A day that will live in infamy...

Family custom demanded that I be present at the annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner held at my Uncle Ruby's house. The whole family would gather around the dinner table, and exchange family information as we ate turkey with all the trimmings. As I sat there immersed in my own thoughts concerning our elopement plans for the next morning, the conversations around me blended into a far away blur of words. Suddenly my Uncle Ruby turned to me and said "Donald, I hear you're getting married!" My heart momentarily stopped beating - I think my blood froze in my veins...

'Oh my God' I thought - they all know!! I have been found out!' I instantly gathered my wits about me - took a large gulp, and replied

"Sure - tomorrow" ...... Everyone laughed and went back to their conversations - never realizing that what I said was actually the truth!

Click on:  Poems & Letters from Don to Mary 1953

Click on:  Our Marriage: In the beginning...