Saturday, August 8, 1948

It was 61 years ago today that my Mom and Dad were married - 08.08.48. She was 17, and 3 months out of High School. And he was 1 month short of his 23 birthday, home from the Navy and a war. They met in Dallas, where they both worked for National Linen Supply Co.  My Dad was a 'Route-man,' working for his older brother, Ted, who served the company as its Service Manager.  My Mom worked in the office and had the job of checking in the drivers as they came in from their deliveries.  

The story goes that she had been there exactly 1 week.  As Friday came, Dad returned from his 'out of town' route, after having been gone all week.  Because of this, he'd not yet seen the new girl - Mom.  Crossing the great garage, called 'barn,' with his large smile and good looks in tow, he made his way to the window where she was.   As Mom tells it from there, she turned to one of her girlfriends to ask, "who's this?"  They said, that's "Delmer Dennis, isn't he cute!"  Then she, in just about the same breath,  said, 'that's the man I'm going to marry' - and 5 weeks later, they were. 

Growing up I didn't know about other kids and their parents, but I always knew Mom and Dad were in love. When she saw him, she glowed. And, when he saw her, well, let's just say we kids knew that a hug, pat, or a kiss was coming.  They were 'hand-sy" before "hand-sy" was cool and we kids just learned to accept it. We grew up with the security of always knowing how they felt for each other, and that, somehow, this would never pass.  

When my Mother called me on a July morning 20 years ago this past summer, she was crying when she said, "Sammy come quick, you're Daddy's gone!"  But she was wrong.  For he has never really left.  So that today, when we talked on the phone I knew how she'd begin.  "Today would have been our 61st," she said.  And I replied to both her voice and heart with, "I know, Mom. I know."