A Handful of Pennies

Terrie Smith

 

'A Handful of Pennies' is two stories in one.

The story of Vera. In 1939, Vera walked away from life beside her father. She gave birth to a daughter she never got to hold or say goodbye to. Taking control of her life, she struck out on her own and became a drover. A girl drover? Who would give her a start? Vera was strong and knew her stuff. Respect for her ability spread out along the Australian stock routes.

In 1944, Vera married Digger. All too soon motherhood hobbled her - she was not as free as she thought. The struggle to find a good and safe place for her children, shaped the rest of her life, long after droving became a distant memory. Vera found hard work and being tough didn't always keep life from crushing that which you hold dear. In fact, the burden became just too stinkin' heavy for her to carry.

Terrie, Vera's daughter, always felt like she was on the outside looking in. Writing about her life with her mother, she looked back to those early years through child's eyes. Sees the joy kids have in the simple things. Later, tried to make sense of the decisions made with the best of intentions, the mistakes, the awful loss of her brother Kenny - of the feeling of not belonging anywhere. And in the end, finding forgiveness for both herself and her mother, and a place where she did belong.

'A Handful of Pennies', weaves a tale of a mother's strengths and weaknesses and how the following generations have inherited her strength. The story gives a real insight into life in Australia, and how hard but wonderful it can be.