"MAY ALL YOUR NEWS BE GOOD NEWS"

It was a freezing cold day; our breath made trails in the air, our eyes moist with the chill, and almost every body part of ours was covered in layer upon layer of clothing. February in Michigan was not for sissies. We were tough; our very souls were conditioned to with stand the chill factor that would now flat kill me. I was seven, and I was invincible. My arms were wrapped tightly around my chest as I was in deep, serious thought, and in conversation as I straddled the school swing. You always think better on a good swing you know. Douglas Miller, also seven, was very dapper in his blue snowsuit, straddled the swing next to mine. His face was serious, almost pensive. This was big stuff we were talking about. We were planning our future. Douglas, never Doug, thank you, had just proposed marriage to me. Now that just does not happen to seven year olds everyday you know. Douglas, like his father, an attorney, was a serious planner and I was a very serious girl. Goals, he said, we have to decide on goals. He first spoke of stocks (I am not kidding you), land holdings, and appropriate insurance (now I think, just why did I not marry him). I may have yawned, but I nodded as if every word was golden. Then it was my time to speak. I held my breath, and then exhaled with an excited response.

“Well, I want to live in a two story house, have lots of kids, hundreds of cats, live where the snow doesn’t fall, and I want to drive a Cadillac.” Firmly, with a stern, almost paternal glare in his eye, he responded,” Well, where to start Joyce. First of all two story homes are dangerous and an added insurance risk. Children are very noisy and very messy too, besides they can cost a lot of money. Cats, well, they are out of the question, my mother would never allow them to live with us. And move from Michigan? I live with my mother and always will, and well, she lives in Michigan. And last, I like Plymouths.” Sigh, it had to be a record of sorts, I figured. Our engagement was broken due to irrevocable differences. Almost fifty-two years later, I smile to think of that day and I held on to my goals. Here I live in a non snow state, in a split-level house with stairs, had plenty of children. and have, if not hundreds of cats, a lot of them. And I drive a Cadillac. I guess I just had to wait for the right proposal. Love you Ron. Sometimes you have to think first about what you want to know if you got there. May all your wishes come true.