Now, Back To Our Program

Like any journey, there are always switchbacks and side roads to be taken. I will be doing a bit of that this morning. My hands are bothering me this morning; this is to your advantage, I will write as long as they agreeable. And now, part 2 of our story.....

Prior to the stop at Lutheran Hill, we were driving around the parts of Broken Arrow we still recognized. We had to "drag Main"...which took us back to our years in high school. I remember the first time I could drive alone. I asked my mom if I could drive to the store to get some bread. The grocery store was a "stone's throw" from our house. She said ok. ah HA! I will get the bread and drag main. My first time. What I didn't know, she could see the blue Ford Fairlane from our kitchen window! My parents put up with a lot. It was my first burst of freedom - wow, that felt so good. We both had our stories of dragging main - when gas was .25/gal.

We drove to Camino Villa, the local trailer park. It was still there. Ground Zero for tornado's. As we drove over the bridge, Jim was talking about his future plans in the Navy. I listened well...I kept thinking as he told me what he hoped to achieve, this was on that list. Dreams, past achievements not an ounce of boasting. Just the plan. hmmm. Then he asked me if I wanted a soda. It was midnight or after, a coke sounded good. As we sat at the traffic light across the street from the 7-11, he casually said, we should just get married. He went in for sodas. As he got back into that little, yellow Honda, I said Ok. He looked at me, very puzzled, asking, "Ok, what?"? Ok, we can get married. From past conversations and a brief engagement to someone else, friends told me about how we could go to Miama - there was no 3 day waiting period for a license. Miami??? you are saying? Miami, Oklahoma. Home of Laverne's Wedding parlor. I cannot even tell you the amount of back peddling Jim went into. hmm., stammer, stutter. Pause. "Well, you see, I'm engaged to someone else - she lives in Virginia Beach and I just bought a ring for her. It's sitting in the backseat." I then asked him if he loved her. Pause. I said I'll tell her. He said, rather emphatically, I WILL tell her. Ok. Off to Luthern Hill. Now for the more intense conversations....God, what would we want to do with Him? Go back to church - faithfully....no matter what, God would remain the center of our lives. (I find this interesting...as we neither one had a personal relationship with God. We did have a good foundation to start from. Again, nothing like a plan. Jim said, No divorce - ever. He couldn't face that ever again. Deal. He had just set up an account to pay off debt from his last marriage. He was going to live in a barracks in Washington DC. He would only bring home $100/month. Would I go to work? Sure, I have always worked. Deal. Children? Sure. Deal. Then I started my little tirade. "I do not love you; I will NOT tell you I love you until I do, am I clear, do you understand? yes. Ok. Now. Do we get my clothes and leave from here to Miami, then on to Norfolk? We drove to my parent's home and did about 6 circles at the corner right before you drove into my parent's driveway. I had decided my parents must be "used to me being home" and if I went inside, I would need to stay inside. Away we drove Miami - about a 2 hour drive (long time ago...may be closer or farther away than this). We went to Laverne's. Just as friends had said, it was a little old house located directly across from the town square and the county courthouse. We took a flashlight and went to the front door. There was a little piece of paper covered in saran wrap. It said "call this number". We found a pay phone and Laverne answered. She said I open at 8am and hung up. We found a truck stop open. We walked in and found our booth. Jim ordered coffee and opened another pack of cigarettes. You must remember, he went into the Navy in 1967 and cigarettes were issued to them; right there in their ditty bag. 17cents a pack. This was before anyone really discussed the dangers of cigarettes, but wouldn't the nasty cough and phlegm be a clue? Maybe not. There a many long, lonely nights with a coffee mug in hand - something had to be in the other hand to make the hours pass.
I knew my dad got up very early to go to his job in Tulsa. I said, I have to call my dad and tell him where I am - they will be missing me. I went over and called home. "Daddy, this is Kathryn." Yes...where are you? I am in Miami....Oklahoma. Why are you there? I just got married. TO WHOM? Jim Stephens. click. I went back to the booth and said, we have to go home, I just killed my dad. Let's go now! Jim, the calm one (or so it appeared at that moment) said, NO, we've come all the way to Miami to get married and we are getting married. Sit down. A few moments later, he said, well before your parents call my mom, I'd better call her. Mom, this is Jim. I'm in Miami, OK and just got married. My favorite line of the morning, "to who?" Jim had had a date to play tennis that night, I'm not sure she knew about the VA Beach girl he had a ring for in the back of his car), but she DID know he was supposed to take me home at 10pm. He said, to Kathryn Jordan. "oh you crazy kids." click.
(ok, you are figuring this out...we lied, we knew if we said we are GETTING married, someone would send out the paddy wagons...so we fibbed and drank even more coffee.
About 7:45, I asked if we could find some toothbrushes somewhere. We drove back to the town square area and sure enough, there was an old drug store on the corner. We bought a small tube of toothpaste and 2 toothbrushes and headed over to Laverne's.
Please stay tuned for the 3rd and hopefully, final part of our story. This is only the beginning - it does get better.
And for my assistant editor in chief....my chemo went well yesterday. It took much longer. The neuropathy is still very present this morning. These things take time to work themselves out. I am feeling ok - but I can see that I'm beginning to go through my bi weekly chameleon phase. My skin goes from yellow, to gray, to green. I do watch what I wear!! Some colors do not go well with the green/yellow phase. My hands are the most troubling aspect, but I will stay on my drugs and see how I do. Dr. Clark is very attentive. The fatigue will probably set in this afternoon. We are seeing Molly's cardiologist today to see about her passing out/orthostatic hypotention. Passing out is not cool.
This remembrance has been fun. Stay tuned...and write often. Your comments so warm my heart and soul. love you kathryn