The trip was lonely. It felt like I had left a part of me there. I guess, in reality, I had. I need a distraction tonight.
I pulled in around 5:30. The middle of March in norther Illinois is still raw. That didn't stop my parents from setting up the grill and grilling some 'home grown' steaks. It had been a while since I ate something like that, and with a couple of beers. It felt good to be home... kind of.
We sat at the kitchen table and got caught up. They, of course, asked how Kathy was. I think they could tell, as I smiled, recalling her sitting on my lap in the whirl tub. They asked how Kathy's parents reacted to the news that she was going to live up here... together... with me. Told them that, like them, they weren't nuts about the idea; but, knew how we felt about each other and that we would probably do it anyway. I left out the part about her dad, getting assurance that my plan was to marry his daughter.
They asked what my immediate plans were... like in the coming days.
My plans were to start looking for a job. I had no experience in finding a job. I had gone to a couple of the job fairs that the school had held, and had talked with a couple of companies. The engineering school held sessions to help us with resumes and interviewing, so I had some practice. They also gave some ideas on how to find a job: classifieds, word of mouth, and then agencies (head hunters). That the agencies were probably the best method, as companies sought them out and would pay their fees. Also, agencies would polish my resume, help with the whole interview process, screen the candidates and try to get a good fit for both parties. The trick was to find one that dealt with professional positions. So, it was either in toward Chicago, or Rockford. Rockford being a manufacturing city seem the best initial choice. Plus, it was only half an hour away from my parents. The hunt for our apartment would come later.
They brought me up to date on everything that had happened around there... not much. Tonight, they had planned on going to the Club, it was something they did pretty much every Saturday night, and asked if I wanted to go too. I figured 'why not', it was better than sitting home getting depressed and missing her. I could write a letter, but since it wouldn't go out until Monday morning, I figured I had time.
It wasn't the same. I felt so lonely. My parents knew I was in the dumps, and tried to get me out. A few people asked about my 'girlfriend'. I tried my best to briefly explain that I had finished and was home looking for a job and that Kathy would be finishing at the end of the quarter. That we would see what would happen.
Fortunately, I drove my own car... I left early.
Sitting at my desk, the bookend photo album and portrait in front of me, I started my first of many letters to my girlfriend, hundreds of miles away... most likely laying in her own bed. After giving her the boring details of my drive and being out earlier, I settled into our letter 'conversations' like the summer before.
'Were you awake when I left?'
Her reply, 'Yes. I'm glad you didn't say or do anything. I would have lost it. Oh, and thank you for the 'gift'. It smells just like you. I was going to wear it to bed, but was afraid your scent would be lost. So now, I just have it by my face... imagining you there next to me and sleeping naked.
'I like the idea of looking at the moon together and connecting.'
My reply, 'I'm glad you liked it. I also am grateful for your 'gift'. I was thinking of doing the same, but was concerned that some morning I would forget and my mom might find it. So, now I just bring them out when I'm sitting here writing to you. You smell divine. Yes. I sleep naked too.'
Her reply, 'I knew you would come to see me off. I loved the blown kiss. I almost lost it. What time at night do you 'think' of me?'
My reply, 'I had to come to see you one more time. I 'think' of you around 11:00 each night.'
Her reply, '11:00... I can make that work. Let's see if we can 'communicate'. Although, I'm sure your 'communication' will be messier than mine.' I could see the grin as she wrote that last sentence.
Our letters to each other were daily. The bad thing was mail was about 3 days each way so each response was a week later. Oh well.
About a week, or so, later I had another inspiration; once, or twice a week I would just write out a short 'love message' on an index card.
The first one went something like this, "I miss you the most at night, when everything is quiet. The silence reminds me that I'm not sleeping with you."
The response I received a week later was a single card with an, "Oh my," followed by a love message of her own, "I just want to lay on your chest and listen to your heart beat. Just bare skin to bare skin."
The next one to Kathy said, "Before I met you, I never knew what it was like to look at someone and smile for no reason."
And that's how we filled in our 'away time'.
........................................
By chance, I found an agency in Rockford, through the Rockford paper. They were both a temporary and permanent agency that filled both secretarial and professional positions. Months later I would look back at this chance selection and wonder if this was another one of those guiding 'circumstances' that seemed to frequently present themselves to me... to us.
The recruiter's name was Robert. He was in his late thirties. Seemed athletically fit. His personality really came through. I could tell that he had that uncanny ability to relate to everyone he came in contact with. I felt very comfortable with him. I knew right then, that Kathy would be going through him in her search for a position.
He spent an hour with me that first afternoon, asking me what I wanted to do. I wasn't sure. I mean mechanical engineering covers a lot of ground and Rockford, being a manufacturing city, offered a lot of areas, as they did stuff for aerospace and the military. He asked if I would do any traveling, like doing field service. I had to say that I preferred not to. I carefully explained that my girlfriend, and soon-to-be fiancé would be joining me after graduation. One of the things I wanted to make clear, was that somehow I need to go back to school for the graduation ceremony. He said that was reasonable and that I should emphasize that point during my interviews
It took a week, but then I got a call to come over on a Monday early morning, and to be dressed for interviews. Robert had two set up for Monday, and two each for the next two days. Then we would sit and see what happened.
Most went pretty well.
One was kind of unusual. It was a large family owned machine shop, where they designed, and machined parts for the aerospace industry and military. The company had been a cornerstone business for the city since before World War II. The grounds were beautifully landscaped and enclosed in a ten foot high wrought iron fence. Everybody started out in the machine shop running a lathe, even engineers. It had strict dress code, even for the machinists... plain white shirt and black tie. Even the machinist's apron were cleaned and pressed each day. The atmosphere was patriarchal. Meaning that if they thought you needed a haircut, they would tell you. If they thought the car you were driving was too much, they would tell you. They had their own cafeteria, sleeping area, and even a barber shop. Everything was set up during the War so that the employees could be on site 24 hours a day putting out the necessary parts. Part of the interviewing process was that I had to take a test... and engineering test... solving engineering and mathematical problems.
The Robert asked what I thought of the company. I told him I didn't think they would approve of my living arrangements. He laughed and agreed. He only sent me there for the experience. Since I didn't have anything else to do, I was fine.
During one of my visits with Robert, I asked about possible positions for Kathy. That her degree was in Communications with a minor in business and the areas she was hoping to get into. I didn't know her grade point average; but I assumed it was pretty good... better than mine. He looked at me for a moment and asked if I had a picture of her. I didn't, at least not with me.
The next time I was there for an interview, I showed him Kathy's portrait and the photo her mom took of her wearing the sun dress where her back was toward the camera, showing her completely tanned back and long tanned legs, looking back over her shoulder, and flashing the "Kathy" smile... my favorite.
