INNOCENT YOUNG LOVE
January 26, 2016
By Olivene Godfrey
Just a whiff of memory sent me back to a innocent time of "first romantic love". His name was Frank and we both were students at a Chattanooga school. I was 13 years old and he must have been about the same age.
Our auditorium was huge, and Hollywood movies were shown to us students. He would, somehow always sit beside me during the movies.
During our English class we would stare at each other. I've never forgotten when our English teacher suddenly smiled and said softly, "I see something just we three, the Robin, and I and the sweet cherry tree". I felt my face "burning" and I never knew Frank's reaction, but we continued our innocent young love actions.
Then, my family and I moved to North Georgia! Several years passed, and I received a letter from him and we began a long distance correspondence. A few years later my family and I moved to Dalton, Georgia. I worked at a store for awhile and Frank would come by to see me. He had become a handsome young man.
Then tragedy struck Frank. He was in an automobile accident and his legs were paralyzed. When he was better, we began corresponding again. He always had such delightful letters. Sometimes he would draw funny figures on the envelopes and we could hear the mailman chuckle when he delivered Frank's letters. Frank had a good sense of humor. His letters were so funny I'd show them to my family. My daddy enjoyed them so much.
When I became engaged to my late husband, Ralph, I wrote and told Frank and he wrote me back and told me "all my girls" are getting married. That was the last time I heard from him.
I'd been married several years, when I picked up a brochure in a doctors office and read about patients who had been rehabilitated. There was a picture of Frank at a radio station. The article said he was married and working as a disc jockey. I'm sure he was a great one.
I haven't heard anything about Frank in many years. But, I think no matter where he is, either in heaven or somewhere here on earth, he is keeping those around him laughing.
See you next time. Comments welcome. (As told to Tam.)
By Olivene Godfrey
Just a whiff of memory sent me back to a innocent time of "first romantic love". His name was Frank and we both were students at a Chattanooga school. I was 13 years old and he must have been about the same age.
Our auditorium was huge, and Hollywood movies were shown to us students. He would, somehow always sit beside me during the movies.
During our English class we would stare at each other. I've never forgotten when our English teacher suddenly smiled and said softly, "I see something just we three, the Robin, and I and the sweet cherry tree". I felt my face "burning" and I never knew Frank's reaction, but we continued our innocent young love actions.
Then, my family and I moved to North Georgia! Several years passed, and I received a letter from him and we began a long distance correspondence. A few years later my family and I moved to Dalton, Georgia. I worked at a store for awhile and Frank would come by to see me. He had become a handsome young man.
Then tragedy struck Frank. He was in an automobile accident and his legs were paralyzed. When he was better, we began corresponding again. He always had such delightful letters. Sometimes he would draw funny figures on the envelopes and we could hear the mailman chuckle when he delivered Frank's letters. Frank had a good sense of humor. His letters were so funny I'd show them to my family. My daddy enjoyed them so much.
When I became engaged to my late husband, Ralph, I wrote and told Frank and he wrote me back and told me "all my girls" are getting married. That was the last time I heard from him.
I'd been married several years, when I picked up a brochure in a doctors office and read about patients who had been rehabilitated. There was a picture of Frank at a radio station. The article said he was married and working as a disc jockey. I'm sure he was a great one.
I haven't heard anything about Frank in many years. But, I think no matter where he is, either in heaven or somewhere here on earth, he is keeping those around him laughing.
See you next time. Comments welcome. (As told to Tam.)
