Remember I thought my Mom and Dad met when he drove her back from Columbia, MO when her sister died? And I couldn’t understand how Dead Sister Dolores was referenced in their letters?
I have now developed a forensic reconstruction of the events of Mom’s life from college in 1954 to her death in 2008.
The timeline reveals that Mom and Dad had been dating six months, they had a spat, cards referencing this Mysterious Squabble were sent, Dad reacted by writing and not sending a letter declaring his love, and Mom reacted by going to a dance without him, where she was swept off her feet by my father, Jerry (OG father).
The timeline revealed that Dolores died soon after THAT meeting — just days after, according to my spreadhseet.
Can you imagine though? A man dances with you, kisses you at the end of the dance, tells you he’s going to marry you at the end of the evening, then just days later helps you through a devastating emotional event? She must have been out of her mind with love. And … just out of her mind generally to marry him just six months later. If I’d been there I’d have said, “What are you thinking, Margi?”
So that clears that up: a paternal figure drove her home in that crisis. I suppose I should have asked which one.
4 responses to “Mom mystery solved”
Aha! That makes a lot of sense for a timeline (but less so for Jerry Being Very Emotionally Helpful? Jerry was perhaps substantially different in Rapid Wooing Mode than in all the modes you saw him in? Or maybe he had a concussion or something at some point to make him emotionally useless? I do not know).
KC – The men in my family all use the “I’m going to marry you” line. Dave used it on a woman he stayed married to for six months. Jerry’s father used it: that’s where Jerry got it from. They seem intent on getting married in the manic phase. Probably why I was so enchanted by Gary’s 18 month engagement plan.
Oh good heavens. That’s wild. And also: yes: see whether something/someone holds up a bit longer than six months, in general.
KC – And also see whether the parts are compatible. Mom made sure I didn’t make the same mistake.