Let’s see, it is 1966 now and I am a Junior in High School working part time at the Pharmacy and also at the Seagull restaurant. I would get off work then run to the dance at the “Kon Tiki” and get home around midnight or 1:00 am. I would go to school in the morning and then go to work after school, to the dance, etc. Mom told me if I ever stayed home from school because I was tired, I would not be able to go to the dances. I would be so tired in school that around 3rd period I would go to the nurses station and tell her I was sick again and she would let me sleep in the sick room for an hour. I told the nurse that I had a heart condition and tired easily and had the nurse convinced that mom would make me quit my jobs if I went home sick from school, and I needed the jobs desperately. HeeHeeHee Mom never knew that until about 15 years ago!! She got mad when I told her!!
I had a 4th of July/Birthday party at my parent’s house for a friend of mine. My sister and her boyfriend were the chaperones, and mom and dad were at the Tavern. We found dad’s stash of apple cider he was brewing, and passed it around. We all acted drunk on it, but got diarrhea from it. It was pure vinegar!! HAHAHAHAHA My sister was in a car wreck later that night.
The dances on the base were so much fun!! During the summer of 1966 I started working full time at the restaurant and quit the Pharmacy. There were some cute young construction workers that would come to the restaurant for dinner. I had a crush on just about every cute guy that came in there. One was Barry. He was an “older” guy that worked on the local farm. He was 28 years old. Carrie and I both had a crush on him. When we cleaned up the restaurant at night Helen would call next door to the tavern and ask for a 6 pack of “strawberry soda” (Olympia Beer), and Vic Sealy (the mayor and tavern owner) would send someone over with it. It only cost $1.25 a 6 pack then. She would let me and Carrie drink a beer while we cleaned up. Then we’d head to the Kon Tiki!! The bartenders knew when we ordered cokes, and once in awhile would send over a rum and coke!! I was too busy dancing to bother getting drunk. Believe it or not, I was painfully shy. Working at the restaurant helped me get over the shyness. The summer of 1966 was good!! I slimmed down and bought grown-up dresses, hemmed them up to make them into “mini” skirts, and had a ball!! I started out my Senior year a happy girl. I was becoming popular in school, and had a fun job and went out dancing 4 nights a week!
I remember Christmas of 1966 as a really bad one. Mom and dad had some guys over from the Tavern and they all got drunk. I was asked to take this drunk old man (probably 35) back to the base, and on the way he tried making passes at me. I whopped him a good one!!
When I got back home dad was in bed and mom and Hobart were drunk. I went to bed and woke up around 8:00. Dad was gone to work (he worked 24 hours on and 24 hours off as a Fireman) and mom and Hobart were drunk and passed out under the tree. I ran to my sister’s house and got her to help me kick Hobart out of the house and told my little brother (12) to get back to bed. I pulled mom to bed and found all the presents and wrapped them and then got my brother to come down to open them. Merry Christmas!!
In the Spring of 1967 there was a beauty contest on the Naval Base. “Miss NAS Whidbey”. I was informed that I was nominated to be a contestant!! WHAT??? ME??? I found out the Marine Corps Barracks nominated me!! (GET THIS STRAIGHT, I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE BARRACKS IN MY LIFE)!! The guys would come over to the dances, and thought I was cute I guess. Any way, I was honored!! I had to go to Seattle to buy a formal, and get my picture taken by a real professional photographer!! They held the contest in the Theater, and I was on stage with about 20 other gals. I had no hopes at all to win, but I felt so wonderful to just be on that stage!!! MY GOD, ME???? I didn’t win, but I had the time of my life!! I felt like royalty. (oh my gosh, if they could see me now!) I started dating this tall cute guy from Texas, and he had to go to work on the flight line at midnight, so once in awhile he would take me out to where he worked and sneak me in the hangar. I remember climbing up into an A-6. (now I know why…so they could look up my skirt). I also went out in the red-eye truck on the airfield once while they brought in an airplane. My dad was working as a Firefighter on the base by now and found out I was sneaking out there, and gave me the riot act!! He had some really strict rules and made me abide by them as long as I was living in his house. I was counting the days until I could get my own place in June when I graduated from high school. I went to my senior Prom with a sailor, and that was frowned upon by the rest of the class so I left early to go to the Kon Tiki and get some real dancing in!!
The night before Graduation I went to the dance at the club and then went for breakfast afterwards. We were all sitting there talking and before we realized, it was 3:00 am!! Carrie was still living at home too, and we were in big trouble!! We had a 2:00 curfew!! She was scared, so we went out on the road and gave the car a flat tire then called her parents. She didn’t get in trouble because her parents believed her. Well my parents knew better!! I told them the truth that we flattened the tire on purpose. I was on restriction on Graduation Night!! I found an apartment a block away from where I worked and I moved out of my parent’s house the next week and was on my own!!
Tomorrow…FREEDOM!!!
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