Legacy of the Dance

At a recent gathering of my family, I realized once again what a miracle “Life” is.

If you were never born, you wouldn’t be reading this very short story. Those that might read this, might be more appreciative of what you have been given. If you can – thank your parents for your life. The odds were stacked against you being born, but you beat those odds.

I knew how my parents met, and I’m one of the lucky ones that they cared enough about each other to commit to my birth. Although you both are not here to read these words, THANK YOU!

At our recent gathering, the watch I was wearing was given to me by my father-in-law, known to us as “Bumps, just before he passed away. It prompted me to bring up how he first met his wife. There were several in the room, who owed their lives to that first meeting. I realized it could be an endless chain of lives all owing to that first dance.

I’ll write a short piece as though I was Charles Edward Peterson –

The upcoming dance was important to me, and to my buddies. It would contrast the stress of piloting our bomber and fighter planes. It was 1943 and we were at war with Japan. We had the beautiful surroundings of Hawaii, but even after more than a year we could still smell the acrid smoke from the Pearl Harbor attack.

I was a lieutenant, and needed a date for the dance. My best friend did too. What to do? I was always my own man, and thought of what I considered the best way to get a date.

8-2-1-2-6

It was an index card mysteriously placed on the bulletin board in the nurses’ quarters.

“If you need a date for the holiday dance, call 8-2-1-2-6 and ask for Ed.”

It wasn’t long after that card placement – “Ed, you’ve got a call on the hall phone.”

“Hello, this is Ed.”

“Hi. My name’s Mary, and I understand you are looking for a date for the holiday dance.”

“Hi, Mary, it’s nice to talk with you. Yes, I would very much like to have you join me. I’m one of the pilots.”

“That would be nice. Do you happen to have a friend, as my girlfriend is also interested in a date?”

“Perfect. As a matter of fact, I do. I’ll bring him and pick you both up at 1800 hours?”

*.*.*

The dance was perfect and Mary and I hit it off splendidly.

Following the dance, Mary and I spent all our available time together. She was a Flight Nurse and neither of us knew what we had in store for us. We tried not to talk about ‘what if.’ Neither of us had total control of the circumstances.

As life and love would have it, yes, we were married at Pearl Harbor, and soon Mary had to be reassigned Stateside.

My Note to You

(Those who have been born after our marriage)

If you are part of this legacy and a product of; our first dance, our love, and our marriage – I want you to say thanks for that little index card, that special dance, and just maybe your new lucky number 8-2-1-2-6.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Ed, for the watch and the opportunity to marry your daughter, Mary (3/23/1945 – 3/04/2021), and to know your extended family. Things happen the way they are supposed to.

Respectfully,

(Name deleted)