There is a current television show by the title of How I Met Your Mother. I have not watched this program, but assume it is a comedy. This morning I found myself thinking about my brother Gene. Recently his wife of 58 years told me how they met. I found the story interesting and revealing.
When they were both in high school in our small town of Harlan, they both happened to be in separate groups of walkers. She was with two girls and he with a couple of friends. The place where they were walking was on a high part of town called Ivy Hill. They did not know each other,even though they both were in the same high school. The group began to talk to each other when they met on this popular place to visit. After some conversation the girls walked on ahead of them. At some point later my brother apparently had a chance to talk to her privately. He said "I notice you are wearing a ring, whose ring is it"? She told him. He replied, "Well if you ever decide to take it off, let me know". She said she went home, took off the ring and told her brother to take it to the owner. Two days later Gene and Jet went on their first date to a sports event at their school. I thought it was clever of him to use this open ended approach.
My own daughter met her husband when she was a student at Emory U. in Atlanta. She had a job in a large department store where he was manager of the Sports department. He would stop by and talk to her at her counter. Sparks began to fly and after a two year courtship, they began a marriage which is still alive and well today.
My mother met my father when they were both working in the offices of the National Biscuit Company in Louisville, Ky. This was in the early 1900's and the one telephone was in his office, apparently by his desk. She was interested in knowing him better so she made excuses to go there to use the telephone. She twisted the cord and took time to untwist it. By her own admission she prolonged these phone calls in order to engage him in conversation. Apparently he was intrigued with this young lady four years his junior. They were married in November of 1909 in a Lutheran Church in Louisville, Ky. Eight children and 44 years later he was taken in death. He knew he did not have long and told my mother he did not want to die. He said he was afraid the children might need him. He took his parenting very seriously.
Rufus J. Bailey, my brother-in-law was busy teaching in a one room school house; he was unaware that he was about to meet his life partner. The year was around 1930. My sister and a friend had heard there was a new teacher in the area. They were both teachers in a school near there. Being curious the two of them walked to his school and went inside to get a look at this young man. It may be that it was at the end of the day but students were still there. He quickly dismissed them and greeted his visitors. When he learned that Katrine's father sat on the school board it must have peaked his interest. It could have been her personality of course. She was a unique person unafraid to speak her mind, also a beautiful young lady. Their courtship lasted for 8 years. They were married from 1938 until 1981. They died 6 months apart. That marriage is another long story part of which is in a book they both wrote. This book "Black Diamonds in My Own Back Yard", was about mine safety in Ky.
My sister Ruth met her husband when he visited our home with our brother. They both served in the military during World War II. Apparently he came back often as they were married in December of 1948. George loved our family. He had lost his parents early in life and our bustling family was just what the doctor ordered for him. Their marriage lasted until he was taken in death four decades later.
I met my own husband in a college classroom. It was nearing Thanksgiving and our professor asked us how we felt about changing our schedule to have a longer holiday. Everyone was speaking up and giving their opinion. I spoke up too and said " Either way is fine with me, I do not care." Then I heard an angry voice from the back of the class. "Well, it may not matter to you but some of us have a long way to travel home and it matters to us". I turned around to see who this angry person was. I saw a dark haired young man who did not look happy. I kept quiet after that. We took our holiday home and I was returning on a bus. I was headed for the back of the bus where my group of home town friends were sitting. I looked forward to reuniting with him. As I walked back I saw this young man whom I had made so angry. He was sitting all alone with an empty seat beside him. After making him so angry I could not in good conscience pass him by and go on to my friends. So, I took the empty seat and we had several hours to get acquainted. Park of the time I fell asleep. But on this trip he asked me if I would go out with him sometime. I said "yes". He replied, "do you really mean it? Some girls will say yes but they do not mean it." He had me pegged ! After a two year courtship and with graduation behind us we were married.
Interestingly enough, we never quarrelled after we were married. We had a peaceful marriage until he was taken in death due to a tragic car accident. Did this marriage come about because I did not want to be rude and pass by this young man on the bus. There is no way to know.
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