Yesterday was my Momma & Daddy's 54th wedding anniversary. I did call them. They are in South Carolina on a get-away with my sister and her husband. But I had meant to mention it to all of y'all.
I love my Momma & Daddy. I wish that I really could come up with some words to express to them just how much. But due to the beatings I took as a kid, I lack sufficient brain cells. I'm just kidding...Momma was always careful to apply discipline to a part of my body that was bigger than my head (that was no small feat), and I think Daddy felt so sorry for us kids by the time he got home that he just kinda pretended like he was being mean.
They are both wonderful people. Daddy graduated from High School in 1954. It's pretty miraculous that he did, as his only interests were hunting, fishing, driving cars too fast, and girls. But he did, and somehow got accepted to go to Centenary College. Well in the Fall of 1954, it seems that there was an incident between him and some ROTC fellows over them trying to cut off his "duck-tail," which landed him out of Centenary and in "Business School."
At "Business School" he caught the eye of a beautiful 17-year-old girl. She had graduated from High School early because she was so smart. I think that Daddy finally asked Momma to go on a date in Mid-November of 1954. On January 1, 1955, they drove to Minden, LA and got married. They had to do it on New Year's Day because Daddy was off from his work that day, and Daddy had a buddy that knew a preacher in Minden that wasn't too particular about marriage stuff.
Momma had tricked my Granny into signing some papers "for school." What it was, was a parental permission for a Louisiana marriage license for an under-aged child. They jumped the broom in front of the Minden preacher, signed the papers...probably went to a motel (they never say much about that), and Daddy had Momma back home to her parents that night. Their secret was safe.
They lived in separate houses with their parents for a few months until my Daddy's brother, Uncle Neal, borrowed his Falcon one day and found the marriage license in the glove box. Of course, he could not wait to tell his Mother that Don and Anne were married. I think Momma & Daddy were relieved.
Most people didn't think they would make it...not Momma's Mom for sure. But Momma's Daddy sure did (she was their only child, and his "darling," and he figured that if she had "seen something" in that poor, uneducated, hell-raising boy...well, he was down for helping them...and he sure did help them).
Well, they made it. 54 years, 4 kids (actually 5, as one was still-born), good times, tough times, ups and downs. I've learned a whole lot from my Momma & Daddy. But I think the most important thing I've learned from them is the concept of "faithfulness." Not just faithfulness in marriage...in every aspect of your life. Your word is your bond...no matter how much it costs you...no matter how tired you may become of keeping it...
I'm rambling here...so I'll quit. Happy Anniversary Momma & Daddy. I Love y'all!
Friday, January 2, 2009
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Your Mahma and Deddy are doing something right. Fifty-four years is a long time to stick with a commitment and to adhere to your word.
ReplyDelete(Sorry for the phonetic spelling of Mother and Father, but I try to post like I talk.)
TD: Phonetics are cool, Lewis...I figured it out.
ReplyDeleteYep, they have definitely done something right. "Right" is all they know...or at least it's all they care to do.
I've always said that if I go to the grave as half the man my Daddy is, and if my boys marry girls that are half the woman my Momma is...I'll die happy.
The problem with that is that I don't think I will ever be half the man my Daddy is. And I'm not sure God makes girls half as good as Momma anymore.
But one can hope.
I remember when my parents got the phone call about your mom and dad getting married. Now, I was pretty young, so to vividly remember the hubbub in the house it must have really been something! As best I could tell it was something on the same order as if the Soviet Union had invaded Alaska or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI can also remember meeting your dad for the first time. He drove an old junker. But, he had a railroad lantern on the floor in the back seat, and I was really impressed that he was a brakeman for the railroad. As far as I was concerned, that was as good as being able to walk on water.
Hey Walt, thanks for your memories. Yep, I bet Daddy was really a piece of work in those days...what a guy!
ReplyDeleteI'm also pretty sure that my Granny was announcing the end of the world as we know it to your Mom...USSR invading Alaska...good line Walt.
Whodathunkit?