A Nesei, second generation Japanese from Hawaii, was a sergeant friend who shared our barack in Tokyo. Pop, (then 28, whereas most of us GI's were only 20-22) was the old man of our place. He would return to the barracks inebriated late Saturday or early Sunday and come to my room and look at Jeanie's picture beside my bunk. He had a little broken English and would say: "How You get so lucky, boy? Get such a beautiful woman?" He would laugh and giggle and just enjoy raising me out of a good sleep to pester me.
Well, I did get lucky, now nearly 61 years ago. Paul Stamm and Don Ramsey were good friends, my brother, Bud's age. They graduated from PHS in 1948. We would often ride out on a summer evening 'looking for girls'. I missed an evening with them once and they came back saying: "Oh, Sam! You have to go with us to New Boston." Stamm said: "Sam, I saw the prettiest thing ever and she is a great dancer! She is so pretty though she is just something you would put up on a shelf and look at."
Well, I could appreciate good jitterbugging and could see when it was being done, but I never danced and, literally, had two left feet for the required skills. Next night we motored up to New Boston and the teenage crowded Grierson's Drive In, beyond the lake, the kids all called the 'Honky Tonk'. I saw the 19 year old and I was impressed, but not overly so at first. She was among the very best at jitterbugging, the fast dance of the day. She could swing her elbows and whatever in the very smoothest and classiest way. Smooth she was, but the same age of my two friends and, since I was only 17 at the time, just not a girl I was eligible to pursue. But somehow, I soon came to my senses and decided I would try to date Jeanette Weddington. She resisted when I wanted to take her to a PHS basketball game and I believe she just didn't want to be seem with this 'kid' in public.
I began working as an usher at the popular Ohio Theatre in new Boston along with the Clark twins, Carl and Clare. I saw Jeanette more often and on nights I wasn't working she allowed me to walk her home, about 3/4 of a mile west of the lake. Those were great walks and I found that, unlike my bashfulness with a lot of the Portsmouth girls, I could carry a conversation with this sweet thing. She seemed to enjoy our conversations, but kept a certain distance, telling me again and again, that I was just "infatuated". That five syllable word was probably the longest I have ever heard her or anyone say. Perhaps I was that at that time. Slowly though, I fell more and more madly in love with Jeanette.
She must have felt something for me too. In fact, two years later, we were married in January, 1952, 59 years ago as we approach January 2011. I think now- many mornings later -of Pop Noburo Yamamoto saying: 'How lucky you can be boy?! Get such a pretty woman?' You know what? Pop wasn't just blowing smoke. She was pretty then and is only prettier now each day.
Happy birthday, my bride Jeanie! I am beginning to think this can just not be 'infatuation'.
Sam
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