TITLE: Part III GROWING UP WITH GAYLORD By Verna Mull 05/22/09 |
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When he was younger, and began to drive the car, he often got asked by the “teen group” to drive to one of the church activities. He never wanted to ask for the car. I never could understand this, because I always figured that it was more misery thinking that I would be refused something that I wanted, than there was when they actually told me “No”. So, my theory was, “Ask and have it over with!” I wasn’t old enough to be included in those activities, but I would finally ask my Dad if Gaylord could have the car, and I can’t recall that he ever turned him down, and to this day, I do not understand how much misery Gaylord put himself through. He always says that if I asked they would say “Yes,” and if he asked, it would be “No”. But, I fail to see the difference. I got turned down on a lot of things also, but I just got it over with.
My father purchased an 80 acre piece of ground several miles away, by Charles City; Iowa. Gaylord helped my dad with his farming and Dad gave him a share in the crop from the 80. This was a very weedy piece of ground, and the whole family cleared and burned the weeds, bean straw, etc. We had little bon fires all over the field, and it seemed more fun than work to me. It got dark before the fires were safe to leave, and it was a pretty sight, but a lot of work.
Well, Gaylord was dating a girl from our school who later became his wife. She was older than I by a couple of years or so, but in our school, all grades were in the same building, and we mingled freely with all of the students, so I had known her most of my years in that school. Her name was Verna Lines. Back in the “good old days” there was very little of different age groups snubbing other groups. We were somewhat like a family.
Well, my mother invited Verna to our house for supper one evening, and she wanted everything to be “just right! She had me tasting different things that she made to be sure that everything tasted as it should. Well, I was chewing gum, the table was set, and I had poured a glass of milk for everyone. I put my gum in my glass, and helped mother take up the food. Well, when my mother seated us, she changed us from the usual order, so that Verna could sit by Gaylord. The thought of my gum had totally escaped me, and the gum was ever discovered until Verna drank the last of her milk, and there was my gum! Mother was horrified, and I could have dropped through the floor. I can’t imagine how Verna felt! It didn’t chase her away, however, and she and Gaylord kept dating!
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