Memories

A Family Affair at Lake Alatoona

Memories are made up of what we don’t forget! That’s a basic simple truth. And if your past the age of twelve you understand what I mean. 

Love begets love… another basic simple truth.

The best thing about growing up is the fond memories. The worse thing is the arthritis.

One of my favorite memories is the day I met my wife Susan. I was visiting my vet to check on my cat. Dr. Banks was performing an operation on someone’s dog. Susan was his assistant. She was the cutest and prettiest thing I’d ever seen… Susan not the dog… the poor dog was under anesthesia with their insides in plain view. Dr. Banks liked to talk with anyone who would listen while he operated. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off those poor dog’s guts. 

Well I’d passed out before so I knew the warning signs. Head spinning, sick feeling and narrowing of vision. So I beelined for the waiting room and sat down with my head between my knees. I knew that was my only defense from losing consciousness.

Dr. Banks sent Susan to see about me and that’s how we met.

After I regained my nearly unconscious composure, I asked Dr. Banks if I could come back and observe him operating. I figured that I would eventually get used to seeing guts in plain view and wouldn’t faint so easily.

Dr. Banks agreed. He did routine operations right after regular business hours so that worked out great for me. My thinking was that if I came across an automobile accident with someone’s guts in plain view, I would be able to help instead of needing help myself for fainting.

I was also anxious to see Susan again.

After several visits to Dr. Banks, I gradually got over my operating room queasiness and even got up the courage to call Susan on the phone. We eventually started dating but our relationship almost ended on our first date. 

Our musical tastes were a bit different. Strawbs, Hero and Heroine nearly did me in. I selfishly wanted Susan to like the same music as me so I played some of my favorites for her on my 1975 yellow Honda Civic wagon cassette player.

She didn’t complain so I presented her with a barrage of progressive rock and roll. It was many years later that I learned my music nearly ended us at the first date.

Fortunately for me, Susan eventually agreed to marry me. Probably because we both love animals. 

We bonded over a TV show, “All Creatures Great and Small”. We also bonded over ducks. Her parents had a goldfish pond in their backyard and she had a few baby ducks living there that she had rescued from being turtle food in a nearby lake.

Also fortunately for me, we were married in a year that proved to provide me a better chance for me to remember the number of our anniversaries. The math is simpler counting from 1980.

We discovered music that we both liked and wound up with two beautiful daughters.

They’re a whole other couple of stories!

Susan and I couldn’t be more different. First off, she’s a girl. That right there is enough said. I’ve been a boy all my life. We think different thoughts. For example, she notices way more things than me. Susan has a nurturing outlook on life. She wants all creatures to be taken care of. My focus tends to be a bit more inward.

Except for mosquitoes, Susan loves to feed God’s creatures. She just isn’t fond of creatures feeding on each other. Unfortunately, this side of Heaven, that’s what happens. Even us humans tend to feed on each other. But for different things. Some feed on love. Some feed on hate. Some feed on helping others and some feed on taking from others. 

Susan and I have common ground where love resides. We love each other and both look forward to a stress free Heaven. 

I wish for you to be blessed with a Susan in your life too!

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By Ed Caldwell

I’m mostly retired. Except for some unavoidable honey-dos, I pretty much goof off for a living now. My last career job was designing internet operating circuit boards along with a distinguished team of engineers, managers and support personnel. Prior to that I was an electronics technician evolving into circuit board design in the defense industry working with tactical missile systems. My first career job was a professional artist. During my younger years I worked many odd jobs beginning at age nine with a newspaper delivery route.

2 comments

    1. Thanks KT! 😘❤️

      BTW – Your website is looking good! 😎👍 Thanks for adding it to your comments! I want folks to know that they can click on your name in your comment to see it. (Underline indicates a link)

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