they eloped
59 years ago today
Bonnie and George eloped
they were 17 years old
they drove to Evanston Wyoming
Saturday the 25th
in my dad's
barcelona blue Ford 1948 convertible
with the top down
no waiting for a blood test there
Bishop Harris an LDS bishop
met them at the courthouse
he was wearing a blue suit with a red tie
mother (Bonnie) took her best dress to a girlfriends house
it was black brocade and strapless
(George) my dad picked her up at home
after which they stopped and picked up her dress
they changed into their best clothes
once they got to Evanston
blood tests at the hospital
then off to the courthouse for a marriage license
"the whole thing didn't cost more than ten dollars...
gas and all"
they were married between noon and one
this marriage had all been decided the night before
my mother said, "let's get married"
my dad agreed
they drove back to Bountiful
took off their nice clothes at Slim Olson's
Alton (my dad's brother) met them there
he got wind of the marriage
mother's girlfriend (the one holding her dress) told her mother
who called my nana
who called the Clark household in Bountiful
my Grandma Clark was in Mexico visiting her family
but, Nana asked if anyone there was the wiser
dad says, "i had her home before dark...she didn't dare tell her mother"
when Grandma Clark got back in town she asked my dad
"have you been familiar with that girl"
he honestly replied, "no"
"did you marry her?"
he honestly replied, "yes"
"then you had better hustle over to her house and tell her mother"
he did and there were no "congratulations" offered
nana was ticked
nana then got in the car with my mom and dad
and drove to AnnaLee's house
they told AnnaLee (my mother's oldest sister) what had transpired
again
no "congratulations"
they were legally married for ten days
before they lived together
before they lived together
at $30 a week
this was their first home
this was their first home
for only two weeks
"ten minutes after we moved in
you were conceived"
you were conceived"
he tells me today
wait a minute...
what the....
the Colonial Village Motel?
the Colonial Village Motel?
that cute little bungalow behind us
their first little home...#30
their first little home...#30
I had offered to take him on a joy ride to Evanston
"only if your mother comes too"
now
mother is in heaven
he thinks of her every 25 seconds
at least that's what he says
and i believe him
we had lunch close by
i'll be darned if he didn't know the guy who owns the place
from a very long time ago
he tells me stories of Greek families
as we eat Greek olives
and delicious sandwiches
we walked through a little neighborhood close by
where all the front doors
face a garden path
and
each other
no street in between
their back yards face the street
i'd never seen such a thing
Boulevard Gardens
59 years ago today
this love is forever
Happy Anniversary Dear Daddy
...
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