Silver Anniversary

This story keeps coming back to me. It is based on a true event that I was a minor player in many years ago. I never knew the whole story so except for the small kernel of truth that I was involved in the rest is pure speculation. Somewhat like the National Enquirer, a little fact and the rest fiction. The part I was involved in was a sad part during what was supposed to be the hero's blessed celebration.

Here goes:

Dear Reader, in order to get into the spirit of this story we must go back in time a few years, well that is to me and my generation but for some this is before your time even began. The time is 1986. Ronald Reagan was president of these United States. We had survived the Carter administration with its "Misery Index" that had followed the national disgrace of our leadership allowing us to fail in Vietnam and the subsequent jeering of those who dedicate their lives to protect us and our freedoms, our military. We had lived through gas rationing and imported piss-poor steel. Manufacturing was headed overseas at an outrageous pace and inflation was at a double digit rate.

There were no such things as cell phones, the world wide web, digital television, ipods, ipads, or other small devices to help entertain us. The cassette was still king but the compact disk was just coming into vogue. VHS and Beta were fighting for supremacy in the home TV recording environment. You had to take out a small loan to buy a video camera and you needed a strong shoulder to hold the thing or a good tripod and a lot of room.

Computers were mostly used in business and were not used for gaming much yet. The IBM Personal Computer (PC) was the most popular due to its business applications. The Apple II was king in the classroom. Graphics were rudimentary. The Commodore 64 was arguably the best console for games.

Video stores were popping up but you had to buy a membership before you could rent a video player or a video tape.

If you lived in a rural area you relied on a couple of broadcast channels for your TV signal along with a high tower with the antenna at the top or you had a six foot or eight foot analog dish to pull in more channels.

You paid out the nose for long distance telephone to call your friends and family. Sometimes a call of only a few miles involved extra charges.

This sets us up for the beginning of our tale.

Charles (call him Chuck) Neumeyer sat at the unfamiliar bar and examined the contents of the shot glass. He would drink the odd beer on occasion but couldn't remember when he was last wasted. His intention was to start a new tradition, one that depended on getting drunk enough to forget this one particular day.

The amber liquid from the bourbon in the glass was a beautiful color he decided. As a matter of fact that particular shade of amber just might become his new favorite color replacing the red that his wife, Marcy, preferred and, because she liked it, was by default his favorite color.

Chuck slowly turned the glass and held it up to the light and looked at distant objects through the glass. This was his eighth shot of bourbon since stumbling into this bar. Or was it ninth? He no longer cared. He just wished he could no longer care about anything.

He threw the shot back and didn't even grimace at the burn anymore. It must be working, he thought, since I am having trouble feeling any physical pain. When did the mental pain stop, though?

The bartender poured him another at his gesture. Chuck sat and contemplated this next drink as he thought back.

He had been born just a few miles from his current location in the only hospital in Crockettville. He had grown up here and had only left for a few years to get an associate's degree in construction before returning and going to work for his old family friend, Billy Chase, who owned and ran Chase Construction.

Over the years Chuck had done most everything from concrete work, to block and brick, to rough framing and then to finish work. During the lean times Billy had branched out into handyman work and so Chuck had been tapped to take care of the minor window replacement, small renovations, and even learned some plumbing techniques that helped to bring in the money needed to keep operations going.

They had even put up pole barns, steel farm buildings, and grain bins as needed. They weren't what they wanted to deal with on a routine basis but during hard and lean times you do what you have to do.

Chuck was now the project manager. This allowed Billy time to go out and sell new business.

As the project manager Chuck oversaw hiring of crews and assigning work and scheduled subcontractors. Sometimes things could get a little heated and as manager he had to defuse the situation. Talking worked sometimes but occasionally a couple of guys needed their heads knocked together. Chuck was only five foot nine inches tall and a solid 186 pounds on most days but he had grown up in the rough and tumble construction business so he wasn't afraid to knock heads together as needed. Respect is everything in this business so he had to be just a little tougher than his toughest guy and could brook no bluster. He did it.

In this year of 1986 the construction industry was again against the ropes. The jobs were small and few between. Everything was tight.

Marcy Neumeyer was Chuck's anchor. A couple of years younger than Chuck at forty-eight she was your typical middle-aged woman. She was still his high school sweetheart but her five foot four inch frame carried some extra pounds but Chuck never minded. They literally had grown up together and had attended the same schools until they graduated high school. They had dated since eighth grade.

The only discord in their budding relationship came a few weeks before prom in his senior year. They had gone together to prom in his junior year and the whole town knew that this was a couple destined to be together.

Their high school years were during the late 1950s and once you chose your opposite number you were expected to stay with that person. No one messed with you or your steady. Chuck had given Marcy his letter sweater when he was a junior and she was a freshman and only borrowed it back to add chevrons or hardware to his letter, a large "C" for Crockettville high school.

When he had purchased his class ring he only wore it a week before giving it to Marcy. She had immediately wound yarn into it so she could wear it proudly on her finger. Since she was a couple of years behind him he didn't get her ring until her sophomore year and his senior year.

Her ring was kept on a necklace around his neck at all times. He didn't even take it off when he bathed.

Just before their senior prom a snake slithered into their Garden of Eden. Chuck was one of the few boys in school at that time that had his own car. It was a big Oldsmobile that he picked up for a couple of hundred dollars, a veritable fortune at that time. He and his dad had tuned the engine until it purred. It was a big engine and could push that heavy sled of steel down the road at eighty miles an hour.

Marcy had always been proud to sit next to Chuck on the bench seat. A lot of people gave them good-natured ribbing about how it took two people to steer that big car. It also had room for their friends and became the party rig for trips to the river for swimming in summer, to the river for ice skating in the winter, to baseball and softball games, dances, movies, sock hops, and whatever else struck their fancy.

As a matter of fact most people seldom saw the one without the other at any time except when Chuck was working for his uncle out on the farm a few miles outside of town.

Chuck had met Marcy at the school cafeteria for their usual noon meal of mystery meat. "Marcy, I know that we have been going steady since forever but I don't want to seem to be taking you for granted. Will you go to prom with me this year?" He was smiling at the time as they had been talking about this prom, his senior one, for some time. They had even discussed maybe trying to get a motel room and "going all the way." This was a huge decision any couple could make as, for the girl, she was expected to be a blushing virgin for her one and only lover she would ever have.

Marcy Bains looked up at her boyfriend and announced. "I'm sorry, Chuck, but you are a little late. Jimmy Willis has asked me to the prom and I have accepted. I know you love me and I love you but I have not ever gone out with anyone else but you and so I decided that I need to spread my wings a little."

Everyone within hearing range took a deep breath and held it. This wasn't done. You didn't throw over your boyfriend of forever on the eve of the biggest social event of high school. They all carefully watched Chuck.

Chuck was confused and afraid he was going to puke. A solid hit to his stomach on the football field had never made him feel this badly so quickly. He also didn't realize how loudly he was talking until friends later related word for word his reply to her announcement.

"Why are you doing this now? We talked about this. We made plans for prom and the whole night, don't you remember? We are getting married as soon as you graduate in a couple of years. I am going to wait for you for as long as it takes." His expression made some of the boys ill at ease and most of the girls wish they could comfort him.

Marcy must have anticipated his questions. "Well, for one, we have never been out with any other person. I want to see what else is out there. You are going to graduate and I will be still here for another two years. Jimmy can keep me company while you are off to school. I just decided that I would start to date now instead of waiting until you are gone. Besides, Jimmy is the starting quarterback and you are just a linebacker. He might well be crowned prom king and I know you don't even want to run for it. I might just end up prom queen with him."

Chuck was completely out of his depth here. His best friend, his girlfriend, his future wife, was sitting there wearing his letter sweater and his class ring and acting as though they were just acquaintances who casually dated. They had grown up together. He had been told by both his parents and her parents to watch out for her. He had walked her to school when she first started and was so afraid that she had clung to his hand the entire trip to and from school for days until she became comfortable.

They had shared their first kisses with each other. They had dated, driven to Lookout Point and had necked and petted together. There had never been anyone else and Marcy had never said anything about not wanting a change until today, in front of the entire school.

He dropped his head in defeat. Any kind of scene here would make him look like a wuss. He took a deep breath. "I guess you have the right. As long as you are making these kinds of plans I believe you should give me back my letter sweater and my ring." At the same time he took off the necklace and threw it on the table in front of her.

"Wait a minute, I am not breaking up with you. We are still going steady. As a matter of fact we have a date for Friday night. We are going to the movies with Sandy and Jeff."

"No, we are not. What the hell, keep the sweater and the ring. I won't wear them anyhow since they are tainted." He turned and left the cafeteria and went straight to his car. Even though it was not allowed he jumped in, prayed it would start as a lot of his classmates had come out to watch what he would do, cranked it over and, when it caught, spun out on the gravel parking lot and took off in a cloud of dust.

He went to the farm and started to split wood for the cookstove that his uncle and aunt continued to use. He then let his tears of frustration and anger out. He couldn't let anyone know how deeply he was hurt. He just hoped that Marcy had a miserable time at prom and leading up to it.

His wishes were granted.

When he came home that night his mother let him know that Marcy had been calling. He shrugged his shoulders and went to his room. Later his mom came to his door and asked what was going on. "Mom, I will be honest with you. I didn't know this but Marcy has decided to date Jimmy Willis and is going to prom with him. She never told me a thing until today at lunch. Since then I have had no reason to talk to her."

Of course this didn't set well with Beulah Neumeyer. While she could sympathize with her son she knew that Marcy was a good girl and was destined to marry Chuck. She and Marcy's mother were best friends and the families had been close since the kids were little. She tried to get Chuck to at least talk with Marcy on the phone. Chuck put his foot down and refused.

At school the next morning Chuck felt even lonelier. He was so used to Marcy sitting next to him in the car that he kept looking at the empty spot as he left for school a little earlier than usual so he didn't have to look at her disloyal face.

At school three different girls came up and asked him to go to prom. They weren't even the less pretty of the senior class that you would expect to jump at the chance to get a date for prom. No, they were all cheerleaders and friends of Marcy's.

He thanked them and told them he would give them a reply later in the day. One of his guy friends then came up and clapped him on the back and dragged him off to a small group of other classmates who were ready to go beat the shit out of Jimmy Willis, in spite of the fact he was their starting quarterback.

Chuck persuaded them to leave Jimmy alone. He realized that Marcy had made the decision and Jimmy was just taking advantage of her need to expand her horizons a little earlier than he had anticipated. He had already come to the conclusion a few weeks before that she would probably date while he was off to junior college.

Just before class started Marcy caught up with him. She was fuming. "What the H E double toothpicks is wrong with you? I had to get mom to drive me to school this morning. She was all over me about dumping you. I am NOT dumping you, you dummy. It is only ONE date, not a commitment. Where do you get off telling everyone that I am dumping you for Jimmy Willis?" She actually grabbed his shirt and tried to slap him for some reason.

She should have anticipated his expression and the force of the block to keep her hand from connecting with his face. He was now angry as hell at her. "What do you expect, dropping this bombshell on me a couple of weeks before prom? Prom, darn it, the dance of the year according to you. This is my last prom as I will be in college after this. You will get two more prom opportunities and can attend with anyone you darn well please." He was tempted to cuss but that wasn't done at that time.

"I will also remind you that we made plans, not just for the dance but afterwards. We had discussed it and had been working towards this for years. Now you get to go with Jimmy, and for all I know, will bless him with your favors after the dance. I know it won't be with me. Whether you agree or not, when you told me that you were going to prom that ended it with us right then. You broke up with me. That also means that you will have to suffer any consequence of your action. I hope to god that you don't get another date offer all year, including this summer. I am also glad to let you know that three girls have asked me to prom this morning. There may be more later, I don't know."

He let go of the arm that he had been holding to keep from being hit. "My parents raised me to believe that striking a woman was wrong. They also raised me to not be hit by a woman also. Try to hit me again and I may forget what they taught me."

He turned away abruptly while she was still blubbering about how they were still going together. He hardened his heart and ducked into the classroom and took a seat with the rest of the gang and away from the rest of the girls who had been wide-eyed and open eared to find out all the dirt.

He missed Jimmy Willis coming up to Marcy in the hallway and telling her that he was not going to take her to prom as every girl in his class had told him what kind of cad he was.

Chuck had attended prom with one of the cheerleaders, Janie. It was a pleasant experience but not the one he wanted. She even hinted that she was willing to relieve him of his virginity but he was still too incensed with Marcy to be the great date Janie wanted him to be.

Marcy attended also but had to get her cousin to take her. No one wanted to sit near them and the other girls actually caught her in the bathroom after the banquet and told her what they thought of her. Marcy didn't enjoy prom as much as Chuck did.

Chuck stood by his guns over the summer after graduation even though Marcy had kept trying to get him back. He unbent enough to acknowledge her and didn't refuse to attend shared events that his parents insisted he come to. He just didn't ask her out anymore.

That fall, after working on the farm all summer, he left for school a hundred miles away. At that time the highways were still mostly gravel so travel was hard. He took a half day to drive to the city the school was located in. He was only planning on returning home during holidays. It was a two year junior college and he was studying construction techniques.

During that time of school he came home for the Christmas Break and then again during Spring Break. He took an internship with a large construction company during the summer break so he only came home on Memorial Day since it was on a Friday and gave him a three day weekend. He was again home on the Fourth of July for just the day so he could see the big public fireworks display. He drove all night to get back to work the next day. He came home again on Labor Day since it was on a Monday that year.

Each time he was home Marcy tried to get him to talk to her. She was lonely as no guy would ask her out except the class assholes that thought she was a loose woman. The other girls were told by their parents to not have anything to do with her as she was damaged goods. Actually she was still a virgin and innocent of all the ills the rumor mill laid at her door but how do you prove a negative?

Chuck would be polite and say "Hi" but that was about all. He had dated a few girls at the college but wasn't serious about any one girl. He could have even lost his virginity but was still hurt by Marcy and, at the same time, still in love with her. That was why he would not talk with her much. He knew she could still inflict pain. You have to not care anymore before the pain can go away.

The next year was kind of a repeat with Chuck just coming home during holidays. After graduation he accepted the job offer from Chase Construction and started work.

Marcy had finally lived down the gossip and being ostracized. Jimmy Willis had come back and asked her out her senior year. They dated steadily but not as a committed couple. Jimmy thought for a while she would be the ticket to ending his virgin status but accepted her decision to not give up her maidenhead to him after being slapped a few times. He genuinely liked her so they continued to date and he was her escort to her senior prom even though he had graduated the year before. He had not gone off to school as his dad owned the local Chevy dealership and he was assured of a job that didn't need a college education.

When Chuck moved back to Crockettville he got a small apartment and didn't run into Marcy very often. He dated a few different women but it was still the same. There just wasn't the connection that he had enjoyed with Marcy for all those years. He knew he needed to move on but he was on no hurry.

After graduation Marcy decided to attend the local secretarial school. After taking all those classes she then decided to take the office management classes. This took two years.