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Why do I need a Blind Date?
As I mentioned, my brother Ernie had already called to tell me about Mom’s car accident, which abruptly pulled me back to Illinois. But a few days later, the 'Born Salesman' called me again with a pitch I couldn't refuse. His girlfriend, Carolyn Rusteberg, had shown him a wallet full of photos of her friends. Ernie told me he kept flipping past the others, returning over and over to one face: Georgia Sims. 'She’s the one,' he insisted.
Having never seen the photo myself, I had to rely on my brother’s scouting report. I had nothing to lose and a whole future to gain, so I agreed to the mission. After Georgia told Carolyn 'No,' Ernie took the lead. He applied that family charm and negotiated a double-date. Georgia thought she was just doing a favor for a friend; she didn't realize she was about to meet her 'Next Shock.'
While I was packing my bags, completely unaware that I was headed straight toward the 'Next Shock' that would define the next 60 years of my life, Georgia was sitting at her family dinner table in Chicago, already regretting the mission.
Marraige, or Flight Attendant?
Why did I agree to this?' I asked my parents and siblings. 'I really don't want to go!' Her father, perhaps having a bit of 'Future Recon' himself, shrugged and said, 'Who knows? It might be the guy you’re going to marry!'
I rolled my eyes. Marriage was the last thing on my radar. I had just been accepted as a flight attendant for American Airlines—a prestigious 'High-Tech' career for women in 1964. Back then, the airlines had a strict 'Single Only' policy. I was ready to see the world, not settle down.
We Were Both Nervous!
I was more than nervous. As Ernie, Carolyn, and I pulled up to the house in Elmhurst, the scales of my life were about to tip forever. I don’t remember who rang the bell, but I remember the 'Shock' of seeing Georgia. She looked like a beautiful Barbie Doll with a captivating smile. I was instantly smitten—a Recon Marine reduced to babbling like a rookie.
We headed for the Prudential Building, the high-tech pinnacle of the Chicago skyline. I couldn’t stop looking into her eyes, and then my heart was all-in.
The Kiss That Changed Everything!
The wind was biting, as only a Chicago February can be, but at 7:00 PM on February 19, 1965, the cold vanished. Standing on the walkway of the Prudential Building, Georgia reached out and kissed me. Talk about a Shock. In an instant, the scales didn’t just balance—they tipped toward a future I hadn’t even dared to imagine. I was a Marine used to high-stakes missions, but this was a different kind of 'Recon.' That kiss was the spark that ignited everything that came next.
The Kiss That Changed Everything!
Later that night, my brother and Carolyn dropped us off at my parents' home where my car was parked.
9 Tail Lights, WOW!
Georgia was impressed by the 9 tail lights on my Dodge Polara—and maybe me? We jumped in the back seat and began talking and kissing, and talking and kissing, until I finally took her home at 4 AM. Little did I know how much my life would be enhanced. Love was in the air. We dated almost every night, and on weekends we would spend lots of time together going places and keeping the car clean and shiny.
Enjoying Our Weekends
On Saturday nights we would go to Skip’s Drive-In. We joined a line of cars that circled Skip’s, revving our engines and playing loud music in our muscle cars. It was sort of a 'car show'—a real waste of gas, which cost $0.31 a gallon in 1965 (equivalent to about $2.85 in 2024). Four on the floor with a gal I adore, what more is there?
The 'Popcorn Blunder
We were inseparable for months, but the 'Rebel' in me wondered if it was all a delusion. Was it really love at first sight? To test the theory, I took a cutie on a date to a drive-in movie. We sat in the backseat and ate popcorn. The next day, I performed a 'Cleaniac' inspection of the car before picking up Georgia. But I missed one piece of 'Intel.'
Georgia didn't miss a thing. She calmly asked, 'Why is there popcorn in the backseat?' My BS was no match for her. I fessed up. She didn't get mad; she got even. 'If you’re going to date others,' she said, 'so will I.' The message was clear: Innovate or Die. I chose to innovate my loyalty immediately. Oorah!
The Big Question
Eventually, Georgia's parents, Ed and Shirley, celebrated their 25th anniversary and asked Georgia to join them on a two-week vacation to the Bahamas. We had been together every night, and we both were concerned about being apart.
When the family finally returned from the trip, I picked them up at the airport. Georgia's Grandma Bonnie had a feast waiting, but Georgia and I retreated to the bar downstairs to eat. The tension was thick. I was vibrating with nerves, and Georgia—reading my energy all wrong—was convinced I was about to break up with her.
'Let's go to my place,' I said. We pulled up just as a Chicago downpour let loose, pinning us inside the car. I turned to her, the rain drumming on the roof like a heartbeat. 'June is a good month to get married,' I started, thinking of our friends Dave and JoAnn. 'Do you want to get married?'
Her 'Yes' was the greatest 'Shock' of my life. I slid the ring onto her finger, and the relief in that car was palpable. I wasn't leaving; I was staying forever. We held each other until the storm broke, then ran upstairs to tell the boys the news. The mission was a success. Oorah!
Building a Future
While my heart was occupied with Georgia, my hands were busy with Joe. Working as a construction 'gofer,' I carried shingles up ladders and learned the bones of a house. It was tough, physical labor that echoed the 'Grinder' at MCRD, but it taught me how to build something from the ground up—a skill I’d use for the rest of my life. Oorah!
One day, Georgia's father, Ed, offered me a job climbing trees for his company, Shamrock Landscaping. I was ready for a change, so I gave Joe some notice and began climbing trees like a monkey, with a chainsaw in one hand and a rope to carry up and repel down with. The repelling was fun. He would get the crew started and say, 'I'm going to sell another project.'
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