During my teenage years we lived in Dodge City, Kansas. My parents had very dear friends who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the 15th summer of my life when their daughter, Corinne, spent a month with us out west. After Corinne's visit, my parents allowed me to travel back east to spend the last month of summer with her family. This was very exciting to me since Corinne's family owned several supermarkets in the Pittsburgh area. I was going to work as a cashier in one of their stores. I could hardly contain my excitement - I was thrilled. Finally, I was going to be independent, a career woman making money in the big city!!!

My parents bought us youth standby tickets. We were to fly out of Dodge City to Kansas City and then to Chicago for a hour layover before flying on to Pittsburgh. My mother gave me $50.00 to carry on the trip. Corinne was also carrying some money, but I don't recall how much.

Mama warned us that we could not pack the money in our suitcase and we could not carry the money in our shoulder purses. She made two little cloth zippered purses out of white lace edged hankies and rolled the dollar bills up tight. To the absolute horror of our teenaged hearts, she pinned those little white purses to the inside of our bras. We were embarrassed! She warned us, "Don't you dare remove that money until you're safely inside Corinne's house. If someone steals your suitcase or shoulder bag, you'll still have your money."

It was awful! At the airport gate, Daddy handed me a coin purse of dimes and a $10.00 bill for "an emergency". Mama reminded me not to touch that money roll. My face was hot; I was mortified! Then with hugs and kisses, my parents watched us climb the steps to the plane.

I felt that roll of bills against my 15 year old breast all the way the way to Kansas City. I knew everybody could see that extra bulge in the middle of my chest. It burned like fire against my skin.

Finally, the plane touched down at Chicago O'Hare Airport. We beelined it to the Ladies' Room, our hands clutching dimes. My dime went into the bathroom stall slot(remember those?). Off came my blouse and I unpinned that little hanky purse from my bra. Inside was the roll of bills.

A little white note was wrapped around the money with a rubber band. The note was written in my mother's neat handwriting: "Brenda, I told you NOT to take out this money until you get to the Cole's house. Now roll it right back up and pin it back into your bra as I told you before! Love, Mother"

I did what Mama told me....