Getting From Colorado To Hawaii
I'd always wanted to visit Hawaii but I'd thought I'd never get the chance. I was so wrong.
After I'd married Tom, I would learn that after Colorado his next post was two years in Hawaii. He didn't want to live there alone on post for two years and I sure wanted to go there. I also knew that if I wanted a kid I'd have to have it within that time because lets face it I was quickly reaching a time where back then it would be impossible. We were not desperately working towards the goal of having a kid. I'd always thought I never would because I'd never considered marriage was in my future. My son told me once that because I'd never thought of having a kid it meant I didn't want him but that was soo not true. In a way I think that most females want a child but some of us think we can survive without having them if that's what's in the cards for us. I thought that if it was fate that I would have a child then I would but I wasn't going to cry if I didn't get one and I wasn't going to do the deed constantly and keep track of most fertile dates. I left it up to God or fate to decide.
I lucked out and not only got the most wonderful son but I got to have him in Hawaii!
But first I had to get there.
We had left Colorado driving a U-Haul with most of our stuff in in as well as two cats and a dog and an extra person to do most of the driving. Edward was his name. He was from somewhere down in the city of New York so it was no big effort to talk him into a free ride with him driving. He also was in the army with leave but no cash to go home for that leave so that worked out.
When I write about Colorado I will tell you the story of Ed.
Somewhere along the way we stopped and took this. Of course I was shaky from the ride and not steady when I took it. Also, as I've said before, when you use film you are never sure if your image is blurry or not.
Part way from Colorado Springs to Ohio and then New York, I fell asleep. Tom must have too. I woke up and we were parked somewhere between Missouri and Colorado in the middle of nowhere. Not exactly nowhere because there was an ancient store I could see. It was just coming daylight so I took a shot of it. I think its long lost now.
Ed said he was lost and didn't have a clue how to get back. So while they slept I watered the dog and let him do his business and checked the cats. The cats were in a big cage in the back of the truck with the door fixed so it wasn't shut down tight. I was afraid they wouldn't get enough air otherwise. We had George and Blackie and Scruffy, the dog with us. Scruffy rode in the cab with the three of us. I have no idea how we all fit in there and never got stopped by a cop.
The cats had spilled their water and the food was icky so I cleaned that up as best as I could. I was terrified they'd make a break for it if I opened the cage up so I just reached in through the tiny door. They were scared and came over to nudge me and lick my hand. I petted them to soothe them and gave them fresh food and water.
I confess I peed in the bushes. It wasn't like there was anyone around to see. Ed had fallen asleep and Tom never woke up till we were rested enough to continue.
We made a lot of stops along the way, mostly in rest stops.
We did stop in St. Louis long enough for me to take some pictures but not long enough to do anything much. I didn't even get out of the truck to do it. We just flew by while I snapped pictures.
I forget which state comes first but somewhere in Kansas we stopped for a break. It was near night and we were near Fort Riley. I wanted to ask if they'd let us stay the night in the guest house but nope. I couldn't because we weren't command sponsored which means I was considered civilian even if I was enlisted in the Colorado Guards by then. And the guys couldn't even if they'd wanted to anyway because there was "no room at the inn".
I took a shot of the sun setting in Kansas. I think I may have that one somewhere.
We finally found a Holiday Inn. They rented us a room with four beds in it. We were told it was what they rented out when there was a football game in town. We didn't care. We were all exhausted.
We smuggled the cats and the dog in by wrapping them up in an old fur coat I'd bought in Goodwill back in Colorado. Scruffy shit on the floor and in the morning I cleaned it up with a stolen towel from the motel and stuffed it in a trash bin outside. It still smelled but by the time they cleaned it we'd be long gone.
Scruffy in the cab on Tom's lap.
Somewhere along the way the guys confessed they had stolen two other towels. By now I was scared to death the cops would be after us for it. We never heard anything about is so I guess we're safe. It's been over 32 years. The statue of limitations must have run out by now.
We stopped somewhere, I think this might have been in Ohio. That was an old water pump at a rest stop that really worked. You could pump icy water to drink. That's Tom on the left and Ed on the right. Ed was a lot younger than Tom and not too people smart.
Cooling off and eating lunch somewhere along the way.
When we got to Ohio it was pretty scary. I didn't know these people. I think the cats still stayed in the truck. We did stay over night, maybe for two night because we took time out for Tom to visit his sister Barb as well as his Mom and brother. Terry lived with his mom in Jefferson then in a nice apartment.
Another crack or two in our marriage happened here.
The first night Tom was invited to go to a nearby apartment for some divorcee's birthday party. Ed could and did go too. I WAS NOT INVITED! I was totally pissed off. I didn't want to go to the bitch's party in the first place but to be told I couldn't and wasn't wanted and yet my new husband of only a short time was going to attend this party even if I wasn't welcome really did a number on my self esteem.
I went up to our assigned bed room and cried myself to sleep almost. Tom's mother, Janice came up and talked to me. She said I had to forgive him because he was young and didn't know what he was doing. She told me I couldn't let the marriage break up because of some stupid slut. I think her name was Karen but I'm not sure.
So I sucked it up and in the morning the guys decided they would all go to Furnam's Creek to swim. Terry was driving us in his car and the slut came in our car. This ticked me off too because I was shuttled to the back seat while Tom and Terry sat in the front with the slut between them. I spent a lot of that first visit to Ohio seething.
At the creek they all played in the water, including Scruffy. I took a roll of pictures and I have some of them but I need to find what folder. I tried to get mostly Scruffy because he was such a cute loving dog. I got some of Ed and Tom too and one kid that belonged to the slut.
Tom thought I ought to get in the water because he said it was shallow. It was that in the part I eventually got into but it had rained recently and the water was higher than normal and rushing fast. Not knowing how to swim, I didn't know how to stop floating and it wasn't long and I was screaming for help because the water was rushing me downstream and there were rocks on the bottom that were quickly bruising my bottom.
Eventually Tom noticed and came to rescue me. If I could have gotten my balance which you can't in rushing water I might have stood up and saved myself. Somehow he got me to shore where I sat and refused to get back in that creek at all. I was not having a great time at all.
The next day it was back on the road to New York.
I don't remember if Ed even came with us all the way. I think he did. He must have because we unloaded all my stuff and stored it in Argyle. I was to stay there until he saved up enough money to send for me. When they took the U-Haul back they let Ed out somewhere near the Northway with his pack. He was going to hitchhike down to the city and his family. One of us must have driven Tom back to our house. That's a bit fuzzy in my mind.
I signed up for Guards there but only went for two months before he sent me the tickets.
The most awful thing happened then. I went to the post office in Fort Edward, I don't know why it was there but it was an envelope for me I had to sign for. We lived in Argyle so why it didn't go to the Argyle post office I don't know.
I opened the envelope and saw the tickets. I was elated that I was actually going to Hawaii. It wasn't till I got home that I discovered the tickets were for that day and I'd already missed my flights. Let me tell you, I was feeling awful.
We called the airline and they said to come the next day and if there was space available I could still fly. I packed in a hurry, not taking much just one suitcase. I got on the flight to LA.
I think we stopped in Chicago but I'm not sure. I know I've been train station there and I think the airport, too but I'm just not sure. I was in the airport there on my flights to Colorado so I may be remembering that.
In LAX I had a long wait. It was at least a two hour wait between flights but it was a normal wait. When they called for the boarding I got in line and they took me out of the line and made me wait with a couple of guys in uniform to see if they could fit us "stand by" people on. Me and the two guys made the cut but another civilian didn't.
The flights were good and no bumpiness. I remember eating mahi-mahi on the LAX to Honolulu part. It was tender and delicious. They used to have real food on planes that you didn't pay extra for.
I remember crossing the country somewhere looking out the window of the plane and seeing what looked like snow but I knew at that time of year it couldn't be. I think it was June. Somebody told me it was salt flats. I was impressed.
On the flight from LAX I looked out the window to see endless ocean. That was a tad scary. I shut my eyes and slept for awhile. People around me had paid for inflight movies but I couldn't afford it and didn't want it. I could listen to music on the headphones if I wanted to. I enjoyed "people watching" instead.
Just prior to landing we were given booklets and instruction on what we could bring into the islands. It was a heck of time to tell us because if we'd brought anything illegal with us we would have had to let them take it to dispose of. You couldn't bring in live animals or live plants or even seeds.
No snakes! At that time the only snakes on Oahu were in the zoo and I'm not even sure they had one there. If you were bringing a cat or dog they had to have clearance from a vet and all their paperwork.
They also would have to be quarantined for six whole months. This was why we left the babies with Mom and Dad and Sue. I just couldn't think of them being locked up that long. Tom couldn't have afforded it, anyway.
I arrived in the dark of night in Honolulu. There was no Tom to greet me. We had sent a message the day before letting them know what happened and his higher up was supposed to let him know.
I found a USO person who called out there to Schofield Barracks and got ahold of someone who said Tom was out in the field and to "sit on it" and he would get there as soon as he could. So I sat and I sat and I sat.
Eventually he showed up with another guy who drove him and they drove us to base but we stopped twice on the way there.
The first time I had to pee. We stopped by the side of the road. It was pitch dark and I could see or hear no cars so I dropped my drawers and started to pee. Suddenly head lights were on me from the other side of the road beyond me. That was how I mooned a stranger on my first night in Hawaii! I was ticked about that too but I was also relieved to have relieved myself and that the people in that car had no idea who I was and hadn't seen my face.
We still were not at the base when the driver said he wanted to show me something of Hawaii before we got to the base. I just wanted to crash but apparently he and Tom had arranged this between them. Now, keep in mind, he knew I didn't swim and that I was scared of the water.
We pulled into this place where I could see the moonlight on the water. We stopped, got out and I stepped on the beach sand and fell in love with Hawaii. The coolness of the sand took my breath away. I thought I'd just walk on it for a bit but they had other ideas. I had to walk in the water.
I was wearing jeans. I wasn't walking in the water. Again they said I had to do it. It was tradition. I don't know what kind of tradition that was but I just wanted to get to someplace with a bed I could sleep on for a few hours.
Before I knew what was happened and I thank God it was dark, Tom was removing my jeans and I was walking in my undies in the water. I got in up to my waist and I was terrified but the water was soooo soothing. I played for just a bit holding on to him and then I got out and back to the car where the other guy threw me a towel. He was laughing his head off.
Back at the base, Tom signed us in to a guest room in the guest house. It was really nice and we stayed there for about two months before we found a decent apartment to rent.