In September 1972 Marianne had flown out from Atlanta, where she was working, to visit me. We had met three years earlier when we both worked in Yellowstone National Park (that entire adventure will have to become a book and then a movie). I had asked Marianne to marry me several times, but since at the time I had few social redeeming values, she always wisely said no. But now I was in the Navy and had a full-time job and a place to live.
We had a great time for those few days, and after she returned she thought about our relationship for a while, and finally decided that maybe I was the guy she needed to marry. Since this was a leap year, a Sadie Hawkins year, Marianne called me to propose, but as luck would have it, my telephone had been disconnected for non-payment. It was a philosophical difference I had with Ma Bell, but as everyone knows, you can’t argue with your mother. To spite Ma, I rigged the telephone to play the local radio station, KOME, whenever anyone called, even though I couldn’t hear it ring much less answer it, but it was pretty funny – except when my parents tried to call me repeatedly and all they heard was the radio station. They called an operator who then had it checked it out and told them she’d never heard anything like it. My parents called the police thinking I’d been waylaid in my apartment.
The reason I’m telling you this, Marianne had met Mike and Sue and fortunately had their telephone number. So when she got the radio station on my phone, she called them, who then retrieved me, so I could talk to her. So their apartment, that night, was where Marianne proposed to me and I heartedly accepted.
Mike and Sue have been very dear to us since then. Before they moved to Austin, we would also meet up in Sequoia National Park where we tent camped. We did it so often, that one year we went up solo and still ran into them up there!
So today we rendezvoused with Mike at the Iguana Café, a great spot overlooking Lake Travis just a mile or two from where we’re camping. It was great seeing Mike again; he hadn’t changed, other than getting older, like all of us do in forty years. He told us he’d just taken the last five months to drive around the country to look for work as well as reconnect with friends and family. We spent several hours reminiscing and figuring out how we’d fix the world problems.
Deb’s college roommate, Thalia, was also attending and she and her French husband, Francois, came from Alabama with their trailer and were staying in the same resort as we were. We hooked up and went to Deb and Tim’s home together.
Other Montgomery classmates who attended were John and Cathy Henniger, Barbara Rushing and friend Gary, along with Deb’s sister Kathy, and their cousin Gary and his wife Jennifer, both from the San Francisco Bay area. Leesey Webb was also supposed to be there, but she ended up trapped at the Montgomery airport for five hours because of weather delays; she would now be arriving tomorrow, hopefully in time for the BIG party.
After chit-chatting a while, we all went over to another great restaurant overlooking the lake, The Oasis. This is a four-story restaurant that is perpetually crowded. The parking lot is so large that they have several shuttles taking you to and from your car. To alleviate that problem, the owner is building a huge parking garage 100 yards from his restaurant, plus he’s building another large multi-story restaurant right next to the first one, with also a phenomenal lake view.
I guessed that this would be a very expensive restaurant, but once again I’d be wrong. They serve relatively inexpensive Tex-Mex fare which was delicious. Wow, a secret business model: serve excellent food in a great location for not too much money – if you’re reading this, please keep this secret to yourself, we’ll get together sometime and make our fortune!
On the way back to RV campground, I saw a deer dart across the road just 20 feet in front of my truck, upon closer examination, I saw another deer on the side of the road contemplating whether or not to follow in his (or her) buddy’s footsteps. Just to be on the safe side, I luckily stopped the truck, since in an instant he (or her) made up their mind to join their buddy – only five feet in front of my truck. The guy who was tailgating me was in for a surprise when I abruptly stopped, but I’m sure he now understands why when he saw the bounding Bambi.
We kept our dogs alone in the trailer while we were hobnobbing, they did just fine. Here’s another secret, having two dogs, which truly love one another, allows them to keep each other company and not be forced to chew on your prized possessions when you leave them alone. Still, they were extremely glad to see us when we returned.
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