ELLEN and LOWRY

The year 1956 was a busy one, especially the 2nd 6 months. I felt sad about the breakup with my fiance, even though I know it was best for both of us. I was very happy to have met what I think was one of the most beautiful and kindest girls I ever knew. Ellen and I came from large families and small towns but very different social backgrounds. Her dad worked as a rancher for many years and lived in very rural settings. She went to a one room school until she started 9th grade. When we met she had moved to Denver, went to business school (Parks Business). She studied comptometer at school and found a job at Borden's Dairy. This was a big change from ranch life I'm sure! Then, she met me. I did my best to try to wow and sow her. Of course when we met I had no car and all was on foot for me. I had another friend at Lowry whos name escapes me at this time. We were only friends for a short time but he helped me with transportation and I helped him with pool (billiards). It turns out he was a hustler (pool shark). He taught me enough about how to strike the cue ball to be dangerous but my skill level was lacking a lot. Anyway, he and I would go play pool and he "allowed" me to beat him, looking for a challenger willing to bet money. When watching me win, other hustlers thought they could see easy money. I guess they figured if someone as bad a player as me could beat him any good player could beat him. He always kept a game or two close then when enough money was on the table, he could virtually run the table. I didn't participate very long. I thought it might be a good way to lose more than a game. He did drive me over to see Ellen though. I'm not sure how she and I got around at first but we went to symphony concerts, dinner and I accompanied her to church. Ellen was raised Catholic and extremely faithful. I had never been in a Catholic church and at that time the priest faced the alter and spoke a lot of Latin (I'm still no good at languages). There was and still is a lot of up and down or so it seemed to me. Although very dedicated, Ellen didn't know why the church did what they did. It took me several years to understand the foreign (to me) practice.

I remember November of that year very well. It was Ellen's birthday and it was cold and snowy. This was the first snow I had ever seen (Florida boy). My pool hall friend drove me over so I could see Ellen on her birthday. It might have been a little late as I had school and had to stoke the coal furnace in our building . Lesson: don't ever volunteer without knowing the consequences!! After being dropped off, it became apparent no one was awake at the house. I was very much afraid of freezing to death. I had a coat on and wore brogans but it was a long walk back to base. That, and I wanted to see Ellen. I walked around the house and was about to break a window, when Ellen's roommate Cora Lee came to my rescue. I don't think Ellen was too happy with me (I brought a gift!) but she tolerated me for a while, all along telling me she had to work the next day!

Not too long after that, Red and Reba announced their plan to marry. Reba had a 1949 Ford coupe that she decided she didn't need and I jumped at the chance to be with wheels again so I bought the Ford. I think I paid $200, which was not a big deal as I had no debts at that time (boy how things changed later!) That certainly made dating easier and we had some great times! Next I will work on my trip to meet Ellen's parents, Norm and Alice Buchanan, and of course her siblings.



1949 Ford 

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