CIVILIANS AGAIN

NOW, AFTER THE BIRTH OF BOBBIE JO, OUR LIFE ENTERED INTO A FRANTIC PACE, BECAUSE WE WERE DUE TO BE DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY IN ONLY TWO WEEKS. WE KNEW THIS OF COURSE BEFORE THE BABY WAS BORN, AND MADE SOME PLANS, BUT BASICALLY WE WERE VERY YOUNG, HAD TWO CHILDREN, AND AFTER THAT A BLANK SLATE. NO JOB, NO HOME, UNSURE WHAT WE WOULD DO, EXCEPT THAT WE WOULD STAY WITH LOLA AND MARTIN'S DAD IN HOUSTON FOR A LITTLE WHILE. IT WAS AMAZING HOW MUCH STUFF WE HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE YEAR WE WERE IN EL PASO, NOT TO MENTION THE STUFF WE BROUGHT BACK FROM OKINAWA. FORTUNEATLY, THE ARMY WOULD MOVE AND STORE THIS FOR US, WE REALLY JUST HAD TO GET OURSELVES HOME, AND THEN DECIDE WHAT TO DO FOR THE FUTURE. BOBBIE JO WAS ONLY TWO WEEKS OLD THE DAY WE FINALLY PACKED UP AND LEFT. MARTIN'S PAY FROM THE ARMY HAD RISEN TO A "WHOPPING" 600.00 A MONTH, AND WE FELT THAT WE WERE DOING OKAY. DID I TELL YOU THAT WE GOT A DOG WHILE WERE THERE? LET ME CATCH UP- ONE COLD DAY, WHEN WALKING HOME, I HEARD A DOG CRYING AND YELPING. I LOOKED INTO THE BACKYARD WHERE THE DOG WAS AND SAW TWO LITTLE BOYS HITTING THE DOG AND YANKING ON THE CHAIN WHERE THE POOR THING OBVIOIUSLY SPENT ALL OF IT'S TIME. THE DOG WAS COWERING, AND THE MORE IT YELPED, THE MORE THEY HIT AND YANKED ON IT. THE FATHER WAS IN THE YARD WATCHING AND LAUGHING. THE ANGER METER IN MY HEAD JUST EXPLODED! I BEGAN TO YELL AT THE FATHER, AND THEN REALIZED THAT HE SPOKE NO ENGLISH.(IT WAS A HISPANIC FAMILY). HE GAVE ME A HATEFUL LOOK, AND THAT DID IT. I WENT IN THE YARD, (REMEMBER, I HAVE MORE GUTS THAN SENSE SOMETIMES), UNHOOKED THAT LITTLE DOG AND WALKED OUT. THE MAN WAS YELLING AT ME, AND I CRIED, "POLICIA! AYUDAME!" MEANING, HELP,. POLICE! HE BACKED OFF RIGHT THERE, AND I WALKED AWAY WITH HIS DOG. (I GUESS HE DIDN'T KNOW I SPOKE SPANISH). ANYWAY, I SHOWED UP AT HOME WITH A COWERING QUIVERING MESS OF A LITTLE DOG. SHE WAS SO PRETTY, BLACK,BROWN AND TAN, WITH BIG BROWN EYES. I CRIED ALL THE WAY HOME, I FELT SO BAD FOR HER. OF COURSE, MARTIN WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I GOT THE DOG, AND I TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED. HE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT MAN JUST LET ME WALK AWAY WITH HIS DOG, BUT HE DID! SO, NOW I HAVE A TODDLER, WAS PREGNANT WITH BOBBIE JO AND A DOG. WE NAMED HER SUZY, AND SHE WAS A WONDERFUL MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. THE ONLY THING SHE DID, WAS ONE SUNDAY WHILE WE WERE AT CHURCH, SHE BROUGHT HOME A SURPRISE FOR US. AS WE TURNED DOWN OUR STREET, WE BEGAN TO SMELL A SKUNK. I ASKED MARTIN IF HE HAD RUN OVER ONE, AND HE SAID HE DIDN'T THINK SO. THE CLOSER WE GOT TO THE HOUSE, THE STRONGER THE SMELL BECAME. IT WAS OVERPOWERING AT THE HOUSE, AND WE REALIZED THAT SKUNK HAD GOTTEN INTO OUR HOME AND MUST HAVE SPRAYED EVERYWHERE. IT WAS HORRIBLE, THE SMELL ALMOST KNOCKED US TO OUR FEET. MARTIN GOT A BROOM TO SHOO IT OUT, AND THEN, HERE CAME SUZY, WAGGING HER TAIL AND CARRYING A DEAD SKUNK. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL A SKUNK IS, THEY ALL STINK! MARTIN GRABBED THE SKUNK AND THREW IT OUT THE DOOR. NO GOOD, IT STILL WAS A REEKING HORROR. HE THEN GOT A PLASTIC BAG, PUT THE DEAD SKUNK IN IT AND DROVE OFF WITH IT. HE DIDN'T TELL ME WHERE HE DISPOSED OF IT, BUT I AM SURE SOMEONE WAS NOT TOO PLEASED WITH HIM! THINGS WENT DOWNHILL FROM THERE, I WENT INTO OUR BEDROOM, AND FOUND THAT SUZY HAD TAKEN THE DEAD SKUNK AND GOTTEN ON TOP OF THE BED WITH IT. MARTIN AND JESSICA WERE REFUSING TO COME IN, AND I WAS JUST IN TEARS. SO, NOW, HERE I WAS, PREGNANT, MY HOUSE REEKED OF DEAD SKUNK, AND MY FAMILY HAS ABANDONED ME. THEN, I REMEMBERED THAT TOMATO JUICE WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE AWAY THE SMELL OF SKUNK. LET ME TELL YOU , THAT IT DOES! BUT ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE PURCHASED MANY GALLONS OF THE STUFF. I SET UP A TOMATO JUICE BATH IN A LARGE WASHTUB, AND SYSTEMATICALLY BEGAN TO WASH THINGS IN THE AFFECTED ORDER. FIRST THE BED CLOTHES, THEN THE DOG. THEN THE BEDCLOTHES AGAIN, AND THEN THE DOG AGAIN! I MOPPED THE FLOORS,AND OPENED ALL THE WINDOWS AND DOORS. FINALLY, I HAD TO BATHE IN TOMATO JUICE, BECAUSE IT HAD RUBBED OFF ON ME. AFTER ALL OF THAT, I HAD TO WASH THE BED CLOTHES SEVERAL TIMES IN THE WASHER TO RID THEM OF TOMATO JUICE AND SKUNK. (SUZY WAS BANNED TO THE BACK YARD FOR A DAY OR TWO AS WELL). WE DIDN'T GET MUCH COMPANY FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT AFTER A WHILE, EVERYTHING CALMED DOWN. NOW, BACK TO THE STORY. WE PACKED UP OUR STUFF, JESSICA, (WHO BY THE WAY WILL BE KNOWN AS SISSY AFTER THIS) THE DOG, AND A TINY BABY. WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO BUY A FORD PINTO STATIONWAGON TO MAKE OUR TRIP HOME TO OUR NEW LIFE. WE BOUGHT THAT CAR BRAND NEW FOR THE ASTOUNDING SUM OF 1900.00. IT WAS A STRIP MODEL, NO AIR CONDITIONING OR ANY OTHER LUXURIES, BUT IT WAS OURS AND WE WERE PROUD OF THAT CAR. WE PACKED IT TO THE GILLS, SAID A PRAYER AND OFF WE WENT. IT IS 800 MILES TO HOUSTON FROM EL PASO, AND WITH TWO SMALL KIDS AND A DOG, IT IS A LONNGGG TRIP! WE ARRIVED AT MARTIN'S PARENTS HOME, AND HAD OUR WELCOME. EVERYONE CAME TO SEE THE BABY AND SISSY, AND IT WAS A GREAT HOMECOMING. AFTER THE COMPANY LEFT AND WE SETTLED THE CHILDREN IN, WE COLLAPSED ON THE FOLD OUT SOFA. (FELT LIKE ABDEREEN AGAIN!) THERE IN THE DARK AND QUIET, THE ENORMITY OF THE SITUATION HIT US. WE HAD NO JOB, NO HOUSE, AND WERE GUESTS OF THE "PARENTS". THE BABIES WERE SLEEPING IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH US, AS THIS WAS A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE. IT WAS SO GOOD OF HIS PARENTS TO TAKE US IN, BUT WE COULD NOT STAY LONG. THEN, OUT OF THE BLUE, WE GOT THE IDEA THAT MARTIN SHOULD APPLY AT THE POST OFFICE. WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE NOT HIRING, UNLESS YOU WERE A VETERAN. MARTIN WAS A VETERAN! THEY ENCOURAGED HIM TO APPLY, AND TOLD US WE WOULD HEAR SOMETHING IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS. THREE MONTHS! WHAT NOW? WELL, INDUSTRIOUS MARTIN TOOK A JOB AT A GAS STATION. HE WORKED TWELVE HOURS A DAY, AND I KEPT THE CHILDREN. WE SAVED EVERY PENNY, AND PAID OUR SHARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES. MARTIN'S DAD LOVED HIS BEER, AND EVERYNIGHT HE WOULD SIT IN FRONT OF THE TV AND DRINK BEER AFTER BEER. HE WAS NOT USED TO HAVING SMALL KIDS IN THE HOUSE, AND ONE TIME WHEN HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM, HE LEFT A HALF EMPTY BEER CAN ON THE END TABLE. SISSY WALKED OVER TO THE END TABLE AND LOOKED AT THE CAN. THEN, BEFORE I COULD STOP HER, SHE PICKED UP THE CAN AND TOOK A DRINK. MARTIN'S DAD SAW HER AT THE SAME TIME, AND GRABBED THE BEER FROM HER. WHILE HE WAS TAKING IT FROM HER SHE HAD SCREWED UP HER LITTLE FACE AND CRIED , "OOOH GRAMPA, SOMEBODY PEED IN YOUR SODA!" IT WAS HYSTERICAL! MARTIN'S DAD FELL OUT LAUGHING, AND I JUST HUGGED SISSY AND TOLD HER IT WAS NOT NICE TO DRINK AFTER ANYONE. SHE SAID, "WELL, WHO WOULD PEE IN A SODA ANYWAY?" THAT WAS IT FOR ME, I JUST HOWLED WITH LAUGHTER. WE HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT! IT WAS SPRING, AND HOUSTON IS A GLORY IN THE SPRING TIME. LOLA LOVED TO PLANT THINGS AND HAD SEVERAL GREEN THUMBS AND FINGERS! THE FENCES WERE LOADED WITH GREEN BEAN PLANTS, THERE WERE TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, LETTUCES AND OTHER PLANTS PLANTED IN THE BACK YARD. THE FRONT YARD WAS A RIOT OF FABULOUS ROSES OF ALL COLORS. IT WAS SO LOVELY, AND REALLY LIFTED MY SPIRITS. THE GIRLS AND I SAT ON THE PORCH AND WATCHED THE NEIGHBORS AND OCCASIONAL TRAFFIC GO BY. LOLA HAD NO WASHER, SO WE WOULD LOAD UP A WAGON AND WALK TO THE LAUNDROMAT WITH THE GIRLS. WE ALSO HAD TO WALK TO THE GROCERY STORE AS MARTIN'S DAD TOOK THE ONLY VEHICLE TO WORK. IT WAS A VERY NICE TIME, BUT I WANTED A HOME OF MY OWN. WE LOVED THE CHURCH MEMBERS, AND BY NOW, SISSY WAS OLD ENOUGH TO GO TO PRIMARY. SHE WAS A STINKER, JUST LIKE HER DAD, AND AT FIRST HAD A BIT OF TROUBLE BEHAVING. SHE EVEN KICKED HER TEACHER! BUT SHE SETTLED DOWN, AND BEGAN TO ENJOY GOING EACH SUNDAY. THEN, ONE DAY NEAR THE MIDDLE OF APRIL, I SAW A SMALL HOUSE FOR SALE, CLOSE TO MARTIN'S PARENTS. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE COULD BUY IT, BUT I WANTED TO LOOK INSIDE ANYWAY. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS AN OLD VICTORIAN NEIGHBOORHOOD AND THE HOUSES WERE VERY OLD AND PRETTY RUN DOWN. SOME OF THE HOUSES WERE NEARING A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, AND NEEDED LOTS OF WORK. COINCEDENTALLY, THE REALTOR WAS AT THE HOUSE WHEN I WALKED UP. SHE ASKED IF I WANTED TO LOOK AROUND AND I SAID OKAY. THIS LITTLE HOUSE HAD A CEMENT FRONT PORCH WITH ROOM FOR A PORCH SWING, WOOD FLOORS, AND OLD FASHIONED KITCHEN, A TINY LIVING ROOM AND ONE BATHROOM. IT HAD TWO BEDROOMS BUT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH ONE TO GET TO THE OTHER.. THERE WAS A SCREENED IN BACK PORCH, LEADING OUT INTO A BACK YARD THAT WAS SHADED WITH PECAN TREES. THERE WAS A GARAGE WITH A LITTLE APARTMENT ON THE TOP. IT WAS SO WONDERFUL, THE WHOLE HOUSE AND YARD WAS WONDERFUL. (NEVER MIND THAT IT NEEDED PAINTING, THE ROOF NEEDED SOME WORK, ONE SIDE OF THE BOTTOME SILL OF THE HOUSE HAD DRY ROT, THERE WAS A SMALL HOLE IN THE BATHROOM FLOOR, NO HEATING OR AIR CONDITIONING AND OTHER NUMEROUS DIFFICULTIES,). I WAS BLIND TO THEM, BECAUSE, I LOVED THAT LITTLE HOUSE. I ASKED HOW MUCH IT WAS AND THE REALTOR TOLD ME, "14000.00". TO ME, THAT WAS A FORTUNE! BUT SHE SAID IF WE FINANCED THE HOUSE THE PAYMENTS WOULD BE LESS THAN 100.00 A MONTH. WE COULD AFFORD THAT! BUT HOW WOULD WE GET FINANCED? WE HAD NO DOWN PAYMENT, NO MONEY REALLY, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AFTER MARTIN LOOKED AT THE HOUSE, HE SAID IT WOULD BE PERFECT, HE COULD DO THE REPAIRS, AND HE THOUGHT WE SHOULD TAKE IT. "BUT HOW?" I ASKED. HE SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN THINKING FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS ABOUT GOING HOUSE HUNTING, BECAUSE HE LEARNED THAT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION WOULD FINANCE VETERANS JUST OUT OF THE SERVICE. THE MORTGAGE COMANY TOLD US, BASED ON THE FACT THAT MARTIN WOULD MOST LIKELY BE EMPLOYED BY THE POST OFFICE, AND BECAUSE HE WAS BACKED BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, THAT THEY WOULD FINANCE US WITH NO MONEY DOWN. SO, MIRACLES OF MIRACLES, WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOME! WE COULD NOT MOVE IN UNTIL THE END OF MAY BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF TIME A MORTGAGE TOOK. BUT WE HAD A HOME OF OUR OWN! AND WE WERE ONLY 21 YEARS OLD! MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE