As we were leaving the city limits of Yuma, Tommy and I began talking about all the 'firsts' that had happened to us while we lived in Arizona. The list was long, full of mischief and memories. We became parents, that was by far our 'biggie' for our time in Yuma. Tommy rattlesnake hunted for the first time. He was delighted...I thought he was insane. He had the Yuma record for awhile 13 rattles and a button. One night Tommy bought the rattle home with him from the huge snake he had killed. I wouldn't let him in the apartment because he shook the rattle and said, "Open up the door baby and let me show you what I have!" "Baby" didn't want to see anything he had that rattled like a snake!
We rode horses on the canals every time we could find a babysitter. We often drove to the desert at night to wish on stars, plus we made friends that we will never forget. There is always something special about military buddies. They share a life no one else can really understand except them. There were several guys who had 'Gettin' Out Parties' that lasted for two days straight. They were young crazy Marines who could party with the best!! It was a good time to be 21.
It only rained twice the entire eighteen months we were there. Both times we went out and played in the rain! Each time we crossed the border, day tripping to Mexico, was a story just waiting to be told. We had a good time together. However, at the bottom of the list was one incident that took awhile to become funny.
It was the middle of July 1970 when we arrived in Yuma. As soon as we hit the city limits our air conditioner broke. It didn't just break it DIED! When we got out of the car and the 110 degree heat surrounded us, I thought for a second Daddy was right...we had moved to Hell!! First we went to the base and checked in, we were given a list of apartments to check out. We found one about four hours later: paid the rent, utilities and had a phone installed. We also filled up the car with quarter a gallon gas. Once we started to move into our new home, one of us decided to count our money. That did not take long because we had no money...period. Tommy thought I had some in reserve and I thought he had more cash hidden in his wallet. We were both wrong. After everything was unloaded from our car, we discovered we had 1/2 pack of crackers, a can of mixed vegetables and a jar of Mamamae's homemade ripe tomato ketchup. That was it... and it was three days until payday.
We didn't want anyone to know we had run out of money, especially my family. They didn't like the idea of us being 2,000 miles from home, pregnant and living in Yuma or as Daddy referred to it as "Hell"!! Calling home was not an option. I think we could have gotten help from the base but we didn't want them to know either. We opted to suck it up and wait for payday. That was a long, long, long three days!!
Tommy decided we would make a soup from the veg-all. He added a can of water to make the veg-all go farther and spiced it up with my grandmother's ketchup. The crackers were dessert. It was just this side of awful and only lasted one day. By the third day, all I had to do was look at the pitiful excuse for lunch...three crackers and a glass of water, and I was running for the bathroom to throw up.
When Tommy received his check, he came home with Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pepsi, extra sides and an apple pie. We ate until we were stuffed and then we went to the grocery store and stocked up on supplies. I think we spent twenty dollars on the groceries and our cabinets were full. For years when I would take the grocery cart down the isle where mixed vegetables were located I would shut my eyes and speed up until I had passed their section. It literally made me sick to see a can of mixed vegetables. It was at least five years before we ever had a can of them in our home.
We laugh about it now. I learned some lessons from that experience. I have never let my cabinets get low on supplies. My fridge is usually full and we have a freezer. It was a lesson learned the hard way, but learn it we did. We also had a hard lesson in the management of money. Whoever was teaching that lesson plan made believers out of us.
I can't stand the thought of people being hungry day after day in a world where some people have an abundance of everything. It seems unthinkable people go to bed hungry but they do. Then I stop and think, it happened to us 44 years ago.
I saw a homeless man asking for money in town today. I gave him money for a couple of meals. I don't usually do this. There are so many scam artists that panhandle, it has given people down and out a shady name. If he was a scammer and I fell for it, I can live with that; once you give someone a gift, it becomes their responsibility to use it wisely. However, today I remembered how hungry we were once and I wanted that man's stomach to be full...that was all that mattered.
As I drove home, I thought about the people who have no help on the way. Their stomachs hurt each night, nausea is never far away. Their energy level in nonexistent and sleep is a welcome reprieve until the growling of their stomach wakes them up and the process starts all over again. To help some countries, we would have to go to war and I don't want our young men in another war. As for our country we have resources and agencies to help people in need. We send money and supplies all over the world to people in need. The bottom line always remains...life isn't fair...never has been and never will be. It is just the way things are. It is one continual learning experience. There are no easy fixes...someone somewhere will go to bed hungry again tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment