Wilmington
G was stationed at the Nike Missal Site in Wilmington. About 2 1/2 hours away, but when you're in the service, you aren't free to leave just because you aren't on duty. He had been assigned to work in the Commanders Office. This gave him a chance to find out what his new orders would be, before he was suppose to. If you know anything about our armed services, you've heard the expression, "Hurry up and wait." He had no idea when this was going to happen, but he knew they were going to send him to Germany on a two year tour of duty.
He wasn't exactly happy about it when he got the chance to visit and tell me. He had been stewing about it and already made up his mind that I was either going with him or the engagement was off. And, I had to decide right away, because if we weren't married before the orders came down, he wouldn't be allowed to take me with him.
How could I possibly turn down a chance to travel across the ocean and live for two years in a strange country. I was so excited. I didn't even think twice about marrying this man I'd had doubts about before. I had been so sure I wanted him to grow up first, and see where it took us. And here I was agreeing to marriage so that I could travel. Just goes to show....I wasn't as mature myself as I'd thought I was. (Now I see it.)
Of course, my folks were not happy at all with this turn of events either. I must say, I had their support. If I wanted this, they were going to let me cross that ocean. They quickly planned a small wedding. I made arrangements with G.T.E. to transfer my job to their Wilmington branch. G and I were married on Sept. 3, 1963. Just three months (not three years) after I graduated.
G and I moved to an apartment in Wilmington and I went to work at their telephone switchboard. I quickly discovered the training I'd gotten in Marion, (their home office) had given me more knowledge than the supervisors in Wilmington. I didn't have the experience, and I wasn't familiar with the area and it's businesses. That lack of familiarity was a handicap to overcome, but the job itself and knowledge of the equipment put me in a good position. I didn't have to work a split shift and the others didn't have to work through the night. I got to work the midnight to eight shift with one other older woman. We had the switchboard (and the whole building) to ourselves without a supervisor standing guard. G got on a night shift too, and he was able to take me to work and pick me up.
Along with the Army base, Wilmington was home to a college and the Clinton County Air Force Base. The town was full of young people our age. The town was small and the job was not as strict. In Marion, we were not allowed to speak to anyone. Connect and Dis-connect. Speak pleasantly, but don't talk. "long distance" and "number please" and that was just about it. Night shift was even more relaxed than days. My little old lady co-worker discovered I could handle the slow pace of nights, and she was soon falling asleep at her board. Or, staying in the lounge altogether. I was soon recognizing voices. Especially the men on switchboard at the army and air force bases. One of them asked me to help him connect to another switchboard on another base in another state, and from there we base jumped and connected him to his family in Oregon. All on local calls with no long distance fees. They called it base jumping and we did it for several servicemen who had good reasons to contact their loved ones. When you do this everyone stays connected, so the call goes through. I got to have a lot of conversations with a lot of families. I could also conference both base switchboards (and G's office) so we could all talk all night when things were slow. Night time switchboards can be pretty dull, but this livened things up a lot. The service men were good about only doing this for men with good reasons, and if I should have felt guilty, I didn't. The lines were not being used and no one was hurt and a lot of families shared some pretty important news. And, I got to be part of it.
Not all my most interesting conversations were like that. One stormy night (add "dark and" will make me feel like Snoopy.) when the connection was bad, I had to relay directions to a young farmer who's horse was having trouble delivering a colt and he and the Vet. couldn't hear each other. The three of us delivered the colt per phone instructions. That made me feel good. But, I will never forget the night that made me feel sick. I was called in early the day John F. Kennedy was killed. The switchboard was completely lit and stayed lit all night. We had to bring in a dozen other operators that night. All the young people, Air Force, Army and Wilmington College needed to talk to their families. Everyone was as distressed as if J.F.K. had been one of their own. I cried all night and was emotionally drained for days. It was awful.
Have you noticed, I was newly married, living in a strange town away from my family for the first time, and all I've talked about is my job? That is a pretty good clue as to how things were going. I've avoided the main story.
G absolutely hated being in the Army. Living under that kind of authority brought out the worst in his personality. He had to have some control, and I was the only thing available. My weakness has always been that I'm too willing to please. Anything to keep the peace. (OK, maybe not anymore, but this is then.) And, by understanding the why and what of his actions just made me try harder to make it easier on him. Lecturing that this was temporary, and he had to do it, etc. etc., was too much like being a nag. And I didn't want to go there.
He was still a Pvt. Everytime he was promoted to P.F.C., he would do something stupid and be busted back down. I began to feel like his Mother just trying to keep him out of trouble. Like one time when he was sleeping. He was suppose to report early for K.P. duty because he was already in trouble. He didn't want to get up and go. I tried and tried to get him up. I begged, I shouted, and I cried. Finally, I'd had enough. I picked up the side of the mattress and actually rolled him off on the floor. Must have been some adrenalin involved. His own adrenalin was flowing after he hit that floor in a sound sleep. He came right back up with fists raised and his face twisted in rage. Thank goodness the bed was between us. He had time to see the look on my face, and he backed down. It was the first time I stood up to him. It didn't happen often, but I will only be pushed so far.
He wasn't exactly happy about it when he got the chance to visit and tell me. He had been stewing about it and already made up his mind that I was either going with him or the engagement was off. And, I had to decide right away, because if we weren't married before the orders came down, he wouldn't be allowed to take me with him.
How could I possibly turn down a chance to travel across the ocean and live for two years in a strange country. I was so excited. I didn't even think twice about marrying this man I'd had doubts about before. I had been so sure I wanted him to grow up first, and see where it took us. And here I was agreeing to marriage so that I could travel. Just goes to show....I wasn't as mature myself as I'd thought I was. (Now I see it.)
Of course, my folks were not happy at all with this turn of events either. I must say, I had their support. If I wanted this, they were going to let me cross that ocean. They quickly planned a small wedding. I made arrangements with G.T.E. to transfer my job to their Wilmington branch. G and I were married on Sept. 3, 1963. Just three months (not three years) after I graduated.
G and I moved to an apartment in Wilmington and I went to work at their telephone switchboard. I quickly discovered the training I'd gotten in Marion, (their home office) had given me more knowledge than the supervisors in Wilmington. I didn't have the experience, and I wasn't familiar with the area and it's businesses. That lack of familiarity was a handicap to overcome, but the job itself and knowledge of the equipment put me in a good position. I didn't have to work a split shift and the others didn't have to work through the night. I got to work the midnight to eight shift with one other older woman. We had the switchboard (and the whole building) to ourselves without a supervisor standing guard. G got on a night shift too, and he was able to take me to work and pick me up.
Along with the Army base, Wilmington was home to a college and the Clinton County Air Force Base. The town was full of young people our age. The town was small and the job was not as strict. In Marion, we were not allowed to speak to anyone. Connect and Dis-connect. Speak pleasantly, but don't talk. "long distance" and "number please" and that was just about it. Night shift was even more relaxed than days. My little old lady co-worker discovered I could handle the slow pace of nights, and she was soon falling asleep at her board. Or, staying in the lounge altogether. I was soon recognizing voices. Especially the men on switchboard at the army and air force bases. One of them asked me to help him connect to another switchboard on another base in another state, and from there we base jumped and connected him to his family in Oregon. All on local calls with no long distance fees. They called it base jumping and we did it for several servicemen who had good reasons to contact their loved ones. When you do this everyone stays connected, so the call goes through. I got to have a lot of conversations with a lot of families. I could also conference both base switchboards (and G's office) so we could all talk all night when things were slow. Night time switchboards can be pretty dull, but this livened things up a lot. The service men were good about only doing this for men with good reasons, and if I should have felt guilty, I didn't. The lines were not being used and no one was hurt and a lot of families shared some pretty important news. And, I got to be part of it.
Not all my most interesting conversations were like that. One stormy night (add "dark and" will make me feel like Snoopy.) when the connection was bad, I had to relay directions to a young farmer who's horse was having trouble delivering a colt and he and the Vet. couldn't hear each other. The three of us delivered the colt per phone instructions. That made me feel good. But, I will never forget the night that made me feel sick. I was called in early the day John F. Kennedy was killed. The switchboard was completely lit and stayed lit all night. We had to bring in a dozen other operators that night. All the young people, Air Force, Army and Wilmington College needed to talk to their families. Everyone was as distressed as if J.F.K. had been one of their own. I cried all night and was emotionally drained for days. It was awful.
Have you noticed, I was newly married, living in a strange town away from my family for the first time, and all I've talked about is my job? That is a pretty good clue as to how things were going. I've avoided the main story.
G absolutely hated being in the Army. Living under that kind of authority brought out the worst in his personality. He had to have some control, and I was the only thing available. My weakness has always been that I'm too willing to please. Anything to keep the peace. (OK, maybe not anymore, but this is then.) And, by understanding the why and what of his actions just made me try harder to make it easier on him. Lecturing that this was temporary, and he had to do it, etc. etc., was too much like being a nag. And I didn't want to go there.
He was still a Pvt. Everytime he was promoted to P.F.C., he would do something stupid and be busted back down. I began to feel like his Mother just trying to keep him out of trouble. Like one time when he was sleeping. He was suppose to report early for K.P. duty because he was already in trouble. He didn't want to get up and go. I tried and tried to get him up. I begged, I shouted, and I cried. Finally, I'd had enough. I picked up the side of the mattress and actually rolled him off on the floor. Must have been some adrenalin involved. His own adrenalin was flowing after he hit that floor in a sound sleep. He came right back up with fists raised and his face twisted in rage. Thank goodness the bed was between us. He had time to see the look on my face, and he backed down. It was the first time I stood up to him. It didn't happen often, but I will only be pushed so far.
posted by LeeAnn | 7:05 PM
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