In 2021, a coalition of national museum and library associations awarded the Peale (Baltimore, Maryland) a Communities for Immunity grant. The goal of the project is for trusted, local institutions to engage their communities in order to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence. Since being awarded the grant, we've been gathering stories from people about their experiences with COVID and getting the vaccine.

In this short series, the Peale's storyteller-in-residence Mama Linda Goss recites her own versions of classic fables that offer key lessons about our collective survival in the COVID era.

Mama Linda Goss (00:08): (Singing) Well, oh, well, oh well. It's storytelling time. Well, oh, well, oh well. It's storytelling time. (Bells shaking) Gather around my people. Well, well, well. My bells are ringing, my soul is singing.

Mama Linda Goss (00:26): (Singing) Hello, everyone. My name is

Mama Linda Goss. I am a storyteller, and I love to ring bells. The first story is called, "Waiting on the Lord." When my Granddaddy Murphy told me stories, he would begin by asking me a question. "Hey, youngen." He called me and my brother Barry youngens. "How many senses you got?" Before I could answer the question, Granddaddy would ask me another question. "Name all the senses you have." "Well, Granddaddy, I have sight. I have hearing. I can smell. I can taste. And I can touch." "Okay. Okay. Well, what else do you have? Keep on going." said Granddaddy. "Oh, I know what you mean. You mean ESP, the sixth sense, extra sensory perception." I felt good in saying that one. "Well, okay. Okay. I've heard about that one," said Granddaddy, "But I'm talking about another one, the most important sense of all. Do you know which one that is?" I paused. "No, Granddaddy, what is it?" "It is common sense."

Mama Linda Goss (01:53): "That makes sense, Granddaddy. And that makes seven senses." "Okay. If you say so. Seven then." And then Granddaddy went on to say, "Now the good Lord gave us all these senses and He expects us to use them. No matter how much book learning you get, don't ever forget your common sense. You hear me?" "Yes, Granddaddy. I hear you." "Well then, let me tell you a story about Old John. Old John lived in a nice house near the river. He was a very hard worker and he felt very blessed by the Lord. He prayed every night and went to church every Sunday. He didn't worry about anything because he said, 'No matter what happens, I'm not going to worry because the Lord is going to take care of me. I'm going to wait on the Lord.'

Mama Linda Goss (02:43): "Well, now, child, it was on a Thursday when all this started happening. It was Old John's day off from work, but he stuck to his usual schedule and got up early. He cleaned himself up and dressed and went to his front door to get the morning paper. He opened it up and the headline said, 'A big storm is coming.' He fixed himself, a cup of coffee and ate some breakfast. He turned his TV on to see the local news, and the weatherman was on talking about a major storm coming through this area. A message went across the TV screen that said, 'Tornado watch and possible flooding in effect for the following counties.' Old John's county flashed across the screen. But Old John wasn't worried. He said to himself, 'The Lord's going to take care of me. I'm going to wait on the Lord.'.

Asset ID: 2022.05.17.e

Find a complete transcription on the Peale website.