56 years ago

IT WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT. I WAS SCHEDULED TO WORK 11 TO 7 ON A BIG MEDICAL FLOOR. I WAS EXHAUSTED, I HAD BEEN UP ALL DAY. HAD MET MY DAD AT THE DULUTH TRAIN STATION ,(HE HAD COME FROM CALIFORNIA),AND HE INSISTED WE GO SHOPPING . MY ROOM MATE AND I HAD ALREADY BEEN REQUIRED TO MOVE OUT OF THE DORM AND INTO A SMALL APARTMENT A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE HOSPITAL. DADDY WAS CHECKED IN TO THE HOTEL AND I WAS GOING TO TAKE A NAP---I THOUGHT--SUDDENLY IN CAME HALF A DOZEN FRIENDS BARING GIFTS, AND MY DAD WITH CHAMPAGNE--SLEEP WAS FORGOTTEN AND OFF TO WORK I WENT. THE FLOOR WAS BUSY AND SO WAS I AS THE ONLY SENIOR STUDENT THERE. ABOUT FIVE AM MY ROOM MATE SHOWS UP, IN UNIFORM. SHE HAD ASKED THE SUPERVISOR IF SHE COULD FINISH MY SHIFT SO I COULD GO HOME AND GET READY TO GET ON THE TRAIN A BIT AFTER 7AM. I RAN TO GET HOME WHERE MY BEST FRIEND HAD ALSO SPENT THE NIGHT---I TRIED TO SLEEP--BUT WE TALKED,"I DON'T WANT TO GET MARRIED-----YES I DO WANT TO, NO I DON'T--ETC ETC". SOON THE ONLY STUDENT WITH A CAR CAME TO PICK US UP, ON TO THE HOTEL FOR MY DAD AND THEN TO THE TRAIN. IT TOOK ABOUT THREE HOURS TO GET TO OUR TOWN AND THE TALL SKINNY BOY WAITING FOR US."HE LOOK SCARED, MY DAD SAID" AND HE WAS---AND SO WAS I--- NOW I COULD NOT DO WITHOUT HIM. NOW IT IS FIFTY SIX YEARS SINCE THAT SATURDAY THAT CHANGED MY LIFE COMPLETELY.


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