Sleepinng at the Foot of the Bed

Updated 9/11/22

My Father had nine siblings. So I was part of a large Texas family, Back in the day, we had yearly reunions. Always when there was a death in the family, and sometimes just because it was time.

Coming from a large Texas family, when we had reunions there were never enough beds to go around. Sleeping on the floor was common for us kids because we could sleep just about anywhere at a young age.

One year we were in Snyder Texas visiting our cousins. They lived out in the country in an old ranch house that came with an outhouse. There weren't enough beds to go around so we improvised and the boys slept on the barn roof and the girls slept on extra mattresses that were propped up with one end on chair's and the other end on the fence rail. I guess it was supposed to keep the critters off of us.

In the middle of the night the fence rail broke and we fell to the ground. No big deal, We just remained on the ground, had a good laugh and went back to sleep.

This song by Jimmy Dickins brought back memories of another reunion at our Uncle's home where this time, there just wasn't enough beds. So the youngest of the kids had to sleep 3 or 4 to a bed. We were excited to be together and young enough that we made it work without complaint.

Occasionally one of us would end up at the foot of the bed.....Honestly, I cannot remember if we took turns, or if it was just me that had that privilege.

No matter. We were together as a family and the country cooking of beans, cornbread and homemade ice cream made sleeping at the foot of the bed worth it. We didn't care. We were together with our family and it was always fun.

So this post and song by Little Jimmy Dickens brings back warm memories for me.

Maybe some of you reading this can relate.....

Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed Little Jimmy Dickens

Did you ever sleep at the foot of the bed

when the weather was a whizzin' cold? When the wind was a whistlin' round the house And the moon was yellow as gold

And You give your good warm mattress up

to Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Fred Too many kinfolks on a bad night

So you went to the foot of the bed

I could always wait 'til the old folks Had an eating believings with grace The teacher could keep me after school I'd still have a smile on my face

I could wear the big boys worn out clothes And let sister have my sled But it'd always did get my nanny goat

To sleep at the foot of the bed

They say some folks don't know what it is Having company all over the place To wrestle for cover on a winter night With a big foot sitting in your face

Or a cold toenail just scratching your back And the foot boards grabbing your head I'll tell the world you ain't lost a thing Never a sleeping at the foot of the bed

It was fine enough when the kinfolks come And the kids brought brand new games You could see how fat all the old folks was And learn all the babies names

We had biscuits and custard and chicken pie,

And we all got Sunday fed But I know durn well when night time come I was heading for the foot of the bed I done it over and over again in this land Of the brave and the free And in this awful battle of life,

it's left it's mark on me

For I'm always a-struggling around at the foot

Instead of forging ahead And I don't think it's caused from a dog-gone thing But a sleepin' at the foot of the bed

Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Patrick Wilson A‐Sleepin’ at the Foot of the Bed lyrics © Sony/atv Acuff Rose Music