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| November 8, 2007 |
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Ignoring Clint Eastwood's advice in "Dirty
Harry" that opinions, like certain body parts, are best
kept to yourself.
November 8, 1958 - Dave and
Helen get hitched.
I
received an email this morning from my friend Dave in
Florida. Dave has been retired since Clinton was president,
spends his summers at an enviable island retreat on the
Canadian border, his winters in Florida. As Dave says, "Life
is good".
Subject: The way it was
ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY November 8, 1958.
Dwight
David Eisenhower is President of the United States. Gas is
cheap. No war. A new Buick costs about $8,000. Its been a
dark and windy night on the Iowa prairie. The dawn brings
low scudding clouds and intermitent rain squalls across corn
fields ravaged by two row tractor mounted cornpickers
leaving the wreckage of stalks sticking up at odd angles
like broken limbs. Because it is opening day of pheasant
season in Iowa, Jim Henderson has his shotgun out, oiling
and cleaning it in preparation for quick shooting.
Forty
nine years ago today, Dave and Helen were preparing to take
their nuptial vows at West Clermont Lutheran Church. Mighty
preparations were underway. Great home grown hams were
already resting in the church basement in preparation for
the wedding feast to be held shortly after noon. Church
ladies scurried about, peeling taters and mixing green Jello
salads with little marshmallows in them.
Helen was
a nervous bride, anxious to get this stuff over with so
married life could begin in earnest with lots of lovin' and
stuff in the crummy Northside Minneapolis apartment that
Dave had rented right in the middle of a pure Jewish
neighborhood where it was impossible to buy bacon or pork
chops and the Thanksgiving Turkey was stabbed to death with
a sword by a Jewish rabbi so as to make it Kosher. Dave was
anxious to get it over with and head for Prarie DuChein and
the traditional rituals of honeymooning.
And
that's the way it was 49 years ago in Northeastern Iowa
where all the Mother-in-laws are good cooks, the
Father-in-laws are good shots and the newlyweds are itchy.
Now, the aging couple sips coffee in the early morning sun
and plans a celebrational journey to Sebring where they will
purchase some luxuries like electrical outlets, and a few
groceries. They are older now, and less frantic in their
efforts to do stuff. Peace has descended on the geezer and
geezerette. Aching joints are the norm and early to bed is
essential.
The world is much more troubled than it
was on the day of that long ago wedding. Pakistan and Iraq
are troublesome and so is Iran and Venezuela. This part of
Florida is in a bad drought. Jim and Thelma are gone. Oil is
a hundred bucks a barrel. New WPA's are no longer $8,000!
But things are not all bad. We've got good health, good
friends, good kids and grandkids.
We give thanks.
Dave and Helen
I
welcome intelligent responses, and will be glad to post them
here. Anonymous responses that are profane, or add nothing
to the subject being discussed, will not be posted. Email
your remarks to
ron@global-air.com |
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