Meet Lucy MaeMeet Lucy Mae I come from a big family –

there were fourteen of us children. Mother and Dad were cotton farmers and lived all over Texas. My mother had come to Texas with her family from Mississippi when she was a girl and my husband’s Daddy had been born in England. I’ve had a wonderful life with a good husband and five children plus an adopted girl from South America. You’ll learn more about all of them later.

Meet Lucy MaeMeet Lucy Mae I still live in my own home – Of course, I have help.

There are some folks who come by once a day to check on me. My children would like me to come live with them but I’ve never wanted to impose on them and I guess, I just like to stay in my own home. I’d be interested in knowing about older folks in your country. Do they like to stay in their home? Do any of them like to be independent? I know most of us older folks here in the USA do like that. My children are awfully good to me – they come to see me and call me all the time. But I still have my own friends and my own life. And that’s the way I like it.

Answer the questionsAnswer the questions

– Where does Lucy live?

– a. She lives with her children

– b. She lives in an apartment

– c. She lives alone in her own home

– .

– Who takes care of Lucy Mae?

– a. No one takes care of her

– b. Her children come by each day to help her.

– c. Some people come by each day to help her.

DialectDialect

– A dialect is a way of speaking based on where the person lives or on their age. Different dialects may use different pronunciation, different stress patterns or even different grammar. Lucy Mae speaks with the dialect of an older American. An example is her use of the phrase, “us older folks”. This is a term that someone over the age of 60 or 70 might use. Carol Mae speaks with a Texas dialect.