It was one of those blazing hot Sunday afternoon weddings, back in 1956 when we jumped into a borrowed car with tin cans tied to the back bumper and dead fish under the hood, and sped off down Highway 80 toward Adrian trying to outrun all our friends whooping and hollering after us. I was perspiring, not sweating mind you, in my conservative beige sheath going away outfit from Rosenbergs, complete with pill box straw hat and net veil, high heeled sandals, white gloves, purse, hose, etc. - you get the picture. This is mid 50's remember?
Now, our lives had just been sealed into perpetuity! We had been sweethearts for as long as we could remember and now we were husband and wife and nothing could stop us! We had it made! We were invincible! Yeah! Go us! Atlanta bound! Whoopee! Look out world! Watch out, we're gonna knock your socks off! So, get out of our way........... And so it was that we headed off on our two day honeymoon to the Capitol of Georgia with $50!
We spent our first special night in Griffin, Georgia at the Peter Pan Motel. No joke. Sounds glamourous, huh? We drove into Atlanta and went to the wonderous Fox Theater and saw the stars in the ceiling and watched Bus Stop starring Marilyn Monroe. It was way more glamourous than the motel. Then, being the good granddaughter that I am, we visited my Grandmother in East Point for a while and then drove on to Jonesboro where we spent our second honeymoon night at the Wagonwheel Motel. Another one for the rich and famous. We chowed down on burgers, peanuts, cola, and chips and played the television as long as we felt we could spare the quarters.
Alas, our two day honeymoon was coming to a close and we drove home on Tuesday with a total of $11 to last us until the next payday. Not too bad. Only problem was, we hadn't counted on the fact that we were losing a couple of days work. Not to worry, we were in love so we'd figure something out. We returned the car.
Our first apartment was a tiny garage apartment right in town across the street from the very church where we married! Hubby could walk to work if necessary. Steep stairs led up to a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bath. What the heck, it was only $25 a month! It was grand! My best friends Mother made us some beautiful pink curtains for our bedroom. We bought new furniture "on time". We were in love right? We could do anything we set our minds to! We had it all figured out! Never mind we only made $25 a week........I had a job at the local hospital making $25 and hubby made $25 a week at the hardware store so, there you go! Ta Da!
Now, when this girl grew up, talking about birth control wasn't everyday conversation around my house, wasn't sold in the local supermarkets, and God forbid you mentioned the word "sex" , or "pregnant" within a mile of the school grounds. I expect you're beginning to get an idea where this is going................
Along about the first of October, I begin to feel like I could throw up my toenails. Actually I don't throw up. I just feel like I'm going to throw up, which is worse. It didn't take too long to figure out what the problem might be and I made an appointment with my local doctor who had no mercy for an 18 year never - been - there girl! He confirmed that I was indeed PREGNANT and that my pelvic joints could have an elephant, which really made me feel so at ease him, his nurse, and the world. He really had such a way with words, God rest his soul.
Well, so much for having it all figured out. Of course, I couldn't work anymore because my head stayed over the toilet for three months, thinking I was going to throw up any minutes. Our sweet little garage apartment with those blasted steep stairs didn't sit too well with the whale I was turning into, so we had to move into another sweet little apartment which was just one floor and cost $35 a month - $10 more a month, mind you. We still had no car of our own remember, but still used the borrowed one of a family member as needed - which was all the time. I spent my days sitting in my Mom's beauty shop watching her roll up hair and giving perms and would go back to our apartment in time to make our meager dinner. We didn't have two pennies to rub together! Somewhere in the back part of my mind were ringing the words my Dad has said "what will you do if this or that happens"..when he was trying to convince me that we needed more time, education, and experience before we married.
But we'd get together with our friends - some of whom were expecting like us - and play cards and laugh and have some fun at each others apartments occasionally. Yep, those were the days......
