“Maybe It’s Best I Didn’t Know Now”
In the 1980’s, a Priest died. Not just any Priest though, a Priest that had killed someone. He killed a young woman, who my Grandpa’s family loved dearly.
With this, I’d like to highlight my Great Aunt Sue. My Great Aunt Martha Sue, or as she was just known as, “Sue,” was born in September of 1923 in Cason, Texas. That’s where I feel like all my great-grandmother’s side is from.
In 1942, Alisha came into our orbit, thanks to.. Martha Sue!
Sometime in 1942, Sue went to a graduation party, for someone that was in her graduating class. She wasn’t particualry fond of these people, but she went anyways. Thank god she did, for she met Alisha there.
When Sue was 19, and Alisha was 15, she was “dragged” in and when Sue noticed, she didn’t even hesitate on getting the 15 year-old beauty out. Sue was frantic, and brought her to 1814 Galveston Avenue, which at the time, is where my Grandpa, his mother and his siblings all lived. My Great-Granny, Ollie Mae, took the scared 15-year-old in and had Sue and my Great Aunt, Gwen clean her up and got her fed.
Thus, the 15 year-old began a friendship with Sue. Sue was a few years older than Alisha. Sue was born in 1923, while Alisha was born in 1927.
What I knew about Sue, was that she was a classy woman, who taught elementary school for over 20 years.
When Alisha was “shipped off” to Amarillo in 1948, Sue asked Phil to make her a promise that Alisha would come back alive. Tragically, Alisha didn’t come back alive, she came back dead. In the beginning of July, right before Gwen’s wedding, the family were told of Alisha’s passing. Sue’s reaction, I was very surprised by. Her heart shattered and it never fully recovered to it’s full form. Sue’s relationship with her brother Phil changed drastically after that.
But when Sue found out about how Alisha really died, it made her feel like she was losing her all over again.
My Grandpa came over to her house. She lived a few minutes from him, but he felt he’d better tell her what had happened. She was 61 when she found out what really happened to Alisha.
“Sue, I got something to tell you,” Grandpa stated. Sue was making some lunch.
“Ok, go ahead and siddown (sit down),” Sue replied.
My Grandpa sat at her table, wondering how he’s gonna explain it to her.
She brought out two plates, one for Grandpa and one for her. On those plates, were sandwiches, as Grandpa recalled,
“There were two Turkey, cheese, tomato and lettuce sandwiches, and she gave me lemonade.”
Grandpa told Sue that she’d better sit down. Sue sat slowly sat down and looked at her baby brother.
“You and Barbara getting a divorce?”
“No,” Grandpa replied. Sue couldn’t imagine what it was?
“It’s about ..it’s about Allie (a little note here, Allie, was the name that she told my family, which was her name, but Alisha was the name she adopted when she moved to Amarillo).
“What about Allie? Is she alive?” Sue asked (she was secretly hoping she was). Grandpa shook his head.
“Then what about her?” Sue replied. Grandpa looked at his older sister, and knew he needed to tell her what really happened.
“Sue, do you recall what we told you about what happened to her?” Grandpa asked. Of course Sue remembered, as Grandpa said, Sue never forgot about anything .
“You said a car accident?” Sue replied. Grandpa knew he had to come clean.
“Yeah, that’s not what happened Sue,” Grandpa replied. Sue’s face, as Grandpa recalled, “Was already embracing the worst.”
“She.. she was murdered by a Priest,” Grandpa replied. Sue was in disbelief.
“Are you sure and how we do we know?” Sue replied.
“Because I just know, he murdered her with chloroform,” Grandpa replied. Sue got up and headed to her kitchen. Grandpa got up to follow her.
Sue stood by the sink and looked out the window.
“Why didn’t you say this when she died?” Sue asks, trying not to get emotional.
“Would you have believed me?” Grandpa asked. Sue turned around slowly and she said,
“I would have, mama, probably not! How we do know for sure!?”
“I just know, and trust me, they found chloroform in her system,” Grandpa said. Sue stood there and then asked,
“Did Phil know? Gwen?”
Grandpa nodded .
“Does Dan know? “ Sue added .
“He does now,” Grandpa replied. Sue’s face is something that Grandpa always remembered and in that moment, he forgot how she looked: Surprised and devastated.
“I don’t know why a Priest wouold be mixed up with her? I mean, I know she was in that ..that world, but she wouldn’t want a -”
“She didn’t! He wanted her! She tried to fend him off!” Grandpa interrupts.
“What? It doesn’t make a damn bit of sense!”
“I know it doesn’t and that’s why we didn’t say much!” Grandpa tries not to yell.
“Why would a Priest of all people?”
“You don’t know what this fucker was like Sue! The man was stalking her! Literally!” Grandpa interrupted again.
“Why? Why would he want her?”
“THE MAN WAS INSANE SUE!! You just didn’t know, she didn’t wanna tell you!” Grandpa yells. Sue is trying to keep her composure.
“Goddammit! Why didn’t she mention this?” Sue asks.
“I just told you, she didn’t want you to worry and my God Sue, would you have believed her?” Grandpa asked. Sue’s tears are starting to fall.
“I would have! I really would!” Grandpa and Sue try to breathe through the hurt of losing her…again.
“What would you have done?” Grandpa asked. Sue walked closer to Grandpa.
“I would have brought her back here and I would have kept her from men like the ones that I keep hearing about! The man! MY GOD BOB! WHY DIDN’T YOU DO ANYTHING ?? WHY-” Sue is beside herself. Her heart is breaking, all over again, like it did in 1948, when she was 25, only this time Sue was 61.
“What was I supposed to do Sue? I couldn’t exactly sue the Catholic Church now could I? What ground would I have a case on?” Grandpa asked.
“I would have been able to help! Or Mama! You could have saved her!”
Again, the blame game, when it was neither Grandpa or Sue’s fault.
“You think this is my fault?”
Sue slams her hand on the kitchen counter and she is in tears.
“I don’t know Bob! All I know is that I am HAUNTED by her, and I wish we could have done something to..” Sue could barely hold it together. Grandpa comes over to hold his older sister.
“You should have let Phil kill him, believe me, he could have done it in one blow!” Sue cries. They both knew this, that my Uncle Phil could have killed this man, just by beating the hell out him.
“Maybe it’s best I didn’t know now,” Sue cried. Grandpa looked at his older sister.
“You’re the one who saved her the first time and I know she was ever so grateful. Trust me. Question, how did you ever meet her?” Grandpa asked Sue.
Sue moved over to the fridge to get herself something to drink.
“I met her at Bobby Cohen’s graduation party, and she was Jimmy’s entertainment, if you get that. I knew I couldn’t just leave her there, she looked too young to be there, and then I brought her home,” Sue replied.
“So, that’s how you met her?” Grandpa asked. Sue nodded.
Grandpa nodded and then took his sister’s hand.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, you saved her and gave her a good life,” Grandpa replied.
“What happened to the man that killed her? Still alive, I’m sure?” Sue asked.
“No, he died a few days ago, in Dallas, after he his car hit a tree,” Grandpa replied. Sue nodded and sighed.
“Well, I guess we know where he’s going,” Sue replied.
Granpda and Sue had heard Betty-Jean come through the door.
“Does she know?”
Grandpa shook his head.
“I wouldn’t mention it. Why mention it to me now?” Sue asked.
“Cause the man is dead, I think Beauty’s finally free,” Grandpa replied. Sue knew Grandpa’s name for Alisha was “Beauty.”
Sue nodded. She knew what he meant. Her ghost could try to finally rest…only except, it hasn’t.
Sue died on September 27, 1995 at the age of 72.
