Stork, Water & A Note

Posted in Love Letters | 10 comments

Torii Station Okinawa 1969

Moving across the road from Torii Station, then living next to our best friend’s home was a whole new beautiful experience.

Our home and the neighbor’s house were actually at a hill bottom. Houses behind us were separated from us by a fence then had yards that gradually sloped uphill until they were about twenty feet higher.

Our next-door friends had a little boy about six months old who we fell in love with him. We had lots of married friends, and they all had children or the wives of the couples who did not have children were pregnant.  It seemed that the Stork was dropping babies every month to others around us but not at our home.  We were so happy for them all and would babysit their children doing our best to spoil them.  Frank was like a pied piper with children.  They knew he loved them, and they loved him.  Watching Frank talking and playing with children was just beautiful.

Frank and I had never used any type of birth control, but I had still not become pregnant.  After a year of marriage, each month that passed without me conceiving ended up with me in tears with a feeling like I had failed Frank.  Of course, Frank would hold me close, telling me that I was wrong and could never fail him, but it never changed the way I felt inside.  Knowing the beautiful soul and heart of the man I had married. I longed to carry his child, to see his face when his first child was born, then watch him being a father.

We decided to make an appointment with one of the Obstetricians at Kadena Base for me to a checkup.  When Frank and I arrived for the appointment to our surprise, there were at least a hundred or more women in all stages of pregnancy sitting or standing in the waiting room.  Frank was the only man in the room, and I am sure felt a little out of place, but he just held my hand and smiled.

Soon my name was called, but when I started towards the door to follow the nurse, Frank would not release my hand then said, “Nancy, we are doing this together.  I am going in with you.”

We walked into the exam room together. Frank sat in a chair while the Doctor did the exam, then we were led to an office next to the exam room by the Doctor.  We told him about not being able to conceive.  The Doctor opened his desk, pulled out a piece of paper called an ovulation chart, and a special thermometer, then handed them to us while explaining to us how to use the two items.  Also, he told us to come back in three months. Frank and I went home, then read the back of the Ovulation Chart and decided we could follow the rules.

Well, all was going well until we got to the days designated as “abstinence.”  Abstinence is the practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something.  Have you ever decided you would not have any candy for a while, then it seems like every place you look or go, you see pictures or bowls of candy, which overwhelms you so much that you can’t and do not want to stop yourself from indulging?  I rest my case.

We did our best, but when Frank and I returned to the Doctor, he was laughing as he told us we had failed the chart abstinence test.  Of course, we already knew that.  When we got home, we put the chart away and went back to just being Frank and Nancy living each moment carefree.

Siamese Kittern

Baby Candy

The next day was a Saturday, and Frank surprised me with two tiny baby kittens.  One was a Burmese Siamese that we named candy.  The other kitten that we named Homer was black and white.  Candy had such a bend in his tail that it looked like a heart was on the end of it.  Homer was unique because he had a funny squeak instead of a meow.

Black and White Kitten

Baby Homer

Ralph thought they were okay but gave them a little space for a while before he gave up and played with them.  Of course, they ended up on our bed at night, even though they had a cozy bed on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Frank and I had fun with each other, and our playfulness with each other was contagious to our friends.  The next story is about one of those moments.  Enjoy!

A Glass of Water

It was a beautiful Summer day in Okinawa, plus it was a Saturday.  Since Frank was on his day off, we had slept in later than usual. After we fixed breakfast together, Frank volunteered to wash the dishes while I hung out a load of clothes that I had put into the washer before we fixed breakfast.  Frank cranked up the stereo system, and music filled the house.

It was sweltering and humid outside, and it would take a while to hang out the clothes because I was a stickler about how they hung on the clothesline.  After putting the clothes in our clothes basket, I walked out of our backdoor, which passed by the kitchen window.  The kitchen window was open above the sink.

Approaching the window, I could hear the music then saw Frank standing at the sink when he asked, “Lou, would you like a cold glass of water when you get through?”

I replied, “Thank you, Frank, that would be great.”

While hanging out the clothes, a smile came to my face thinking about how much I loved my dimple-faced husband.  In my mind, I knew today was going to be a fun day.  It only took about fifteen minutes to hang out the clothes, then I picked up the clothes basket and headed back towards the back door.

When I got to the kitchen window, Frank asked, “Lou, are you ready for your glass of cold water?”

I replied, “Yes, I am. It is hot out here.”

Suddenly cold water came flying out the window, soaking me from head to toe!  Loud laughter came from the window as I looked to see Frank standing there, then he said, “How’s that for cold water, Lou?”

My reply to him was, “You did not just throw that glass of water on me, Frank Henderson! The water fight is on Mister!”

Quickly, I ran to the back door, but Frank was already running out of our front door.  Grabbing a bucket off the shelf in the washroom, I filled it with water at the sink then went in pursuit of my laughing husband.  Frank thought I would follow him out of the front door, but that was not my plan.  Hearing him coming around to the back of the house, I ducked down in the kitchen so he could not see me as he passed the kitchen window.

When Frank entered the back door, I drenched him with my bucket of water then ran out the front door.  Frank started chasing me around the house, but suddenly he was not behind me.  After trying to open the front, I discovered it was locked, so I tried the back door which was also locked.  Knowing Frank so well, I knew he was up to something, so I decided to go to our good friends who lived next door for some backup troops.

As I walked up to knock on their door, the door suddenly opened, and they pulled me inside their house.  They had been watching the whole “Frank and Nancy Water Fight” from their bedroom window.  They were more than willing to help me, so we made a plan of attack.  Their baby boy was down for a nap, and we agreed that we were all responsible for checking on him.

Frank’s buddy would go to the door of our house, knock, get Frank to open the door, then my girlfriend and I standing out of Frank’s site would soak him with two huge pitchers of water.  Secretly my girlfriend and I had made another plan which did not include her husband hearing or needing to know. When the husband went to our door and knocked on the door, Frank answered the door then opened it widely he said, “Hurry up and come in.  I know Nancy is hiding out there …”

Suddenly two pitchers full of water were thrown at those two soldiers standing at the doorway.  My girlfriend and I got them both then we ran.  Now we had established teams, but there were no rules except making sure we checked on baby bo, britches changed, and not harmed in any way. You just never knew when you would get soaked.  Going to a window to look outside became an instant soaking from some thrown water.

Since both houses had tile floors, while we ran through the houses chasing each other, we were “Slip Sliding Away,” busting “it” on the floors, getting back up, laughing loudly, then going to the sinks to get more water to throw. The water fight went on for about an hour, and it was priceless. When we called a truce, our floors in our homes were mostly all very wet except for the baby boy’s bedroom because his room was a safehouse or a hideout.

All of us helped clean up the water, and then we decided to cook hamburgers, hang out at our house, and listen to music. Frank and I had a way of being contagious and spreading our playfulness between the two of us to others.  Thinking, God had a lot to do with that.

Not too long after “The Water Fight,” Frank came home telling me that I was required to attend a meeting on Torri Station for all wives of ASA soldiers.  Being curious as to what this meeting was all about, I agreed to go.

After arriving at the meeting then being seated, soon we were given a presentation or should I say a demand then handed a piece of paper.  It seems the new requirement for wives of ASA soldiers was to sign a piece of paper that stated, if we heard our husbands talking in their sleep or if they spoke to us about top-secret stuff, that we would turn them into their superiors.

For some reason, this made me instantly furious.  I got up to leave, and while walking to the door was halted by a man in uniform, then told I needed to sign the paper, then turn it in.  Well now, I just handed him the paper, told him “No,” and walked out the door.

That afternoon, Frank came in with that piece of paper in his hand, looked at me smiling, then said, “Nancy, I need you to sign this piece of paper.”

I told him, “Frank, I am not signing a piece of paper telling me to rat on my husband.  You do not talk in your sleep.  You do not tell me about your work.  Sorry but if you want that piece of paper signed, you will have to sign my name on it.  I am not in the Army because they didn’t issue me a uniform.”

Frank started laughing as he signed my name on the paper, then he grabbed me in his arms, told me he loved me then kissed me.   You know what?  He didn’t do half bad signing my name.

The evening shift would prove to be a hard one for Frank, especially when it was his last one to work after twenty-nine of them.  Enjoy!

Singing with Ralph

Since we were just across the street from Torii Station, Frank would often walk to work, leaving me the car in case I needed it to go somewhere.  Frank had done just that on his last evening shift that afternoon. After Frank left for work, I cleaned the house, washed then hung out clothes, and later made a special supper for him to have when he got home late that night.

Since the evening was still young, I decided to start reading a new book that I had purchased at the PX on base.  It was a long book called Airport, written by Arthur Hailey.  It did not take long for me to get absorbed in reading this book.  After a while, I checked the time then realize that Frank would be coming in the door very soon, so I turned the oven on warm, covered the food I had made with foil (Texan fall) then placed it in the oven to warm.

About midnight, I realized where Frank was, and he had forgotten about “the silent treatment.”  I decided to write a note to put on the front door.  This note simply read. 

FRANK,

YOU ARE A BIG BOY

BUT IF YOU CAN’T LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU

ARE OR COME HOME ON TIME,

YOU CAN SLEEP OUTSIDE WITH RALPH.

SLEEP WELL ‘DIMPLES’

I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH,

NANCY LOU

Soon I heard a-singing very drunk Frank coming up to the door.  There was a pause as he read the note, then he knocked on the door, saying, “I’m sorry.  Please, let me in Nancy.”

I did not respond to him, but I heard him sit down on the porch then tell Ralph, “Thinking, I messed up Ralph.  I was just gonna have one beer, but then I drank many more.  Guess you, and I are gonna be out here tonight.”

After sitting back down on the couch while trying to decide how long I would let him stay outside side, I heard Frank get up then walk/stumble around the side of the house, heading to the back door.  Realizing that the back door might not be locked, I ran to the back door and locked it just as he got to it.  He heard me, so he knocked on the back door, but I did not respond.

Suddenly, I heard a sound coming from our bedroom, so I ran to the bedroom.  The bedroom window was open with a box fan sitting on the ledge, which was our “Okinawa Air-Conditioner.”  Frank was working on pulling the wooden stealy bars off the outside of the window when ran to the window, grabbed the fan out of it, then slammed it closed and locked it.  Frank and I started laughing loudly and staring at each other through the window.

Realizing he had exhausted all ways to get into the house, Frank turned from the window, then walked back to the front yard and sat down on the porch with Ralph.  After he had been sitting there for a few minutes, I went to the front door then asked him through the closed door, “Do you think you can be a Good Boy for a while now?

Frank responded, “Yes, Nancy Lou.”

I opened the door then let Frank come into the house.  He was shaking his head while smiling at me and saying, “I love you, Nancy Lou.”

Man Sleeping

Who Could Stay Upset with This Face

Frank sat down, and then I fixed him a plate of the warm food that was in the oven.  He ate his food then we went to bed, and he was a good boy the rest of the night since he fell sound asleep when his head touched the pillow

Of course, I could never be sure of what might happen the next day, but that would take all of the fun out of loving him just the way he was.  The most important thing for me was not to change him but to totally love him.

We were twenty years old, totally in love with each other, and enjoying every moment of it. We were “Slip Sliding Away” into becoming on soul and heart bound to each other for eternity.

<<<<< Beginning | Next Chapter >>>>>

Visits: 361

10 Comments

  1. Delightful stories of true love that stood the tests with which time and circumstances challenge us. You are so blessed, and thank you for blessing the rest of us with your memories, your slices of life, so beautifully penned. I loved the water fight! How much longer before you publish?

    • Thank you so much KB. I am in the process of finishing up Okinawa in one more chapter then we go home and after a 30 day leave, Frank returns to Okinawa for two weeks before direct transfer to Vietnam while in Okinawa he wrote me four letters. That will finish this book.
      I am working hard to get this book finished and praying I have given everyone a true look into our hearts and souls.
      Thank you for reading and commenting KiKi.
      God Bless You,
      Nancy

  2. Your book will touch many lives. So much to identify with and hope for in our own lives.

    • KB, I so hope for people to come away with a true picture of our soulmate love. True love takes a lot of hard work, unselfishness, understanding, commitment, acceptance, devotion, trust, and faith in each other. God is love and I know He loved us, helped us grow our love for each other, and He was always loved by us.
      I also believe from our births he planned on our soulmate union and I believe He has one planned for everyone.
      Money can not buy a lasting love of any kind. Material things never meant much to Frank and I, they were just things. We just enjoyed being together.

      Frank was never jealous of me nor was I of him because we had total trust in each other.
      God Bless you, KiKi and thank you again for reading and commenting.
      Nancy

  3. Love how no matter, you two had fun and games

    • Thank you, Caroline. We always had fun. We couldn’t stay upset with each other because in seconds we would both start laughing.
      Thank you for reading and commenting. It means so much to me.
      God Bless You, Caroline.
      Nancy

  4. I get more and more impressed with your love for each other..,your understanding of a young service man and his need to spend some time with his co workers…..

    • Thank you. KIM. We had a true love and we had a playful love. I couldn’t stay upset with him and he knew it and I knew he knew it but oh what fun I had trying to get him to think I was upset with him. Lol
      I never minded him being with the guys and having a beer or four. I just wanted him to let me know a head of time so I knew he was okay.
      Thank you for your comment.
      God Bless You, Kim
      Nancy

  5. Never a dull moment! I doubt either of you were ever bored, especially with each other. It is wonderful to see how two people can love each other so completely and openly. You don’t often see this in couples. I remember working with a young lady who was planning her wedding. She made a statement that took me aback. She said if it didn’t work out, they could always get a divorce. Where was the love there? Where was the commitment? I fully expected that one day they would be divorced. I never did find out as it was after that when I got sick and lost my job. It’s wonderful to read your stories and feel the foundation of love that they were built on.

    • You are right about no dull moments. Beauty of it was that we it didn’t cost us a penny. We were very open about our love and others around us knew how much we loved each other.
      Divorce never entered our minds and would have been considered a failure to us. Our communication with each other was one of the keys to our successful marriage.
      Thank you for your comment, Diane.
      God Bless You,
      Nancy

Leave a Reply to KB Schaller Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.