OUR SONG

The very first time I ever got in a car with Jerry Carter was in 1972. He was driving a pale yellow VW Bug which he named WALLY and I was in the back seat sitting by Frank Rose and he was in the front seat sitting by a girl named Kris (something or other). It was fall and we were headed to Mercur Utah to check out an old mining town. We were already acquainted because all four of us in that car were in a Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar, running at BYU.

On the trip out to this town I remember Jerry entertaining us with funny stories and when he looked back at me through the rear-view mirror I winked at him. He did a double-take. Right out of the gate I loved teasing that boy.

While we were exploring this place I remember that Jerry somehow hurt the top of his foot. I thought it was hilarious that he had to sit down...take off his boot...and check the wound site. There was little if anything to be seen. That made it even funnier to me. I thought he was a baby and he knew I thought that.

Now here's the crazy thing. While on this trip Frank found an old rusty car jack. Frank said, "if you two ever get married it's yours." I never thought much about that again.

On the way back home to Provo the seating arrangement shifted. I was now in the front seat with Jer and Kris was in the back with Frank. That's when OUR song came on... "I Can See Clearly Now" by Jonny Nash

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin?for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin?but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin?but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

If I remember right there was light sprinkling rain and I made one of those dang Freudian slips when I referred to his car as OUR car. oooops....what was I thinking...why can't my mouth cooperate?

That was our first hang-out.

He was adorable from the get-go.

....and the jack was under the Christmas tree at our wedding in 1973. It has always found a prominent place to hang out at our house since then.

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