Fifty years ago on Sunday December 11 we ran away to Conyers Georgia to get married. (the picture is actually my JR, SR picture from the following May.) The journey however actually began on August 25, 1961. I went to a teen hangout to start a fight. Lets just say I was not what you would call a “fine young man” though part of that was true, I was young. Something went terribly wrong with “my plan”. I saw a girl across the dance floor and told a guy I was with I had to meet her and would be “going steady with her in a week”. (Just saw Denis Sweat at my school reunion last October. First time since that night.) I walked up to the blonde doll and asked with my best “pitch” “You wanna dance?” She blew me off not once but twice! It was at that point I became more determined......she told me NO! That’s not happening. I returned with my best stuff and pressed the issue.....I’am in! Yep, she danced! The conversation began with exchanging names, school, ages etc. It was at that point I realized it could be a very short relationship. I ask her age and she said it was her 18th birthday. In response to her question regarding my age, I replied, “I am 19”. Several weeks later standing outside a Pool Room, it’s called Billiards today. I let the hammer down. You must decide, me or him...that’s the other guy. She decided on me then and there. Another several weeks on November 22, it was my birthday. That is when the truth came out. I was not 20, on my birthday but 16. That of course means I was 15 when we met. I knew it would be a really short conversation if I had said 15 so, “I lied a little”..
It was only a few weeks later that we ran away to Conyers to get married. It has been an adventure to say the least. It was seven years before we came to Christ. I will just say those were very interesting years. Then Jesus came and it has been different ever since. The picture is not from the wedding. There are no pictures at a $10.00 wedding. It is from my junior Senior Prom...yep, my Junior Senior! Maybe we will write a book some day and fill in all the blanks.
For now, let me just say we are still dancing!!!!!
Read some things I am learning after Fifty years......
