bologna, pinto beans and my favorite potted meat (not really). There was this one time that potted meat was the only food we had, so I used mustard on a sandwich with Fritos to kill the taste. Sometimes things got so low I would just have a Frito and mustard sandwich.

We always knew when mom had received dad’s check from New York, because mom could actually buy a ham hock to put in the pinto beans. We were blessed with a roast instead of spam, sometimes we ate an international food Hungarian Goulash (hamburger, elbow macaroni and tomato sauce) and my favorite Kentucky Fried Chicken.

We had a KFC store about a block away. I would walk to the restaurant order a barrel of chicken (15 pieces), and rolls. But when there was no money and we needed food, I thank God every day for those individuals at the local grocery stores that knew and understood the issues that many families faced in trying to provide food for their families.

When we needed BIG groceries, mom turned to Mini-Max at the corner of Southmore and Strawberry. Mr. Hogue helped so many families. I only witnessed it a couple of times, but it made a tremendous impression upon me. Mr. Hogue would take my mom aside, and other mothers, and he would tell them to get whatever they needed and when it was time to check out he would take them to the furthest lane to check them out. I remember my mom would hold money back so she could pay him back. I doubt very seriously that Mr. Hogue ever received all the money back that to cover all the food that was taken from the store.

Mom could only go BIG grocery shopping on rare occasions, but that doesn’t mean the need for food stopped. When we were really short on money, we still kept our pantry stock with the old reliable Vienna Sausage and POTTED MEAT. Sometimes we didn’t even have the money for those, so mom turned to Sellers Brothers. Ronnie Sellers was very young when his family put him in -charge of one of the Seller family’s neighborhood market, like 7-11.

Sellers Brothers was near what would be consider our low-income neighborhood on the corner of Strawberry and Pauline. When several of the neighborhood families were struggling Ronnie would allow them to run a tab. My mom would go to Sellers and get things like milk, bread and other things to help us through the week. Ronnie would run her a tab. I was with my mom several times when she went to pay.

Mom would ask Ronnie how much she owed, Ron would always say, “I don’t know, I lost the receipts”. Ronnie would give mom an amount and she would say every time, “that’s not enough” to which Ronnie would say, “that’s good enough for me”.

For the longest time I thought Ronnie was a horrible businessman, but one day when I was in the store, I heard the same conversation with not one but two moms. I then realized Ronnie was doing things for those in need. Ronnie wasn’t worried about the money as he was making sure that those who had supported him, that he was able to support them.

Like Mr. Hogue, I doubt that Ronnie ever recovered all that money he lost, but he taught and a little boy just what compassion looks like. Ronnie let me come in after the stock person left and let me restock things and then I could take things home for the family like milk, bread, even my dinner as payment.

Every time after we moved to Oklahoma and I returned for a family visit, I made a point to go to Sellers in hopes that Ronnie was there and every time he was there, I made a point to THANK him. I never got to say THANK YOU to Mr. Hogue for all he did for us, but when Mom and Dad passed, I found Ronnie and called him to let him know because he was like family to us.

Mr. Hogue and Ronnie Sellers were two individuals in my life that taught me the importance caring for others. Their lesson in compassion has been something that I have carried throughout my life. In showing compassion not just in words but through acts of compassion I have come to understand that the presence of Christ is NOT just in those who are willing to service but in those TO BE served. Until next time……. Grace and Peace