A Christmas Memory: Truman Capote :: essays research papers

A Christmas Memory: Truman Capote This story, "A Christmas Memory," is a nonfiction reminence of one fond memory of Capotes'. A distant relative of Truman Capote's, Sook Faulk, took care of him through his childhood. Sook dubbed Truman with the nickname "Buddy," after a former best friend. During one November morning, when Buddy was seven, Sook decided it was fruitcake weather. She called him to get their buggy and her hat to go pick pecans. Queenie, their terrier who has survived illness and snake bites, follows them on their errand. After picking pecans for three hours, Buddy and Sook began hulling their buggyload. The discussion during dinnertime was the need of materials to make the cakes, and the lack of funding to do so. Sook and Buddy begin reminiscing about how they managed to gather their meager sums. People in the house donate a dime or two. Buddy and Sook make some money by selling jams and jellies, rounding up flowers for funerals and weddings, rummage sales, contests, and even a Fun and Freak museum. The secret fund is hidden in an old beaded purse under a loose board in the floor. They never remove the purse from under Sook's bed unless making a deposit or a ten-cent withdrawal on Saturdays. She allots Buddy ten cents to go to the picture show each Saturday. Sook has never visited one before, but asks Buddy to go instead to come back and tell she the stories of the picture show. After dinner, Sook and Buddy retire to a room in a faraway part of the house where her sleep's at night, to count their treasure. When finished counting, Buddy declares the total was thirteen dollars. Sook, being a very superstitious person, throws a penny out of the window. The next morning Sook and Buddy go to town to purchase the necessary ingredients for the cakes. Whiskey, the most expensive and hardest to obtain ingredient was needed to complete the day's shopping. Since whiskey sale was forbidden by law, they had to travel to Mr. Haha Jones for it. Mr. Haha owned a "sinful" bar near the river. When Sook receives a bottle of whiskey in exchange for a fruitcake, she decides to add an extra cup of raisins in his cake. The two go home and begin to make their cakes. These cakes where intended for friends or acquaintances, not necessarily neighbor friends. They sent most to people they have met once, or maybe not at all. The thank-you note cards sent in return made them feel connected to the world.