tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12781345138820423862024-03-13T03:36:11.750-07:00A Touch of FrostFrostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-90435767341459061472009-12-24T13:28:00.000-08:002009-12-24T13:30:04.678-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71afGYs0FC10ai0NtTvjsRWDsrEl3Igt9NUakfbmi7BbkkYOnd5Sgk7onZ7HHWS60YID5P529ZK3EMbwWMNRrhgsLmX3NE00A8hsw7nxMItgi_acnlTUK9OQRyEs-WwcS_rj0WKFZrD4/s1600-h/Title+Boomerang3+copy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 226px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418917905543579954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71afGYs0FC10ai0NtTvjsRWDsrEl3Igt9NUakfbmi7BbkkYOnd5Sgk7onZ7HHWS60YID5P529ZK3EMbwWMNRrhgsLmX3NE00A8hsw7nxMItgi_acnlTUK9OQRyEs-WwcS_rj0WKFZrD4/s320/Title+Boomerang3+copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-83012971835664473452009-12-21T11:46:00.002-08:002009-12-21T12:04:55.954-08:00Chapter 1 Flying with the Movie Stars<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 1<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Flying with the Movie Stars<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Qantas jet plane was waiting on the tarmac at the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">International</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place> in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city> for my flight to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the land of my birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unaware of the clock ticking away, and agog at the mass of humanity surging through the huge terminal, my fascination became focused on a group of ‘hippies’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My goodness, they were dirty and scruffy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their colourful, tattered robes and dirty feet poking out of sandals belied their American accents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I assumed they were what were currently termed the ‘Flower People’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The scene resembled dress-up time with the neighbourhood children in my backyard in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Curiosity persuaded me to converse with them, to find out more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They told me they had just arrived back from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and were looking for somewhere to stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were hoping I was from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city> and might accommodate them - could they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">crash at</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">my pad</i> for a couple of days till they moved on to an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Ashram</i> out west?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were speaking the new language of the fifties and sixties, which seemed to fit their dress code.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had no idea what they were talking about!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh dear! That’s me! They’re calling me over the loudspeaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Shh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Listen!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The announcement threatened that it was the last and final call for my flight:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Would Isobelle Frost please go to gate four, immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Your flight to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> is leaving in five minutes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The announcement was made twice before I realized that I was the Isobelle so eagerly sought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am usually known by my second name, Ruth, Isobelle being my official birth name in case I’m lost at sea or wherever!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I stumbled up the gangway at the front of the plane into first class, to be reprimanded by an unsmiling stewardess who led me through the plane to where I belonged – in the third last row of second class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At least I got to see how comfortably the other half flies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Trust me to make a grand entrance!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Because mine was a middle seat, several passengers had to get up and move out into the aisle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I became acquainted with at least twenty people as the plane taxied down the runway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Seated behind me were eighteen Canadian Mounted Police (without their horses, of course) on their way to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> to give a display of their skills in horsemanship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone around me kidded me in a friendly manner about holding up the plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could see this was going to be a fun trip!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On reaching <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, the passengers in second class in transit to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> were escorted to a separate lounge for refreshments while the plane was being refuelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The conversation revolved around the movie stars who were flying with us to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We pushed our tables together so as not to miss the latest <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">star</i> report.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It’s Maurice Chevalier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just remember you didn’t hear this from me!” the stewardess whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The level of excitement rose when the passengers learned that Maurice Chevalier and some of his co-stars from the film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Gigi</i> would be travelling in first class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Such a fuss about movie stars!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They’re just doing the job they love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I really don’t understand why people put them on a pedestal.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As only about twenty second-class passengers boarded the plane again, the steward had made up a bed for me over three seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thanked him for being so thoughtful, but instead of sleeping, I joined a group of six others in the back of the plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t want to miss one minute of this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The steward obligingly turned some of the seats around so we could face each other, and after introductions I asked them their reasons for travelling to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Two of the fellows, Tony and Carl from <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Mexico</st1:place></st1:state>, were with the Ford Motor Company and were on a mission to build a racing car in a secret location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They figured <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> was ‘way down under’ on the planet, where no one would think of looking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their secret would be safe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Pete and Joe from <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>, two ex-servicemen who fought together in the European theatre during World War II, were hoping to migrate to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> with their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had done their homework, reading up on the opportunities that were available to them, and were looking at the possibility of becoming restaurateurs in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At least they thought the pace may not be quite as demanding as <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could have used these two fellows on my lecture tour when I was hoping to get people in the <st1:place st="on">Midwest</st1:place> interested in investing or migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe I should have talked to the people of <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The fifth male in the group, Rodney was a tall Texan, already dubbed ‘<st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tex</st1:place></st1:state>’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Cowboy boots, a five-gallon hat, and a western-style navy suit trimmed with white arrows looked elegant on his tall frame (and very expensive!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He spoke with a drawl that made me yawn waiting for him to finish a sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tex</st1:place></st1:state> was going to visit a friend who’d bought a property in northern <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Queensland</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His friend was a <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state> rancher, raising Brahman cattle in the ‘wild outback’ of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His friend enjoyed the challenge of the untamed country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Chantel, a very attractive French Canadian young woman from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Montreal</st1:place></st1:city>, acted coy, refusing to tell us her reasons for going to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we all feigned disinterest in her refusal, she decided she wanted to capture everyone’s attention:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“All right! I weel tell you!” she trilled in her delightful French accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I’m looking for my boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He went to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> nearly two years ago and wants to leeve there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Chantel said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He thinks it’s wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am going to surprise heem.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I picked up on the fact that she may not have his present address when she said ‘looking’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s possible that he doesn’t want to be found.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I do have the address of a very good friend in Manly who will help me find him,” she added, before we could broach the next question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Then it was my turn to tell my story - of how I tripped Bill, an American soldier, on the ice rink in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> in 1942, married in 1945, sailed to the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1946 on an army transport with 300 other war brides and 106 children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chantel interrupted, “You are going back hoom to visit your fameely?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How wonderful!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Yes, it’s my first trip back in fourteen years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hope to arrange a charter plane for Australian war brides while I’m in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>, so they can have a trip home, too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t bother to explain that my family ties were loosely woven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The most important family member I wanted to see was my youngest brother, Peter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Turning to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tex</st1:place></st1:state>, I asked him what <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state> was going to do now that <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alaska</st1:place></st1:state> had been admitted to the <st1:place st="on">Union</st1:place> and was declared the largest State.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state> had always been known as the largest State.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Well! (A long pause) <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state> will still be the largest State.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What do you suppose will happen when all that ice and snow melts in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alaska</st1:place></st1:state>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All they’ll have left will be a handful of dirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We won’t ever be worryin’ in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’ll always be the largest State.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From then on, <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tex</st1:place></st1:state> was the brunt of most of the jokes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I never knew that there could be so many <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state> jokes in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some were blush-worthy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The men suggested Chantel and I were the obvious ones to meet Maurice Chevalier, and they were egging us on and laying bets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Chantel bragged that she could converse with him in French.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So what! I could converse with him in Australian!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A Frenchman needed all the help he could get in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chantel may have had the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">looks</i>, but I had the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">edge</i>, having already been given permission to go forward to the cockpit to have the pilot, Captain Gray, re-thread the movie film in my camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I disappeared and headed for the cockpit while Chantel was still promoting her numerous abilities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ha! Mrs. Frost! You will have to watch me very carefully when I turn your film over,” Captain Gray instructed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Mr. Chevalier wants to come up to the cockpit as we approach the coastline of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, so we’re going to have to hurry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’re getting close now.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Captain Gray, I have a confession to make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I already know how to turn the film over and reload it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This has been all a ploy so I could come up here and meet you and all the crew.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The crew in the cockpit laughed and congratulated me on my ingenuity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Captain Gray allowed me to pass the message to Maurice that he could come up front in ten minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As I left the cockpit, the gentleman sitting next to Maurice got up and crossed the aisle, joining the other actors and crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maurice was humming a tune as I sat down in the seat that had been vacated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Are you practising, or are you just happy to see me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He turned, smiled at me as I spoke and took hold of my hand and patted it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Such concentrated attention was more than I expected!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As blasé as I am about movie stars doing their job and my not being impressed with all the hype of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city>, I was enjoying all this attention!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I passed on the message from the Captain for him to go forward in ‘twenty minutes’ – granting myself an extra ten minutes, of course!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We talked about his busy schedule in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He and his entourage would be appearing in Sydney and Melbourne, and he wasn’t looking forward to any more plane trips after such a long flight from the States to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“That is enough about me, let’s talk about you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was looking right into my eyes as he spoke, still holding my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What a charmer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Are you travelling with your hus-band, or with your family?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m travelling alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Did you have something in mind?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t resist that cheeky remark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Someone had to stay home and take care of our four children.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He laughed so hard that everyone around us was amused at his reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Frankly, I was being cute but I didn’t think it was all that funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I was born in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m going back for the first time in 14 years.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ooh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That must make you ver-ee hap-pee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tell me, how did you meet your American hus-band?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I tripped him on the ice rink in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> and have been keeping him on ice ever since.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was another outburst of raucous laughter from Maurice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was a good ‘straight man’ for me and, I imagined, a very bored man on that flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It only took one laugh to set me going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I adored capturing the spotlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know, I am such a<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> ham</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He beckoned to his manager and introduced me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Give him your name,” he instructed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“There will be tickets waiting for you at the theatre when we appear in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the way, what do they call you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“They call me Frosty!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do you mind if I call you Maurice?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“That, is my name!” he said with a wink.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I stood up when I saw Captain Gray approaching; I wasn’t too anxious to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maurice was still holding my hand; he raised it to his lips and kissed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t want to give my hand up right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’d played the part that he wanted me to play for his audience in first class, I understand only too well about the ‘star ego’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m sure that meeting me was the best part of his long trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Who else would approach him as I did?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You are a fascinating woo-man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You luv life and I am sure you make many people hap-pee.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maurice kissed me on the cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 251636736; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 38.1pt; WIDTH: 170.25pt; HEIGHT: 168pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Maurice%20and%20Frosty" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="square"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I couldn’t wish for a nicer compliment - thank you, Maurice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know a couple of fellas in second class are going to be very, very hap-pee I met you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I just won a $500 bet for them.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Once again,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Maurice’s uproarious laugh put a smile on several faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I walked backwards up the aisle as I waved my ‘kissed hand’ to everyone in first class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On this occasion I was certainly the star, not Maurice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I returned to second class with my right hand extended - the one I vowed not to wash for a week, relating my story as the bets were finalized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Meanwhile, Chantel pouted two rows away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After landing in Sydney, Tony and Carl invited all of us to join them at their hotel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Australia</i> for lunch to keep me company until my flight was due to take off for Melbourne six hours later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They said it was the least they could do for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the hotel lobby I wrote postcards to the family telling them I had met Maurice Chevalier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was sure that Bill would get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">a lot of mileage</i> with that postcard back in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-36908725367502762452009-12-21T11:46:00.001-08:002009-12-24T16:34:22.591-08:00Chapter 2 A Small Family Reunion<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 2<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A Small Family <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on">Reunion</st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The noise of the prop-plane from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> was hard on my ears after flying across the Pacific in a quiet jet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My brother Peter, and my father, met me at the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could not believe that Peter, the tall, handsome, suntanned young man before me, was the same little pale-faced boy of eleven that I’d left behind on Flinders Street Station fourteen years ago.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My stepmother had passed away six years before my arrival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did miss seeing her - it would have been interesting to see how we related to each other after 14 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know I would not have been an easy child to rear, but I had mellowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would she have mellowed, too?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Peter was now a yachtsman of some distinction in the small craft category, having reached the trials in the ’56 Olympics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was extremely proud of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Peter, the tiny baby, born prematurely and weighing only two pounds thirteen ounces lived his first two months in an incubator at the Women’s Hospital in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Carlton</st1:place></st1:city>, until he weighed five pounds and then allowed to go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I remember how he looked: like a tiny skinned rabbit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" preferrelative="t" spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path connecttype="rect" extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t"></v:path><o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 15.05pt; WIDTH: 234.75pt; HEIGHT: 329.25pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 27.15pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1028" allowincell="f" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-69 0 -69 21551 21600 21551 21600 0 -69 0"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Ruth yacht" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I left for the States, six months after the war in the Pacific had ended, most of the Aussie troops had returned home and they, too, had to endure food and petrol rationing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All the young soldiers who joined up after they left school returned with few trade skills and found it hard to get a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Materials were scarce for new projects and there were more labourers than skilled people for the building industry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">One of the greatest projects that <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> attempted was the Snowy Mountain Scheme. It recruited thousands to build a dam. (A dam that took 40 years to complete.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Many of the European migrants proved their worth as workers on the dam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although it took many men away from their families again, at least the reason wasn’t separation because of war. They still had the opportunity to plant the seeds of reproduction on weekend leave and raise healthy families.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Many stories came out of that project, some very humorous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was told that the only English acquired by some migrants consisted of the phrase: ‘She’ll be right, mate!’ and the swear word, ‘bloody’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the only country in the world where ‘bloody’ was considered a swear word!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Women, who had taken over so many of the male positions to allow the men to go to war, were then being retrenched once the men returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Having had a taste of equality, many women were refusing to return to their pre-war, stay-at-home-Mum status, and were seeking employment in the work force.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On the drive through the city I couldn’t believe the changed face of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> – that first glimpse of the skyline and the vast increase in traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a thriving metropolis in 1960 - I was awestruck!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had supposed that since I had become a housewife, mother and a practical nurse, living in a small farming community in a Mid-western town in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>, most of my relatives and friends in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> would find remarkable changes in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But no, they didn’t think I had changed at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My dad thought I looked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">healthy</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was now retired from the PMG as a linesman with the telephone division.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He seemed old to me when I was very young, and he was still old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I imagine the 1914-18 War aged him beyond his years. I’m sure it contributed to his alcoholism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We arrived home at Auntie Lila’s house at number <st1:address st="on"><st1:street st="on">34 Broomfield Road</st1:street>, <st1:city st="on">Auburn</st1:city></st1:address> where I would be staying - next door to where I grew up in Auntie Maud and Uncle Jim’s house at number 32.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Peter lived at Auntie Lila’s house now - a very convenient arrangement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Although the letters I received over the years, informing me of family members and neighbours who had died since I left <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> had been a little disconcerting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still expected those people to suddenly appear as I asked after them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The impact of their deaths hadn’t fully registered in letters till I was in the environment where they had once lived.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I first received word in 1954 that my stepmother, Bertha had died, I prayed that she had finally found peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was not a happy person and never had the ability to change her lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I missed seeing her on my return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dad became maudlin when we talked about Bertha’s death, and insisted that I never forget his words: that she was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">bloody good mother to me</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At the age of 18, when I found out that she was my stepmother, that discovery answered a lot of questions for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It didn’t, however, change my feelings towards Bertha; she was still the only mother I had ever known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have to admit she would have had her hands full with me; I wouldn’t have been an easy child to bring up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Forgiveness needed to come from both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Maud, a closet alcoholic, and her husband Jim, a weekend drunk, had also died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their son, Jack, was divorced and now living in his parents’ house with his long-time partner - both alcoholics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The two-roomed bungalow where Bertha’s alcoholic nephew Roy had lived when I was still at home now housed my dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I then learned that my brother, Syd, was following his father’s drinking pattern as well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Number 32 had a reputation for fostering <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">lost weekends</i> for many of my stepmother’s relatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bertha, Peter, Uncle Harold and I were the only four that escaped the temptations of alcohol in that household.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Maud and Jim had taken our family in during the Great Depression and we shared their house and a tent in the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My father, unemployed for four years, had ample opportunities to move out and get a Returned Soldier’s house, but he drank and gambled away any chance of a house, and lost any incentive to change the situation for his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He, of course, blamed Bertha for not wanting to leave the close support of her sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I certainly couldn’t blame her for that!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As a young teenager I had investigated the possibility of acquiring, under the Soldier Settlement Scheme, a delightful house by the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Yarra</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place> in Hawthorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had the privilege of being shown the house by an official of this scheme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He repeatedly told me that he thought I was a lot older than my 15 years and that it was not the policy of the department to deal with such a young member of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was nice enough to show me the house, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had such dreams for that house:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dad would stop drinking, Mum would be happier, and we three kids could bring our friends home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Life would be peaceful, the way it should be - like other families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Those dreams were shattered when my parents turned down the chance to stand on their own two feet and live on our own, away from all the alcoholic influences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My parents refused to even look at the house!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sitting at Auntie Lila’s kitchen table was like old times, talking about her favourite movie star, Maurice Chevalier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She wanted me to go out and call on the neighbours right away - to tell everyone in the street that I was a personal friend of Maurice’s and we flew together to Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Auntie Lila had weeks (if not years) of pleasure spreading the word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the time I left I would not be able to recognize my original story - it had expanded like the elastic on a shanghai.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I missed Lila’s husband, Albie, my favourite Uncle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had died three years before my homecoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He wrote the most wonderful letters to me in the States while sitting on the lawn bench under the lemon tree where he and I often sat together during World War II.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He let me tell him everything that was happening in my life, and he was the only one prepared to listen without prejudice or recrimination, always offering encouragement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -5; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 49.05pt; WIDTH: 2in; HEIGHT: 211.5pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.9pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-112 0 -112 21523 21600 21523 21600 0 -112 0"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Uncle%20Albie%20in%20garden%20with%20dog" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"></v:imagedata><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When he wrote to me, I would be right there in the garden with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In my mind’s eye I could see the vegetables and flowers that they grew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were vivid images, too, of the fish and water lilies in the fishpond plus the woodwork projects he had going in his workshop in the back shed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" spt="202" coordsize="21600,21600" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t"></v:path></v:shapetype><p><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 61.2pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 78pt; HEIGHT: 21pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -89.25pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t202"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1027"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p><p></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">What a great talent he had for writing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I missed him very much, yet I knew him only as Lila’s husband and ‘my favourite Uncle Albie’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It wasn’t until my visit home that I realized how much I regretted not asking him for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">his</i> life’s story, instead of having him always listening to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That, I suppose, is the penalty for being so young, insensitive, and self-involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span> </p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Albie was the only one to whom I would read all of Bill’s letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were good mates, who used to enjoy meeting frequently on the garden bench and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>engage in serious, in-depth discussions about the war and the devastation it had caused (having witnessed the results at the veterans’ hospitals where I wrote letters for the troops).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When it got too depressing and we both had tears in our eyes, we would agree to switch topics.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /></p><p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He was my sounding board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’d laugh about the material I was writing for my comedy skits for the concert party; I could always try out a new joke on Uncle Albie and get an honest reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had a great sense of humour and would have made a wonderful dad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In retrospect, I believed I was the child he and Lila may have wished for.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I took my cup of coffee out to the bench by the lemon tree, closed my eyes and felt Uncle Albie’s presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tears fell as I had a long talk with his spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s where my cousin Len Young found me, still in my dressing gown when he arrived on the second day of my visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told him I had been reminiscing with my Uncle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Len looked around, saw no one, shook his head in disbelief, and then asked if I was ready for the grand tour of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As I settled in his bright orange Volkswagen I handed him my written itinerary for the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He insisted we do it his way on the first day, and then he would become my chauffeur and take me wherever I wished to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By <st1:time st="on" hour="16" minute="0">4 o’clock</st1:time> I was exhausted and Len had to take me home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jetlag was catching up with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’d had very little sleep during the past six days between <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state> and Melbourne and it was beginning to take its toll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I went to bed and slept for fourteen hours straight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh, Ruthie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought you were dead!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You had me so worried!” Auntie Lila gasped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I bet she gave me the mirror test to see if I was breathing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She’s a real drama queen, but I would never question her actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was my benefactor when I was young - paid for my tap and ballet dancing lessons and all the materials for my costumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although my mother could sew, Auntie Lila paid for a dressmaker to make all the costumes for the annual concerts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She held the reins as long as I behaved myself and made her proud at the dance school.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My stepmother only got to inflict punishment on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She always played the part of the pitiful younger sister to Lila, Lily and Maud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Poor Bertha, married to that hopeless drunk, Vic!” I heard the sisters say many times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She depended on her them to be supportive all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Lila brought out an old, faded, orange velvet costume that she had kept wrapped up in tissue paper since I was a young girl doing adagio dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sat on the side of the bed, telling me how proud she was when she saw me performing and whenever I had my picture in the paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She’d hoped I would some day be a well-known star in the entertainment field.</span></span></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-: #f0f0f0" color="transparent"><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1030"></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It’s tragic how people have to live their lives through others’ successes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I gathered that it must have been a big disappointment when I followed my own heart, going off to the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, twelve thousand miles away and settling down with the man I loved to raise a family.<o:p></o:p></span></span> </p><p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As Auntie Lila left the bedroom, I leaned back on my pillow and thought about the time when I wore that two-piece, skimpy, orange velvet costume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I remembered when one of the adult males at the dancing school was looking for a female partner to do adagio dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My teacher teamed Tom Hickey and me to try out our talents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Apparently we worked well together, and after weeks of intensive rehearsals we were hired to entertain at balls and special city functions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the thirties that was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">big time!<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My stepmother was against these travelling performances at night, but Auntie Lila said it would be good for me, good experience. ‘No one gets recognition from performing in the daytime’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Arrangements were made for Tom to pick me up in his car and take me to our venue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My mother insisted on going along with us, and I really appreciated her being there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Little did I know, at that tender age, about parents’ concern for their daughters’ wellbeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told her I was glad she was there; I needed help with my tight fitting costume and the hooks and eyes, and I felt more secure having her close by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was only 13 years-old at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I shall never forget one particular performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The occasion was a very big affair at a Masonic Lodge Ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The men wore<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b>dress suits, some with tails, and the women were all elegantly dressed in the finest shimmering, glittering ball gowns; quite a posh affair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The band gave a rousing drum roll after we were announced, and my partner, Tom Hickey - dressed as a pirate, bare-topped, red handkerchief tied around his head and a rubber dagger tucked in his waistband - approached me</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >menacingly.</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As the poor slave girl, I was wrapped in gossamer, wound around my body at least ten times and concealing my bright orange velvet, two-piece, skimpy costume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Acting as if terrified of the cutthroat pirate advancing towards me with the dagger between his teeth, </span></span><span lang="EN-US"></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" lang="EN-US" ><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >I stumbled and fell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The women in the audience gasped, assuring Tom and me that our acting was beyond reproach.</span><span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; BACKGROUND: black; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt; PADDING-TOP: 0cm; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-border-alt: none black 0cm; mso-font-width: 0%; mso-bidi-language: X-NONEfont-size:0;color:black;" > <span lang="X-NONE"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During our practice at the dancing school, with only three feet of cheese cloth wrapped around me, it worked brilliantly; a couple of spins and it was done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Tom started to pull the ten yards of gossamer and twirl me around the ballroom (it must have been quite spectacular judging by the audience’s reaction), I got so dizzy that I couldn’t find Tom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His checkered red headpiece kept flashing past me at such speed that I knew he would never catch me for that first over-the-head acrobatic lift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I collapsed on the still-spinning floor, dizzy and unable to comprehend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It turned into a comedy act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tom thought he could save the act by stabbing me with the rubber dagger then pulling me off the highly polished dance floor by one leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rubber dagger, however, had a squeaker in the handle, and when he stabbed me everyone thought it was part of the comedy routine and laughed and applauded accordingly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Tom was possessed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He became a very angry pirate and was not amused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had a few bruises from his tight grip by the time we were off-stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone clapped long and hard, demanding an encore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They really believed it was all part of the act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After I regained my equilibrium, Tom and I did our usual adagio routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We achieved three more bookings that night for other appearances; they wanted the same act - comedy and the serious encore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Tom was uncomfortable at being dubbed a comedian, as he considered himself to be a very serious performer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I loved it! That was my first taste of comedy - at the tender age of 13!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were adagio partners for more than two years, until I jumped out of a tree and injured the lower part of my spine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I loved climbing trees; a good tree was hard for me to pass up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was something ethereal about climbing and sitting high up on the branch of a tree, imagining travelling to exotic places, or joining a circus and becoming an aerialist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was something closer to what I knew and felt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I jumped from the tree, I landed on a sapling that penetrated the central lower region of my body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My cousin, who had given me the ‘all clear’, laughed at my misery as I rolled on the ground in agony, sobbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I forgave her for that, because she was rather slow-witted - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">short a few kangaroos in the back paddock</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Being warned by my parents against climbing trees, I kept silent to avoid a belting and no one noticed that I had trouble standing, walking and sitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From then on, I could no longer perform acrobatics without excruciating pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A second back injury at the age of 17 was with a group of Melbourne Olympic Club swimmers giving a diving exhibition off the Frankston pier for the war effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The crowds had to move back to open a path for the divers to run through to the edge of the pier, thereby gaining momentum for their dives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unlike swimming pools, seaside piers did not have diving boards.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As I started my run across the pier through the opening in the crowd, a woman decided to cross over that space to be with her friends close to the edge of the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It meant a snap decision for me; either I took her with me into the water, or I threw myself sideways and landed in the water on my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did the latter!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They dragged me from the water in a semiconscious state, and I had no recourse other than to lie still and keep talking to a Lifesaver so that I wouldn’t drift off into unconsciousness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After an hour they helped me to my feet, and my friends supported me as I tried to walk the length of the pier to their car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My legs buckled under me while I lost consciousness, and my friends had to carry me the last 200 yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They deposited me at our front door, announcing that I had had a bad diving accident and should see a doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My stepmother led me to the bedroom, and that was the last I remembered till the next morning - I was no better, and there was no doctor!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I took a tram for a five-mile journey to see a doctor at Prince Henry’s hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After a three-hour wait in the outpatients’ department, and the ensuing seven x-rays, the doctor told me I had injured five vertebras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>‘Go home to bed with a hot water bottle,’ was his prescription.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had weeks of very little activity except going to work and coming home to bed with my trusty hot water bottle. I have carried that injury throughout my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not that it stopped me from doing some very adventurous things, but most times I heeded the physical warnings and knew when to pull back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I often wonder what I might have been capable of doing physically if I had never sustained those injuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I really don’t think I’ve missed too much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-58855292881932298252009-12-21T11:44:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:04:24.409-08:00Chapter 3 Meeting the Politicians<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Chapter 3</span></u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Meeting the Politicians<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Lila set a tray of poached eggs, a small jug of tomato sauce, tea and hot buttered toast in front of me while I was still in bed it brought back to number 34, where I momentarily dreamed I was performing as a teenager.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>“Your cousin Len is already here waiting for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’s in the kitchen.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Anyone connected to my biological side of the family was strange to the women on my stepmother’s side of the family, the Littles.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Is he a jockey or something?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’s a strange little fellow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You know, Ruthie, there are a lot of our neighbours anxious to see you; they keep asking after you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What can I tell them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Where are you off to today?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sat on the side of the bed till I finished my breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m here for several weeks, Auntie Lila.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tell them, in about a week I’ll be able to talk to them - after I get this chartered plane business organised.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Talking of charter planes was way above Auntie Lila’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She threw up her hands, then wiped them on her apron and took the breakfast tray back to the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Len and I spent the day sightseeing, revisiting some old haunts that still existed but looked the worse for wear, or had been replaced with apartment buildings or an office block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> had changed so much!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had been invited to speak that evening to The Australian, Canadian and American Club (ACA) at 8.oo pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The club’s membership consisted mostly of parents of children who were now living in <st1:place st="on">North America</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were enough members, numbering in the hundreds, to be able to charter at least two planes to the States and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> each year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Being introduced as an American was a ‘first’ for me but a good opening for me to tell my audience that I would most likely always be known as an Australian in America, and an American in Australia, because of my natural ability to pick up accents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I continued to fill them in on some of my lighter moments on being accepted as a war bride in the States, and how I travelled and lectured about <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After my new country adopted me with open arms, and my in-laws welcomed me as one of their own in the States, I had top billing wherever I travelled throughout the <st1:place st="on">Midwest</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>American people were keen to engage me as a speaker to tell them all about <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My immediate audience, many of whom had daughters married to GI’s, could relate to my stories and were as eager as I was to help get a charter plane organized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had been advised that representatives from the airline were in the audience and I knew I had to convince them, more than the ACA Club, that a four-way charter for the club and the war brides was an excellent way to double their revenue. That was my selling point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I spoke of the work we had already done during the past three years, through the Cosmopolitan Club in the States to promote chartering a plane for Australian war brides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, we had had to switch from a 707 jet to a DC4 as we could get only 60 passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just one day away from meeting the plane in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city>, we all received a telegram from the Aeronautics Board in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Washington</st1:city> <st1:state st="on">DC</st1:state></st1:place> cancelling our flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They would not allow a DC4 to fly the Pacific; that plane was almost obsolete.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">European, French and English brides were able to have at least two charters a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I appealed to the airline representatives to make it happen for Australian war brides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were counting on them and the ACA Club!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My plan was to convince them that, if they took a planeload of parents to <st1:place st="on">North America</st1:place>, brought a load of war brides home for a visit, returned the brides to <st1:place st="on">North America</st1:place> and then brought the parents home, it would double their revenue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I received all the encouragement I needed from the members of the club during question time, but when it was the airline’s time to answer the call, we were all devastated to hear their refusal to even consider the proposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even the Club members were perplexed at their attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The airline’s answer was very simple: they did not find a four-way charter viable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The two gentlemen from the airline left without another word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We found out later that the airline had other commitments to fill after they delivered the club members to their destination. We did not understand why they couldn’t have explained that at the meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After my presentation at the ACA Club, I realized we didn’t have such a good track record with the Cosmopolitan Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After four postponements for a charter, then a transfer from a 707 jet, requiring 89 passengers, to a D C4 with only 60 passengers, we would have had to work doubly hard to go back to filling a 707.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My audience didn’t want to let me go. A voice from the back of the auditorium shouted,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Mrs. Frost!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We haven’t had such an enjoyable speaker for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Several of us with daughters in the States would like to hear more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would you mind if we extended the question time over supper?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Were there many Australian girls living close to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh, yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I recall the day when my <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Brisbane</st1:place></st1:city> girlfriend, Hazel Bachman came to visit us in Manson from their farm six miles away, two weeks before we were scheduled to take off on the charter flight to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her husband Elmer came storming through our front door, arms flailing while he paced back and forth.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">‘My wife is not going to fly to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> in a DC4!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You can’t even get parts for those planes any more!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was most upset.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Well, if Ruth is crazy enough to fly in a D C4, then I’ll go with her!” Hazel said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Hazel! You will be flying the Pacific - nothing but ocean!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How on earth do you expect to be rescued if no one knows where you are?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The search planes couldn’t find you in thousands of square miles of ocean if something happened to that plane!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hazel’s husband was a crop duster who owned and flew his own plane, so he did know what he was talking about when it came to the issue at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Hazel and I were undaunted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She had waited two years to be on that charter plane to go home and see her family in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Queensland</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Since I had been writing my column, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Up From Down Under, </i>for the Cosmopolitan Club (the club for international war brides with mainly East Coast members), the Club had gained several more Australian members, and my mailbox was loaded with letters from Aussie girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was hoping that a familiar name would appear from one of the girls who came over on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">SS David Shanks</i> with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought I had bonded with several of those girls and believed it would have been a lifetime commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My letters to them continued but few returned the compliment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Eventually I stopped writing, accepting that it meant they were all happy and contented, as I had become.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The girls’ letters of 1956-1959 had spoken of the homesickness they felt in the beginning; by the time they had their first child they were mostly over it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now, after fourteen years, the girls were feeling the pangs of homesickness again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their parents were getting older, some members of the family had died, and the distance between the two countries was causing considerable heartache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had children to show off to their Australian grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some desperately wanted the trip and were willing to take off in anything with wings!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I wanted to make that trip for different reasons: seeing my younger brother Peter would be worth every penny I saved, and admittedly the adventure of the trip itself was a great draw card, also.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Always searching for a solution, I looked to the members of the ACA Club while we talked over cups of tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of them mentioned Donald Chipp, a very active politician with many far-reaching ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Something clicked in my brain!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why not try the political arena!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wrote down his city office address and was on his doorstep first thing the following morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What could he do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had no idea!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I might be clutching at straws but I would at least try my luck.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Cousin Len, my chauffeur, sat in the waiting room of Donald Chipp’s office as I was ushered in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-32934653783723694872009-12-21T11:43:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:04:11.034-08:00Chapter 4 The Jargon of the Politicians<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter4<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Jargon of the Politicians<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Donald Chipp, a handsome, dark-haired young man with a flair for putting his guests at ease, asked if there was something he could do to help me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I stated my case and he let me go on for some time, attentively listening to every word I said about the war brides’ dilemma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I asked if he could persuade the airline to reconsider the four-way charter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Unfortunately, he was unable to help in that particular area; but he did want to hear more about my lectures in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the meantime, he had a tray of tea, coffee and biscuits brought in and invited three other gentlemen to join us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was flattered at all the attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They urged me to tell them the kind of questions the American public asked about Australia during my talks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Look, gentlemen, the Americans know practically nothing about Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was asked what language I spoke, and some were even surprised that I was white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Others asked what it was like in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Austria</i>, and did the kangaroos really deliver the mail?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You know, our Australian airmen were the ones who spread those ugly rumors, about kangaroos during the war when they were stationed in Canada and the United States learning to fly our aircraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were poor ambassadors.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I continued to relate a few of the more hilarious occurrences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mr Chipp picked up the phone, held it aside and spoke to a staff member before he made a call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I believe Mr. Constable should hear what Mrs Frost has to say, don’t you agree?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would you be willing to go see Mr Constable at the Australian Tourist Bureau today, Mrs. Frost?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think he might be of some help to you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He turned to me while still holding the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I nodded in the affirmative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Would 12 o’clock suit you, Mrs. Frost?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I agreed to meet the gentleman at the Tourist office at the appointed hour; at the same time I wondered what had happened to the help I was seeking for the war brides!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Are there any suggestions you could make to get Americans more interested in Australia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>May I call you Ruth?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr Chipp inquired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“By all means, call me Ruth, that’s my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And, Don, I believe you haven’t even tapped the best resource - our young people, both here in Australia and in the States.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What do you mean by that Ruth?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“If Australian students could exchange places with American students and lived with families in each other’s countries while they studied, that would be the best way for two countries to get to know each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t think we give enough credit to our young people.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“That’s a great idea!” he enthused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Don’t forget to mention that to Mr. Constable when you see him.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">With plenty of time for a leisurely stroll up Collins Street, I was thinking about what had transpired in Mr. Chipp’s office, and the adulation heaped on me for the wonderful job I was doing to help promote Australia in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Yes! The penny dropped soon after I left Mr. Chipp’s office!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had been given a good old-fashioned run-around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">conned</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I wasn’t going to get any help from any of them for a charter plane, or my lectures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were picking my brains for ideas to help their political cause, not mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">ready</i> for my next meeting and I was going to look out for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">number one.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Please sit down Mrs Frost.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr Constable replaced the phone in the cradle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“That was Don Chipp on the phone singing your praises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now, tell me all about the way you are promoting Australia in the States!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mr Constable, I have several other appointments so this meeting will need to be brief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First, let me ask <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">you</i>; can you be of any help to me so that I can expand my lecture tour to reach more people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Or can you help me get a charter plane for Australian girls?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I must say you are doing an excellent job, Mrs Frost, but we have already gone over budget for the year and here it is, only March!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I want to hear more about your ideas on using our young people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He turned to his secretary, suggesting ‘a cup of tea for Mrs. Frost’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I got up to leave. “Another cup of tea will not pacify me, Mr Constable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Besides<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">, my bottom teeth are under water</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I looked at my watch with some urgency.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mrs. Frost, there is so much I would like to discuss with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How about some lunch?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We could pop across the street to the Occidental.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Thank you for your offer, but I am already late for my luncheon engagement.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought it unwise to belittle myself by mentioning that I was having homemade sandwiches for lunch on the banks of the Yarra with my cousin Len.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As I had taken care of the important business during the first three days, I made up my mind that it was useless getting depressed about the disappointing turn of events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From now on I was going to enjoy this visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Don Chipp or Mr. Constable phoned, I was never available.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Lila became my private secretary and tried to talk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">real posh </i>when she answered the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From exposing her micro-world to the thrill of my meeting the film stars from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Gigi, </i>and then chatting to politicians, she was in a continuous state of excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was up and down the street broadcasting to one and all!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-32198279956828268082009-12-21T11:42:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:03:58.814-08:00Chapter 5 The Old Neighbourhood<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 5<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Old Neighbourhood<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I visited with several of the neighbours in Broomfield Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was interesting to notice how some of the older people, without children, unofficially adopted children in the neighbourhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My two brothers, Syd and Peter, and I were the chosen three in the top end of the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They all had as much fun as I did listening and telling the stories of our childhood exploits; how they used to watch us through the lace curtains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The three Murphy spinster sisters were keen to tell me how they all used to make a night of it when I was on stage at the Town Hall for the dancing school’s annual concert.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I remember you used to have me bring all my costumes to your house and show them to you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were thrilled that I remembered doing that, and they all wanted to talk at once as each memory unfolded and was retold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mrs. Douglas and son Lloyd became extremely animated as they both bent their elderly bodies back and forth with arms flailing, describing my learning to roller skate out on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They also recalled how my brother Syd crashed into the tree with his go-cart he had made it out of an orange crate and pram wheels found at the tip.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We watched you two go up to the top of the street, then with you in the go-cart, Ruth, and Syd pushing, you careened down the hill and hit our tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I rushed out thinking you were dead after you were thrown out of the go-cart!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lloyd was flushed as he described the incident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“The two of you were rolling around on the grass, laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, you headed up the street to try it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We couldn’t look any more after you crashed into the tree for the third time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ruth, I could never understand how you never broke an arm or a leg!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Lloyd,” I explained, “The crash was planned that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had to hit the tree - we didn’t know how else to stop the go-cart!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Second cousin Jim, wife Amy, and their four children lived next door to the Douglas family, and across the street there were more relatives: Auntie Vera and Uncle Albert (Mum’s eldest brother), and their son, Bluey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Broomfield Road was full of my stepmother’s relatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>According to my stepmother and her three sisters, if you weren’t Roman Catholic, you weren’t worth knowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their brothers were not like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Funny!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>None of the ten members of the Little family married Catholics!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The bush telegraph worked very well in Auburn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I visited those in the lower half of the street the next day, they told <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">me</i> what I had been up to, referring to the stories passed on by neighbors after I had already visited the top half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lower half wanted to hear first-hand about the interesting people I had met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each family asked me to repeat the story about meeting Maurice Chevalier.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Most of them could tell me the names of my children and their ages. They remembered Bill fondly, and what a handsome young fellow he was in his American Army uniform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t believe how the people in Broomfield Road had shown so much interest in my whole life - in particular, the past fourteen years since I had left the scene.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Lila was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Town Crier,</i> who delighted in spreading the news and took my letters with her wherever she went.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mrs. Adams, who lived next door at number 30, said she admired my friendly ways as a young girl, especially towards the older neighbors in the street; she recalled that I always had time for a chat at her front gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s strange, but I don’t remember ever having treated anyone differently because they were old.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“For all the years that you have been gone, Ruth, we never knew for sure what happened to you when your Mum and Dad brought you home from the hospital in Sydney?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was that girl Lily, the one who boarded across the street with Mrs Cook, responsible in any way for your illness?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mrs. Adams was genuinely concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I do hope you don’t mind my asking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was so much talk about what happened to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the people in the street were concerned about you - it shows how much people thought of you, Ruth.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I don’t mind your asking at all, Mrs. Adams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had a mental breakdown - not a crazy mental breakdown - just lost my memory for three months.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh, Ruth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I can’t imagine what you must have gone through!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It must have been so terrible for you!” Mrs. Adams said sympathetically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Actually, Mrs. Adams, I think it bothered everyone else much more than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most people, including my parents, understood very little about amnesia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One thing though, I had virtually nothing to worry about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t know what I would have done without our family doctor, Dr Wilkins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was a great support for me and got everyone through a bad time.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We talked on about Dr Wilkins, but I never once mentioned that Lily had had an abortion, and her boyfriend’s henchmen in the underworld had threatened my life if I ever called a doctor or spoke about the abortion to anyone. Their threat: ‘If she dies we’ll get rid of the body’, haunted me all the time I took care of her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Some of my other favourite neighbors were the parents of one of my school friends, Trixie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I used to always choose Trixie as my vice-captain in ‘rounders’ (like baseball) and basketball in the school sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She wasn’t an aggressive player but she was my best friend, and that made her play ever so much better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her parents, Tom and Beatrix Fenwick, welcomed me like one of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Trixie’s mum used to work with my stepmother Bertha and Auntie Lila at the Bryant & Mays Match Factory, in Richmond, before any of them were married.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was forbidden to go to the Fenwick’s house; Mum would never tell me why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After I found out about being adopted, however, I put two and two together and figured that Mrs. Fenwick knew about the adoption and my stepmother was afraid they might tell me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It never came up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The strangest thought occurred to me: of all the houses in the street that I had been invited <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">into</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b>that week, my parents and relatives had never been beyond their unopened front gates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Another interesting observation and one where I believe the Australian and the American people differ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the States, if a well known local identity in the community returned home for a visit, someone in the neighborhood would organize a potluck picnic, or a social at a local hall or church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They might even set up tables on the street and the local folk would come together to welcome the homecoming personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I came back to the old neighbourhood in Australia and I had to knock on most doors and wait to be invited into their homes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Peter, Auntie Lila and I discussed this observation of mine over tea that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Do you really think we are all that different?” Auntie Lila asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No, I don’t think we are so different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here, in Australia, you follow more of the English conservatism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most Australians like their privacy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We are nothing like the Poms!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t say we are!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They are a bunch of stuck-up bloody snobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know - I’ve worked with them!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Peter and I laughed at Auntie Lila’s outburst, as she banged dishes and cupboard doors and kept mumbling about being called a Pom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I poured her a beer and she calmed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was all a bit much for our 79-year-old Aunt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t you think the high fences built around the houses stop you from getting close to your neighbors, Auntie Lila?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m damn glad I have my fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do you think I would want that silly, drunken bitch next door wandering into my yard?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Auntie Lila always did call a spade a spade.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We washed the dishes while I told her that in the Midwest, where I lived, we didn’t have fences at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Often a neighbor would call out from three houses away while we were hanging up our washing and invite me over for coffee. We would just walk across the backyards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>“Ruthie! What did you do with your<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>babies?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>“We changed their diapers - I mean nappies - and took them with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t worry; we never left them home alone while we went to the neighbour’s.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh, Ruthie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t think I would like to live there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My goodness, no fences!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Peter and I went for a walk down to the shops on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Auburn Road</st1:address></st1:street> to purchase a few things for Auntie Lila and visit with the Hubbards, who still operated the local grocery store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their daughter, Marjory, and I were very good friends during the war years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was with me the night I met my future husband, Bill, at the St Moritz ice-skating rink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Come to think of it, Bill could just as easily have chosen Marjory as his lifelong partner that night in 1942.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I knew it wasn’t wise to introduce them early in the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Marjory had a ‘come hither’ smile and resembled Sonja Heine, the famous movie star and ice skater!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was the first time I had ever worried about losing a boy to Marjory and I kept Bill on the balcony at the ice-rink till the very end of the skating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t think it hadn’t occurred to me that he </span><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype></span><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 75.55pt; WIDTH: 135pt; HEIGHT: 209.25pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.15pt; LEFT: 0px; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-vertical-relative: text" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-120 0 -120 21523 21600 21523 21600 0 -120 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><v:imagedata title="Marjory%20Hubbard%201942" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">might fall for her bewitching smile!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="202"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"></v:path></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 157.65pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 134.25pt; HEIGHT: 30pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -143.4pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t202" allowincell="f"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1027"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p></span><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0"><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1027"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Marjory Hubbard 1942</span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That is not the version Bill tells!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He said he couldn’t see anyone else but me; that my face haunted his thoughts all night long at his hotel in St Kilda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He couldn’t believe I suggested a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">train ride</i> to the hills with a picnic lunch when he asked me for a date, he being an avid railroad buff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had found an Australian girl who liked trains!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I suspect that is why he married me.<o:p></o:p></span></span> <p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We have often laughed together and kidded about the moment we fell in love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>He suggested I fell in love with him because I wanted to get as far away from my family as possible, and South Dakota was 12,000 miles away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was just about far enough!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Train journeys and model trains have always played a major role in our marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have always encouraged Bill to enjoy his hobby - creating a model layout and building his own trains from kits, or designing his H.O. scale buildings from scrap materials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That hobby could be rather expensive if one bought rolling stock ready to go right on the track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once in a while Bill did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">lose track,</i> and blew what little savings we had accumulated because it was imperative to have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">that particular engine</i> for his layout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The difference between men and boys is definitely the price of their toys!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I have heard Bill say, “This is a good hobby for young Billy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our son will enjoy working with the model trains when he gets a little older.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Billy was never old enough! </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>His father made it quite clear that he wasn’t to touch the controls till his father was on the scene.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill was no home maintenance man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He said he was a ‘lover and a poet’, not a plumber or a carpenter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In the States there was a popular saying about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Arkansas Traveller:</i> “If it’s pourin’ rain and the roof is leakin’, it’s too wet to fix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When it stops rainin’, it’s no longer leakin’ so it don’t need fixin’.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s my Bill!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Hobbies are of therapeutic value, and after working on a linotype machine in a noisy area in production all day at the newspaper Bill found it very relaxing to work on his model railroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I guarantee that a husband who is a model railroader can be trusted forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know too if a wife supports her partner’s love of trains she always knows where he is, or, she knows where to send him - off on a long train trip!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill, on the other hand, felt safe in the knowledge that I was close by, but he was never sure of what I was up to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was cautious during February; there was a danger that I would go berserk and lose the plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He knew of my allergy to cabin fever – being housebound during the winter months with our four children and being deprived of the warm outdoor freedom of spring and summer, going barefooted in the garden, dressed only in shorts and a halter-top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s when I was the happiest and in my element.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The solution: I went to night school in Fort Dodge during the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My friend, Lorraine solved the problem - she and I chose February night classes in millinery, art, woodworking and learning a new language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we arrived at the school we couldn’t go past the swimming pool entrance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We chose to swim instead and never made it to any of the other classes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Lila distracted me from my reverie and placed photo albums in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My whole life, from childhood to marriage unfolded before me, filling six albums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She told me about every one of those photos and the stories behind each one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So many of them I had never seen before, and I believed less than half the stories she told me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m sure she thought everything would be exactly the same when I came home for a visit and she could still be in charge, as she was when I was young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As she was growing older it could be the reason she was trying to recapture some past glories.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-81896099697057991892009-12-21T11:41:00.001-08:002009-12-24T16:27:52.519-08:00Chapter 6 Embarrassing my Brother<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 6<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Embarrassing my Brother<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Peter took me to The Embers Nightclub in South Yarra one Saturday night. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>That was the first time I had been to a dance in fourteen years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Peter was a terrific dancer and he didn’t seem to mind that I was a bit rusty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" preferrelative="t" spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path connecttype="rect" extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t"></v:path><o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 0.75pt; WIDTH: 276.75pt; HEIGHT: 200.25pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -1.35pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1028" allowincell="f" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-59 0 -59 21519 21600 21519 21600 0 -59 0"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Peter%20&%20Ruth%20at%20dinner" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The comedian appearing at the nightclub was an American, Tommy Hanlon Junior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was getting very little response when he asked the audience where they were from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe it was too early in the evening and the patrons hadn’t had enough to drink yet - not enough to loosen their inhibitions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tommy was about to leave the stage when I called out to him:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You didn’t ask me where I came from.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My brother looked decidedly embarrassed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was something I never did at home, years ago, when I wanted to get a laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I usually preferred to be far away from home, among friends who appreciated my sense of humour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Peter would have to get used to my impromptu sense of fun; he had a lot to learn about his sister!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“But honey, I’m sure you are going to tell us, aren’t you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The comedian now had a response from his audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have always believed that it only takes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">one</i> to turn any situation around!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I live on the tornado belt in the United States - I’m from Iowa.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had Tommy’s full attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“That’s not the only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">belt</i> you live on - you live on the Bible belt too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And don’t they say that Iowa is where all the hicks come from?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tommy was now on a roll - he now had his audience back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had plenty of hick jokes to tell, and poked fun at me while Peter sat quietly in his chair, unsure where to look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I loved being a stooge in the audience for a professional entertainer!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Tommy came over to our table and said he enjoyed the rapport we had going, and he knew the audience loved it too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He wanted to know where I was born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You’re not originally from Iowa, are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I was born in Melbourne, married a US soldier, and went to the States as a war bride in 1946.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was also an entertainer during the war, so I also know what it’s like to die in front of an audience.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh brother!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tell me about it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Comedy is the hardest thing in the world to do,” Tommy confessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was seriously thinking of settling in Australia - he liked the Australian audiences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I know Peter saw a side of me that night that really surprised him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Despite his embarrassment, we really did have a great night out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were now both adults and we found it to be a levelling experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 52.75pt; WIDTH: 158.1pt; HEIGHT: 258pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-107 0 -107 21534 21600 21534 21600 0 -107 0"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Peter" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"></v:imagedata><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was his surrogate mother for years; when he was a small child I took care of him when he was very ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We shared a room in the two-roomed bungalow at number 32 from when he was a small baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I helped him with his schoolwork, taught him to say his prayers and bought him his first puppy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" spt="202" coordsize="21600,21600" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t"></v:path></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 59.65pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 75pt; HEIGHT: 21.75pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -84.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t202"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1027"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">(I used to have to cover a laugh when Peter said The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who walked in heaven, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Harold</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b>be His name.”)<o:p></o:p></span></span> <p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next day we packed a picnic lunch and drove along the coast road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:time st="on" hour="20" minute="0">8pm</st1:time> we watched the penguin’s parade on the beach at <st1:place st="on">Port Phillip Bay</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A group of people joined us on the sand, each with a torch, watching the penguins emerge from the ocean, their bellies full of fish waddling up the beach to their rookeries to feed their offsprings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a fascinating parade that lasted for hours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Peter later drove me to Dromana to stay with my brother Syd, his wife Nancy and their three children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Syd and I never had the same close relationship that Peter and I experienced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was more Syd’s banker, always good for a loan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Syd was a clone of our father and a heavy drinker - he even sounded like our dad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My thoughts turned back the clock to the time Syd, at 14 years of age, got his first job with a firm in Melbourne that made tea chests for Bushells Tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His boss, a middle-aged man, took a liking to Syd and appeared to favor him over the other young apprentices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Syd was told that his boss had no children of his own and his wife was crippled and confined to a wheelchair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He invited Syd to go away with him for a weekend in the country, and Mum and Dad gave their permission for him to go even though they had never met Syd’s boss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These trips became more frequent over the following years and Syd was seldom at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our parents never questioned this strange relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They invited his boss, Mr Grant, to come to our house and meet our family after he had given Syd money to buy a motorcycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He also indulged Syd with new clothes and many expensive trinkets, things Syd couldn’t afford on his salary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mum and Dad attended this man as if he was a visiting dignitary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In all honesty, I could say I had never met a person whom I did not like at a first encounter, but I took an immediate dislike to Mr Grant - I didn’t trust him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I asked how his crippled wife managed without him while he was away so often on weekends, he flushed and looked rather uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He explained that their daughter took care of her when he was away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Syd said that you didn’t have any children, Mr Grant!” I prodded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh! Yes, that’s partly true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s um, um, my wife’s daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She has been married before, you understand?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was looking daggers at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>None of the family noticed that I had struck a nerve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I asked him if he was visiting friends at the country hotel where he and Syd stayed, my Father told me to stop being so personal and disrespectful to my elders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr Grant fidgeted and flushed some more and Dad saved him from having to answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had opened up a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Pandora’s Box</i>, enough to give my parents a chance to pursue my line of questioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They didn’t do it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They didn’t have a clue that they needed to question the motives of Mr. Grant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As a 15-year-old girl I didn’t have a clue, either, why I mistrusted that man, but my intuition made me uncomfortable with the atmosphere.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My dad asked me to leave the kitchen with him on the pretext of getting wood for the fire, and then he reprimanded me for asking personal questions and being very rude to our guest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told Dad that I felt Mr. Grant was not being honest with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My father would not allow me to return to the kitchen, accusing me of being jealous of Syd’s good fortune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was sent to my room, and as I couldn’t ask any more embarrassing questions, Mr. Grant had won the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My two brothers were as different as chalk and cheese!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Later that week I caught up with many friends and enjoyed meeting their families, but apart from the fact that we had husbands, children, a house and a backyard, we had little in common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My friends didn’t have very stimulating conversation about their own lives or outside interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was natural to expect that none of us had changed at all, but so many of my old friends seemed unhappy with their lot in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They thought I was the one who lived the exciting life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All I did was to talk about meeting Maurice Chevalier and their lives were enriched - by the mere mention of his name!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Change is healthy as long as you are going forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t go back to the way it had been with my friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Come to think of it, if I did lead an exciting life it was because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">I made it happen!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was all in my attitude towards life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh Ruth! I wish I could have done some of the things you have done,” Maureen exclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“All I seem to do is get up in the morning, cut lunches, get the kids off to school, do the washing and the housework, then they are back home again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve only got two kids, you’ve got four!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Listen to yourself Maureen!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is no lustre in your voice; no determination or plan in your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’ve forgotten those all-night sessions we had, when we talked about our expectations and how wonderful it was going to be, settling down with the man we loved after the war. What happened Maureen?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was looking to me to help her recapture the way it was when she was first married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I assured her that nothing stayed the same; that it was up to her to change her way of thinking and be more positive; that she should let her husband know how she was feeling, and organize for quiet moments to talk uninterrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We planned a night out together for dinner and a movie while her husband took care of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We never did get to the movie; we stayed at the restaurant till they asked us to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just like old times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-70559103124868829952009-12-21T11:40:00.001-08:002009-12-21T12:03:29.675-08:00Chapter 7 Family Secrets<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Chapter 7</span></u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Family Secrets<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Years before, I had received a newspaper clipping of my cousin Dorothy’s wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dorothy Young married Harry Beitzel, an up-and-coming umpire for the Australian Rules Football Association in Melbourne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The following year, another newspaper clipping arrived featuring Dorothy, Harry and their newly arrived daughter Julie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two years later, more headlines and pictures in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> papers after the arrival of twin daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the time I arrived from overseas for a visit they had four children, three girls and a boy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Dorothy had been my bridesmaid at our wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was the most gentle and giving person I ever knew and, for some reason, had me up on a pedestal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She adored her children, just as I had always imagined she would after reading her letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was content to stay at home and take care of their children, preferring not to be in the limelight with Harry’s very public image in the sporting world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had a relaxing four days with Dorothy and the children, while Harry popped in from time to time between working long hours with his new business and umpiring on the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Later that week I took the train to Leeton, New South Wales, to the citrus fruit and rice-growing Riverina region to be with my half sister Lil, her English husband Syd, and their two daughters, Valda and Lynette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This re-union was important to both Lil and me – I felt a need for us to spend some time together to better know my sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had been raised separately - Lil on a citrus farm with our biological mother’s sister, Violet, who was also taking care of our aged Grandma Duffy at the time of our mother’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Later, Violet had a son, Roy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Playing games and reading stories to Lil’s two young daughters, Valda and Lynette, made me very homesick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was missing my own children very much and longed to hear their voices and see their faces light up when I told them a bedtime story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was this the homesickness I professed never to suffer from?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Lil was eight years old and I was five months old when our Mother committed suicide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In later years, that may have been diagnosed as post-natal depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lil expressed her unhappiness at having my father, Vic Dowsett, for a stepfather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was adamant in blaming him for our mother’s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She also spoke of the beatings Vic dealt her after he came home from the pub and found the horses hadn’t been fed on the farm at Lancefield in Victoria, a Soldiers Settlement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was aghast to hear he belted me, too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I can’t believe he would do that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Beat his daughter, his own flesh and blood!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>She also forewarned me that Auntie Vi wouldn’t want to discuss her sister’s death - she had never talked about it to Lil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Just remember, don’t mention that you know our Mother committed suicide!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Lil, I only want to know something about her earlier life. What was she like as a young girl?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Did she like to sew or knit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was she a tomboy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She apparently made some bad choices in men, but I’m not interested in her past mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What if I confront Auntie Vi and ask her to tell me about when they were growing up?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Her memory is going, she may not remember too much about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You will only upset her.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lil did not want me to pursue that line of questioning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Auntie Vi lived in a very comfortable house with two spare bedrooms, while I stayed in very cramped conditions with my sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would love to have stayed with my mother’s sister Vi - I had always adored her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The letters she wrote to me were wonderful, but she never told me personal things about the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Auntie Vi was articulate, jolly and very active for her age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I started to ask questions about her growing up and the area in which she lived, the atmosphere became tense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She must have suspected I was leading up to something and her voice became restricted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My questions were not of a personal nature. Answers were not forthcoming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At that time, I believe Auntie Vi chose to have both selective hearing and memory loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t believe the change that came over her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I will never understand why families hold onto so many secrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the town folk from her era have good memories and know all about everyone’s past in country towns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They could probably tell me those secrets if I chose to pursue my questioning in other areas of the Leeton township.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I realized then, I really didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">need</i> to know any more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My life was full of wonderful memories within my own immediate family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The acceptance I received with Bill’s folks when I first became their daughter-in-law, and the way they loved me like their own daughter, far exceeded my expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I suggested to Bill, our family tree started with our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t need to look beyond it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It might be interesting to look into Bill’s background! Those four Frost brothers who landed in America from England back in the 1800’s could have a few skeletons! <u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></span></o:p></span></u></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-59795823100741835772009-12-21T11:39:00.001-08:002009-12-21T12:03:17.054-08:00Chapter 8 Looking Forward to Hawaii<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 8<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Looking Forward to Hawaii<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On my return to Melbourne from Leeton I knew I had only touched the surface of my roots, and none of it inspired me to press for more secrets to be brought to the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had had enough!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I changed the flight departure time so I could stopover in Hawaii for eight days, and asked at the Tourist Bureau (the only tourist booking agent in Australia I was told) for a booking at an inexpensive hotel, boarding house or shanty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Reef hotel, right on the beach, was the only hotel they had available, and that would take all my money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t afford the selfish eight days I had planned for myself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The wheels going around in my head suggested I become a beachcomber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A place to sleep was the last thing I wanted to spend money on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I certainly didn’t need the luxury of the Reef Hotel to enjoy my stay in Hawaii.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If I was very conservative, I could pay my hotel bill but may be left destitute if an emergency arose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why not take a chance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Be adventurous!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s now or never!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When had I ever envisaged an emergency that I couldn’t handle?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Eight days of course, was out of the question - I opted for three days!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On leaving Australia, as before, I was still going to miss my brother Peter the most - nothing really had changed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 321.05pt; WIDTH: 106.5pt; HEIGHT: 150pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 1.35pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-152 0 -152 21492 21600 21492 21600 0 -152 0" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Della%20Reese" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 0.75pt; WIDTH: 276.75pt; HEIGHT: 183pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.9pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" wrapcoords="-59 0 -59 21511 21600 21511 21600 0 -59 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Leaving%20Melbourne" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"></v:imagedata><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Fiji</st1:place></st1:country-region> there was an unexpected delay with our Qantas plane - the airline had over-booked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Waiting in the Nandi passenger lounge while the plane was refuelling, I joined a small group of women ordering drinks at the bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There I met a black American woman who was a singer from the States, Della Reese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She had just finished a six weeks’ singing contract with a nightclub in Sydney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She had been offered a new contract for another six weeks, but because her visa and work permit allowed only the original period of time, she had to go back to the States for one week and re-apply for re-entry to Australia with a new visa.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Della said that this had happened to her before, although she had two friends in show business with similar nightclub contracts in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> who were able to get visa extensions without any trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I asked her if they had given any explanation for rejecting her application.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey, you just don’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ma’ two friends are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">white</i></b>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hadn’t realized the White Australia Policy still existed in the 60’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Jean, the young girl sitting on my right, was going to Washington DC, where she worked at the Australian Embassy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She had been on annual leave visiting her family in Sydney.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">An airline representative approached our table and said that there was a businessman who needed to get to Los Angeles for a very important meeting, but the plane was full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Would any of you be willing to give up your seat for the gentleman?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jean, from the Embassy jumped up and offered her seat right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She went off with the airline’s representative and later returned to tell us of the wonderful deal the airline offered her:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They would accommodate her in the best hotel for two days in Fiji, and would purchase the two pair of shoes she had planned to buy on a two-day stopover in LA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As the airline couldn’t retrieve her luggage from the plane, they were prepared to foot the bill for anything she would need for four days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was as good as an open cheque!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I told Jean that she had beaten me by a second to my making the offer, she laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You didn’t stand a chance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This has happened to me twice before, and I know how well the airline treats you when you give up your seat, particularly for a businessman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I now plan my flight back to Washington at least four days ahead of schedule, anticipating such an offer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As hard as I tried I couldn’t win that one!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was a girl after my own heart but quicker on the draw.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As we approached the islands of Hawaii, I remembered the previous trip from Australia to the States - in 1946, when the war brides were looking forward to a day in Honolulu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was on board the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">SS David C Shanks,</i> the US army transport taking the war brides and children to San Francisco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How excited we all were about having a day off the ship on dry land in Honolulu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had talked about it for days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The night before we were scheduled to dock in Honolulu, an announcement over the public address system informed us that we would not be docking at all, but dropping anchor off Honolulu while we took three United States customs officers on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we dropped anchor, we were so far from shore that we couldn’t even see the coastline of any of the islands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There wasn’t a whisper of air that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was hot and humid, too hot to stay on deck and not much better below deck, until the tropical trade winds refreshed us by late afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">There was only one rewarding feature of that episode: we did get a supply of fresh tropical fruit and fish, and by the time we docked in San Francisco we were thankful that all the customs business was taken care of and there were no delays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We declared we would make it to Hawaii some day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-4192092037713527932009-12-21T11:38:00.001-08:002009-12-21T12:03:03.057-08:00Chapter 9 Switching Hotels<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 9<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Switching Hotels<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The seat belt sign was flashing when the voice of the stewardess jolted me back to reality – we were landing in Honolulu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After showing our hotel accommodation slips to the attendant at the airport she assigned us to various buses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My bus was already full, so I sat with the driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don introduced himself as we drove away from the airport, and we were immediately engaged in conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told him that the only booking to be had from the Australian Tourist Bureau was at the Reef Hotel, and instead of staying eight days I could only afford to stay three days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Would you like to find another hotel - one you can afford?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh! That would be wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How close to the beach would it be?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“One block away, and it will cost you only $6 a day,” Don assured me with a big smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This obliging driver and I were meant to meet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I knew I no longer needed to worry about that expensive accommodation at The Reef, at $39 a day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I stayed in the bus until all the passengers had been deposited at their hotels, after which Don drove me back to the Reef Hotel to redeem my deposit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He assured me that there would be no problems, as his cousin worked at the reception desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don went with me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At the Islander Hotel Don introduced me to the proprietors - Don’s daughter and son-in-law - who welcomed me like a member of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The hotel was just what I was looking for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I kept saying over and over, “$6 a day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It sure pays to know the right people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This wonderful happening made me shiver with anticipation!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The hotel was an L-shaped, six-storey building with a large pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Several people were dining around the pool but nobody was swimming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I always hated to see a pool go to waste!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As soon as the newly arrived guests were shown to their rooms Don’s second daughter Lisa, took me across the street from the main hotel, to the bungalows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She explained that the bungalows were much cheaper and I still had the use of all the hotel’s facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My unit, set amongst exotic tropical gardens, comprised a bedroom, a bathroom and, in the corner of the bedroom, a desk/dressing-table where I could write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All this for $6 a day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had now become financially secure again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After unpacking, I went looking for Waikiki beach, but failed to find a path leading to the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All the expensive hotels were lined up along the main thoroughfare right on the beachfront.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I decided to look around and take a shortcut through the Reef hotel, pretending I was still a guest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I hurried through to the foyer, wondering if anyone suspected that I didn’t belong there, I thought how terrible it was to have a conscience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Passing the barbershop, I bumped into a gentleman coming out of the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 17.1pt; WIDTH: 104.25pt; HEIGHT: 168.8pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -2.1pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-129 0 -129 21521 21600 21521 21600 0 -129 0" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="goodjack2" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m sorry! Are you all right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The voice inquired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was Jack Benny!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Yes, I’m OK, thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh! Hi Mr. Benny.” (I sounded like Rochester! Wait till my family hears about this)!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The sight of Waikiki beach caused me to pause in wonderment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was just as it looked in the movies and travel pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For a man-made beach it ran a close fourth to any Australian beaches I’d seen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Someone was trying to catch my attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Standing in front of me was a waiter from the hotel, ringing a tiny brass bell and reminding me that it was almost noon, and suggesting that I may care to retire to the lounge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was puzzled - what did he mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the guests who were sunbathing got up from their lounge chairs and headed for the foyer and elevators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought I’d stick around - something was going on, but I didn’t dare ask!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The beachfront was becoming deserted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I waved, pretending I saw some friends, and headed down toward the beach, then, with that same guilty conscience, sneaked back to the street through the next hotel, The Beachcomber.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A market stall on the main street displayed packaged fingers of mouth-watering fresh pineapple and fruit salad in sealed plastic bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I bought two days’ supply and went back to my hotel, had a swim, then sat by the pool and ate the luscious, tropical fruit while writing postcards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two days’ supply lasted only one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After another swim I took a nap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What a life!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I changed the date of my departure in order to stay eight days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I almost decided to stick to the original three days, as I was suffering pangs of homesickness, missing Bill and the children, wishing they could enjoy all this with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then I thought of the most recent letters from Bill that I’d received in Australia, about the worst blizzard in 40 years and a temperature of 23 degrees below zero.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; 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mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="202"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"></v:path></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 14.45pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 84.75pt; HEIGHT: 21pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 162.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1028" type="#_x0000_t202" allowincell="f"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1028"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 3; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p></span><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-: #f0f0f0color:transparent;" ><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1028"><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Snow in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span><p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That cured any homesickness!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After I saw Waikiki beach, I knew an opportunity to swim and surf there may not come again in my lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once I returned to Iowa, in the middle of the United States, and settled back to being a housewife and mother, chances were I might not see the ocean again for a very long time!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The following day saw me swimming in the pool at 5.00am, eating bacon and eggs beside the pool at 7.00am, and walking to the post office shortly after that. The postal clerk was most obliging, and was interested in all the cards I was sending and where they were going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He introduced himself as Sammy Yamamoto, and to find my name, glanced at the return home address on my letter to Australia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Very happy to meet you, Mrs. Frost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How long are you staying with us in Hawaii?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We talked for about an hour, as business was slow early in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He asked where I was staying and if I was happy with my accommodation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t tell me, Sammy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You have a relative that runs a very nice hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are all the people related to each other in Hawaii?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All the ones I have met are members of the same family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bus driver, Don; the Reef Hotel desk clerk; Jeanie and her husband at the Islander.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sammy was laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Yes, but aren’t we all related, really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They are not my blood relatives but I know them all very well, like my family.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He suggested I try the Palms restaurant that evening, at the corner of my street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The proprietor, Joe, an ex-cop from New York, introduced me around to the other eight couples seated at separate tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each couple invited me to join them. Was it the slower pace of the tropics, or was it because people on vacation enjoy a new freedom that allows their conservative lives to take on a relaxed attitude?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Whatever the reason, I enjoyed being the centre of attention and hadn’t even considered it a drawback to be travelling alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Why not all sit together?” I suggested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Would you mind, Joe, if we pushed some tables together?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We all joined in and rearranged the tables, finishing up with a real party atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After our main course had been served I was told that someone was asking for me at the desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone seemed very impressed, knowing I had been in Hawaii for only one day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mrs. Frost - or should I call you Frosty?” the gentleman at the desk asked with a big smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“My friends call me Frosty.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m John, Jeanie’s brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lisa asked me to come see if you would be interested in going with a group of us to The Barefoot Bar tonight. They have a great floor show there and she thought you might enjoy it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I agreed to go with them at 11.30pm - an ungodly hour, but I was on holidays and anything goes!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After meeting more members of Don’s family back in the lobby of the Islander Hotel, I joined them in a big bus that took us to the nightclub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We are all in the transportation business, too,” Jeanie said with a laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“None of us own a private car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A few of the younger boys have motor cycles - fast for small deliveries.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">What a night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The food was plentiful - too bad I’d already eaten and wasn’t hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Three hours later, one of Jeanie’s daughters brought me a foil parcel of prawns to eat afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Prawns for breakfast with my bacon and eggs beside the pool – a delightful new experience!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Every one of my dance partners was a great dancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was so much laughter and good fun that I adored that caring and loving family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two of Jeanie’s daughters were professional dancers in the floorshow, and they were spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After getting to bed at 3.00am, I thought I would probably sleep late, but I was up at 6, had a swim, ordered breakfast of bacon and eggs and ate my gift of prawns, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was such a racket from the early risers leaning over the balconies calling me ‘the mermaid’, that they were waking the rest of the guests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To avoid disturbing anyone when I arrived at the pool the next morning, I slid quietly into the water instead of diving and making a splash; the acoustics seemed to amplify every sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Going to the beach early might have been a better idea, but Jeanie said I needn’t worry; they were trying to get more people to use the pool anyway, and I could be the one to encourage them to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I felt very much a part of this family of Don’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We went out dancing several nights in a row, usually with anywhere from twelve to twenty-five in our group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the members of this family the tourist business was their way of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They worked hard and played hard!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">One morning after the nightclub we all went swimming down at the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The men undressed down to their underpants (which were really swimming trunks), but the women went in fully clothed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The men considered a sundress and underpants to be over-dressed for water sports, and the women had no imagination when it came to being ready for any emergency!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-68396674786923704912009-12-21T11:36:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:02:46.824-08:00Chapter 10 Surfboard Fiasco<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Chapter 10</span></u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Surfboard Fiasco.<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The surfboard stand on the beach was busy and I had to wait in line to rent a board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It had been fifteen years since I had been on a surfboard - at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Bondi</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place> in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I figured it was like riding a bicycle: once you learned you never forgot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The surfboard attendant asked me to fill out a form and I queried why I needed to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We need to have a medical history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When our clients <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">get older</i> there is a danger of a heart attack.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had never considered myself as ‘old’ at 35.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was a bit of a shock to the system, and it took the wind out of my sails momentarily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was given a clean bill of health and asked if I wanted a large or small board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In my day, all the boards were the same size: big.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“A large one, of course!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It stood to reason; it meant I had more room to stand up when I caught a wave.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That was one gigantic mistake!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Straddling the large surfboard was difficult for someone of my small stature; I was getting very chafed on the inside of my thighs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Close by, there were several male beginners, all from the <st1:place st="on">Midwest</st1:place>, who were attending a convention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They admitted they were seeing the ocean for the first time and I concluded it was their first glimpse of a surfboard too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were having a punishing time like me, trying to get up and stay up on the board.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Forty minutes into my slotted hour I caught a wave and stood up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were loud voices yelling at me and I thought those fellows were cheering me on, except that it was more a frantic squeal than a cheer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I panicked and dived off the board just as a huge outrigger boat went over my head with a load of tourists on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was a close call!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Stretched out on the sand, feeling very tender down the inside of my thighs while the salt water wasn’t helping to heal my injuries, or my pride. I reclined ever so gently with a towel across my eyes and felt my 35 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was hoping for sleep to make the pain go away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I saw that spectacular near-miss of yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You were doing very well - how long have you been surfing?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The voice with the lilt came from above me, but I couldn’t see the messenger for the sun behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The voice was familiar - it was John, Jeanie’s brother, looking for me on the beach to warn me that it was after <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="12">noon</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Aha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The penny dropped!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That is what the hotel attendant meant at the Reef Hotel: it’s siesta time between <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="12">noon</st1:time> and <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="14">2 o’clock</st1:time>, when it is not safe to be in the sun on the beach in the tropics, and he was suggesting to the guests that they retire to the lounge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Thank you John, for looking out for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“All the hotels have their staff warn the guests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The hospital treats so many with second and third degree burns and sunstroke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jeanie sent me down to see if you were still on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She realized that she hadn’t warned you about the dangers of sunbathing between <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="12">noon</st1:time> and <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="14">2.00pm</st1:time>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was most considerate of them to watch out for me like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We headed back to the hotel very, very slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>John knew what had happened to my thighs as soon as he saw the size of the surfboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I bought some soothing cream at the drugstore, took my siesta and slept for three hours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After finding a postcard with a girl on a surfboard, one that could have been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">mistaken for me</i>, I sent it to Bill and wrote, “Having a ball, doing all the things you don’t like to do; swimming, dancing, surfing and getting covered in sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Glad you’re not here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Never before had it been so obvious how different our lives were: Bill the introvert and me the extrovert; Bill and the children in the snow in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>, and me getting a suntan on <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Waikiki</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were so different, complete opposites, yet our marriage worked very well in our honest and unique partnership.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The ground rules were laid in the beginning of our marriage; we didn’t have time to sort things out in wartime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We only saw each other for a total of thirty-one days in our courtship over a three-year period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were winging it on love alone!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I learned more about Bill from his Mother, to whom I had written for almost three years before we were married.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill was the one who took a gamble marrying me; he really had no idea what he was getting into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had been hospitalised in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> with amnesia in 1945, and had no idea to whom I was engaged to marry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill was a complete stranger!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We fell in love, the only time for Bill but the second time for me to the same fellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ten days after our wedding I regained my memory and found nothing in my past to hamper our lives together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Thinking of Bill and the children, I became very teary-eyed one day after watching a mother with her children down on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I longed to be able to do the same with my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Needing some diversion, I walked around to the post office, mailed more postcards and visited with Sammy while he worked behind the counter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had already found a couple of grass skirts, some sun tops and a replica of a fishing boat for my daughters, but I hadn’t found the bongo drums for our son, Billy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sammy just happened to have a cousin who was an importer-exporter and he took me to his warehouse after the post office closed - on his motorcycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Straddling the pillion, I let out a yell of pain – I’d forgotten what happened to me earlier that day on a surfboard!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was an excruciating ride!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We found just the bongo drums I had in mind - two drums joined together, a big one and a small one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I planned to tell our son that the big bongo drum was mine and the small one was his, and he and I could only play them outdoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That will make sure that he takes very good care of both of them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sammy stopped me from getting the packing done for my <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time> flight to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city>, by asking to hear more about the method I used to rid our son Billy of a lot of pent up energy when he had ‘cabin fever’ – something I suffered from after being snowed in for days at a time in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I would get a large cardboard box and a short stick, turn the box upside down over Billy’s head and let him fight his way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I called it organized vandalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy thought it was great fun and it helped him burn up some excess energy. The noise was often a bit unnerving, but I knew the whole family would benefit once he fought his way out of the box down in the basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="202"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"></v:path></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 138.45pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 86.25pt; HEIGHT: 18pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -150.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t202"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1027"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p></span><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-: #f0f0f0color:transparent;" ><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1027"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Blizzard of ‘59<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 3.35pt; WIDTH: 156.75pt; HEIGHT: 156.75pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1028" wrapcoords="-80 0 -80 21520 21600 21520 21600 0 -80 0" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Blizzard%20of%20'59" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sammy was intrigued with the whole concept, and thought it would be great to pass that idea on to his sister who had a very ‘hyper’ eight-year-old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He wanted me to go and meet his family so they could hear my stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sammy was only 20 years old and already showed signs of wanting to settle down and raise a family of his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He spoke lovingly of his own family.<o:p></o:p></span></span> <p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Tell me more about the snow in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>. I feel so cool listening to the story.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I told him of the blizzard we had in ’59, when I was working as a nurse on night shift at the Elderly Folks’ Home in Manson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“The wind had dropped and it had stopped snowing about <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="8">eight o’clock</st1:time> that evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was impossible for Bill to drive me to work at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="22">10.00pm</st1:time>, or even for me to attempt to walk the five blocks, because of the huge snowdrifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I called Don Hartig, the sheriff, and told him of my predicament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had canvassed the streets and knew where it was clear, and suggested I get to the top of the rise on <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">10th Avenue, west</st1:address></st1:street> of our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He would pick me up and drive me to the nursing home in the police car at <st1:time st="on" minute="45" hour="21">9.45pm</st1:time>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“How do you survive in such freezing conditions?” asked Sammy, bewildered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Sorry I interrupted, please go on.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I had on my white uniform, a heavy coat and my gum boots, and was carrying two bags, one with a snack and one with my indoor shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill stood at the front porch to make sure I made it to the top of the rise and didn’t get buried in the deep snowdrifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He could hear me laughing but he couldn’t understand what I thought was so funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Naturally, he had to wait till I finished my shift the next morning at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="7">7.00am</st1:time> before he found out why I was laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Every step I took, I lost my boot deep in the snow; then, balancing on one foot to retrieve the boot in the hole. I went through the same process with the next step. It just tickled my funny bone!<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>It was a comedy scene they could use in the movies - I thought of Laurel and Hardy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One has to see the humour in this to appreciate the scene.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“By the time I reached the police car I felt as if I had already done a night’s work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Sheriff said he could hear me laughing but couldn’t see the funny side of the situation at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was wet up to the waist by then and my bags were full of snow too.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sammy was looking at me and shaking his head, his eyes bugging out and his mouth hanging open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He waved his hand for me to go on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Surprisingly, the rest of our street and the main street were clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I asked the sheriff to wait for the nurse going off duty so he could drive her home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Don entered her street the snow had drifted in badly, and he spent the rest of the night digging the police car out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Sheriff was mad at me for a week.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“How can you live in conditions like that?” Sammy asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I know I would not like to live in snow country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like being warm and I love to swim.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I asked Sammy to tell me something of his family’s experiences during the war, after the bombing of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Pearl</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Harbour</st1:placetype></st1:place> in ’41.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sammy was honoured that I showed such interest, and was keen to tell me what happened to his family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I was not quite one year old when my family was rounded up and interned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My grandparents and my parents migrated with their families from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region> in the ’20’s - to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state> first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There they met up with other members of their family who had migrated earlier, and they decided to all come to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My three brothers, one sister, and I were all born here.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“So, Sammy, there are five in your family, right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sammy nodded his head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We were treated much better here, in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, than the Japanese Americans were treated in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the people of the <st1:place st="on">Islands</st1:place> knew us to be upright and good citizens, but those Japanese who had infiltrated in the late ’30’s became our enemies, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We did not like them in our business dealings, and they did not help the image of our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We never suspected them of espionage.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He paused to take pictures of his family from his wallet to show me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I showed him my family, too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had never considered before what it must have been like for Japanese migrant families who were innocent victims because of their heritage, or how they suffered the indignities of internment camps, losing everything they owned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Don’t be sad,” Sammy was looking at my face, “we are respected citizens once again.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was touched by the generosity of the Hawaiian people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sammy told me that Jeanie’s family had shown the same regard for other women travelling alone, like me, and staying at the Islander.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had made sure that those women felt safe during their stay - everyone in the family looked out for them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We deal with a great cross-section of people from all over the world, and there are many unsavoury characters coming to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> and using it as a safe haven.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Out of curiosity, I asked if the other lone women travellers had been included in so many of Jeanie’s family activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Are you kidding?” Sammy said, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Most of the other women have been rather conservative and stayed close to the hotel at night after spending the day shopping or sunbathing on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You are so different to those other women, so outgoing and full of fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My eight days had flown by so fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I knew the memories that I would take with me would last for the rest of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My still-tender inner thighs from my surfing fiasco would probably last till I got home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I approached the lobby I saw a young nephew of Jeanie’s loading my suitcase into the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t help smiling - there was bound to be another one of Jeanie’s family driving me to the airport for my <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time> flight!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After a teary farewell with several of her family in the lobby, I stepped on to the bus to find it filled with more relatives who had the night off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was astounded at the number of people I’d met who showed up to farewell me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They placed four magnificent leis of frangipani and hibiscus around my neck and presented me with a gift, making me promise that I would not open it until I could no longer see the lights of <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I promised!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was teary-eyed with mixed feelings as the plane headed skywards over the islands – of sadness at leaving those kind people in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, and a yearning to see my own family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was in an emotional mess!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The stewards handed out large plastic bags to all the passengers with leis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We placed the flowers in the bags, which were then sealed and stored in the overhead compartments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The perfume was overpowering in the confined cabin of the plane.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I arrived at the Hollywood Wiltshire Boulevard Hotel, where I was to meet my <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state> friends, Al and Ethel Tillman, I regretted having made the arrangements for a one-night stopover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I called Bill the moment I arrived in the hotel lobby, and by the time Ethel had arrived I was blubbering into my handkerchief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hearing Bill’s voice on the phone had brought on the tears - he would meet my train in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Omaha</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Nebraska</st1:state></st1:place>, in three days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I lost a friend in Ethel Tillman because I couldn’t stay awake to view about 50,000 slides of her one and only grandson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Or was it her granddaughter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ethel was so upset with me, she had her husband take me to the train alone the following morning, and didn’t bother to say goodbye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She couldn’t face me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Al apologized for his wife’s behaviour, but I just laughed it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Al, we can’t take responsibility for the way someone else sees a situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ethel was very hurt because I wouldn’t look at her slides, and for that I am sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I have already been bombarded with so many people wanting to show me slides of their children that I gave in to sleep hoping, no one would notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have had such a fabulous time in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, I now have a lot of sleep to catch up on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Al understood.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I catnapped, sitting up, on the way home on the train from San Francisco, taking little interest in acquainting myself with other travellers, happy to be alone with my thoughts and feeling the excitement mounting at seeing my family </span></span><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 65.65pt; WIDTH: 151.75pt; HEIGHT: 147.45pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -0.8pt; LEFT: 0px; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-vertical-relative: text" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-152 0 -152 21443 21600 21443 21600 0 -152 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><v:imagedata title="Passport%20photo" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"></v:imagedata><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I never seemed to have time to catch up in my diary after the whirlwind affair with <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finding a seat in the corner of the lounge-car, I spent hours sorting out notebooks and scribbled notes on scraps of paper, notations and addresses pencilled on dockets inside the covers of novels, and even a faded telephone number on the inside of my left arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A few people I did speak to, but I wasn’t interested in making new acquaintances, and none found me interesting enough to linger and find out more about me, either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-42965414948006159802009-12-21T11:35:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:02:30.907-08:00Chapter 11 My Homecoming<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 11<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My Homecoming<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill was on the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:city> platform at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our meeting was as thrilling as our reunion in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city> when I arrived from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> in time for our first wedding anniversary in 1946.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This time, I was arriving for our fifteenth wedding anniversary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The last miles of my journey home with Bill were spent on a bus to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Sioux City</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Iowa</st1:state></st1:place>, followed by a transfer to the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city> bus, which would drop us off in Manson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bus stopped in the middle of a crossroads, unable to go on because of a stalled car on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were out in the middle of nowhere with only the freshly turned fields, ready for spring planting of corn, on both sides of us - not a tree in sight!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What’s going on?” a passenger called out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Then another voice from the back of the bus: “Maybe they need some help out there driver!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The bus driver opened the door to allow a person to enter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Do you have a Ruth and Bill Frost on this bus?” demanded the person in a loud and rough manner, from the lower step of the bus and hidden from most of the passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone could hear the booming voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Who would be looking for us out here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t recognize the voice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The well-endowed body in the familiar black dress, my friend Lorraine Hansen, stepped up to the level of the bus driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was a sight to behold!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Ruth Frost has been gone off to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> far too long, and I am placing her under arrest and escorting her back to Manson where she belongs.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was wearing a fake sheriff’s badge made of cardboard, and was carrying a pair of handcuffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I laughed and cried at the same time - it was so good to see my dear friend, <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Lorraine</st1:place></st1:state>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The passengers cheered and clapped as we alighted, while the bus driver handed over my suitcases and packages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a delightful surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My bohemian friend, <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Lorraine</st1:place></st1:state>, gave me such a bear hug I thought she would take my last breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill had known about this hijacking plan but not where it would take place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With his<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> </i>poker face I would never have suspected a kidnapping plot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My neighbour, Marian, had the evening meal already prepared, the children all bathed and ready to welcome me home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t believe how much the children had grown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis, our five-year-old, hung back as if she couldn’t believe I was finally home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She acted unsure as if thinking: was it really her Mother?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was very suntanned and my hair was cut very short - I couldn’t blame her!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Are you going to stay at home now?” asked our sensitive child, Janis, as I hugged her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We wanted you to see our funeral for the kitten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It died.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wasn’t there for that very important occasion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="202"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"></v:path></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 155.2pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 80.25pt; HEIGHT: 18pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 59.25pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1028" type="#_x0000_t202" allowincell="f"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1028"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 3; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p></span><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-: #f0f0f0color:transparent;" ><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1028"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Edna and Otto<br />Edna<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 29.2pt; WIDTH: 138pt; HEIGHT: 2in; MARGIN-LEFT: 2.9pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" wrapcoords="-117 0 -117 21488 21600 21488 21600 0 -117 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Otto%20and%20Edna%20Garrels" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I thought of all the people who had urged me to make the trip, and had volunteered to care for our children while Bill was working, I knew I was truly blessed with the most wonderful friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our healthy family had been well cared for during my absence.<o:p></o:p></span></span> <p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Edna and Otto Garrels and their two daughters, Ardis and Alice, had our children staying with them for a while on their farm when I was in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Edna started describing the blizzards, the children began sparring for my attention, wanting to be the ones to tell me what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Edna relinquished the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We couldn’t get to town and Daddy was home all by himself.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn sounded sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We waited so long for the snow ploughs to come and open the roads.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“And what about the blizzard we had in town, too!” Diane interrupted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We got snow holidays from school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“When we opened the front door it was all snow!” Billy said, opening the front door to emphasize his story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Daddy and I dug and dug a big hole right there, like a tunnel, and we couldn’t get through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had to go around to the front through all the snowdrifts and dig the snow away from the door and off the front porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was really tough work, wasn’t it, Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We couldn’t see the garage for days, and Daddy couldn’t get the car out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis took my hand to go see the garage through the side window, so she could describe the height of the big snowdrift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“See, right up to there, above the door.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mom!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Remember the big icicles we got last year out the back of our house?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy was back fighting to get in the contest again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You should have seen these ones, right from the roof above our window upstairs all the way to the ground.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I couldn’t help feeling sad that my family had experienced these things while I was having such a good time in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, there was no way I was going to feel guilty about missing all the snow and below zero temperatures; I abhorred the confinement that winter inflicted on me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The children had several holidays because of the weather and road conditions, when the buses couldn’t bring the country children into town to attend school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As much as the children loved school, they thought it a special treat to get snow holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately, they had to make up those missed days before they could start their summer vacation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We all stayed up late while I caught up on the news and they opened their presents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still hadn’t opened the one given to me by the many friends I had made in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I savoured it till last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill was astounded when Billy opened his gift of bongo drums!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He shook his head in disbelief that I would do such a thing as buying Billy drums!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Whatever possessed you to buy drums?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You used to always say that you would strangle anyone who bought drums for Billy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -3; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 17.75pt; WIDTH: 63pt; HEIGHT: 63pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -0.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-257 0 -257 21343 21600 21343 21600 0 -257 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="bongo%20drums%20copy" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"></v:imagedata><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I meant kettledrums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bongo drums are so much more subdued and easier on the ears.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The girls jiggled around in their grass skirts, Bill and Billy, dressed in their floral shirts, watched as I opened my present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a sarong style sundress in apricot and white with a bolero jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It had the elegance of an ‘after-five’ creation, ideal for a nightclub in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, not for the Sunday Supper Club at the local church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was the dress I had tried on in Jeanie’s sister’s shop, and knew I couldn’t afford it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was also a pair of aqua sandals that I had secretly admired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It truly amazed me how Jeanie could be so observant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t need gifts to remind me of the wonderful memories I would treasure forever about <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next night the children planned a Hawaiian supper, and we all worked together with the preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I dined in my elegant sundress and jacket and the rest of the family donned their gifts from <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were candles on the table to add to the festive meal of fried chicken, corn on the cob and baked potatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn and Diane baked a cake for dessert, topped with ice cream.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Billy pleaded to be allowed to play his bongos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We agreed he could do a drum roll when the girls brought in the cake and again after the table was cleared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His father was happy to know that I would be in control of the drums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Now, Billy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I also wanted a bongo drum, but I could only buy two joined together.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hoped I was being convincing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“The smaller one is yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s OK to play on mine, too, but I will keep them in my room, and when you want to practise, you can take them outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Remember, though, you must keep them dry.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At bedtime, the children’s questions were about their Australian aunts, uncles and cousins, as I showed them their relatives’ photographs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Would they ever come to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state> to meet our family?” Jerilyn wanted to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told them it was highly unlikely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“The next time I go to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, I will take you all with me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was a promise I hoped I could keep, but the wrong thing to say at bedtime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They became excited at the prospect of going to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and I didn’t have the heart to tell them that such a trip was not in our immediate future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next morning, I was awakened at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="4">4.00am</st1:time> by Billy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was at the bedroom door asking for his bongo drums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I felt as though I had never left home!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Things were already back to normal; the last two months seemed like a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As reality came into focus I could see I had created a situation with our son, who would never ‘give in’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He contended that he was old enough to have the bongo drums in his room<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I should have known!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Billy went along with my plan for me to be in charge of the drums, he was marking time until the right moment to give me an argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why didn’t I hear the wheels going around in his head?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He most likely stayed awake all night, consolidating his plan to win that confrontation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Billy, go back to bed. You can’t play drums at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="16">4 o’clock</st1:time> in the morning!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I don’t want to play them; I just want to look at them!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was not going to give up, and Bill and I would not have a chance to get back to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“If I’m going to play bongo drums in a band some day, Mom, I am going to have to do a lot of practising.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had never heard our son mention a musical career!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">His father got out of bed, escorted his son to the upstairs doorway, and quietly told him the way it was going to be!<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i>“From now on, I will take charge of the bongo drums, and neither you nor your Mother will get to play the bongos unless I say so!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Is that clear?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was snickering, hardly able to contain myself listening to the calm way Bill was handling this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Now, Billy, go back to bed and do it quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t wake your sisters.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill didn’t return to bed right away; he went to the kitchen, put the coffee on and brought two cups of coffee with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We sat up in bed, both wide awake, drinking our coffee and talking about what had transpired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I’ve got to hand it to you, Sweetheart, you handled that very well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are you really going to take charge of the bongos?” I asked, laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Of course I am!” Bill said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You know, as I was putting the coffee on, I was thinking about some of the things the children did and said last year, when you went into hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They can be such characters, and at times such a worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, there are moments at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="4">4.00am</st1:time>, like this one.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Funny you should say that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was mulling over the same thing just now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After Bill left for work, I continued to think about how our family members bounced off of one another with our sense of humour, and how different were their personalities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would say Diane was the quickest on the draw with a sharp retort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-60240278885511769362009-12-21T11:33:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:02:06.627-08:00Chapter 12 My Grand Opening<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 12<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My Grand Opening<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">By 1958 I had already earned most of the money for my seat on the charter plane by working at the Nursing Home and baking and knitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I became ill and was rushed to the hospital, all my savings went on the hospital bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Doctor John Faust suspected I had bulbar polio, and the staff at Fort Dodge Lutheran hospital had been alerted to get an iron lung out of mothballs for my arrival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A medical team was in readiness to give me a lumbar puncture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dr Faust drove me to the hospital in his car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was not polio!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A large, angry Bartholin cyst, which felt like the size of a football, was causing most of the infection throughout my system keeping my temperature and blood pressure accelerated and causing some concern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It took six days to get both my temperature and blood pressure stabilized and by then, after many tests, they had found I needed surgery for four different problems: the obvious one, the cyst; repairs to the cervix and an umbilical hernia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The fourth problem was an afterthought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was suggested that ‘during surgery for the hernia it would be a simple matter to also remove the appendix’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Of course, Doctor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As long as you’re in the neighbourhood!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(I must be losing my touch; nobody thought that was very funny.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My appendix had flared up many times since I was 15 years of age, but none of the doctors in Australia would operate unless it was about to burst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The worst attack I ever had was on the war brides’ ship as we went under the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Sydney</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Harbour</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Several of the girls wanted to get the ship’s doctor, but I wouldn’t let them in case they put me off the ship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Two days before surgery I was feeling great, well enough to go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was joking with the new surgeon who had recently joined the staff at the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Lutheran</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place> - I was to be his first surgical patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Well, Doctor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After my surgery, I am going to serve coffee and doughnuts for my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">grand opening<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></b></i>It’s not often one can get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">four for the price of one!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i>The doctor turned to Bill<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">,</i></b> patted him on the back and walked him to the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I bet she leads you a merry chase, Bill!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Could you do me a favour Doctor?” Bill asked seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Of course, Bill!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You name it - just tell me what you need.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“When you have Ruth on the operating table, could you reach up and pull her tongue back in a couple of inches?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They walked down the corridor in a jovial mood, at my expense!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The announcement of the free doughnuts and Bill’s request for a shorter tongue went all over the hospital, and several doctors, nurses and patients came to my bedside to collect their free treats after I came out of surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They also asked me to poke out my tongue, as they wanted to measure it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the clamps were ready to be removed, my surgeon arrived with two nurses carrying a rusty pliers and screwdrivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They never let up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I just wanted to be left alone!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Children were not allowed to visit in the hospital at that time, because of a recent spread of infection, but I insisted Bill bring the children the following day so I could talk to them through the ward window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hadn’t seen them in over two weeks and was missing them desperately.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It so happened that my ward was right above the main entrance<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i></b>Billy called out loudly while an audience of onlookers gathered for the entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Mom!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are going to bring home a new baby?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would rather have a puppy!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the nurses pushed me in a wheelchair around to the chapel so I could see the children one at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis hung back, afraid to touch me in case something fell off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You won’t break will you, Mom?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis was excellent medicine for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But, oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It did hurt to laugh!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I hugged her as tightly as I could; Janis, our baby, was growing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She had outgrown the habit of stripping off of all her clothes and wallowing in the mud puddles in the front of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The neighbours were amused at Janis’s strange behaviour, but it made me wonder what was in our genes to make our daughter behave in such a fashion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We did laugh about it often.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We proved that laughter was the best medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told the staff at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Fort Dodge</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Lutheran</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place> as I was leaving, that I would miss them all very much and I hoped I would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">never</i> see them again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn and Diane were the best nurses I could wish for when I returned home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being the eldest, Jerilyn took charge, while Diane complained that her sister was too bossy and made her work too hard.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During my recovery, I continued writing short stories and my monthly column, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Up From Down Under. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I received letters from several Australian girls saying they<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>didn’t marry rich American serviceman and they couldn’t afford to go home for a visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If we could get a charter plane, then the cost would be two thirds of the full commercial fare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At that time it was only at the talking stage, with an airline that showed some interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Aussie girls’ problems became my problems as I read their letters from my overstuffed postal box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wanted so much to be able to help them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Like me, they were in a low-income bracket and couldn’t afford to make the trip to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> without earning it themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hoping to inspire them I told them about some of the things I was doing to earn my fare; baking cookies, cakes, making jelly and jams, baby sitting, knitting, sewing and creating gift ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Writing at my desk, a favourite spot facing the window, I shut out the noise of Billy and Janis playing on the floor behind me, and gave my full attention to the column.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Under a heading dated November 1957, I started a story about selling Fashion Frocks from <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Cincinatti</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Ohio</st1:state></st1:place>, hoping some of my ideas would rub off on the Aussie girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As a helpful suggestion where young families needed consideration, I put forward the idea of a house party where their friends could get-together, choose from the catalogues and place an order for the various garments offered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Jerilyn and Diane were in school; I put Janis down for her nap and resumed my writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-77811133184186197382009-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:01:52.439-08:00Chapter 13 Some Mothers Do Have 'em!<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 343.65pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 13<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 343.65pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Some Mothers Do Have ’em!<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 134.25pt; WIDTH: 96.75pt; HEIGHT: 163.4pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 2.95pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-240 0 -240 21458 21600 21458 21600 0 -240 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Billy%20in%20snowsuit" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Billy, aged five, was trying desperately to get my attention as I was gazing out the window at the overnight snowfall, feeling cosy and warm inside the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I continued to be inspired with the writing of my column, while Billy’s questions drifted in and out of my subconscious and I answered him with a “Yes, sweetheart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A concerned neighbour two blocks away phoned: “Are you missing a blue-snowsuit-clad boy heading west?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It can’t be Billy; he’s here with me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I really appreciate your concern.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was ready to finish my column and get it in the mail, when another phone call penetrated my brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was my neighbour, Marian.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t worry, Ruth, I found Billy by the railroad tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“He was bailed up by a big dog that took his mitten, and he was crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll bring him home - he’s okay now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Marian’s reassuring voice was making me dizzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I sat with the phone in my hand, dumbfounded!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">There was no recollection of adjusting his earmuffs, cap and mittens, checking to be sure he had been to the toilet before I zipped him into his blue snowsuit, or buckling his snow boots and sending him on his way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That ritual was automatic, and repeated so often that I must have gone through the motions while I continued to edit the column in my head, oblivious to what I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was that possible?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had no idea how much time had elapsed since I last saw our son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What on earth was he doing down by the railroad tracks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was here in the house with me, talking a blue streak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What was he talking about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All the while, I had been thinking<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">: I must get my column finished and in the mail.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Marian and her two boys, Timmy and Brian, arrived at the front door with a subdued Billy, still hiccuping with a sob in his voice after his experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Marian was trying to piece together Billy’s story of how ‘I sent him on his way to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Rockwell</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place>, twelve miles away, to buy a horse from Roy Rogers’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He emptied out his pockets and showed me the 67 cents that I’d told him would be enough to buy a horse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">I did that!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was all so unreal!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How could I have done that to one of my children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was it possible that I could take myself on to another plane and be so completely detached from the present?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was scary!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Could it have something to do with the amnesia I suffered in 1946, causing my subconscious to take over my conscious mind and blot everything out of the present?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I needed to go see Dr. Charles Wilson!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Once Billy was out of his snowsuit and consoled with cookies and milk with his playmates, he dived into the toy box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For Billy the whole thing was forgotten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Marian laughed about the episode while I reprimanded myself for being a thoughtless mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What if???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He would never have made it to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Rockwell</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My family told me later that I had seemed to go into a vacuum many times during my writing periods, and that no one could get through to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could hardly believe it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one else took it seriously, but it bothered me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The next day I had a long talk with Dr. Chuck Wilson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had confided in him some time before about the fear of losing my memory again, and he had done a great deal of research since that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’d often thought of studying psychiatry, his interest in the subject being stirred when, as an army doctor, he had attended soldiers with amnesia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He assured me now that since I had learned so much about amnesia, it was most unlikely to occur again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I related the story of sending Billy off to buy a horse, and he roared laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You have the unique ability to tunnel your full attention to a situation without any outside distractions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What a wonderful gift Ruth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Think of it that way; I wish I could do it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was very reassuring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Billy always had a nose for adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Repeatedly, he promised me that he would stay in the yard and not wander off; by the time I closed the front door he was out of sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tying him to a tree in the front yard would be considered child abuse, although I did try it once when I was at the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">my</i> tether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His cries were so pitiful I released him after a few minutes and we hugged each other, with him promising never to leave the yard again and me crying that I loved him and didn’t want to lose him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Another incident I had recorded in my diary involved Manson’s world famous underground spring, caused by a meteorite, with water ‘softer than rainwater’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The main source of this water supply was harnessed beside the town’s City Hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>None of its worldwide publicity (being written up in Time and Life magazines) could have drawn Billy to the mouth of the well, but there he was, beyond the barrier and looking down into the abyss when he was discovered by one of the water-truck drivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I frantically phoned his father at the newspaper office, across the street from the well, and told him to rescue <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">his</i> son and bring him home at lunchtime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was so distraught I didn’t want to see him before noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We seemed to be always rescuing Billy from some part of town!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He was off again on Watermelon Day, an annual event when the City Fathers brought in several truckloads of watermelons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They set up trestle tables on the side street beside the bank, while community organizations volunteered their services to cut up and serve the delicious treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All you could eat for free!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We let the children eat their fill during the celebrations while I did some shopping, happily certain that I knew exactly where to find them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The girls, that is, but not Billy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had ‘gone walkabout’, like an Australian aboriginal!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On this occasion, the best thing we could do was stay close to the last slices of watermelon and hope Billy would show, or someone would find him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before the clean up started there was still no sign of our son, but the word was out and several people were looking for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone cheered as the fire engine came down the main street, ready to use its big hoses to rid the street of a mountain of watermelon seeds and skins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And there was Billy, large as life, up on the fire truck with the driver, cheerfully waving to all the folks!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Come to think of it, when we say a child is lost, usually the child is having a great time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So, isn’t it the other way around?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Often, it’s not the child who is lost, it’s the parents!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The child has temporarily lost track of them!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They told me that boys were different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One has to have a boy preceded by a couple of girls to realize just how different they really are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn could attest to that - she and Billy would tangle occasionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was an annoying teaser, and seemed to find pleasure in picking on Jerilyn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There may have been five years difference in their ages, but their strength of commitment was equal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When one backed the other into a corner, the strongest defence for the cornered one was to bite their way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The disdainful looks they gave each other, spoiling for another fight!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They ignored my threat that I would bite the next one who chose to use teeth as a weapon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When Billy drew blood on Jerilyn’s arm, I took hold of my struggling son and put my open mouth on his arm and held it there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He froze!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would never have bitten him, although I was tempted, but he didn’t know that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I rushed to the bathroom to purge myself, knowing how close I came to clamping down on Billy’s arm, and I shook for ten minutes while it remained unusually quiet in the living room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was an extreme measure, and no one was more surprised than I that it worked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Neither child ever tried it again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Most times we could distract the children when they became ‘picky’ with each other, but it was Mavis who came up with the greatest distraction of all after she heard my voice raised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children had been especially testy and my last resort was the wooden spoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am yet to fathom what it was about the wooden spoon that had them petrified because I had never used it to paddle them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I ranted and raved on about how they were being so naughty I kept hitting the dining room table till I split the spoon right down the middle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I knew I was too angry to hit the children, I was afraid I’d kill them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Partlows, next door, were the first to have TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From that day forth during the summer, Mavis opened their lounge room window and pulled back the curtains so our children could watch the cartoons from our window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was mute, but our children didn’t need the sound to enjoy it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The broken wooden spoon hung in the kitchen as a gentle reminder of the day their Mother lost her ‘cool’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I’ll never forget the day Billy became frightened for my safety while I was chasing a half-dead nine pound rooster around the basement trying to finish it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had tried wringing its neck by standing on the only piece of wood I could find, and I had gouged the palms of both hands with the spurs on the rooster’s feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>During this performance, Billy was sitting halfway up the basement stairs crying and yelling that the rooster was going to get both of us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Billy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’re not helping matters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Go upstairs and close the door, just leave me to take care of the rooster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Honey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It will be all right - off you go!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He wouldn’t leave me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I sat next to him, hugged him, and made fun of the stupid rooster, as it squawked and ran around and around the basement - blood everywhere!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">If only I had started out with the hatchet, but there was no sign of it anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill had left it right where he finished chopping kindling in the yard in the autumn, months before!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Soon after, North America was under several feet of snow, and I didn’t have a clue under which snowdrift the hatchet would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finding tools when needed is impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Is that a male thing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When Edna Garrels offered the rooster, I was not expecting a live one in a hessian bag, with a warning to be careful of the spurs on the rooster’s feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sometimes, I think Edna deliberately did things like that to me just so I would learn how to do it the hard way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was a devious teacher!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rooster finally dropped dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With Billy’s help, he did an excellent job of bandaging both my hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was impossible to wear rubber gloves to pluck a chook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Marian was glad I called her, she had the rooster plucked and in the pot before lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Janis, at three years of age, caused us some anxious moments concerning her desire to be either a nudist or an exhibitionist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our reasoning was definitely on the wrong track once we discovered that she removed all her clothing in the front driveway only after good rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She loved to sit in the mud puddles and smear mud all over her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At least she kept her clothes clean!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Talking of clean clothes reminded me of when I became the proud owner of a Bendix, automatic, front-loading washing machine, purchased from Mavis after she bought a more modern Bendix - with a new button to press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was delighted to take the one-year-old machine off her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I invited our children to join me in the basement to watch ‘my television set’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They didn’t believe me at all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I placed the children’s chairs around in a half circle, and we all sat and watched my pretend TV, the Bendix washing machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They soon learned to use their imagination, and my washing became a regular program to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We invented games with the coloured load and tried to identify who owned a certain item.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Another favourite game was to watch their father’s work pants thaw while the pants stood in the corner of the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In winter the washing froze as soon as I took it out of the basket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t need pegs - just bent the washing over the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I liked the washing to be outdoors for that lovely fresh-air smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Later, I always had to hang it in the basement to finish drying it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All this extra work had little to do with a liking for freezing temperatures - more to do with the five senses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The soft touch and the sweet smell of washing that had hung outdoors in the fresh air was a pleasure I never wanted to sacrifice; I had no wish for a dryer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Something I did want was a timer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill gave me one as a Christmas present, and it proved to be the solver of many disputes, especially between Billy and Timmy Eccles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were always fighting over certain toys, so I would set the timer for ten minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the timer buzzed, the boy in possession of the toy was to hand it over to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It seems they were more interested in waiting to hear the timer buzz – by which time they had forgotten which toy caused the dispute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They would beg me to set the timer again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The timer paid its way over and over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the children were sick in bed they controlled the timer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had to think of at least three things for which they needed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I may have been picking vegetables in the garden or washing down in the basement and I didn’t need to make the trip to the bedroom if it was only for a glass of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They became so fascinated with the honour of being in charge of it that I seldom got to hear the timer ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My patients reaped the rewards by having a story read to them at my convenience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since then I have never been without a timer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Christmas I received the timer, the children got a huge family wagon, which held all four children with a squeeze and a giggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After Christmas we all went shopping at the grocery store and the children rode up town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But they had to walk home; the groceries took pride of place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was a tough job for their Dad, especially in the areas where a neighbor hadn’t yet shoveled their front path.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After the snow thawed that winter, at the insistence of the children I got to ride in the wagon at the front of the house, while they all took turns to pull me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Admittedly, it was a warmer ride than sledding on the hill in the snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That large, family-sized wagon came in mighty handy whenever we were between cars, which was quite often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">For a person who started out married life with little knowledge of cooking, baking days became some of my most cherished memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The family was wonderful about my failures: of which there were many!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had at least learned the art of gravy and sauce making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When it was a savory failure, I made gravy, added pasta and called it a casserole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If my cake had flopped, I made custard and called it pudding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each one was given a new name. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>The family often requested I repeat some of my failures because they thought they were so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had been seriously contemplating writing a cookbook titled, the four F’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Frost Family’s Favorite Failures.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On one occasion, Marian came over to teach me how to make egg noodles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had a lot to learn about cooking, but all I needed to do when I needed help was ask my friends, they were wonderful about sharing their favorite recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The egg noodles were such a hit but, three weeks of noodles cooked a dozen different ways was more than the family could stand, they requested I stop making them; they wanted something like one of my wonderful failures again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They were some of our lighter moments, but I also remember the harrowing times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Jerilyn, our first-born, who was smothered, rather than mothered with so much attention, had taken ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was an easy child to care for, but as we were learning the new skill of child rearing, Jerilyn bore the brunt of our ignorance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was our guinea piglet!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had failed to make sure she had ample fluids when she had an upset tummy, and she was unable to get any liquid past her throat without throwing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was devastated at not being able to help her and needed to be hospitalized with acidosis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The spread of infection throughout the hospital made it impossible to stay overnight with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The next day we found her spread-eagled, tied hand-and-foot to her hospital bed with a drip attached to her ankle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was so very distressed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I wet the bed and the nurse yelled at me,” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was most upset when I saw her like that, and had a terse word with the head nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“What would a four-year-old child understand about being bound by the hands and feet with a needle attached to her foot and then being yelled at for wetting the bed!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The nurse tried to calm me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I pleaded with the nurse to let me stay overnight; promising that I wouldn’t interfere with hospital routine and that I would sleep on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was sympathetic, but had to abide by hospital policy; her answer was still ‘NO’!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Jerilyn’s hospital stay was confusing and scary for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could help by spending most of the day with her, but it was at night that she needed the reassurance that she was safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I showed her pictures of the human body and the reasons for feeding the fluids through the needle in her ankle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her nurse helped me to explain it in very simple terms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She seem to understand the reasons why she was tied down, and felt much better once she no longer needed to have her hands secured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was able to relax then and read her books.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">From a very young age she had her head in a book much of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Through Jerilyn I was introduced to children’s books that I never had as a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I read to her I was just as fascinated with the stories as she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After she learned to read, I enjoyed being read to by Jerilyn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I drew the line at the Bobsy Twins, though!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-84899650717065760182009-12-21T11:30:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:01:36.677-08:00Chapter 14 I Would Rather be Pregnant than President<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 14<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I Would Rather be Pregnant than President<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After several phone calls from church members welcoming me home, I was anxious to see all my friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I put the phone down, my thoughts went back to the day we first joined the church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Edna Garrels, a member of the local church, was relentless in her quest to have me working alongside her from the moment we arrived in Manson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before my marriage I was the only one in my extended family who attended the Catholic Church regularly - every Sunday, for the 7.00am service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although I was never christened a Roman Catholic, my stepmother insisted I attend her church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Looking back, I think my participation in the church gave me a feeling of belonging in the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Long after my joining the Congregational Church, the vice-president of the Women’s Fellowship moved to another State, and I was nominated for that chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I suspected Edna’s influence inspired other members to make sure I would remain steadfast in my commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was elected, but when it came time for me to move up into the president’s chair, I was pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our unborn child was sitting on a nerve on my right hip, preventing mobility and causing me considerable discomfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I declined the nomination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next time the president’s chair became vacant I was nominated again - I was also pregnant again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>‘I would rather be pregnant than president’ became a popular expression, and when I was nominated for any other office, they would check first to see if I was pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I refused to give them any guarantees!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Instead, I became chairperson of the funeral committee, a job I could handle from a sitting position by the telephone at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a very important function of any community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We served those grieving for their loved ones, and helped take the burden off the family by feeding many from out of town and interstate attending the funeral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Any food remaining after the mourners had left was delivered to the bereaved family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Incredibly, we witnessed thirteen funerals in the first seven months that I held office for that committee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Never before had so many members died in such a short time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“It is really weird that we have had that many funerals in seven months, and it happened after I took over the committee!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was looking to Bill for consolation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill thought I was over-dramatizing my powers, and laughed at the thought that I was eliminating the membership of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was being a little paranoid, he said, when I contemplated quitting my position as chairperson.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In most small country towns, membership in any of the local churches offered not only spiritual guidance, but also a close kinship with townspeople and the surrounding farming community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Outside the home, the church also offered most of the family entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I understood then, what it meant to be living in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Bible Belt</i> of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on">Midwest</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The entertainment included the Ice Cream Socials - on the church lawns in the summertime - when the community band played in town on Wednesday nights and the stores remained open till late.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The annual Smorgasbord became so popular that the church basement could no longer hold the crowds, and we had to transfer the venue to the high school auditorium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>People came from miles around, through snow and sleet, to attend this gourmets’ delight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of the church members were descendants of European stock, and offered their most treasured and unusual recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could have offered a dish from Australia, but where would I find a lamb to slaughter in Iowa?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lamb was an acquired taste for beef lovers, and with my cooking expertise it was better that I didn’t offer a new dish to an otherwise proven menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Besides, I may have been put in charge of the lamb dish, and then where would I have been?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Up the creek without a paddle!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had enough on my plate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Reverend Bond, our dedicated and energetic minister at that time, was not in favour of such an enterprise for raising money for the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was very outspoken about church commitment and believed that all church members should tithe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Robert Bond made known his thoughts at the annual meeting: “The Congregational Church will be known far and wide as The First Smorgasbord<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> </i></b>Church of Manson!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was the one big function of the year where the entire church membership worked together for weeks on their committees, in preparation for this lavish affair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Any church member owning an electric roaster was assigned the cooking of one twenty-five-pound (or larger) turkey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One year, a church member who had to go interstate because of a death in the family, arrived on my doorstep with her roaster and a turkey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“But I am already cooking a twenty-pound ham, and pies!” I frantically exclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was left standing at the door with a roaster at my feet and a cold turkey in my arms. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></b>My friend had no time to argue, as she had a plane to catch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had never cooked a turkey before, and made a frantic call to Edna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Laughing at my predicament, she offered directions on cooking said turkey and the recipe for the stuffing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Whadya mean!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have to stuff it too?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She assured me that it wasn’t such a chore - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">I could do it</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The following day, after a restless night dreaming of having my head, shoulders and hands stuck inside a monster 300-pound turkey, and wallowing in a truckload of stuffing which was stopping me from breathing (not a pleasant sight!), I got out of bed at 3.30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The thirty-pound turkey didn’t look quite the challenge after my dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The turkey was in the roaster in the basement at 5.00am, while the ham was cooking in the kitchen oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Luckily, I had baked the pecan pies the day before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That was a frantic day! We didn’t own a car, and having to have turkey, ham and pies delivered to the high school on time required a phone call to another friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Edna Reynolds was the generous person who collected Bill at the office first, then helped us deliver our food to the high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I worked in the kitchen as waitress and dishwasher, while Bill helped keep the coffee urns going. We all finished cleaning up and went home very late, exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was estimated we served about 1,200 people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I vowed that I would never invest in a portable electric roaster oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As proud as I was of my roast turkey, I never wanted to ever cook a turkey again!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill and I took our turn at chairing the Sunday Supper Club, where we had to take only one casserole dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That, I must admit, sounded like a paltry contribution after the Smorgasbord!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a popular Sunday evening get-together-potluck-dinner for couples, and we had some fabulous meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of these gatherings that Bill and I often talk about in our many ‘remember when’ moments was the night we did everything in reverse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our greeting was ‘goodnight’, and then we ate dessert, followed by the main course, followed by the appetizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We also switched games around where the losers won.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On alternate Sundays, Bill and I always looked forward to being sponsors of the Pilgrim Fellowship group - a memorable group of teenagers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill also taught the senior young people’s class in Sunday school, while I joined the adult class during my pregnancies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In 1958, Bill took on the task of producing the Christmas story on 8-millimeter film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He made one stipulation: all the children would be dressed in authentic costumes and not in bathrobes, with tea towels for their headgear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The women members took care of that problem with their sewing machines and a few bolts of inexpensive fabric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That film went into the archives for posterity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During the summer, the school vacation was three months long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the churches had bible school, for which the mothers were eternally grateful, as summer was an extremely busy time with vegetable gardens, bottling and canning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All this involved not only their homegrown produce, but also buying commercial cases of produce, as well as bushel baskets of peaches, apricots, pears and apples to process and store for the winter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I felt like the squirrels in North America, collecting the nuts to store for winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had joined the frugal housewives and the squirrels of the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only bottled or canned product I ever bought off the grocery shelf was a large tin of pumpkin, when I was out of pumpkin in the freezer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I can remember paying nineteen cents for that can of pumpkin back in the ’50’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In Australia we ate pumpkin as a vegetable, just like squash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although I learned to make sweet pumpkin pies, I could not quite relish the idea of eating pumpkin as a sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Here was I, always bragging that I could eat anything, with or without a skin!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did learn to eat pumpkin pie just to save face, and found I really loved it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The churches rotated their programs so the children could go to other bible schools at other churches in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I started to teach bible school, I had two of our children in class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As the years progressed, I eventually had four of them attending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ada Harman, a member of our congregation, was most generous with her time as our baby-sitter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My neighbour, Marion, filled the gaps when Ada wished to attend some of the church functions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We all worked so well together!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The phone rang again and brought me back home to my family once more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-89327834212987139202009-12-21T11:28:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:01:21.203-08:00Chapter 15 The Sherry, the Lamb and Little White Lie<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 15<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Sherry, the Lamb and a Little White Lie<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">For me, visits from my in-laws were exciting times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I usually greeted them with a mop and bucket as I washed my way out of the house, anxious to show my mother-in-law that I kept a clean house for her only son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That week I did, anyway!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">One day, just after I’d finished washing the kitchen floor, our then four-year-old Diane burst in the back door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She saw what I was doing and pulled up just in time, holding her foot in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just like the pedal-bin container in the kitchen, when the foot went down her mouth flew open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I’m hungry!” she yelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Diane was always hungry, but never gained weight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I don’t care if you are hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You know Grandma and Grandpa will be here soon and I want this house spic and span.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Go jump in the lake Diane!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mother!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m hungry not thirsty!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was quick, like her Dad, with the one-liners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Diane had not only a quick wit, but also a sharp nose for sniffing out hidden candy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our children certainly kept us on our toes with their diversity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 7.35pt; WIDTH: 127.5pt; HEIGHT: 232.5pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.3pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" wrapcoords="-127 0 -127 21530 21600 21530 21600 0 -127 0" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Grandma%20Frost" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I usually baked a lemon meringue pie ready for my in-laws’ arrival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mother told me that lemon meringue used to be one of her favourites, but she didn’t bake it at home anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She made a fuss over my pie, and asked how I could get the meringue so high and the crust so flaky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Eight years later I found out <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">why</i> she never baked a lemon pie: lemon upset her stomach and kept her awake all night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">always</i> ate one slice of my pie and suffered the consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill’s Dad was impressed with our vegetable garden and our experimental crop of Brussels sprouts, a vegetable not often seen growing in the Midwest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one I spoke to in Manson seemed to know anything about growing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Brussels sprouts were despised by our children, the rule being: ‘eat two Brussels sprouts or, no dessert’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill also chose only two Brussels sprouts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During one of Mother and Dad’s visits I took down the cooking sherry from the top shelf to use in a recipe while Grandpa Frost was seated at the kitchen table, reading the local paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He picked up the bottle and sniffed the cork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“How long have you had this bottle of sherry Ruth?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I bought that for a Christmas cake when we lived in Avoca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh! I’d say.... it must be about seven years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would you like a glass of sherry, Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ooh! No! No! No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wouldn’t dare touch hard liquor.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was a side of my father-in-law I hadn’t heard before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had never seen him take a drink stronger than iced tea and I was curious to hear more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After all, I came from a long line of alcoholics, and I was beginning to think that I would hear a little more about Bill’s family skeletons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Did it make you sick at one time, Dad?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hoped he would take my lead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“When I was a young fella, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">liked</i> the taste of whisky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After I met Mother, I was ready to settle down homesteading in South Dakota, and I needed to give up drinking whisky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was then that it struck me that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">liked</i> it far too much.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Every year when they visited after that, Dad Frost, with a twinkle in his eye, would ask if I still had that bottle of sherry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He would take it out of the cupboard, smell the cork, put the cork back in the bottle and place it back on the shelf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I never asked him again if he wanted a drink.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -2; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 10.9pt; WIDTH: 151.5pt; HEIGHT: 219.75pt; MARGIN-LEFT: -7.6pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-107 0 -107 21526 21600 21526 21600 0 -107 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Grandpa%20Frost" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"></v:imagedata><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You know Ruth, the older it gets, the better it gets.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My father-in-law would just smile and not utter another word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I never understood the significance of that ritual; maybe he was testing his own willpower – or, he could be checking the bottle to test mine!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During that visit I was anxious to show off our new freezer to Mother and Dad. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They, like most viewers of our new purchase, uttered the same exclamation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s so big!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How are you ever going to fill it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On opening the door, Mother and Dad couldn’t believe that it was almost full.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What are all those packages?” Mother asked, bewildered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I showed them as quickly as I could, not wanting to leave the door open for too long (and have the children tell me that I wasn’t supposed to do that because the cold air escapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They learned their lesson well!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the rest of that day Mother and Dad wanted to know all about the contents of the freezer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I told them that I had 530 pounds of pork, half a sheep, fifteen chickens, vegetables from the garden, plus all the things I had baked, they were amazed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Most of the meals while you are here will come out of the freezer already prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t have to do any baking during your stay; it’s all in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One item that is missing on this visit is a lemon meringue pie, since I found out how much it upsets you, Mother.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We all had a good laugh when we told Mother she didn’t have to be a martyr any longer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I described how Bill and the children hated the smell of any kind of meat being prepared for canning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a long, hot process, steaming up the whole house with the large hot water bath simmering on the stove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It always seemed to be done on the hottest and most humid day of the summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since the arrival of the freezer they had never had to complain about the smell of meat being processed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I related the story of how we bought the freezer, my in-laws gave me their full attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Bill kept saying we couldn’t afford a freezer and I agreed, but he didn’t know I had a cache put aside - from my knitting orders and the lamb cakes I made for children’s birthday parties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had saved $133, which I called my frozen assets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We did have a look at a 12 cubic foot model, which we considered a good size, and thought maybe in six months we could afford it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Our neighbour next door, Bill Partlow, called me from his realtors’ office, telling me where I could get a freezer and at a reasonable price; it was practically new and had been repossessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill P. always had his finger on the pulse of what was happening in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My friend, Marion, took care of the children while I went to Bill P.’s office to find out more about the freezer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As you know, it was a huge 25 cubic foot upright freezer, at a price even lower than the new, 12 cubic foot model we had looked at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t think we could get it in the house!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone in the office assured me it would fit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I told Bill P. we couldn’t afford it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I explained how much I had saved, and he offered to put it on his books with $120 deposit, no interest, and I could pay it off $10 a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He is such a good neighbor!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I took a breather to see what the children were up to. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Hurrying down to the Journal office, I told Bill I had just bought a freezer and they were going to deliver it at 4.30pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All he had to do was take off the backdoor and help the two deliverymen get the freezer down the basement steps.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Dad leaned forward to look at the back door and the stairwell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I bet that was a tight squeeze! Not much room there!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Bill complained that he couldn’t find his tools, and then had trouble getting the door off when the freezer arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was he ever surprised when he saw the size of it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We all had a good laugh at Bill’s expense. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After taking a break amid all the laughing and pouring coffee for the three of us, I was finishing my story just as Mavis Partlow came over to see if I would take care of her son, Perry, while she did some shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As she came through the front door and heard the laughter, she realised there must have been several people in the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We were laughing at the story about the freezer arriving,” Mother said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“That must have been something to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s sooo big!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m surprised they got it into the basement.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth, tell them about the half a sheep you got from Harold Turpin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now that was funny!” Mavis said, grinning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I’ll leave you to enjoy that one - see you later.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Harold Turpin lives across the street.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I took up the tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“He teaches the agriculture class at the high school, and his class had raised several lambs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He asked me if I would like to share one of the sheep with his family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“As you know, lamb is more popular than beef in Australia, and we utilize every part of the lamb, even the wool on the sheep’s back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only parts we throw away are the hooves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the butcher delivered my half he didn’t include the head or the innards, so I called him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He hadn’t thrown anything away, and I got the lot.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Both Mother and Dad looked at me curiously, and for Mother’s sake I decided not to go into any more detail about what I did with all the spare parts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Did Bill ever tell you about the bad experience he had with lamb in the Ballarat camp in Australia?” I inquired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No, Bill never told us very much about his wartime experiences after he came home,” Dad replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“When the US Army got a shipment of very mature lamb, called two-tooth mutton, the cooks didn’t want to touch it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When they were ordered to cook it, the soldiers couldn’t stand the smell; they wouldn’t eat it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the American boys had never tasted lamb before.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I tasted it once in Ohio,” Dad interjected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“That was enough for me!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Oh my goodness!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was in trouble!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had a lamb stew already prepared for the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Could I pull the same stunt (pull the wool over their eyes, so to speak) with my in-laws as I did with Bill?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was thinking about the first lamb stew I made for the family, to which I had added a can of vegetable beef soup just in case Bill asked me what kind of stew I had made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My planned reply was: “I had some beef already cooked!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I convinced myself that I wasn’t really lying!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Moments before Bill arrived home from work I fried up a large onion and that was all he could smell when he walked in the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Fried onions always cover every other cooking odour and whet the appetite too!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Our family loved the stew, also the leftovers the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill didn’t know till weeks later that it was made with lamb shanks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I certainly couldn’t tell my in-laws <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">that</i> story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I just may write about it years later when members of the family couldn’t possibly take offence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth, how did you cook the head?” Dad asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Well, I didn’t get to use it because the butcher forgot to take the wool off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In Australia they cook it for stock and add the stock to soups and stews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t worry, Dad, I have plenty of beef in the freezer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe that would appease them for now, and I won’t serve the lamb stew until later in the week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The back door burst open with a bunch of hungry children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They gathered up some cookies and a jug of Cool-aid and took it out to the backyard for a picnic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>It was a welcome diversion at that time; perhaps it helped to change the subject from the lamb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were still caught up in the moment and wanted to know how Bill re-acted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What did Bill say when the sheep was delivered?” Mother said, wanting to hear more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“He never did see the carcass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had to work fast and wrap it in paper and a bed sheet, and then bounce it down the basement stairs on some thick cardboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was too awkward to carry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children were playing with the Eccles kids in the yard, like they are now and I had cleared most of the evidence away before Bill arrived home for lunch. I felt really proud of my efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I remember that Jerilyn and Sandy had come in wanting to go to the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They looked around the kitchen and spied the newspaper package of meat remnants on the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>‘Phew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What is that awful smell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What is that in the package Mother?’ Jerilyn asked, while the two girls held their noses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">‘That’s just garbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t smell anything!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What does it smell like?’ I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">‘Oh! It smells rotten!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve gotta get out of here!’ Sandy said in disgust.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It was a good thing the girls came in and smelled the lamb; I then knew I would have to spray some perfume around before Bill walked in the door.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Later, after I had finished my story and the neighbourhood children had left the backyard, Grandma read to Billy and Janis, and Grandpa said he would pull some weeds in the garden till it was time for dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Later that week, I thawed the lamb stew, very strong with rosemary in the oven while Mother and Dad were at the Jones’s house for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still added the fried onions and a can of beef soup before they arrived home, just to cover my tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An ominous feeling haunted me all through the meal, and I was on tenterhooks, expecting one of the children to say something about the lamb stew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It wasn’t till we were washing the dishes that Mother brought up the subject.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth, that was a very fine meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The angel food cake with the strawberries from the garden tasted so good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Did you freeze the cake too?” Mother inquired, and then added:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You know, I still can’t bake an angel food cake no matter how hard I try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lamb stew was very tasty, also.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She looked at me with a glint in her eye - what a sense of humour!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I guess I couldn’t pull the lamb’s wool over your eyes, Mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do you think Dad guessed?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I don’t think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We women can make a stew taste different if we use the right seasonings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I liked the fresh home grown rosemary you used; I have never grown some of the herbs you grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Frying the onions at the last minute, like you did, was a clever touch!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was laughing so hard at Mother’s powers of deduction that it brought the rest of the family in to see what they might be missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t tell them; that was our secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill’s mother understood me very well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After they spent a week with Grace and Lloyd’s family, we all got together for a Fourth of July picnic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We seemed to do nothing but eat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The following day, we went to the Jones’s house to see Mother and Dad off for their visit with another daughter, Blanche and her family at Mitchell, South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill was standing aside, having a conversation with his parents beside their car, and the three of them were laughing as I approached.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You know, Mother and Dad, I married a devious woman!” Bill said, still laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I never know what she’s up to - I just let her get on with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What surprised me, though - I never thought she would pull the lamb stew trick on you two!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I smiled to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s my secret ingredient for making our marriage fun - the element of surprise!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-68243085377228783392009-12-21T11:26:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:01:05.488-08:00Chapter 16 My Support Team<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 16<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My Support Team<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Many people gave me help and support, some of whom I shall cherish forever as loving and caring friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My sister-in-law, Grace Jones, was one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was a newspaper woman from whom no one could escape if she got wind of a good story for her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Mother’s</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Diary</i> column.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She often wrote stories about her family, and the trials and tribulations of raising six children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our family came under scrutiny frequently in her column, along with many other families in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her column was a source of entertainment for mothers raising young families because they could easily relate to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If it happened in the Jones household, you could bet it happened in another home, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Kids will be kids!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were always a great source of material.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Many times when I felt like talking to someone, I would put one child in the pram and one on the front seat and head for the Jones’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought of Grace as being not just my sister-in-law, but also a caring advisor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I believed I had much more to learn about raising a family, and Grace seemed to have done it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She set me straight on that point however, when she declared that we were never through learning about raising children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were so unpredictable!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although you thought you knew it all, each child added something new to the learning curve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As I settled back to being a mother and housewife instead of a globetrotter, I needed to find a job that would yield the best returns to repay my father-in-law and Edna Garrels the money they loaned me for the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Going back to nursing on nightshift at the Elderly Folks’ Home meant low pay and emotionally draining for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I adored all my patients, and spent time visiting them during the daytime, when I should have been sleeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One day it was going to be my turn to be old, but I hoped I would never finish up in a nursing home, forgotten by family and friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I looked at the only two job options, and chose Globe Union, an electronics plant in Fort Dodge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had to rely on transport from a few townsfolk on the same graveyard shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That shift allowed me to get the children off to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My reliable friend and neighbour, Marion, was always willing to take care of them for an hour in the afternoon, till Bill got home from work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We spent more years without a car than with one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our first car, a used jalopy Bill bought for $50 in 1951, was a 1938 Hudson coupe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I found out later that he borrowed the money from his sister, Ethel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had plans to drive 600 miles to visit his folks for Thanksgiving but an ice storm, and the Hudson’s engine, didn’t get us out of our driveway!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Any plan I had to learn to drive the Hudson was thwarted because I was pregnant for much longer than that car lasted. I never could get my stomach under the wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After selling the 1939 Studebaker that Bill’s dad gave us, we bought a Chevrolet, which Bill later sold for $50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wrote and told my brother Peter in Australia how easy it was to buy a car just as long as one had $50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Australian cars cost so much more!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Lorraine offered to give me driving lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As much as I wanted to learn to drive, my days were too busy to take the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lorraine found a solution: after first taking care of her family, she rode her bicycle to our house at 11.30pm, drove our car seventeen miles to meet me when I came off my shift at 12.30am, and taught me to drive on the graveled back-roads on the way home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When Lorraine picked me up at the factory in our Chevrolet, my hands were often sore and bleeding from the machine I operated making switches for outer-space vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could hardly grip the steering wheel, but Lorraine would bandage both hands and the pain was soon forgotten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Some good-natured kidding occurred on the job at Globe Union, when my friends blamed me for the faulty switches on any spacecraft in Florida that failed to make it off the launching pad.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was miraculous that I ever learned to drive our car at all as we spent most of the journey home joking and laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sometimes the convulsive laughter would force us to pull over to the side of the road to regain our composure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Earlier, Bill had tried to teach me to drive at the football field, accompanied by Billy and Janis (for lack of a babysitter).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They screamed from the back seat: “We want to go home, Daddy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t let Mom drive!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was the last time he ever attempted to teach me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I see you still have the red Christmas lights burning,” Lorraine said, as she drove the car into our driveway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You’re going to get a reputation as a Madam, and you have the effrontery to advertise, too!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The red lights on the porch had been there for six months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My intentions were always good but, after I entered the front door and turned off the outside lights, all was forgotten about changing the light bulbs during the daylight hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The same thing had happened the year before, when my brother-in-law, Lloyd dropped me home late each night after rehearsals for the stage play, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">‘Heaven Can Wait’</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He got some ribbing from fellow citizens about the hours he kept in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">red light district.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i>I never understood why the yellow and green Christmas lights always burnt out and the red ones never did!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill begged me to quit the job at the electronics plant the first time he saw my bleeding hands, but there was no way I was going to give up my early morning driving-lesson-and-laugh sessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Besides, the salary on piecework was excellent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Lorraine lived her Christian life ‘as God intended’ by helping her fellowman and never standing in judgement on another human being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her philosophy was simple: “As long as I have my family, garden tools and a bicycle, the rest of my needs will take care of themselves.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She would become animated as she stated emphatically: “There is so much more to life than all those mundane things like cleaning house over and over again - especially when no one’s coming to visit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’d rather spend time with my one close friend, my children, working in the garden, painting, sketching and working at the church.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">She accomplished many things and worked long hours, always very active in the Methodist Church, teaching Sunday school and bible school, busy with the overseas missions as well as collecting and packing boxes for the less privileged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most times, when Lorraine was called on for help or asked to use her artistic talents, she never gave the excuse that she was too busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She would stay up all night to finish designing a float for the Homecoming Parade; or inscribe with her skilful calligraphy, the inside cover of a presentation book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">She often told me that she would love to have been born during the 17th or 18th century, so she could have been a part of settling the West.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The more I thought about that, the more I was sure she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">was<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b></i>there in another time, heading a wagon train and caring for her five children!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The vision of Lorraine rounding up the wagons to protect her flock was very clear in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we first arrived in Manson, Bill and I were warned to ‘beware of Lorraine Hansen’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>According to rumour, she was a woman of ill repute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My instinct told me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">I had to meet that woman!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Those who chose to speak unkindly of Lorraine may never have taken the time to get to get to know her; but then, those same people may not have thought twice about asking for her help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was convinced Lorraine was a Romany Gypsy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She had a different agenda to most people in the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I learned much from that amazing woman - an artistic gypsy, born out of her time, or maybe, in the wrong location to be truly appreciated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Lorraine needed very little to function in her daily life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She owned two straight-cut, no frills black dresses, which gave her a ‘motherly Italian’ look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her going-to-church, navy blue dress with white collar and cuffs was also her party dress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She mostly went barefoot at home, and always had difficulty finding her comfortable black work shoes to wear when she rode her bicycle up town to work in the family bakery at 4.00 am.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Her husband, Ray, had the ovens hot for the first run of fresh bread and sticky rolls when she arrived; the deep-fat fryer was ready by 5.00 am for the doughnuts and long johns, in time for the early breakfast clientele at the restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By 7.00 am Lorraine cycled home to get her five children ready for school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The last time I saw Lorraine was 1978, eighteen years after we left Manson when we went back for an extended visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Except for a few grey hairs she hadn’t changed at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her children had grown up and gone off to college, continuing their education and their own lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A new firm, a trucking cab-assembly plant for interstate transports, had started up on the main interstate highway, not far from the Hansons’ house, and Lorraine became the firm’s delivery driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t ask, but I bet she convinced them that they needed her on their payroll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She got herself a heavy-duty-trucking licence and delivered the tractor-cabs all over the United States, loving every minute of her job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a modern version of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">settling the West<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b></i>in her latter-day Wagon Train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Often, a staff member would call across the fields to Lorraine from the back of the factory, where she was working in her vegetable garden and notify her of another tractor-cab ready for delivery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fifteen minutes, with a bag of apples, celery and carrots, she was ‘ready to roll’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After we returned to Australia, we heard from Marian that on Lorraine’s last trip south she was driving one of the firm’s pickups with a trailer and it jack-knifed on a bend on the highway, overturned, and rolled down an embankment during the early hours of the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The ambulance men were quoted as saying: “She was a lady with a very positive outlook, and kept joking the whole time on the way to the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We did everything possible to stop the bleeding, but she had severed the main artery in her groin.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 37.2pt; WIDTH: 237pt; HEIGHT: 255pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 19.4pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1027" wrapcoords="-68 0 -68 21536 21600 21536 21600 0 -68 0" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Lorraine" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I honour that woman, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Lorraine</st1:place></st1:state>, for enriching my life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Within a year of <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Lorraine</st1:place></st1:state>’s death the town of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Manson</st1:place></st1:city> was hit by a tornado that caused considerable damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was responsible for the death of two women, lifetime friends, each concerned for the safety of the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Because of this mutual concern, they ventured out on to the street at the height of the storm and both were killed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During the same tornado, The Manson Journal newspaper office was completely demolished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Touching on the lighter side of such a tragic storm: my brother-in-law, Lloyd Jones, editor of the newspaper, was single-minded about the safety of his readers’ mailing list - the most important list for any editor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“It’s no use printing newspapers if I don’t know where to send them!” Lloyd said angrily, as he and members of his staff and the community sifted through the ruins of his beloved newspaper building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="202"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:path gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"></v:path></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: 1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 225pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WIDTH: 132.75pt; HEIGHT: 21pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 81.75pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t202"><v:textbox style="mso-next-textbox: #_x0000_s1026"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:textbox></v:shape><span style="Z-INDEX: 1; POSITION: absolute; LEFT: 0pt; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p></span><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-: #f0f0f0color:transparent;" ><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1026"><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mangled Press and Linotype<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A few of the men managed to lift a heavy metal plate off the remains of the mangled press and linotype.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Underneath the plate was the mailing list, completely intact, with an old </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><v:shape style="WIDTH: 287.25pt; HEIGHT: 181.5pt" id="_x0000_i1025" wrapcoords="-59 0 -59 21507 21600 21507 21600 0 -59 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowoverlap="f"><v:imagedata title="Mangled%20linotype" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">electric cord wrapped around it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Where the cord came from was a mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lloyd published his weekly paper on time, with help from other newspapers in the surrounding towns and the local job-printing business, The Dalton Press.<o:p></o:p></span></span> <p></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-67907306500397847122009-12-21T11:24:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:00:49.887-08:00Chapter 17 Bill Frops a Bombshell<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 17<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill Drops a Bombshell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey, how would you like to migrate to Australia?” Bill asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What did you say Bill?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought I heard you say, ‘migrate to Australia’!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I lifted my head from the letter I was writing and added, “Sure, I’ll pack a bag and we will be off tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m serious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think it would be a wonderful country to raise our family in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t know how many people to whom you have sold Australia, but you have certainly sold me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill! Bill! Bill! Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had been through four years of his mid-life crisis, and the poor darling had endured part of that time in misery with hemorrhoids refusing to see a doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now, suddenly, he dropped a bombshell in my lap, expecting me to react with enthusiasm!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“While I have been a guest speaker at so many functions, selling Australia to businessmen and others interested in migrating, you are telling me…. I have sold the whole idea - to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey, I have been listening to you rave on about how Australia has put itself on the world map, and what an exciting, vibrant country it is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I even heard you say that it was a great place to raise a family!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could hear the excitement in Bill’s voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What had I done!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At that moment I was feeling ambivalent towards Bill, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">I</i> wanted to stay in the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I treasured the friendships I had made - these people were dear to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn and Diane had cemented strong friendships with their friends, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We would all miss our friends, especially Grandma and Grandpa Frost. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Not long before I left for Australia, the children had wanted their Dad to go with them just a block from our house, to the one and only hill in town where they could ride on their new sled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Previously, we’d used garbage can lids or some strong cardboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Those substitutes worked fine, but our new sled was much better and the children were anxious to try it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The city council closed off the street especially for all the children to enjoy their sleds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill, in his depressed state, refused to go with them!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What’s wrong with Daddy?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children had asked that same question many times before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Is he sick or something?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Assuring them that Daddy was just tired, and we would let him have it nice and quiet to take a nap, I accompanied the children instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(I always seemed to be the one who went with the children, although admittedly, we had a great time together.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stayed as long as we could, until the sun went down and it became too chilly to enjoy the fun any longer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Trying hard not to laugh as the five of us came barrelling through the front door, everyone tried to remove snow boots and wet clothing while shushing the others to be quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We only succeeded in making more noise than ever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We woke Bill from his long nap, and while he poured a cup of coffee and settled back in his rocking chair, the children gathered around him, telling him all about the new sled, how well it took the hill, and what he had missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He showed little interest and barely cracked a smile, while the rest of us giggled and described our spills head first into a snowdrift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His physical discomfort gave him little to smile about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Try as I might, however, I couldn’t get him to go see Dr. Faust, even for a general check-up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Deciding to go to Australia for a holiday was probably the best move I ever made!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill had to take on the responsibility of the family while I was away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I got back from Australia, he was over that terrible depression of turning forty, and was no longer suffering from haemorrhoids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being forced to take control of himself, as well as the family, must have been the turning point for both of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That had been the longest four years we’d had to endure!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Disneyland is on TV, so why not let the children eat in front of TV while we talk about this?” Bill suggested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Let’s see if we can sort out what we need to do and start making some plans.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">What was there to sort out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was so unlike Bill - to want to sell up and go 12,000 miles away!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was never the chance-taker or the adventurous one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I knew how much he enjoyed having me back home, and it was wonderful to come home to a completely healthy and changed man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Did Bill think he was doing this for me because I was born in Australia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was happy living in the United States, was now a U.S. citizen, and loved the people and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">three </i>of the seasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(I hated that hideous fourth season, winter!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Eliminating the cold winters was no problem - we could move to California.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He really had me in a quandary!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When Bill announced that the children could eat in front of TV they were immediately suspicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had never had the privilege of eating in front of TV before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The TV was turned off at mealtime, and the family sat together and took turns to ‘say Grace’ at the kitchen table.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As the children fixed their plates, and took a towel to put under them to protect the carpet, Jerilyn and Diane eyed us suspiciously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“What’s going on, Mother?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why are we suddenly allowed to eat in front of TV?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn, in all her wisdom, knew that things were not quite as they should be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t worry, sweetheart, we will tell you all about it after supper.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I smiled broadly as I hugged her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was momentarily satisfied with that answer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill was anxious to wait on me, and served up my supper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He sat next to me rather than across the table, asking if I had everything I needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was ready to ask the first question about what seemed to be an impossible scheme - one that really surprised me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“How are we going to afford our passage to Australia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You know we aren’t entitled to an English 20-pounds-cash passage to migrate like the British!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are you sure you really want to do this, honey?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would be just as happy to move to California to get away from the snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’d love being close to the ocean - the children have never seen the ocean - they’d love it!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill ate in silence for a while and appeared to be digesting what I had said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He looked at me thoughtfully and reached over and kissed me on the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You know you and the children mean all the world to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve thought this all through thoroughly, and believe it would be an excellent move.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Throwing spanners in the works of that momentous decision, I let go with every negative situation that I could imagine, not convinced that he really wanted to tackle such a big move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Trying to understand why he was thinking this way was making me a little crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was so unlike Bill!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We could always move to Oregon - that seems to have attractive coastal ports, along with forests and mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Or how about Seattle - that’s just like Melbourne weather?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I kept on niggling to be sure he really wanted to go to Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It only mattered to me that we should be together as a family; the geography didn’t have to be 12,000 miles away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It could be anywhere, as long as the winters were warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I felt sure, then, that Bill was doing this for me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Let’s see what the children think of the idea!” he suggested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill called the children into the kitchen to tell them of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">his decision,</i> and they were over the moon – would have been swinging from the chandeliers, if we’d had any - at the thought of moving to Australia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“When are we going?” Diane inquired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Are we going on a ship?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It’s about time we had some excitement around here - when do we leave?” Jerilyn wanted to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The cheers went up and plans were being made, with five Frosts dancing around cheering, until Jerilyn looked at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wasn’t joining in the frolic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mom, aren’t you happy about going back to where you were born?” she asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You should be the one celebrating about going to Australia!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Aren’t you happy about it?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You know, this will be a very big change for all of us, and we need to look at all of our options.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn seemed to understand what I meant; she was a very wise 12-year-old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dad was telling the children that the decision to migrate would have to be kept a secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one was to know our plans until all our papers were signed and we were ready to sell the house.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Why can’t I tell Stevie Heinbruch or Timmy Eccles?” Billy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m very serious about this,” Bill insisted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Jerilyn, you can’t tell Sandy Eccles or Marsha Hanson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And Diane, you can’t tell Mary Turpin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You girls are going to have to be very secretive in church and at school.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What about me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis was looking woeful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Can’t I have a secret, too?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We gave Janis the biggest secret of all: she could not tell another living soul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It took me three weeks to be convinced that Bill really wanted to migrate to Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had a lilt in his step, and was anxious to formulate our plans to migrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was dizzy at the thought of what needed to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would have to keep working, as our meagre possessions wouldn’t yield much, and seven years’ equity in the house was only paying off the interest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Firstly, we applied to the Australian embassy for an immigration application, which took some time to arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The cost of our passage for a family of six was going to be a big hurdle; Jerilyn, at 12, was already a full fare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We took the children with us to Fort Dodge to see a travel agent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(They loved the intrigue of going out of town with their secret.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were far from ready to book our passage, but the agent suggested doing it as soon as possible, so as to get cabins close together for the children’s sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The anticipation of choosing our cabins made the children so excited they couldn’t eat their picnic lunch in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They talked of nothing else but the picture of the big ship we would be sailing on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill and I would sit up late at night on the weekends making lists: how much we may get for the house; what household goods would have some value; items to set aside to get us started when we arrived in Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Bill suggested we needed to have an auction of our furniture, I went into fits of laughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Ruth, be serious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What’s so funny about that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Isn’t that the smartest thing to do, have an auction?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He looked confused.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey, most of our furniture is second-hand, and remember that I made our living room furniture out of two front seats from a wrecked car, and slip-covered them.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill sat back and relived that day, when he and his Dad, armed with heavy tools, had to remove the seats from the car in a wrecking yard in Fort Dodge, because I had already found out that we could get them $20 cheaper if we removed them ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The wrecker said we could have them for $1.50 each!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill could never have handled that without the help of his Dad; it was a major job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Both the men in the family said nothing about saving the money, but shook their heads a lot at some of my proposals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They should have known I would have a frugal way to handle that sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I always got encouragement from my father-in-law, though, and believed he enjoyed coming to visit each year, not only to smell the cork in the cooking sherry bottle, but also to see what money-saving schemes I’d concocted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’ll never forget the trouble you had Bill, making the base to hold the seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course, we think they look very professional, but once they are put out in the yard for an auction sale, without the end table and the Chinese red-and-gold lamp, they will look just like a couple of old car seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lamp may bring more than the seats!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At least that was new!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was all for someone interested in buying our furniture to come see them in our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill remarked that he hadn’t thought automobile seats could look as good as real furniture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That had been my first attempt at sewing slipcovers, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was one of the original recyclers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-83422582787196630792009-12-21T11:18:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:00:32.858-08:00Chapter 18 TV Gives us Poor Reception<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 18<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">TV Gives us Poor Reception<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was glad of the diversion of performing with our group of local entertainers, so as to get away from the secrets and the lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(I was still concerned whether migrating to Australia was the right decision for Bill.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our performance had a miserable reception at the Women’s Prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were the toughest audience (in more ways than one) we had ever encountered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They made it quite clear that they would just as soon watch television, and yelled at us to ‘get off the stage’; apparently the audience was missing their favourite TV shows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was a cordon of guards at either side of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Television figured at the top of the list again when we were asked to perform at the Cherokee Women’s Mental Hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t know in advance that they had just installed the first TV sets in the hospital - on the day of our show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were the last people they wanted to see, and they were very unruly as they entered the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Most of the audience sat and sulked, calling out loudly to each other about preferring their TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some covered their heads with scarves, and others sat backwards so they didn’t have to look at us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The performers were talented people but they were ‘dying’ on stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A live show couldn’t compete with TV.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“May I make a suggestion?” I interjected, back stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Mistress of Ceremonies and the crew were anxious to hear what I had to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We can’t fight ’em; so, wouldn’t it be better to join ’em?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let me go on next and I’ll try something.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hoped I was right; I was taking a gamble but it was worth a try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“These women aren’t stupid; they’re sick, mentally sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m crazy enough to want to join ’em!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The gang laughed and backed me on that statement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I think you’ve got something,” Vera Williams said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“If anyone can win them over, you can Ruth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That, I accepted as a left-handed compliment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I had a circular, black taffeta skirt, and I swirled around and around across the stage, yelling, “Whoa, whoa, look at me, look at me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then I pretended to be extremely dizzy and staggered all over the stage, pretending I couldn’t find the opening in the curtain, and yelled again, “I can’t find my way out!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Someone in the audience called out, “No! No! Go back the other way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Go back!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Several women joined in, telling me to go left, and then right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I told them I wasn’t dizzy anymore, I sat on the edge of the stage and asked them to call me Frosty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They liked that and a few clapped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I got up and went to centre-stage and put a scarf over my head, playing peek-a-boo with some of the women who were still hiding behind their scarves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Slowly, all the scarves came down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thanked them all for helping me when I got so dizzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now I was one of them!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Who can stand on their head and stay up for one whole minute?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Come on!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let me hear you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I got no takers, thankfully, except from the woman sitting apart from the rest of the group.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">She called out, “You think you’re so smart, Frosty, you do it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Exactly what I wanted to hear!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before I stood on my head, I ask them all to count to sixty together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I stood on my head, and my skirt fell down and covered my head and hands, and all they could see of me was black panties and legs in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When they got to 200 I pretended I was riding a bicycle with my legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The audience was cheering.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We can see your underpants, Frosty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When are you going to get down?” one woman called out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My acting as if I couldn’t get down and was stuck under my skirt, scared them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everything went quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Three of the women tried to climb up on the stage to help me, which brought some of the nurses down from the back of the theatre to get the patients back to their seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once I was upright again there was another cheer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I sat on the edge of the stage again, talking to them for another thirty minutes, thanking them all for being so helpful and declaring that I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>More laughter and clapping!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Would it be OK to come back so we can all do it again?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A cheer went up, most of them clapped and some chanted: “Frosty! Frosty!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rest of our troupe came out on stage and we said goodbye to our audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Momentarily they had forgotten all about their new TV sets!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Most of us had little concept of what it was like to suffer a mental illness, but after our performance, I believed that for a short time we had all walked in their shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-37200710301565761922009-11-07T17:28:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:00:13.243-08:00Chapter 19 Farewell to my In-Laws<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapQFwEs4hTCd1MlXPFm0TbA2XVFs0qsSEgMovJxcWTpE9hSYPwYLzb1sXu61dCYDDgD6MPjNWmwdwNzhnNvjDiAsYfwbegDLu8k3XKL-DVf_JHgnSLKaTQSf40ERTWwzWq7Zx2YCm9-8/s1600-h/The-in-laws.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401539523604813410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapQFwEs4hTCd1MlXPFm0TbA2XVFs0qsSEgMovJxcWTpE9hSYPwYLzb1sXu61dCYDDgD6MPjNWmwdwNzhnNvjDiAsYfwbegDLu8k3XKL-DVf_JHgnSLKaTQSf40ERTWwzWq7Zx2YCm9-8/s320/The-in-laws.gif" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQw20BitUnVjeNgqe9yz_68psH-rHEcLwd9mTDS9FnsADTS7iC3tIdfEAlquUyNxOK4fhV9LDVdvZVttWygFWnoBa4Kri4RpAlGC_YS9hcRTEe_t4tyWoLhZBfBCbAmAVRWyqbMiFTs0/s1600-h/Grace-Jones.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401539416253917074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQw20BitUnVjeNgqe9yz_68psH-rHEcLwd9mTDS9FnsADTS7iC3tIdfEAlquUyNxOK4fhV9LDVdvZVttWygFWnoBa4Kri4RpAlGC_YS9hcRTEe_t4tyWoLhZBfBCbAmAVRWyqbMiFTs0/s320/Grace-Jones.gif" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 19<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Farewell to my In-Laws<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Eventually I gave the lecture circuit away, and the entertainers folded, since TV became our biggest competitor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>None of them wanted to go through the prison and the mental hospital scenes again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was still working at Globe union weekdays, and my debt would be paid off within the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although Bill wanted me to quit my job because of my still tender hands, I wanted to continue working because the money was needed for our upcoming move to Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I agreed to finish at the factory when we were able to afford to go to South Dakota to pay my debt and say our farewells to Mother and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The children had kept our secret, as far as we could ascertain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At least none of our friends gave any indication that they had heard a rumour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The time was approaching when we would need to ask our friends for references.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A police clearance had to be obtained, also, to complete our immigration application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the Sheriff, Tom Hartig, called at our house, he probably caused some speculation in the neighbourhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The police car in our driveway!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe not - Don was also our neighbour and friend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We told Bill’s sister, Grace, and her husband, Lloyd, our secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill needed Lloyd to give him a business reference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We asked them not to tell Grandma and Grandpa Frost before we made the trip to South Dakota to see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 114.9pt; WIDTH: 247.5pt; HEIGHT: 164.25pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-65 0 -65 21501 21600 21501 21600 0 -65 0" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Studebaker" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>After I finished working at Globe Union we headed for <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Fort</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Pierre</st1:placename></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We wanted to tell Mother and Dad face-to-face about migrating to Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we offered to repay the loan, they told us it was a gift and that we should use it towards our trip. </span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><br /><div></div><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They were sad that we were going so far away, but agreed that it was our life and if that’s what we wanted to do, we should follow our dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wondered if they thought it was all my idea and if they believed Bill when he said he had given it a lot of thought about Australia being a good place to raise the children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We called in to see Blanche and Red, Bill’s sister and brother-in-law at Mitchell, and told them the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Blanche was not happy about her brother Bill going so far from home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am sure she was convinced it was all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">my</i> idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The big day had come for the children to let go of their secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was as if the secret had been building up inside of them to the point of bursting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After the deflation they were rather limp and listless; they really had enjoyed having a secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It had given them a bond within the family that no one else could share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis wanted more!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“When can we have another secret Daddy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t tell Brian!</span></span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The folks in town now knew that we were migrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill Partlow handled the sale of our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the executives from Globe Union bought it and wanted possession within three weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The house yielded only $1,500 equity, and I cried when I witnessed the small return from the auction sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was foolish of me to attend!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’d had to put our items in with someone else’s household possessions that looked better than ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wasn’t sure if that was a good move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our possessions looked cheap and nasty, spread out on the lawn surrounded by snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We still had to save enough furniture to set up housekeeping in a unit for six weeks, till we were ready to leave for California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rest we sold privately and it yielded a better return than the auction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We moved into Vetville, a Veterans’ housing estate, where our family had many other children to keep them entertained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had a hard time getting Billy to bed at night, as most of the other children stayed up till late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ada Harmann was babysitting one day, and after returning from a speaking engagement in Fort Dodge, I asked, “Where’s Billy?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“He came in and got the hammer to help his friends demolish the old garden shed across the alley,” Ada said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I flew out the door and saw Billy, who was the only one on the roof of the shed while eight other boys were hammering and knocking down the walls of the building beneath him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I got him off the roof and told him to stay on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the other boys got on the roof, swung his hammer, and hit Billy in the back of the head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hadn’t heeded the wisdom of turning a blind eye and not interfering!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He probably would have been safer just falling off the roof!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He already had four stitches in his chin – he’d bent a stop sign with it when racing Alice Garrels on their bicycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had four more stitches in the back of his head and I had four more aspirin for my headache. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we even make it to California!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We let Billy hold the hammer again to help his Dad build a crate six feet long, three feet wide and three feet deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We called it our family coffin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The length of the crate measured the length of our tent poles - a tent that had been used only once, for a wonderful holiday at Lake Okaboji, Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had already told Bill that housing might be difficult to find in Melbourne, and I would be prepared to set up our tent on the beach while Bill went off to look for a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was getting into the swing of this adventure now!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Our economical system of packing kitchenware meant there was to be only one item of everything for each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was agreed that a warm blanket for each one would be a good idea, too, knowing how unpredictable Melbourne weather could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were leaving in the winter and arriving in the summer, which didn’t mean that we knew what to expect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After adding my featherweight portable Singer sewing machine, the clock radio and the coffee percolator to the crate on top of the tent, it was starting to look as though the crate would not be big enough. We had to make it do!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The most difficult choice for the children, all book lovers, was deciding on only ten books apiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis chose small Golden Books, Billy went for comics, Diane had no trouble choosing; but it was very frustrating for Jerilyn, the bookworm of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She wished she could take all her books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill selected model train books, and I could take only ten of my diaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our family’s history was wrapped up in those diaries - all a part of the fabric of our existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At that moment I was questioning whether this move was worth it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would it fray the strong, loving threads that bound us together!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The children decided to play one of their favourite games of pretend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They lined up the chairs to represent a train, and we all got on the train to go to California.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Two big cardboard boxes became the ship we would board to Australia, and we merrily waved to everyone seeing us off at the dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was a game I played with the children often - when it was just pretend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Suddenly, it was for real!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Edna Reynolds gave us one of the first farewell parties. That was followed by a farewell at the church - the church members may have gone broke saying goodbye to me so often!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could see myself crying all the way to California, and hoped that once I saw the ocean it would lift my spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill remarked that I would most likely cause a tidal wave with my tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our last family farewell was at the Jones’s house for supper the night we were to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grace had prepared a lavish meal to which our family could not do the justice it deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our luggage, including pillows, was stacked by the front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grace had packed a box of goodies, and when Lorraine came to take us to catch the train, she, too, had a box of yummy bakery items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To carry those delights, we had to stuff them in with the pillows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the children, each pillow had a <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">sturdy handle sewn to the pillowcase (in which I found an extra book or two smuggled by the owners).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -2; 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POSITION: absolute; WIDTH: 530px; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-: #f0f0f0" color="transparent"><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1027"></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: EN-AU; mso-fareast-: EN-AUfont-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:10;" >We had to drive 6o miles to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Perry</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Iowa</st1:state></st1:place>, to catch the train at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lorraine got us there </span></span><p></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The folks in town now knew that we were migrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill Partlow handled the sale of our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the executives from Globe Union bought it and wanted possession within three weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The house yielded only $1,500 equity, and I cried when I witnessed the small return from the auction sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was foolish of me to attend!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’d had to put our items in with someone else’s household possessions that looked better than ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wasn’t sure if that was a good move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our possessions looked cheap and nasty, spread out on the lawn surrounded by snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We still had to save enough furniture to set up housekeeping in a unit for six weeks, till we were ready to leave for California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rest we sold privately and it yielded a better return than the auction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: EN-AU; mso-fareast-: EN-AUfont-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:10;" >We moved into Vetville, a Veterans’ housing estate, where our family had many other children to keep them entertained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had a hard time getting Billy to bed at night, as most of the other children stayed up till late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ada Harmann was babysitting one day, and after returning from a speaking engagement in Fort Dodge, I asked, “Where’s Billy?”</span></div><br /><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: EN-AU; mso-fareast-: EN-AUfont-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:10;" ><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“He came in and got the hammer to help his friends demolish the old garden shed across the alley,” Ada said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >I flew out the door and saw Billy, who was the only one on the roof of the shed while eight other boys were hammering and knocking down the walls of the building beneath him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I got him off the roof and told him to stay on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the other boys got on the roof, swung his hammer, and hit Billy in the back of the head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hadn’t heeded the wisdom of turning a blind eye and not interfering!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He probably would have been safer just falling off the roof!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He already had four stitches in his chin – he’d bent a stop sign with it when racing Alice Garrels on their bicycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had four more stitches in the back of his head and I had four more aspirin for my headache. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >When we even make it to California!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >We let Billy hold the hammer again to help his Dad build a crate six feet long, three feet wide and three feet deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We called it our family coffin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The length of the crate measured the length of our tent poles - a tent that had been used only once, for a wonderful holiday at Lake Okaboji, Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had already told Bill that housing might be difficult to find in Melbourne, and I would be prepared to set up our tent on the beach while Bill went off to look for a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was getting into the swing of this adventure now!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Our economical system of packing kitchenware meant there was to be only one item of everything for each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was agreed that a warm blanket for each one would be a good idea, too, knowing how unpredictable Melbourne weather could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were leaving in the winter and arriving in the summer, which didn’t mean that we knew what to expect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After adding my featherweight portable Singer sewing machine, the clock radio and the coffee percolator to the crate on top of the tent, it was starting to look as though the crate would not be big enough. We had to make it do!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >The most difficult choice for the children, all book lovers, was deciding on only ten books apiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis chose small Golden Books, Billy went for comics, Diane had no trouble choosing; but it was very frustrating for Jerilyn, the bookworm of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She wished she could take all her books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill selected model train books, and I could take only ten of my diaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our family’s history was wrapped up in those diaries - all a part of the fabric of our existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At that moment I was questioning whether this move was worth it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would it fray the strong, loving threads that bound us together!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >The children decided to play one of their favourite games of pretend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They lined up the chairs to represent a train, and we all got on the train to go to California.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Two big cardboard boxes became the ship we would board to Australia, and we merrily waved to everyone seeing us off at the dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was a game I played with the children often - when it was just pretend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Suddenly, it was for real!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Edna Reynolds gave us one of the first farewell parties. That was followed by a farewell at the church - the church members may have gone broke saying goodbye to me so often!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could see myself crying all the way to California, and hoped that once I saw the ocean it would lift my spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill remarked that I would most likely cause a tidal wave with my tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our last family farewell was at the Jones’s house for supper the night we were to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grace had prepared a lavish meal to which our family could not do the justice it deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our luggage, including pillows, was stacked by the front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grace had packed a box of goodies, and when Lorraine came to take us to catch the train, she, too, had a box of yummy bakery items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To carry those delights, we had to stuff them in with the pillows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the children, each pillow had a <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >sturdy handle sewn to the pillowcase (in which I found an extra book or two smuggled by the owners).<o:p></o:p></span></p><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -2; 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POSITION: absolute; mso-ignore: vglayout"><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0"><br /><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.35pt; PADDING-LEFT: 7.95pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 7.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.35pt" class="shape" shape="_x0000_s1027"><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:10;"></span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: EN-AU; mso-fareast-: EN-AUfont-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:10;" >We had to drive 6o miles to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Perry</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Iowa</st1:state></st1:place>, to catch the train at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lorraine got us there <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >early, so we would have some time together before we had to part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was sad to see the Union Pacific train arrive on time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We exchanged a hasty hug, neither of us wanting to prolong our farewell, and promised to write often.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >The dome observation car, right in front of our carriage was ideal for bedding the children down for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They could lie there and look at the stars before they fell asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We checked them often, as neither Bill nor I could sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >For breakfast we were hungry, and the children opened the boxes of goodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were plenty of doughnuts and our favourite long johns from the Hansens’ bakery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grace had baked chocolate chip cookies and added a container of orange juice for the children, while Bill and I had our thermos of coffee. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>The children couldn’t stop talking about watching the stars from the dome car; the heavens seemed so close they felt as though they could have reached out and touched them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was much better than being in the observatory at Cherokee, where I took Jerilyn and Diane to observe the galaxies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now they were seeing the stars for real, out in the countryside and away from the city lights that tended to spoil the splendour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our family was excited about every new discovery.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >During the second night, the children decided they would sleep in their seats because there were too many people still in the dome car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At about 2.00am we pulled into Las Vegas, Nevada, where most of the passengers were eager to see all they could of that infamous city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill had disappeared down the aisle, Diane at his heels to spend the twenty-minute stop off the train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The conductor approached me, accompanied by a man and a woman.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“Madam, the train is completely booked and these two folk need a seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With your permission, Madam, we could bed the children down in the dome car and I would personally watch out for them myself,” the conductor pleaded in a Southern accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I will get them pillows and blankets and make them very comfortable.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children didn’t mind at all; they had the dome car to themselves once more, with a personal attendant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Billy was about to blurt out the fact that they had slept there the night before, but I quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Our newly acquired travelling companions settled across from us, thanking us profusely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After we introduced ourselves and agreed to a first name basis, they were eager to tell us of their escapades over the last three days and nights at the crap tables in Las Vegas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >They had driven there in their sports car from Walnut Creek, California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They couldn’t believe their luck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On the first day, they won on every game going in the casino, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with the left hand while the right hand pulled the lever on the slot machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They admitted they were completely addicted on their first trip to the gambling city.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Never had we witnessed anyone so hyped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They fidgeted continually, wondering if the bar would open soon and walking the aisles looking for the conductor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I kept putting my head down on my pillow, hoping they would take the hint and be a little quieter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Other passengers were asking them to hush, too, and they would do so for about ten minutes, until the excitement returned and the decibels crept higher.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >When they began to lose the tens of thousands of dollars won on the first day, Chuck and Shelley sold their sports car, clothing, jewelry and suitcases they had brought with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They hadn’t even taken the time to check in to a hotel; they would take short naps in one of the lounges until an attendant moved them on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Changing casinos didn’t change their luck, and eventually they had nothing left as collateral apart from the train ticket home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They weren’t planning on staying at home long - only long enough to get a mortgage on the house and see what else they could hock, to return to Las Vegas as soon as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were sure they could win it all back!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Checking on the children gave me an excuse for a break from their continual chatter with eyes blinking dollar signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I took my pillow with me, stayed in the dome car and slept peacefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill pretended to nod off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At last, Chuck and Shelley deflated, and dozed off from the exhaustion of a three-day binge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were still sleeping after everyone else left the train at Los Angeles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With their heads tilted back and mouths wide open, they looked grotesque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We knew also, how broke they were!<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >We had to stop on the platform, count heads, bags, suitcases and pillows, and look for a taxi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was a tight squeeze!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The more we laughed the sillier we became.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The driver commented that it was a pleasure to drive such a happy family, after all the drunks and angry people he’d had in his taxi earlier that day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >We had booked into the pink Huntington Hotel, right on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children wanted to go to the water’s edge and look at the sea right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We left Bill in our room with the luggage and unpacking while we headed down the outside stairway attached to the pink brick wall of the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The stairway was three storeys high and from the hotel to the waters edge was close to 500 metres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children were firing questions at me, one after another: “Where is our boat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why is the ocean so far from the hotel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why aren’t there any other people on the beach?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why can’t I see the land on the other side?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Can we catch fish in this big lake?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are we going swimming later?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Did you bring your swimsuit, Mom?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“Stop!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Stop right there!” I interjected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Now we are going to sit down on the sand and I will answer all your questions before this gets completely out of hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First, let me warn you that you need to roll your pedal pushers up over your knees, and Billy: you take your pants off and give them to me, because a wave will surprise you and you’ll get very wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just remember that every third wave is the one with the surprises, and we don’t have enough changes of clothing for the next three days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t want to have to wash any more than I have to.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“I don’t want to take my pants off, Mother!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone will see me in my underpants,” Billy objected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“It’s wintertime in California, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That is why no one is on the beach, so who will see you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Besides, your underpants look just like swimming trunks” I insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“The boat is called a ship, Diane, and it’s tied up further down the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now; the reason they built the hotel so far from the ocean is because the ocean is very unpredictable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sometimes a king-tide may come all the way up to the basement of the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are there any more questions?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >“I still want to know why I can’t see land on the other side of the ocean,” Billy persisted, as he removed his pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one complained about being chilly, as the temperature felt warm to us, having come from below-freezing temperatures in Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It felt good to put my feet in the water. After a while, the three older children moved a couple more steps further out where the third wave hit them unexpectedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were soaked to the skin and thought it hilarious.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Back at the hotel, Bill had flopped on the bed and fallen asleep as soon as we left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The poor darling was stuck with those talkative passengers on the train, and didn’t get much sleep during the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We tossed towels everywhere and upended suitcases, frantically searching for dry clothing, the children all talked at once, telling their father all about the ‘big ocean’, and wanting to know how soon he would be ready to go to the beach with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Little did they know their father had an aversion to water - anything deeper than a bathtub was not his idea of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Bill went out to buy some lightweight rope to string up in our room as a drying line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the time he got back our nephew, Steve Jones had arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Steve was in the navy and stationed at <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We booked a room for him, too, and the children thought it was so neat to have someone they could visit in another room in the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >We went to a movie close by the hotel and saw ‘<st1:place st="on">Northwest Passage</st1:place>’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The stroll back to the hotel tended to give the children their second wind, and they were anxious to explore the streets of <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Huntington</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">LA</st1:state></st1:place> and do some window-shopping.<o:p></o:p></span></p></span></span></div></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-12928370898943369322009-11-07T17:01:00.001-08:002009-12-21T11:59:42.240-08:00Chapter 20 The Illinois War Bride<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 20<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Illinois</st1:place></st1:state> War Bride<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Joan Fontaine, an Australian girl, also a war bride, arrived with two of her youngest children by train from <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Illinois</st1:place></st1:state>, as expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This meeting had been prearranged in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state> by phone so we had never met before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were to join us in LA so we could all sail together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She and the two children were crying when we met them, and Joan was almost catatonic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It took some time before she could focus on who we were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth, I don’t think we are going to make it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I can’t bear to be separated from my husband and my other two children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve been miserable ever since we left <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Illinois</st1:place></st1:state> on the train.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Being confronted with this situation stunned me momentarily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It had seemed simple enough: go to the station, greet Joan and children, retrieve their luggage, settle them into their room, and get to know the family before we embarked on the ship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I suggested she phone her husband, Ben, and tell him how she felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill and I went for a walk along the beach to discuss the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Honey! There is no way Joan and her children are going to make it on the ship!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They most likely will be seasick all the way, and you will spend the whole voyage taking care of them.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was how Bill saw the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Think back to those mothers on the war brides ship, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">David Shanks.</i> They abandoned their children because they were so seasick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All they wanted to do was die, and you and some of the other girls had to rescue the children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do you want to repeat that on this trip?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I hate to see her get this far and not make it to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> to see her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’re right, Bill, she is so distraught now she is upsetting her children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She needs to go home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we got back to Joan’s room, she was on the phone talking to her husband again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She handed me the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ben sounded angry:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t try talking Joan into to making the trip, Ruth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She wants to come home, so help her get back on the train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I want her to come back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ben bristled and was extremely abrupt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After the children had settled down for the night I whispered to Bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I miss you and the children very much each time I go away, but you know, it’s the reunions and the honeymoons I adore each time I come home to you again,” I confessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill snickered as he pulled me to him and I nestled my head into his shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You know how people say, ‘when they got married they became one’ - I don’t believe that, do you?” I queried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I think if that were true, we would finish up with two half-people!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I continued to think about what I had said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You know, Bill, I can appreciate the love Joan and Ben feel for each other, and it doesn’t diminish the love we have for each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each relationship is different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I think it would be devastating to love someone to such an extent that one partner could become dysfunctional being separated from the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Do you think that has happened to Joan and Ben?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill was already asleep - he didn’t hear a word I said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Early the next morning, I begged Steve not to let the children get their clothes wet at the beach while we took Joan and her children to the train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was good to see them so happy about going home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was sure it was an oversight that Joan had forgotten to pay us for her hotel room, meals, long distance phone calls and the taxis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had to watch every penny we spent, but when Bill and I talked about this, he didn’t think we should mention it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I disagreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(At times Bill still acted like ‘a well-heeled Yank’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s what we used to call the American servicemen in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> during the war.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As I was helping Joan downstairs with her luggage, I mentioned how lucky we were to find such an inexpensive hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She suddenly dropped her suitcase, put her hand to her mouth and gasped: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How could I be so thoughtless!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I haven’t paid you for booking us into the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh dear me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Please forgive me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have been so upset that I couldn’t think of anything else except getting home again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We went to the office to confirm the amount I had paid for the telephone calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Joan took care of all the expenses she had incurred - we were both relieved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-69045597022260284012009-11-07T17:00:00.001-08:002009-12-21T11:58:03.115-08:00Chapter 21 Our Last Farewell<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 21<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Our Last Farewell<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="Z-INDEX: -1; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN-TOP: 89.55pt; WIDTH: 276.75pt; HEIGHT: 162pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5pt; LEFT: 0px" id="_x0000_s1026" wrapcoords="-59 0 -59 21500 21600 21500 21600 0 -59 0" type="#_x0000_t75" allowincell="f"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><v:imagedata title="Orcades" src="file:///C:\Users\Jan\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" /><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></span></v:shape><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The sight of the P&O British liner, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">SS Orcades,</i> anchored at the dock held the children mesmerized, enticing them to search every nook and cranny on her decks and below, to see what amusements and adventures awaited them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Little did I ever dream that one day I would embark on a sea voyage with my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I finally started to feel the pull of the Australian shores, believing, at last, that this might be an exciting move indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>During all the planning to get us to that point, Bill had never relented, but had pushed on without faltering in his drive to take care of the next item on the list.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was dusk when we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Steve helped us find our cabins, and to our dismay they had the children booked into a cabin quite a distance from Bill and me - not an acceptable arrangement at all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill wanted to see the purser right away, but I came up with a temporary solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Bill, the children can take turns, one to sleep in our cabin, while you and I take turns to sleep with the other three in their cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tomorrow will be soon enough to see the purser to make some other arrangements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let’s not worry about it now - there’s too much going on.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Yeah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’ll do for now, but that is not the way we booked it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The cabins were closer together.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We went up on deck as the visitors were being advised to leave the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was dark when the crew raised the gangplank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We eventually spotted Steve on the dock waving to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We pretended that all the people on the dock had come especially to see us off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis was not convinced that this was so, and looked at me in disbelief.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The sea was a little choppy a few miles off shore and we all had difficulty negotiating our way to the cabins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children argued about who would get the top bunks and who had to sleep with Dad the first night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I pointed out that whoever slept in their father’s cabin got the top bunk as their dad would definitely sleep on the bottom bunk, being afraid of heights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children’s steward was a 21-year-old Irish boy named Jimmy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He became acquainted with our family right away, happily eyeing Billy’s mania for comic books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jimmy loved comics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Our steward Jack was from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Liverpool</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">England</st1:country-region></st1:place> and was about 35-40 years of age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was small in stature with a dark, swarthy complexion and penetrating dark eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did not like the way he looked at our daughter Jerilyn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I drew Bill’s attention to the fact that we needed to watch out for all our children when ever they wanted to go to either cabin alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We all stayed close together that first night, except for Billy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At first we were concerned about what kind of devilment he might get up to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We caught sight of him through the window of the main bar, helping himself to the cheese, crackers and nuts set out on the tables for the imbibing customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bar was full, and no one seemed to take any notice of Billy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His father retrieved him from the bar and explained that he was not allowed in the bar unless he had our permission.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Off he went in another direction to play with some friends he had already made, while the rest of us watched a family of acrobats practising their skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I learned later that this was a family of circus performers migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I leaned over the railing and recalled some of my childhood dreams of running away from home and joining the circus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So many of my other dreams had been realized - I was not at all perturbed at not fulfilling that particular one!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I believed our family was a small circus and gave Bill and I enough excitement!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We seemed to have walked miles around the decks to get our bearings, and the announcement that supper was being served in the dining room was a welcome relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We hadn’t eaten a meal since breakfast, only snacked on biscuits and fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was an English ship with an English ‘supper’, not the evening meal referred to as supper in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It consisted of dainty sandwiches, cakes and jelly; the children ignored the sandwiches and tucked into the jelly and cakes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was about <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="11">11 o’clock</st1:time> by the time we all bedded down in our bunks with Jerilyn on the top bunk in our cabin with her Dad and me on a bottom bunk with the other three children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were still too excited to sleep and it was after <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time> before we finally dropped off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were in the first sitting for breakfast, and as we walked down the stairway to the dining-room, the motion of the ship and the smell of steaming food wafting up the stairway making us all feel a little squeamish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn was the first to turn and run back up on deck, followed closely by Diane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy and Janis made it to the table but all they did was stare at the food in front of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They too, left in a hurry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children seemed fine in the fresh air, but after about an hour they became green around the gills and lost the previous night’s supper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was no way we were going to get them back down to the dining-room - not that day, anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I brought them some cheese, crackers, fruit and orange juice, pillows and blankets, but they couldn’t face food of any description.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They were miserable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Mom, I feel so sick, I want to throw up all the time,” Jerilyn said in a pitiful voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One by one they succumbed to the dreaded seasickness, and once that took hold there was no stopping it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We made them comfortable, lined them up on deck chairs and left them to drift off to sleep hoping the fresh air would make them feel a little better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill and I knew from experience how badly people suffer from seasickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He and I both admitted having to ride with the rolling of the ship, leaning into the rise and fall of the motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I found it to be such a ‘mind and tummy game’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One has to keep busy and concentrate on other things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mind over matter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Bill and I strolled around the top deck, looked out to sea, and reminisced about my arrival in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city> fifteen years before when we stood together on board the war bride’s ship just as we were standing now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“My, we have covered some ground since then, haven’t we?” Bill said wistfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What d’you say we go to our cabin and repeat one of our many honeymoons?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You forget darling, you will have Jerilyn throwing up in your cabin,” I reminded him, “and I have three more throwing up in mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We may both finish up sleeping up on deck with our four children heaving their hearts out before the night is through.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That put a damper on any thought of a shipboard romance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Who would have thought an exciting cruise together would include four seasick children!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was Christmas Eve when we docked in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, four days after we sailed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children finally discovered that they weren’t going to die of seasickness after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They liked having the ship steady and at anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was good to have them laughing again and anxious to get on to land that wasn’t moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We went swimming on <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Waikiki</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place>, and the children teased me about hiring a surfboard - they wanted to see me ride the waves as I had done eight months before, on my way home to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state> from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Was it only eight months since I was there?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I embarrassed Bill by removing my wet swimsuit in the middle of a busy restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children giggled while they watched the diners’ faces to see if they could detect what I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was no mystery to removing any under garments while wearing a muumuu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The long gown, <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>’s national female attire, covers a multitude of secrets (and sins).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one gave a second glance!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We took the children back on board the ship to stay with some fellow-passengers while Bill and I did some last minute Christmas shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I made some phone calls to the Islander Hotel, to invite some of the friends I had made on my last stay in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> to come dine with us on the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>None of my friends were on duty at the hotel desk - they would not be working till <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="10">10 o’clock</st1:time> that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All I could do was leave them a message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I called into the Post Office where I had met Sammy Yamamoto, and found that he had received a promotion and been transferred to another island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It had been a long time since I had heard from him, but the rest of the staff remembered me and would pass on my message to Sammy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>As we walked past the back entrance to the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Honolulu</st1:place></st1:city> newspaper production the back door was wide open and we watched the presses rolling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Attached to the outside of the door was a large notice: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">WANTED URGENTLY LINOTYPE OPERATOR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh, Bill!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What a wonderful opportunity!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why don’t you go in and apply right now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We still have three hours before we sail.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was shivering all over with anticipation, hoping Bill would at least see what they were offering.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You have got to be kidding!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and you want me to apply for a job in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He was astounded at my suggestion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We have four children on board, waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our crate and trunks are in the hold of the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What on earth has gotten into you?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t think you should let an opportunity go by!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What if things don’t work out when we get to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and you have a hard time getting a job?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Talk to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Keep in touch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Who knows what the future has in store?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I squeezed his arm and jokingly retorted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You know, I wouldn’t mind living in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m just sorry we hadn’t given it any consideration.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I, for one, would not like to live in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Bill was not happy with me. I wonder why</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We finished our shopping and all earlier differences of opinion were set aside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children were all excited about having Christmas at sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn and Diane assured Billy and Janis that it didn’t matter where we were in the world, Santa Claus would find us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sailing time was delayed because some members of the crew were missing, and were being rounded up by the police from the local bars and delivered to our ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We could see our waiter Karl on the dock, a big happy fellow towering over a couple of his friends who were trying desperately to keep him upright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill and I resolved our differences over the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Honolulu</st1:place></st1:city> newspaper advertisement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was clear that I had been influenced by the wonderful people I had met in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although I had made some very important contacts for future business possibilities, Bill and I agreed that we were, after all, migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>This was the first time the family had eaten together in the dining room, and we all had healthy appetites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our waiter, Karl, was a happy drunk but in no condition to be serving at the tables after shore leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children spluttered in fits of laughter until he suggested we serve ourselves as quietly as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Bill dropped a heavy lid on the deck while helping Janis get some vegetables, Karl grabbed both sides of his head and moaned mournfully: “Please!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Please!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Be very quiet!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The alcohol was kicking like a mule, and Karl was not feeling so good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Christmas morning – each of us found our pillowcase at the foot of the bunk and there was a mad scramble to tip the contents out to see all the gifts at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The usual family tradition of taking turns, to make our Christmas last for hours seemed to melt away and we had all taken on a frivolous, seafaring attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why not be different?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When at sea, act however one feels, befitting the moment!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was an unusual Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next day was Janis’s sixth birthday, and I spoke to Karl about doing something special for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He said to leave it in his capable hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Usually her birthday on the 26<sup>th</sup> December got lost in the festivities, so we usually had a party for her half birthday on June 26<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That year she celebrated twice, and with another birthday cake, too, compliments of the chef.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Billy wanted us to go up on the top deck so he could show us where he spent most of the time when he didn’t feel so good - between <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city> and <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He took us into one of the upper deck bars, and said he had plenty of cheese and crackers, and some people bought him lemonade and that stopped him from being seasick any more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His dad started to reprimand him but thought better of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy had used his wits to overcome his seasickness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">One gentleman who attracted my attention looked like a writer or a university lecturer; always with a book in front him or tucked under his arm and usually alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He seemed to be doing the rounds of the bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I saw him all alone in a deck chair, reading, and decided I would introduce myself and get acquainted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Good morning!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You seem to be engrossed in that book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hope I’m not intruding,” I remarked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No! No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As a matter of fact, I wasn’t even reading the book,” he said, with an air of guilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I was hiding behind it, experiencing a little seasickness and hoping no one would notice.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am sorry to hear that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I won’t bother you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll walk away and pretend we never met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hope you feel better soon.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Please stay!” he asked, waving his hand in a beckoning motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Where are you heading?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He looked pale and disenchanted as he spoke, which made me feel as though I should leave the poor man to his misery.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m originally from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> but have lived in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> for fifteen years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My name is Ruth Frost.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“My name is Jack.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We shook hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His hand was cold, clammy and limp, without life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His speech sounded more <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Oxford</st1:place></st1:city> than <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You have quite an American accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Were you a war bride?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He shifted position in his chair as he spoke, lifted himself to an upright sitting position and made an attempt to look interested.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Yes, I was a war bride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I lived in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>, where our four children were born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Have you been travelling in the States, Jack?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh! No!” he sighed, and exhaled noisily then coughed with a consumptive rattle on his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was a sick man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I have been living and writing in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state> for the past thirteen years, and I am going home to see my sister in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At this stage, Bill and the children advanced along the deck, all excited about something they wanted me to see right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I introduced Bill to Jack as the children were pulling me away from the deck chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Maybe we’ll talk again, Jack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Take care of that cough!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hope you feel better soon!” I said, as I waved to him then left with our wild bunch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were passing another liner on the port side of the ship, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Arcadia</i>, a sister ship to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Orcades. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>She was heading towards <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each ship blasted her horn by way of a greeting, and we all waved frantically, but we were too far away for us to see anyone on deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It looks like a ghost ship with no one on board,” Billy said, as though he was thinking up a good, spooky story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“What do you suppose might have happened to all the passengers on that ship?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What made them disappear?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis froze; remembering some of the scary stories Billy told her at bedtime to frighten her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The two older girls went to their cabins to change clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I followed a few minutes later and saw our cabin door open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jack, our steward, was offering to hook up Jerilyn’s sun-suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had walked in on her as she was dressing, and she didn’t know what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">I certainly knew what to do! I was ready to punch him.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t ever let me catch you around my daughter again, or I’ll report you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was all apologies and professed that it was his job to be helpful, and he meant no harm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I doubted that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was looking to helping himself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We moved Jerilyn over to the four-bed cabin and Billy slept with his dad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The following day, an elderly couple approached me while I was about to wring Billy’s neck for being in the bar again sneaking the nibbles on the tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Excuse me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’ve been looking for you!” the lady called out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We saw you in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> when we were having lunch, and we noticed the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Orcades</i> tags on your beach bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We admired your family, such a lovely family, and thought how well-behaved your children are.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She patted Billy on the head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I released my grip on the scruff of his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Billy, go find your dad and ask him to come to the bar, please?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wanted him to hear this - I was sure something interesting was going to evolve from this conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We are in first class and there are so many rude, bratty kids running wild,” the gentleman added with venom in his voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“After we saw your family in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, we thought we would come down to second class and see if we could find you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It took us three days!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill appeared and sat next to the lady when she patted the padded seat beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had left a message with the cabin steward for the girls when they got back from the craft class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We made our introductions, and discovered that these two elderly people, Iris and Grover Harris were also migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> from <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had purchased a two-storey house in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Scarborough</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Queensland</st1:state></st1:place>, when they came over for a visit the year before to look around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They would be well established when they landed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Iris, originally from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Brisbane</st1:place></st1:city>, was aghast when I told them that we had contemplated setting up the tent on the beach in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Frankston</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Victoria</st1:state></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t worry, Iris, she is joking,” Bill assured her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Her father found a two-bedroom house for us, and has been paying the rent until we arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Housing is quite a problem in the States too, isn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The building trade still hasn’t caught up since the war in either country.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That was the most Bill had talked to any adult since we left <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was good to see him socializing; usually he liked his own company and didn’t go out of his way to strike up conversations with strangers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With me it’s different - I don’t know the meaning of the word ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">stranger’</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The two men talked about their professions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grover Harris had owned a large engineering firm, which he sold before he left the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was under contract to the US Navy during the war, supplying cranes and other heavy equipment for shipping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He and Iris, neither one of them young anymore were not looking for a wartime romance but hoping to find companionship in their later years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was the third marriage for Grover after Iris met him in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Brisbane</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Two hours later, Bill was drinking his third beer and was having no trouble holding up his end of the conversation, while Grover was on his sixth scotch-on-the-rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our four children arrived, and Grover called to the bar attendant to bring more drinks all round and fill up the snack bowls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He tipped the waiter and wouldn’t hear of our contributing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I removed all the nibbles to another table because it would spoil the children’s appetites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We made plans to visit Iris and Grover in first class the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They would come down and meet us at the bar and escort us as their guests. (Second class passengers did not have free access to first class facilities).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They were already sitting in the bar the next day waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We felt rather honored that someone would get so excited about our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy had been warned to be on his best behaviour and not to take off alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t see too much of first class; most of the time we sat in the glassed-in section in the bow below the Bridge and just talked. As the children were used to moving about and being active, they were fidgeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn and Diane had a new book they wanted to read so we cut our visit short.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Will you come back tomorrow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’ll come get you at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="14">2 o’clock</st1:time>,” Iris asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You had better make that <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="16">4 o’clock</st1:time>, Iris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children have planned activities in the afternoon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wasn’t sure of their activities, but I could see they weren’t having any fun listening to us talk, and I was sure they didn’t want to see first class again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“If you don’t play chess, they don’t want to know you in first class,” Iris said sarcastically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“They’re such lot of snobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Grover and I like a good hand of poker, don’t we dear?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m afraid Bill and I aren’t much for cards, Iris, but I’m sure the bartender could put you in touch with some poker players in second class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Would you like me to ask him?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“No! No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s all right dear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’d just as soon sit and talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe another day!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I think she meant, sit and drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We couldn’t keep up the pace.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill reminded me it was almost time for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On the way to the dining room I saw Jack, the New Zealander, sitting alone in the bar with the same book in front of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He appeared to be very drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bartender was asking him to leave, refusing to serve him any more drinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I watched the drama for a few minutes and Bill pulled me away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You can’t save them all, Honey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let’s go eat.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I’ve never seen the children so hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They’ll eat almost anything since we left <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>. It’s good to see them with an appetite again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next day the children woke me from a nap, insisting I come right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Look, Mother!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We must be there already!” Janis said excitedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We can see land!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I got to the upper deck I could see a beach with sand so white it looked fluorescent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill had told me about the beaches at Kiriwina, where he was stationed during the war, and how the sand was so sparkling white sunglasses were needed because of the glare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were close enough to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Pacific</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Islands</st1:placetype></st1:place> to see the people waving to us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Sweetheart, we may pass a few of those tiny islands in the Pacific before we stop in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Fiji</st1:place></st1:country-region>,” I explained to Janis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Then we will stop again for a day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis was quite happy with my explanation and went off to play. It occurred to me that our children were being exposed to a multi-cultural world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If we had stayed in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>, they wouldn’t have had that kind of experience or exposure until they grew up and moved about in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before we got on the train to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city>, Diane was the only one of our children who had ever seen a black American.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All the train porters were African-American and our other three children asked us many questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Diane spoke up and explained that they were no different from us except the color of their skin was darker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After that, our children never needed to ask any more questions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We arrived in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Suva</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">Fiji</st1:country-region></st1:place>, early in the morning, and the children bounced with energy during breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They didn’t want food only action on land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We warned Karl, our waiter, not to get drunk; otherwise we might not be so tolerant with his hangover the following morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He promised to behave himself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Seeing the Fijian police, with their huge frizzy hairstyles and wearing white skirts, held our interest for some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children walked backwards, watching them as they passed by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were so many things that fascinated them, I felt warm inside when they wanted to know everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A group of people were viewing a huge turtle that had been caught by the natives and our girls got upset when they heard that a hotel had bought it to serve to their clientele. Travel is surely an education in itself, and I was glad I was able to share this awakening in our children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">While the ship was berthed in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Fiji</st1:place></st1:country-region>, we got talking to Val and Joe Bolton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> with their two children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Val had met Joe, a marine, when he was stationed in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> during the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Another war bride!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Their children and our children got along so well that they could hardly wait to meet up with each other again, right after breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jerilyn and Alison Bolton had already exchanged addresses so as to correspond after they landed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Joe would be working for Sonata Laboratories at New Lynn, <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:city>. NZ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It was Val’s family that set the job up for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will stay with her folks until we find a place of our own,” Joe explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“What about you, Bill, do you have a job lined up?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth wrote to someone she used to work for in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His name is Gordon…. Shay Gordon,” Bill recalled. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>“He was kind enough to send me a letter of introduction to get an interview with the Herald Sun newspaper.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were only three days out of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and regretting the fact that we hadn’t met the <st1:place st="on">Bolton</st1:place> family until we went back on board <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Orcades</i> in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Fiji</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Val had said the same thing: “What a pity we didn’t meet sooner.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We met for afternoon tea, and talked about a game of scrabble for the adults at the tables near the open bar, while the children were anxious to get back to the railing to watch the flying fish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We all jumped with fright at the sound of the ship’s horn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It kept blasting away, leaving us in no doubt that the alarm was a serious matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were about to round up the children, collect our life jackets and go to our assigned lifeboats, when a voice, very English, crisp and clear over the public address system, announced to a very quiet and attentive ship: “A gentleman has fallen overboard and the ship is going to turn around and look for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That is all.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Where is Billy? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Everyone look for Billy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Girls!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Have you seen Billy?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey! There’s no need to panic,” Bill assured me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“They said a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">man</i> fell overboard, not a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’ll find Billy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’s probably eating all the cheese and crackers in the bar.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Rescue at sea brings the passengers closer together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Up on the top deck rumours were flying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were many versions of what might have happened. Amid the throng, our son Billy crawled out on his hands and knees, between the legs of the passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was never so glad to see him!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy had the whole story, and was the centre of attention while he related the details.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It was Jack Mom, the New Zealander; he had climbed up on to the top of the rail and jumped overboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I saw him do it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">More details came from the bartender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Under strict orders, all the bartenders had continually refused to serve him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jack had the DTs and had become extremely hard to handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One passenger, who had stood at the rail next to Jack some time earlier, was feeling very guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“He was ranting and raving and being obnoxious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then he said, ‘No one cares what happens to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I might as well jump overboard!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told him to ‘go ahead’ and walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was only kidding!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The passenger was quite upset.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It took about an hour for the ship to make a wide circle in the middle of the ocean, leaving a huge wake behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A further hour passed before the rescue boat found Jack’s body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had broken his neck when he hit the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It took another hour to turn the ship around and head south again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next day, early in the morning, Jack was buried at sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had told me that his sister was to meet him at the dock in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jack was only three days away from seeing his sister after being separated for thirteen years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-67730533803560920952009-11-07T16:55:00.000-08:002009-12-21T11:57:32.561-08:00Chapter 22 A Cache of Contraband<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 22<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A Cache of Contraband<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The day before we were to dock in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>, we were told that Bill and I had to change cabins, because our berth had been booked by passengers joining the ship in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:city> the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I suggested to Jack, our cabin steward, that the new passengers be allowed to have the cabin we were being moved to, and we could stay in our own cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Both the cabins looked identical; it didn’t make sense to move at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But he had his orders, and the officers did it by the numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We moved that afternoon when Jack was off duty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill started getting things out of drawers until I stopped him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Darling, you are going about this the hard way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Remember how I practiced ‘time and motion’ at the factory in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iowa</st1:place></st1:state>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, watch this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the cabin we are moving to, the drawers are identical in size, so we can transfer the whole drawer instead of unpacking and then refilling.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Do you know what?” Bill replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You’ve got brains I haven’t even used yet!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were having fun kidding around like a couple of kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve always maintained that if you can have fun while you are doing a chore that you would rather not be doing, you lighten your burden and the job’s done before you know it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we got to the bottom drawer and slid it out, we discovered the space beneath was filled with contraband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were watches, jewelry, pornographic books and postcards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the cabin we moved to, there was more contraband under the bottom drawer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill and I moved our possessions as fast as possible, before Jack returned and caught us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On the way to the upper deck to meet the <st1:place st="on">Bolton</st1:place>’s and Harris’s, Bill and I discussed whether to report him, but Bill said to leave it alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He thought Jack would suspect us right away, since we were the only ones changing cabins in that section of the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill now believed that I had accurately pegged Jack as an undesirable character when we first arrived on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We told our friends what we had uncovered, and they joked about what they might discover in their quarters, pretending to be anxious to get back to their cabins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I asked for their opinions - whether or not we should report him right away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Grover came up with the best solution: “If he’s the sleazy character you say he is, I don’t think it would be wise to report him now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wait till you are about to leave the ship in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He could make the last part of this voyage very unpleasant for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And another thing, Ruth and Bill, don’t make it obvious that you are avoiding him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Be friendly towards him.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That was good advice coming from our new friend, Grover, who had recently turned 72 years of age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is wisdom gained in knowing older folk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After our farewells to the <st1:place st="on">Bolton</st1:place> family, with promises to keep in touch, we walked into the city of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:city> to look around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We walked miles, but couldn’t find a shop open anywhere to buy a milkshake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t realize the shops are not opened on a Sunday, also during Christmas holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Later, during dinner we all enjoyed a milkshake ordered especially for us by our favourite waiter, Karl.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Crossing the <st1:place st="on">Tasman Sea</st1:place>, Janis was forever looking for land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was not so much anxious to get off the ship as amazed that day after day, there was never anything but water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Sweetheart, you saw land in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> and in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Suva</st1:place></st1:city>, and we passed some islands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Didn’t we just leave <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> and had a long walk in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:city>?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Yes, I know about that land, but how long before we see Australian land?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Just two more sleeps and you’ll wake up as we’re coming into <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you look at the calendar hanging in your cabin you will see what day we arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You go look it up and mark it off, and tell me the date when we are having dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t tell anyone one else till I ask you at the table, OK?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will surprise everyone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Is that another secret I can have?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was thrilled at the prospect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As we entered the heads of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Sydney</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Harbour</st1:placename></st1:place>, we were greeted by large and small craft of every description on either side of the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were blasting on their horns and whistles, and making such a racket that the children wanted to know what was going on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>“Oh, haven’t you heard,” I kidded our children and several others within earshot, “this is all for us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When they knew that the Frosts were migrating to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the word went out all over <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> and they have come to welcome us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Isn’t that wonderful?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Take a look at those boats, and all the people on them waving and cheering because we are finally here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis and Billy, standing by the rail with their mouths wide open, looked at the unbelievable sight in the harbour, while Jerilyn and Diane eyed me suspiciously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were not too sure whether they should believe me or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a great welcome and everyone delighted in all the fuss.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Up ahead was the new P&O Liner, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Oriana,</i> on her maiden voyage from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was our luck to come in on the coattails of that luxury liner and get to enjoy such a fabulous welcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not only that - it was also New Year’s Eve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were going to disembark in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>, so we had five days in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> before we sailed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As soon as the phone line was hooked up on the ship, I called Joan Fontaine’s mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Joan had asked me to call and tell her mother how sorry she was that she couldn't make the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Joan’s brother, John, was visiting his mother when I called, and I invited all the family to join us on board for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I suggested they come early, so they could see over the ship before celebrating the New Year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>During lunch I had made arrangements with Karl for the dinner guests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While we were seated at the table during lunch Bill received a message, delivered by a member of the crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill was asked to call at the Purser’s office during the afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Purser wished to know if we would prefer to go on to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> on the night train from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>, rather than stay on board in port for five nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He assured us that they would pay all expenses, and suggested we return to his office in an hour and let him know our decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t need to think about it - we preferred to stay on the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Besides, we would have to let my relatives know the change in plans, and they were not very adaptable people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">John Harrison and his wife, Lynette, arrived at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="16">4.00pm</st1:time> and had a tour of the ship and cocktails in the main bar before we sat down to a very special dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were only four tables occupied in the dining room and we were all celebrating, so it got a little raucous at times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our waiter, Karl, was going off duty after dinner and intended going ashore to a party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After we were through eating we helped Karl clear the tables so he could get away in a hurry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the first time ever, our children didn’t object to clearing the dishes, just as long as they didn’t have to wash them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They hadn’t done that chore in a long time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">John and Lynette took us on a tour of King’s Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was probably the worst night to go sightseeing, with eight of us sandwiched into the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The traffic was very congested, and John took a left turn going up a one-way street the wrong way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Horns were blasting and people yelling: “You’re going the wrong way!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>John found another left turn and got us back to the ship without any further incidents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was a night to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The children wanted to stay up to see the New Year in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The upper deck proved ideal to watch the fireworks and the action on the water, with boats passing by loaded with happy people celebrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janis fell asleep at <st1:time st="on" minute="30" hour="23">11.30pm</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As soon as we wished each other a ‘Happy New Year’ it seemed that all the air went out of the balloon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were exhausted and ready for sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We rode trams, window-shopped, and showed the family where I used to work when I lived in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One would think the children had had enough of the water, but they still wanted to ride the ferry to Manly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-69677423260185013342009-11-07T16:51:00.000-08:002009-12-21T11:56:51.118-08:00Chapter 23 A Link with the Past<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" >Chapter 23</span></u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A Link With the Past<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The following day we rode the ferry again, this time to Cremorne, where Lily (the girl with whom I traveled from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>) and I boarded with Marj and Pop Roberts when we first went to live in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> in 1945.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stayed with them for about two months then got a room about three blocks away with a young married woman with two children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her husband was in the army in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Guinea</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Marj Roberts was now living alone in a two-bedroom flat since her husband had passed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Both her boys were married and had settled close by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was delighted to catch up with her younger son Trevor and meet his two children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had never met the Robert’s eldest son.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After we had caught up with some of the exciting episodes in our lives over the past fifteen years and consumed many cups of coffee and tea, Trevor, a thoughtful man, recognized that his Mum and I needed to go deeper with our conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He took all the children down to the shop for ice cream, then to the Mosman dock to watch the ferries arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He and I had often done that in 1945.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Now, tell me Ruth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Please solve the mystery that’s been hanging over this neighbourhood ever since we heard you had been taken to hospital in 1945.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We couldn’t find anyone to tell us what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lily wouldn’t tell us a thing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mrs. Roberts was genuine in her questioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“You know, Pop and I were very fond of you Ruth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lily - well, we never felt we could trust her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She always seemed very insincere about Harry, her sailor boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t think she ever loved him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The way she was running around with that soldier who was AWOL: only going out after dark to dodge the Military Police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What happened to those two Ruth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wasn’t his name Bert?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Do you remember?” I replied, “Lily and I had never met until a week before we joined forces to travel together from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was boarding at a neighbour’s house across the street from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was too scared to travel alone so she asked if she could travel with me to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We border hopped from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>, because Bill could no longer get a furlough from the <st1:place st="on">Islands</st1:place> to travel beyond <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>, and I couldn’t get a permit to travel across the Victorian border because of troop movements during the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As you know, Bill and I had planned to marry on his next leave so it was important for me to meet him in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I will always remember your kind offer to have the reception at your house.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Rehashing those events of 1945 I started to relive the whole story of Lily’s pregnancy, her refusal to carry the child, her involvement with Bert, the father of the expected child, and his participation in the black market and other underworld rackets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her abortion, arranged by Bert’s underworld friends in King’s Cross was not a pleasant subject to recall; nor was having my life threatened by thugs, who wouldn’t let me get a doctor for Lily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I reflected on that incident, I could still hear their harsh voices threatening to kill me if I called a doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You take care of her, understand!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No doctors!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If she dies, you call this private number and we will take care of the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You tell no one, or else, girlie…!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bully sliced his thick knarled hand across his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They handed me the private phone number on the back of a torn horseracing form.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mrs. Roberts was shaking and the color had drained from her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I finished telling her the story, I found it almost unbelievable myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was like a movie scenario and I was viewing it all from a distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was something I will never forget.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I told Mum Roberts how I had taken care of Lily, who was still haemorrhaging about two weeks after the abortion and I was too afraid to go to sleep - I was still so sure she was going to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I continued to go to work to pay the rent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All I ever got from Lily was abuse and a foul mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After Lily had gone back to work I collapsed and was taken to hospital by ambulance, suffering from amnesia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My parents came from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> to take me home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh, Ruth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How did you ever cope without your memory?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That must have been awful for you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If we had only known something about all this, we would have come to the hospital and offered our help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We just don’t know what goes on right under our very noses sometimes, do we?” She was twisting her handkerchief around in her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Who would have thought…?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Quite frankly, Marj, it’s the best thing that could have happened to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have told several doctors about it in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They all said that if my sub-conscious hadn’t taken over my conscious mind and blacked out all the problems, I might have become suicidal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In other words, amnesia most likely saved my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After Mum Roberts recovered her composure and could talk without being upset, she told me what had happened to Lily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Lily never married Bert, the fellow who got her pregnant; she married his brother instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The marriage didn’t last long after she became pregnant again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The baby was born with an upside-down bowel, and the child had to have several operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The last I heard, Lily was living alone with her child in Kings Cross.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“You remember, Ruth that her reason for coming to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> was to marry Harry, the sailor on the same ship with my son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He came to stay with us and told us that he had no intention of marrying Lily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Harry married a <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> girl and is living in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Queensland</st1:place></st1:state> now.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The children came bounding up the stairs, laughing at Trevor because he couldn’t keep up the pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was time to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I promised to stay in touch after we were settled in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1278134513882042386.post-13048326008279962202009-11-06T21:23:00.000-08:002009-12-21T11:56:06.552-08:00Chapter 24 Final Destination<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTjMpbs_Rb9qKd4ndyRmYdRvht7OXL0w8G8aTuFwWVBhIbSFSwPhmslF0D0lzxsL_uhfYql7GL2zxLOhtDDurNI-yonzm6Ya1NhyE2I3W6R1fLhvG3SfYjxCOb9_h_jsY7wmr7NuVM0Y/s1600-h/Chapter-24-Jan.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; 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WIDTH: 306px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401251780519393026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDzgKPO0aQpFoB0wNaDBZiLP0OLyiovzUpIccTqCvHnFQ-AFz6VVxHOHI4GjnXUd7-gYDZZEIIFEQuXAHUIb7ag8yMoAH1rTMVhxowDbLwrv5UB8v7ZNPhi0S_pMKYqvkRZJaK_KgED8/s320/Chapter-24-mum.gif" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuXSYA9V5xP3ljoZ49mDCnowwNRmvJB9QRnXxiHvwNfOu0pnVzdzlp_WYNlEu0cV87YfXsVtjBPlY7q7nD0VIPv3B2QAGNtMhNSrIVTIzhBXMHB0mCWx1Ke_V1HMovs7pwWj8Nx0OiR4/s1600-h/Chapter-24.gif"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGNna-y80elgZit4aXlr_ROt9oH2dkRE7tOLD3QKQftIZr0YHApvSCQx7FdMXLi1V5l2VB7ldJtl089cAi-KNgn_gj62FXkD10B58IPEJ7GipToWvWJHfdJc3bq6qE71TDJz80FaGc3k/s1600-h/Chapter-24.gif"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Chapter 24<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Final Destination</span></span></u> </p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We sailed from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> on <st1:date month="1" st="on" year="1961" day="5">January 5<sup>th</sup> 1961</st1:date>, with many new passengers boarding the ship on their way to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had spoken with a couple of English families who had migrated to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> in the mid-fifties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had settled in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sydney</st1:place></st1:city> and they didn’t like it at all; they were returning to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We met up with them several times on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were at the next table in the dining room with their cheeky children. They complained about the service and didn’t like the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From then on we avoided them like the plague.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jack, the steward who was English also, wished they were anywhere else but in his section of the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He called them ‘bloody whingeing Poms’.</span></span><br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">From the top deck we could see my brother Peter, Dad, cousin Len, Uncle Norm, his wife Mary and son Paul on the dock in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The ship would remain in port for two days, and we had permission to sleep on board that night so we could collect our household belongings from the hold the next morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We went to Mary and Norm Little’s house in Burwood, for afternoon tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Norm drove us back to the ship in time for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It gave us a chance to say farewell to some of the crew we had come to know so well on the voyage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The children were especially fond of Jimmy, their cabin steward, and wanted us to adopt him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Please, Mom and Dad,” Billy pleaded, “Jimmy would love to live in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Can’t we take him with us?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had visions of having <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">five</i> children in a very small house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jimmy, a young man of 21 years, didn’t appear to be ready to mature within the next 20 years!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Peter arrived at the dock with his trailer the following morning to collect our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">coffin<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b></i>and trunks from the hold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Norm, Len and a young fellow that Peter brought with him to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lyle was Peter’s future brother-in-law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the two cars plus very sturdy trailer arrived at <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">14 Aberdeen Street</st1:address></st1:street>, Hawthorn, some of the residents of the street watched the unloading with great interest and curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The six-feet-long coffin-shaped box made to the measurements of the tent poles had to be partially unpacked: at least down to the tent packed on the bottom along with Bill’s tools. It was then light enough to be hand-hoisted by many willing hands over the front fence in line with the front door, owing to the tiny frontage of the terraced house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once through the door it had to stay in the hallway because it didn’t fit anywhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We realized then, with the wisdom of hindsight, that Bill should have built two or three smaller crates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m sure we unloaded a whole heap of ‘commonsense’ that day, and we learned from our mistakes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">While all the men were busy unloading, we four Frost girls inspected the rest of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My dad had partially furnished it with all the old furniture that he had put in his storage shed after my stepmother died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was one double bed for the three girls in one bedroom, a double bed for Bill and me and a single bed for Billy in our bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The living room had two rather tattered looking, over-stuffed chairs with broken wooden armrests hanging off the sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The fireplace looked as though it wasn’t capable of warming more than one person at a time let alone the whole room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Thank goodness it was summertime; we hoped to be out of that house by winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the adjoining room there was an ample sized table, four odd wooden chairs, an antiquated ice chest with broken hinges, and a rustic kitchen cupboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was the dining room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Two steps up to the kitchen and to the right was a gas stove, a badly stained sink and draining bench of plastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To the left, close to the backdoor and on the opposite side of the back door was a bathtub with a plastic shower curtain and the bathtub was against double concrete washing troughs, which seemed to be cemented to the bricked-in copper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This completed the tour of the very small kitchen-cum-bathroom-cum-laundry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I showed the girls a neat trick:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Watch this girls!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve got one foot in the kitchen and while I’m cooking at the stove, I’m washing the other foot in the bathtub while stirring the clothes in the copper with the poker.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I kept up the patter as I pantomimed the action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were all doubled over with laughter as the girls tried to step out the same pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I left them in a heap on the floor when I heard Bill calling me from the front of the house.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Honey, do you think you could find some cups somewhere?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Peter has gone to get some beer for the fellas who have been helping,” Bill said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did remember it use to take a few bottles to get a job done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’ve got just the thing - those paper cups the children collected on the ship.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I then remembered something else: “Just a reminder Bill, check where your tools are so we can hammer a few things together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think your tools are down the bottom of the coffin under the tent: a bit hard to get to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I just read where we packed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In my diary.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Yells and screams coming from the girls outside the back door had me running back down the side of the house in a panic until I realized it was laughter - nothing to worry about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Take a look, Mother!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s a toilet with a pull chain!” Diane said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“We were afraid to try it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How does it work?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From then on Janis wanted to go to the toilet every ten minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were all fascinated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had raised some pretty ignorant American children when we failed to educate them about pull chains and outdoor toilets. The cut up newspaper was not an acceptable offer for toilet paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told them they could use what money they had left to buy their own toilet rolls and they threatened never to talk to me again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I should have had the camera for that lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Beyond the toilet was a tiny backyard, hardly room to grow a vegetable garden and hang up six loads of washing on one single clothesline.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were all getting hungry but no one thought to offer to feed us or send some nourishing snacks while we were moving in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was missing that kind of neighbourliness they showed me in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a Saturday, and all the shops were closed from <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="12">noon</st1:time> on a Saturday till Monday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It cost a lot more to shop at the local milk bar for cold meat, three loaves of bread, plus some staples to keep us going over the weekend. We bought only enough meat and milk for dinner because we had no ice to keep anything fresh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On Sunday morning my father showed up with his infamous <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">little black book,</i> with an accounting of every penny he’d spent for six weeks holding the rented house till we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How well I remember that little black book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had a choice: we either rented the house or went to a migrant centre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On our first night in the house Bill and I thought we might have been better off in a migrant centre!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">No window screens to protect us from the mosquitoes which were the biggest we had ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Rats were coming in under the wall where the floor had sunk out of sight in the girl’s room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The girls were scared to go to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>None of us got much sleep that first week, except Billy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On second thought, it was better to have a house than to live in a tent down on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Or was it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My third thought: anything would have been better than killing rats and being bitten mercilessly by mosquitoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Pioneering as a migrant was not at all what I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If anyone wanted to go back to the States right then, I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would never admit that to another living soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We would make it work no matter what!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Billy had made friends with an older boy who supplied us with a stack of newspapers, and we all worked at stuffing the newspapers in the huge gap where the rats were getting in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We fooled the rats for three days, until they caught on to our ploy and ate their way through the paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The next time, we soaked the paper in kerosene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was more effective for a longer period, but I just hoped a smoker didn’t throw a lighted cigarette down the walk beside the house!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We learned from our next-door neighbour, Mrs Johnson that the rats and mosquitoes were coming from the abandoned quarry at the end of our street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sympathized with us and admitted she had seen the condition of the house before we moved in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“The owners won’t fix anything for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They want you to move out as soon as possible and then they are going to fix it up and sell it,” Mrs Johnson said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I took the children to investigate the lower end of the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A high fence shielded the quarry from the street, and further along the alleyway palings had been ripped off, which made it quite dangerous for young children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Billy was the one I was mostly concerned for, because he admitted he had already been through the fence with his friend Bobby to see the big hole - the quarry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With a young family to think of, these hazards were a worry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Something else we were not aware of - <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> practically closed down for about six weeks for the Christmas holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Shops and markets were open for business five-and-a-half days a week, factory deliveries or services were not available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Nothing had changed since I’d left!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This also meant that jobs were not available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were no jobs listed in the ‘wanted’ ads in the newspaper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We scanned the papers each morning at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="6">6.00am</st1:time> – nothing! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>What were we going to do?</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill had his ‘letter of introduction’ from Shay Gordon to present at The Herald and Sun newspaper so we thought that Bill at least, would get a foot in the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Shay Gordon was well known in the business arena and was my boss during the latter part of the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill called to make an appointment for an interview and the only time available was with the nightshift manager at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="22">10PM</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Cousin Len offered to stay with the children so I could go with Bill to the newspaper office in the city. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Luckily, I took a book to read and my diary and had ample time to get caught up with my entries while waiting in the foyer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Bill returned, after having a test on the linotype, he looked pale and haggard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I rushed to meet him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let’s go get a cup of coffee.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was worried, seeing all the fight gone out of him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Do you know what they gave me for the linotype test?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Cricket, tennis and Australian Rules football scores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have never even seen those games played, let alone….”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Right at that moment, before Bill could finish his sentence the manager, John came through the door with a smirk on his face.</span></span><br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Oh Yare!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Something I forgot to mention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We can’t hire anybody at the moment; the manager who does the hiring and firing is overseas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’ll call ya.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He said, still grinning as if the past hour was entertainment for the boys in the backroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He turned to leave.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">John’s attitude really got my shackles up and I raced after him, got in front of him and blocked his entry through the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“What a way to dismiss someone who genuinely wants a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You gave him sporting results; something he had never seen before!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My blood was boiling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Do you mean to tell me that there is only one man for this big newspaper that does all the hiring and firing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Where is he now?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The smirk had left his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I stood my ground.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“We don’t know where he is at the moment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He pushed past me through the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">(Nine months later Bill received a letter advising him that there were still no vacancies.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Three weeks after we arrived we were getting very low on ready cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill saw an ad in the Saturday’s Sun newspaper: ‘Linotype Operator Wanted’ - the only ad in any of the papers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill was sitting on the doorstep at Adprint, in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Carlton</st1:place></st1:city>, at <st1:time st="on" minute="30" hour="7">7.30am</st1:time>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At 9.00am the manager, Mr Economou, arrived and asked Bill what he was doing there.</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“I’m here to apply for the linotype operator’s job!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mr. Economou laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Everything is closed, no one works on Saturdays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will be interviewing on Monday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I just happened to call into the office to pick up a present I had forgotten.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Well, Sir!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You will find me sitting here at <st1:time st="on" minute="0" hour="7">7.00am</st1:time> on Monday, waiting to see you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr. Economou showed compassion and asked him to come into his office where he interviewed him right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After Bill told him of our migration from the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Mr Economou related a similar story of his family’s migration from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Greece</st1:place></st1:country-region> many years before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mr. Economou was the assistant Greek Consul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill got the job and started work the following Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">With Bill’s first week’s pay we had to buy a transformer to convert our American electrical appliances from 120 to 240 volts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In particular, I needed to use my tiny, featherweight sewing machine to alter the second-hand school uniforms advertised in the local newspaper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I enrolled the children in the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Camberwell</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Central</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place>, and then started looking for work in the newspaper columns, where the ads had started to appear at the end of January.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Before I started to look for work Bill and I took the children on a tour of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> by tram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At first we went to St. Kilda to St. Moritz to do some ice skating and to show them the spot where their Mother and Father had met, right in front of the band stand; their Dad sitting on the ice and me trying to help him up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The children wanted us to show them how it happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They wanted a repeat perfo</span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">rmance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill refused to put on rented boots and skates, at least that was his excuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hadn’t had my skates on since I skated in the streets of Manson during an ice storm 10 years before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I really had blunt blades and could hardly skate at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bill and I decided that that was a huge mistake; one cannot go back and recapture those wonderful memories without exercising caution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we took them to see the Federal Hotel on Collins Street where I got my memory back 10 days after we were married, all we found was a big gaping hole in the ground: we were six weeks too late, the hotel had been razed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On the way home on the tram I was busy hunting through the Job Vacancies in the newspaper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I got the first job I applied for - one requiring microphone work in sales promotions at The Mutual Store in <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Flinders Street</st1:address></st1:street>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had plenty of microphone experience - my friends used to say I was born with a microphone in my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was definitely not a silver spoon!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Uncle Harold, whom I used to adore, and for whom I felt enormous sympathy because he had lost a leg in a scaffolding accident as a young apprentice painter, then, his wife had died after a few years of marriage and Auntie Maud had him come live in their house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Their son went into the army and Harold had Jack’s room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He now presented himself as a grasping, money-hungry bore and loved to boast about owning eight houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was always talking about money and all the cash and cheques he had laying around waiting to be banked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He was waiting when I arrived home from work with my first pay packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The family were all excited but Harold ignored the significance of our joy while he claimed that he had cash and cheques lying around everywhere, just waiting for him to bank.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He was there every Friday night to collect the rent for the landlady, the woman with whom he was now bedding in <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Broomfield Road</st1:address></st1:street>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Rumor had her husband relegated to sleeping in the bungalow while Harold slept in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Harold had become her lover and debt collector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The illicit affair was the glue that bound the neighbourhood together - once more everyone in the street was communicating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Uncle Harold always said ‘yes’ when we invited him to join us in our meal and never considered waiting till we had said Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His food was half eaten before we started our meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was apparent when he quickly accepted a second helping that he wasn’t being fed very well since he moved out of Auntie Lila’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Perhaps he just looked forward to our<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>cooking!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I probably won’t have time to cook for my family now that I have started work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“It is very impolite not to say ‘thank you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Diane said, after he left the house.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When Uncle Harold said he was well acquainted with a refrigerator supplier, ‘a very good friend of his’ - he could get a refrigerator for us at wholesale prices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I jumped at the chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wanted a freezer more than a refrigerator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could prepare meals well ahead and buy in bulk for our family while I was working such long hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After Bill and I discussed Harold’s proposition, we agreed to accept his offer.</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I accompanied Harold to the electrical shop in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Richmond</st1:place></st1:city>, where he told me to wait by the door while he talked to the owner, (his very good friend).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I walked into the store to choose the freezer I wanted and could hear their conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was obvious the manager had never met Harold before, and all this was Harold’s way of puffing up his ego.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Harold came back to me with a fantastic offer from his so-called friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He fabricated the story on the spot and actually talked himself into a debt where he lost money and I gained the benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Don’t worry about a thing,” Harold confided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I will pay cash and get an even bigger discount on the refrigerator, and you can pay it off along with the rent on a Friday night.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Harold! It’s not a refrigerator it’s a freezer I need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here is the one I want.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the next 10 minutes he argued with me ‘it’s not a freezer you want but a refrigerator.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At that moment I was about to walk out of the shop and tell him to ‘forget it.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He did believe that I didn’t know the difference in the two machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></span><br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He finally accepted that I wanted a freezer and agreed to any amount I suggested as a weekly payment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It meant he stayed longer every Friday night and we had to listen to him tell us I was wrong in my choice of appliances. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">There was method in my madness and satisfaction in knowing I had outsmarted my uncle who made a point of trying to make us feel as though we couldn’t get by without his help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We knew better!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As we still only had the ice chest, few people could understand why I bought a freezer first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I knew what I could do with a freezer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was sure glad of my Yankee know-how!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our freezer, I was convinced, would pay for itself in the first twelve months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It did too - I kept a record of everything I bought in bulk and the money I saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had studied and learned about freezing fresh food and preparing meals in advance during the fifteen years I’d lived in the States.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We moved house several times and the children had no problems with making friends wherever they went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Best of all, they thought school uniforms were a great invention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did too - they never needed to think about what they had to wear each morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bill was content in his job at Adprint and they rewarded him handsomely every six months with a bonus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I soon found my niche in the promotional advertising field, and once established, I freelanced and worked for many local, interstate and international companies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The adventures we experienced during the three years we live in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city> were recorded daily in my diary during the only quiet moments I could find in a busy schedule - as I rode home from work on the tram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I make some good friends with those who traveled with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They waited for me at the tram stop, curious to know more about my busy life, family and hoping for some humorous stories.</span></span><br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Ruth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why don’t you write a book?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of my friends suggested.</span></span><br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“One book would never be enough, believe me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I added with a joyful laugh.</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="DefaultText"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-: EN-AUfont-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I made a note of that suggestion in my diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some day….<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325258667098504780noreply@blogger.com0