For years, I had miscounted and read all of the pop psychological profiles of the 7th child! Only recently, I slowed down enough to realize that I am #8! The first five born in our family were all boys: Roger, Robert, Ronald, Richard and Claude! WHERE did the name Claude come from? Apparently, my Ma loved Hollywood and the stars! She herself was one of the main actresses in her youth whenever St. Michael’s Church put on some plays. Claude came into being the same year, the English actor, Claude Rains, starred as Captain Renault in Casablanca (1942) .
Claude has built on the famous legacy ever since! I can still recall him as a teenager, with hair as long as Elvis’s, strumming an imaginary guitar, donning a leather jacket with the face of a laughing devil he had painted on the backside, standing in front of the fireplace and the huge mirror that hung over it, singing “You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog!” He is the entertainer in the family, with jokes and witty sayings at the drop of a hat! As a young child, I recall being scolded for some innocuous thing I had done, and I replied, “I am not going to eat!” My brother gave me important advice for my entire life at the very moment: “No matter what, Janie, always eat!”
Following Claude’s birth, was my sister, Diane, who in turn, was followed by Barbara. Three years of hard labor and enriched family life passed and then, la voilà, I arrived, followed by William (aka Billy), Mary and Jennifer. This only confused me more! Now, I have this question—am I considered the oldest of the second lot, since three more siblings followed me and there was a three-year break? Or, am I simply, No.8?
Footprints of Thoughts 
You are not just #8 baby, your Jane and always will be . Love your stories !!
From: Footprints of Thoughts To: ladypuffin2@yahoo.com Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2017 7:38 AM Subject: [New post] Yesteryear’s Story #2: Which ONE Am I? #yiv7469653231 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv7469653231 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv7469653231 a.yiv7469653231primaryactionlink:link, #yiv7469653231 a.yiv7469653231primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv7469653231 a.yiv7469653231primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv7469653231 a.yiv7469653231primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv7469653231 WordPress.com | johannisthinking@wordpresss.com posted: “For years, I had miscounted and read all of the pop psychological profiles of the 7th child! Only recently, I slowed down enough to realize that I am #8! The first five born in our family were all boys: Roger, Robert, Ronald, Richard and Claude! WHERE ” | |
LikeLike
lol
LikeLike
What a family reckoning! 🙂
LikeLike
LOL…I decided to begin sharing my little stories—to keep me writing. I am attempting humor—am I succeeding??? 🙂 Thank you for reading me. Eliza!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! 🙂
LikeLike
Cousin Jane, thanks for sharing! I am thinking you are so lucky to have so many brothers and sisters. I never had any and it is very lonely being an only child. I would say you are Jane, and of course you are number 8 as well. More than anything you are you, and you are creative and entertaining! I still want to meet up someday!
LikeLike
Hello, Cousin Sara! Glad you came to read and comment! Yes, one of these days we will meet! I thought you had returned to Rome for studies? Drop me an email and we can set up a date to meet….janejohann126@gmail.com Happy you enjoyed the story…and, you can be my sister…we are family!
LikeLike
Thanks for walk down memory lane. I feel I know you a lot better now. Your memoir is insightful and humorous. I have been thinking of doing my memoirs (I’m not getting any younger) so that my son and grandchildren will know more qbout their heritage. I have a lot of journals to use as reference, and a lot of memories lately, Although I do not have clear memories of much of my early childhood.
Oh, yes- I think the use of the middle name is universal and crosses religious, race and cultural lines. My thought on how the 8th child and all the others in between is that they are treated usually as middle children, unless there is some mental or physical disability to set them apart.The first and last are usually treated differently with more favor,. No matter, though what # or place we are in the family- we are not just a #, or another mouth to feed, but we are our Heavenly Father’s child and that is what makes special, above all the other roles we may have in is life. Well, I am long-winded tonight.Sows how I have missed writing.
LikeLike
You are a sweet lady, Miss Betty! Keep writing!
LikeLike