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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
$4,000.
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 responses, and will be glad to post them here. Email
your remarks to
ron@global-air.com |
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