The Beginning

A couple of the girls I work with and I were talking about some things at work and I ended up telling them how I met Jerry. Don't know if I ever told that here. But here's the tale. 

November 27, 1973 the town of Andalusia, Alabama held its annual Christmas Parade. I was 17. It is a small town and your typical All American but Southern town cheering for the Crimson Tide during football season and their own Bulldogs and celebrating the 4th of July with hot dogs and watermelon. The parade would not be long. 

It had rained all day and I did not want to go to the parade. It wasn't my thing. But my brother, Billy wanted to go. Since there was no one else to take him, Mama asked me to do it. I moaned a bit but she said please and I'd do just about anything to please Mama. So I took him. 

We found a parking place and then staked out a spot on the town square right at the street side. I had quit school in the spring and was taking correspondence classes at home. One of my school friends saw me and ran over and asked me to come to the courthouse steps. When I attended school I sang in the chorus and they were going to sing on the steps that night. Nearly a dozen of them were friends and were standing in a circle waiting for it to start. My friend told me everyone wanted to see me. So I went. Jerry's sister, Sandra was there. She was a year ahead of me but we had been friendly. I said hello to each one and Sandra turned and said, "Oh, Cindy, this is my brother, Jerry." 

I said, "Hi, nice to meet you." And went back to talking to my friends. 

When I was done, I started back across the street and Jerry stepped up and said, "Can I walk with you?"

I said, "It's a free street. You can walk where you want."

He tagged along and when we got to the place where we were watching the parade he said, "You mind if I watch with you?"

I said, "No, you can stay if you like."

He did. 

I don't remember if we talked. I'm sure we must have a bit but I simply don't remember. He would have if I could ask him. When the parade was over, Bill and I started back to the car. I don't even remember Bill being there but he was the only reason I was there, so I know he was. Jerry followed and said, "I'd like to come and see you some time if that's all right."

I shrugged and said, "I'm not doing anything Friday night."

He said, "I'm going to Montgomery Friday to a ball game but would Saturday night be all right?"

"I'm babysitting Saturday night but if you want to come over and sit around with me you can."

He agreed. And he did come by and stayed until ten o'clock. After that we saw each other every weekend . . . until January 11, 1974 when I married him.

After the wedding, Sandra said, "After he came home from the parade that night I ask him what he thought about you."

I asked her, "What did he say?"

"He said, "I just met the girl I'm going to marry."