When My Parents Met

 

            I am going to take a break from me and tell you about my parents and brother. It seems like a good place.

            Mom was working in Hickory as a pairer with three other young women. At that time, matching socks together was an important job in a hosiery mill. Many years afterwards, Mom lay our socks out on her lap and pick out the color, size, and length from the toes because of this job. Man, I miss watching her do that!

            Clara and Ruth were two of the four pairers at this hosiery mill. Clara was dating John, and John was Ruth’s soon to be ex-husband. It was Ruth’s choice to walk away from the marriage as John received a “Dear John” letter while serving in World War II. My mother and Clara were soon working side by side because they were the best. This is the background of the hosiery mill. Got it? Ah, the hosiery mill gossip!

            One day late in June, Clara asked Mom if she would like to date John’s brother. You see, John lost his license, and Clara wanted to see John. My mom said she would have to ask her mother. I feel certain that mom left out the fact that John lost his license due to drinking or mom would never meet dad. My grandmother grew up with an alcoholic father and could not abide drinking.

            Anyway, Clara got to see John and my mom met my dad. The first thing she saw was a tall skinny man wearing green pants and a blue shirt! My dad was color blind with those colors, she would later discover. Dad also had amazing, beautiful blue eyes, not a dark blue, rather a light, friendly blue. I think of his eyes like the color of the sky on a cloudless day. People said they twinkled and they did often when he smiled. I always wanted his blue eyes; mine are grey, switching from green to blue depending on what I wear.

            My mom said she was a quiet person and my dad was also, but they could talk to each other. Apparently, they got along very well, and the next week they double dated again in John’s car. Dad told mom that he was surprised she would go out with him again because of his limp. I love Mom’s reply, “What limp?”

            By the third date, Dad bought a car and they went out alone for the first time.