A cold December in 1954

in #army7 years ago

Based on a true story
It was not just an ordinary day for Virginia,she had already been through the county jail systems for leaving home(she had gone out on a date with Albert lost track of time and as time went on they grew so much fear of what was to become of Virginia when she got back home that she decided to run away and just not return.All at the very young age of 15.) Virginias' mother had sent her daughter to jail for running away and also placed Albert in jail for taking off with Virginia.Albert was two years older than Virginia so along with that came major consequences .
Being placed in jail they took significant panels of tests just the ordinary tests that are taken prior to entering the facility for example TB , a chest x-ray,vaccinations, most STD tests and pregnancy tests for the females that included the assistance of a poor bunny.
Now Virginia passed with a clean bill of health except that the fact of the poor bunny having to loose it's life to determine weather or not she was with child or not! Like I stated before that the poor bunny lost it's life due to the test only mean't she was pregnant!
What a shock to be in jail pregnant at the age of 15,but was married about 3 times while they were on the run,going to different states were it was legal to be wed at the early age of 15. Knowing that her man was also placed in jail for being part of the crime that was committed which was not so bad as Virginia's mother made it out to be, But back in that time you could place your children in custody for no charge if the child was being uncontrollable and it was a parents last resort.
But in this case Virginia was a good girl,great student and a good daughter to boot but her mother was a cold hearted soul. Virginia's mother love to publicize and ridicule her children for their wrong doings why I don't have the faintest clue.
Well going back to that ordinary day in 1954 she had her baby already yes Albert was released and they reunited and they stayed a couple. Albert worked hard to establish a good life for his little family. They had already purchased property and a few automobiles and Albert had reenlisted into the service this time as special forces as a paratrooper in the 82nd All American Division Airborne he served as a Private First Class and was stationed over in North Carolina for training. So being that Albert was all the way cross country and Virginia was still at her home town in California, she made up her mind to follow her man and decided to pack up all her belongings lock up her little home which she refers it to as her little sugar shack .The shippers came to pick up her boxes and had them shipped all the way to North Carolina ,Fort Bragg. After she finished doing all the running around in prepreation of this big move she visited her father who only lived on the next street,all through out hr visit with her dad, her dad would offer to keep his little grandson while she made it cross country reason being that " life isn't the same as it was in California, you don't know how life is over there ."Mija just leave me with the baby it would be the best for them". But being Virginia she put her foot down and said no I'm taking my baby with me!
I forgot to mention that Virginia was expecting her second child in the midst of all this commotion. So Virginia was going to travel across country pregnant and in one hand a suit case and in the other hand her little boys hand.Wow what determination and so much valor to even attempt to take on such a task.She had really not been out of state and just pack up and head on out across the countries divide. Virginia always had a good head on her shoulders and always shown her determination no matter what the case was . In all she was a brave young lady.
So she bought her ticket for the grey hound bus and jumped on it and off she went. During her travels she made transfers to the southern Pacific train depot where she was to go from Pomona,California to North Carolina ,Fort Bragg by train and it was to be a one way trip to North Carolina but lets continue.
.Be it as it may with one hand holding on to her little boys hand and suit case in the other takes a deep breathe inhales some clean California fresh air and says to her son "let's go see Daddy"boards the train thinking to herself" thank God my son is already potty trained",being six months pregnant and having to change ,clean,and dispose of the mess could really take a toll, I'm just saying carry on.
On her route to be with her man the train makes a stop in Atlanta,Georgia
So here we have this seventeen year old girl with her two year old son and a bun in the oven lets say for about six months in sets out to go to be with her husband. You see Albert had saved some Albert had got an little apartment you know cozy a place that they could be comfortable in together.
Along the way on her mission to cross this country as we all know it to be thee beautiful United States of America she had missed her train just by one hour, so she had to wait the whole day for the next train ,there at the train station .The attendant had recommended to go flag a cab,so she took a peak outside to look for a cab but the weather was so bad it was just pouring, the rain was coming down ferociously not quite like California rain.
From Atlanta, Georgia she hopped back on the train and headed to Chicago,Illinois
In Chicago she has mentioned how big and beautiful the station was she had also mentioned how cold the weather was she compared her California winter coat to everybody's winter coat which was all thick insulated she really wasn't prepared for this type of weather.
Virginia had got a little motion sickness says the nice gentlemen porter whom which gave some saltine crackers and a seven up, he also kept an eye on Virginia making her feel comfortable and also gave her a sense of protection . A group of soldiers that were on leave also jumped on the train which she had notice the patches on their uniforms"oh they're Airborne"so she felt more secure,so she kept close but not to close were it was so noticeable. As the train carried on its destination she had lost track of the soldiers.As the train made a few stops she got off because this snot nose old man porter had told her that she needed to get off and transfer to the train that was already taking off so she was under confusion she asked the attendant that was on duty and he said if you're headed to North Carolina then you better run and catch that train, she replies "I just got off that train." Hurry you're going to miss it.
So off she went flagging down the porter and low and behold it was that old man porter that gave her the wrong instructions about transferring trains just so he can get a kick out of it. So Virginia boards the train with her little son and her suit case and off she went.
As she traveled on she had to go through the swamps where she noticed that the train wasn't so sturdy, it started making noises, creaking and skreetching .She thought that the train was going to fall off the tracks! While going through the swamps she described the homes that were there ,she said that they were like little shacks with metal sheeting roofs,barley holding up as the children played out side all bare footed .This must be swamp life at its best .A different kind of living compared to Southern California.
As the train exited the swamp lands , the train ride became more balanced and sounded more secure. Virginia thought that she/the train wasn't going to make it through the swamp. She thought that her and her child were going to be alligator food .A sigh of relief and a thank you to God was the feeling that was felt as they went forward.
The weather had cleared up but yet it was still chilly.She had arrived to Fayettville , North Carolina.
The train had blown its whistle and it made its destination,The nice gentleman porter helped her off the train and she proceeded to go into the station .Now this station wasn't so big and fancy like the others before,but she made it.There at the station she thought to her self now"I missed my train by an hour and had to wait all day for the next so that being said,Albert should be here awaiting his family,but all the train hopping and the delays that occurred no wonder the station was empty.. So she went to the information desk and asked if there was a gentleman ,a soldier waiting for his family and the clerk had answered "yes, he was here all day waiting but after awhile he left." So as true as its been said,Albert was there waiting all day for his families arrival ,he was on time ! That one hour sure made a difference. In those long hours Albert sets out to get a room for the night there in town.Let me remind you that it's December and it's on the East coast".
Since Virginia and Albert had already made plans and they wrote all the information ,directions,phone numbers,and addresses before they had set out to cross the grand divide.Being that she had all the information to they're new apartment Virginia flagged down a taxi cab and told him "Please take me to this address please and thank you". The taxi 's cabby did what was asked of him ,and so being that she also had the keys to the apartment,she knocks first no answer so it's burr freezing cold she lets herself in and not knowing how to start or turn on a furnace so she laid down on the bed along with her two year old son,huddled together to try to keep warm and just fell asleep!
While all that was going on Albert goes back to the train station to quickly check to ask around to gather some information on where abouts ;you know the status of his families arrival ?
he goes to the information counter an asks the attendant on duty if he saw a woman about yay high ,black hair ,pregnant holding onto a 2 year old's hand ? The attendant replies "yes sir they were here and they asked if I saw a man about your height, soldier,hey i's you","But they took a cab on over to your place probably thinking you were there but except you're not you're here while they're over there waiting for you to come home". "You're probably right ,I gotta go ,they're over there while I'm over here,when I should be over there with them instead of you not that there's anything wrong with you,you know what I mean" Man"
He rushes on over to the apartment to find his beautiful wife and child fast asleep lying on the bed .Hes a proud man, proud of his woman and her bravery to just pack up and with child in hand take off and cross the whole country of the United States of America all alone well with her bun in the oven and her two year old.And at the age of seventeen,Oh Lord sweet honey child lets continue....watching them just standing there watching them,he thinks quick "man ,boy it sure is cold in here.
He races over to the furnace and turns it on and turns it up. He wanted to make sure his prize possessions are were kept nice and warm,crispy and toasty.They made it.Safe and sound all in tact,what a true blessing it was!! TO BE CONTINUED-

   LOOK FOR THE CONCLUSION ON MY NEXT SUBMISSION-VOTE<FOLLOW> LIKE IV"E DONE FOR YOU<VOTE@fauxfinish
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