I remember back in late June of 1979. I had been in the
Navy for only 6 months, and here I was, all alone in a place where I didn't
know very many people. I had chosen my first duty station to be Guam. There
is a simple reason why I chose Guam, it was because I had spent 4 years
of my life here as a child from 2nd grade through 5th grade. I still remembered
a couple of my parents friends, so I knew I could meet up with them once
again and get re-acquainted with them. This time though, I was no longer
a child, but a young woman who had just a few days before, turned 19. That
was a memorable birthday! Probably the only one I had spent totally alone
where no one really cared. I tell you, it is a very humbling experience
when all your life, big deals were made of a birthday! I had not yet had
the opportunity to make many of those contacts, as I had only arrived about
2 weeks before my birthday. I was still getting accustomed to learning
the work I had to do at the dental clinic, and getting settled into the
barracks. I did have a friend from Navy dental school who had also chosen
Guam, but I quickly found that she and I had very different ideas on life,
and we did not stay close friends long. I was very homesick and lonely
by this time.
I can't remember the exact day, but I know it was right
after my birthday when I met a man at the barracks swimming pool after
work one day. I remember thinking he was very kind to me, and easy to talk
to. He approached me and just started a conversation. If you had known
me back then, I was NOT the type to approach anyone, I was extremely shy.
Of course once you got me talking, watch out! hehe! I remember just swimming
around and talking. I do not recall any of our conversations at all, but
I do remember looking forward to the next day, hoping that he would be
there so I would not feel so alone. I had made a friend. Then one day,
I got bold enough to ask him some questions. When I look back, it was so
funny, but to me at a very young 19, he looked so old! I was just sure
he was married and had kids. So I decided to ask him some more personal
questions. I asked him if he were married, and he told me no. Then looking
puzzled, I asked him if he had ever been married before, and he said no.
Well, in my mind at his age he had to have been married or was married.
I was totally unconvinced, so I asked him if he was sure he was not married,
or had ever been married. He laughed and said no he had never been married,
and was not married. He wanted to know why I was so unsure, and I kind
of lied and said that I didn't know, but he just looked like a man who
would be married! I didn't dare tell him he looked old to me! I suppose
it wasn't until we were married about 10 years before I ever told him he
looked old to me at that time. He was 24, and I was 19. I believed him
then, when he assured me he was not, nor ever had been married! Phew! That
out of the way, we just talked friendly things, nothing personal.
I don't remember if it was the next day, or a couple days
later, I was so excited! One of my family friends was to come pick me up
and take me to the car dealer so I could pick out my very own first car!
I quickly got ready after work, and waited for them to arrive. After a
couple hours they did not arrive, so I called to see if they had left.
They told me they were busy and could not come. I was so disappointed!
I walked over to the pool to see if my friend was there, and he was swimming
as usual. I guess the disappointment really showed, because I remember
him asking me why I wasn't swimming and what was wrong. I told him through
the fence what had happened and he said, "I will take you, my car just
recently arrived from the US!" I agreed, and told him to come to
my room when he was ready to go. Now keep in mind, Up to this time, I really
had not seen him out of the water, and we had never been very close when
talking, so I was totally unprepared when I answered the door! I remember
very vividly even to this day, opening the door and ready to say hello,
and my eyes came to a chest! I looked up and thought, "Wow! He is SOOO
tall!" This was my first real impression of this man, after I thought he
was old!
We walked out to his car, and he was so proud of it! It
was a brand new Toyota Celica with a sunroof, very pretty and sporty. He
drove me to the Toyota dealer where we walked around looking at cars. Mark's
car was not the first he had bought, so he was a little familiar with car
dealers, I had no clue! I picked out a royal blue Toyota Corolla, for $3995.00
Mark and I went in to the salesman's office to do what you do at a car
dealer, went through all the talking and paper signing. Then when we were
ready to leave, the salesman shook Mark's and my hand and said these very
important words, "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Olson, (my maiden last name)
you have a new car!" Mark and I looked at each other and laughed! It couldn't
have been farther from the truth, but we never let the salesman know his
mistake! We just kept it as a personal joke that we still laugh about to
this day! The car was to be undercoated, so I was not able to drive it
home that day, I would be picking it up a couple days later.
Mark drove me back to the base and he said his friend
had invited him over for a steak dinner, would I be interested in going
with him! Of course! That sounded much better than "Chow Hall" food! I
remember on the drive back, me putting my hand on the hand brake, hoping
he would take the hint somehow and hold my hand. Well, that didn't work,
but we had a wonderful time at his friend's house. He was married with
an adorable little girl, and we became fast friends. I still remember how
delicious and tender that steak was, and the fun we had. Afterward, Mark
invited me to his barracks room for a little TV watching. I remember sitting
next to him watching him play video games, and moving a little closer and
moving my hand just a little closer on the floor next to him, and FINALLY,
he took the hint! hehe He finally held my hand and we just talked. It was
time for me to leave back to my room as barracks curfew was approaching.
It was that night, the afternoon of car shopping, going to dinner at his
friend's, the first hand holding, and yes, the first kiss. What a day it
had been! This is where it all started, but there is more! Mark was a confirmed
bachelor! Go to the next page to see what happened to that "Confirmed"
status!
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