Thursday, October 11, 2007

October 11, 1972

Hmm. Where was I 35 years ago? No longer in high school and 18 years old. I had quit my waitressing/bartending job because of sexual harassment (before anyone sued over it). Watching the Detroit Tigers in the American League playoffs (no moola for a ticket). Planning a January wedding with red velvet dresses.

So what did I do? I eloped! Got a blood test and 48 hours later, we did it.

No photos to speak of. A crappy green dress for 7.00 bucks on clearance and I had just cut my waist length hair off into a Farrah shag .I only have the receipt from the Justice of the Peace-$20 including the licence fee. No flowers either. We drove to Canada to watch the Tigers on TV (I didn't have a working one in my apartment) as it was blacked out locally . I got a horrible toothache. Then we saw Engelbert Humperdink in concert at the casino (didn't make a bet either as I had no idea what a slot machine was-still have never played one ).

Simple wedding bands in gold cost us only 12.50 a piece. I was never a jewelry person and its still the only piece I wear for the most part-nothing sparkly for me. I am still a cheap date but maybe its not appreciated much.

When your parents tell you they are NOT coming to your wedding, you do drastic things. So we eloped and used the cash we planned for the wedding and honeymoon to England (even tho hubby said he would still pay for all the wedding himself-he was back from the army after getting drafted and was in college finishing his thesis) to buy a house instead. I had a mortgage at barely 19. Insane!! I had the little pink house before Mellencamp wrote about it-the house from hell it was. Ron called his dad in Iowa and told him and his family thought he was drunk. My mom didn't talk to me for months (until she wanted something).

ETA-this comic strip is apropos.


So where do I go from here? I was the only one who remembered. It's just an ordinary day to everyone but me.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:16 AM

    Happy Anniversary .. thanks for sharing your story.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jan, thank you for sharing. The seventies was a very busy decade for me, too. I graduated in 74, got married in 75, divorced a couple of years later, picked up and moved across the country alone, away from family and friends.
    Even though only you remember it, that was a very important time in your life. We cannot change the past, but we should always be appreciative of it, as it has made us into who we are today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy anniversary??

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by and sitting a spell with me and mine. I hope you take away a smile!