“Bride’s Quilt”
Once upon a time, there was a little girl, who wore a bow in her hair. When she grew up, she began a friendship with a young bachelor. As the hours and days passed, they began to look at each other with stars in their eyes, and as their love grew, they thought about taking steps to the altar. So, the young girl got out her spools of thread and made clothes to get ready for their wedding ring day.
After they are married, some of their times together will be bright as noon and others will be dark as night. But they will try to share their happiness, their miseries and their chores – she grabbing a wrench to help with household repairs and he grabbing a towel to help with the dishes. Sometimes they will have broken dishes, but they will try to remember that “things” can be replaced, whereas harsh words, possibly spoken about the broken dishes, could chip away love. They will try to follow the Golden Rule as they are learning to communicate openly with each other.
They will also try to keep in mind the symbolism of Jacob’s ladder – “steps of communication” between themselves on earth and God in heaven.
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Please join me for a cup of tea as Forrest tells me of his High School memories and how he and Tressie met... (he must have forgotten that the tape recorder was still on, because he had A LOT to share! 😂)
Grandpa, tell me about your high school days. What year did you graduate? How many were in your class? Tell me about your graduation day.
I graduated in 1930. There were about 150 students in my class. We were called up on the stage in the auditorium to get our diplomas. The principal was R.B. Mertz. Mom and Pop were there, but I don't know if anyone else was there.
I once went to study hall, and I was clear at the back of the room. The teacher went down the row and said, "Little Teegarden, where are you?" She came to my desk and said, "I had your brother."
While I was in high school, I worked at Kress' Department Store. The boss had a girlfriend in Grand Junction. I went with him once and we got caught in a snowstorm. We went off the road and got stuck. We had to hitch a ride to the next town where he bought a new car. Actually, he kinda traded it. We left and the other guy had to wait for the weather to get better to get his new car.
What were your school colors and mascot?
Our school colors were blue and white. Our class flower was a tulip. Our motto was "Where there is a will, there is a way." Class colors were purple and gold.
Did you go to your Prom or a big dance?
No, I didn't dance.
Grandpa, tell me all about Grandma. How old were you when you and she met? What did you do together on dates?
I knew Tressie for a while, but not very well. One day I called her up and invited her to go ride around. I had Jimmy Madison with me. She was talking to him and I was driving. She didn't pay much attention to me.
(While in HS) and after, about 12 of us guys had a club called Delta Handa Stag Club. We smoked pipes and played poker. One night, while playing poker, Tressie and Anna Mae were out in her Essex car driving around and decided to let the air out of my tires. Guess they didn't think we needed to play poker. It was some time before I learned that it was her that did it.
One time the Stag Club had a fancy dinner at the Bloom House. I was working for Montgomery Wards and had been in Raton on a job, so I was late. Tressie was at the house visiting with Mother when I got there. Tressie had on a yellow organdy dress. We went to the dinner then had a dance afterwards.
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Central Park in Trinidad, CO
If you look closely, you can see that there are lights strings lighting the pathways |
How long did you date before you got married?
We dated for about 2-1/2 years. I wouldn't get married because I couldn't support her. We would go to the park. They had an open-air dance floor with a big tree growing up in the middle of it. We danced at Central Park a lot.
What did your parents think of her?
They thought more of her than they did of me.
What did you do for a living?
I got an apprenticeship with the railroad as an electrician, but they did away with that. I did a correspondence course in electrical work and then went to New York for two weeks. I must have been 18 or 19 years old.
On my way, I stopped off to see Camby and Clair Newcomb. They went to Park College, a Baptist school in Missouri. They had to work while they went to school. I visited them and then caught a train to Kansas City. I was riding the train because my Dad would get free passes through (his) work.
After I got to New York, I was in my hotel room on the 4th floor on Thanksgiving Day. I looked out the window and saw these big balloons going by. I couldn't imagine what was going on. I learned that it was the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This was in 1932.
When I finished my two weeks in New York, I went to Washington D.C. for a side trip. A guy wanted to show me the town. I told him that I could afford it. He said it would only cost me five bucks. He showed me all the sights. I saw the White House, but not the inside of it. I went home after seeing Washington D.C.
I worked for Reed Electronics for a while. I was the service man and had to travel to New Mexico and everywhere. I was on the road about three days a week. He went broke and then I went to Montgomery Ward. I serviced radios and did electrical work. Eventually I earned $5 a week.
I had a small shop with the Corley's on Commercial Street. Mr. Corley owned the radio station. I didn't have my shop there very long.
I found it interesting that Forrest didn't go to any dances in high school "because he "didn't dance," yet he and Tressie went dancing at Central Park and his Stag Club events. In the Mid-1950s they enjoyed square dancing as a family for several years. Did he take dance lessons somewhere along the way? Or maybe he just had more confidence in dancing with Tressie. Love can do that... Love can make you brave.
Dave and I have always enjoyed dancing. Though we have not had formal dance lessons, we do pretty good... and we always have fun! In the late 1980s we went on a ski trip with my brother and some of his friends. We were at a bar after a day of skiing and Kelvin asked me to go dance. I was shocked! He was another one that "didn't dance" in high school. LOL! But some of his guy friends had talked him into taking some dance lessons... and go meet girls. Well, ladies, because they had to be 21 or older. As we got onto the dance floor he took off with a Texas Two Step that floored me!
So that brings me to the question...
Have you ever taken dance classes?
Leave a comment... I love to hear your stories!
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