MARRIED... and facing the real world (Part 47e)

Back in the car I remember being wet from nervous perspiration. Elle knew how hard that had been for me and she snuggled close and gave me a kiss. It was appreciated. On the trip back we got the idea of stopping at Harry’s to give him the check. Our thinking was that we could cut a week’s time off getting the trailer. It wasn’t that far out of our way but when we got there I realized that this was the weekend for the big yearling horse auction in Pennsylvania. I'd forgotten about it and the fact that he was there as he was selling a few of his homebred colts. In a way it wasn’t a waste of time because it was Elle, looking at the trailer park, who asked where we were going to put the trailer once we got it. I’m laughing as I write this. I can’t believe that I’d signed the papers for the trailer without having a space to put it in. As we drove the last little way back we realized that we still had some work to do before we could move into our new ”home“.

It was a combination of concern and laughter as we drove the 20 miles back to Elle’s sorority. In the 3 plus years that I’d been in and around the town I couldn’t remember seeing a trailer park. It was almost dark when we got there so there wasn’t much point in just driving around trying to find one. As I said good bye to Elle I told her that Harry surely would know of at least one. She didn’t look convinced.

As I started the week I felt like I was drowning with decisions to be made and things that had to be done. As I was leaving class with Dr F he called me into his office. In my first meeting with him concerning the possibility of providing educational opportunities for students not able to keep up with the prescribed curriculum. I had mentioned Joanne and how unfair it was that she was denied formal schooling. He now wanted me to arrange a meeting with her and her parents. I’d wanted to go tell the T’s about that meeting with Dr F and the fact that he was working on a possible program for the State education department but I just never found the time. Now I had to.

After my afternoon class I drove out to the farm just in time to see the cows get herded into the milking barn. My timing wasn’t the greatest. Mrs T saw me and motioned for me to go to the house. As I walked in it seemed like old times as the smell of fresh baked apple pie filled the air. I waited for about 10 minutes and then Joanne walked in. As was usual for her after not seeing me for more than a few weeks she appeared to be shy. Her mother walked in right behind her and I was greeted with a big hug and an immediate invitation for dinner. She always did know the way to get my attention. I accepted but told her I needed to talk with her before dinner. After explaining the little that I knew about the potential for the program I explained that Dr F wanted to meet with the family. It was like I’d just given them a big Christmas present. Joanne and her mother started dancing around the kitchen like little children. I was excited too but no where near that much.

I’d wanted to call Harry but by the time we finished dinner I knew I wouldn’t be able to reach him so that was a bit of a disappointment. Another was that I’d spent the afternoon at the T’s and hadn’t scored any exams. Having to do the scoring in Dr F’s office was turning out to be a royal pain. The next day I called Harry first thing and was told that there were two possibilities for the trailer in the town with one being within a mile of the campus. He also said that he could/would make arrangements if I wanted. Even though I knew Elle would want to see just where she was to live I told Harry to ”go“ with the one nearest to the school. When I hung up the phone all I could do was hope that it wasn’t too bad. The only one I'd really ever noticed was at Harry's place and that seemed to be OK. I hoped that it would be at least equal to it.

The T’s came to meet with Dr F on Wednesday. I wanted to be there but wasn’t invited. I made Mrs T promise to tell me just how it went and that I’d call that night. In spite of all the things I had on my mind all I could focus on that afternoon was that meeting. The net result was that Dr F wanted all of Joanne’s school records and any aptitude tests and the like that she’d ever taken. Dr F told them that Joanne was going to be the centerpiece of his presentation to the powers that be who would be making the grant. I remember feeling almost as excited as the two women had been in the kitchen only a few days prior.

As much as I wanted to get over to Elle's I stayed at school Saturday morning trying to score enough tests to make up for my lost day. At the minimum I needed to average between $15 and $20 a week and it really wasn’t enough. Anything less and I was in trouble. My trip over to see Elle was mixed with trepidation and excitement. I hadn’t told Elle about finding a ”home“ for the trailer so that was part of it. The other half was taking the check to Harry and arranging for the trailer to be delivered. Unfortunately it was a dull, gray day. I got Elle in the car and followed Harry’s directions to the trailer park. It was actually on the same street/road that Elle’s sorority was on but almost a mile away. I didn’t tell Elle any more than we were going to look at a potential space for the trailer. I was attentively looking for it but actually drove right by it. Harry had warned that it might be hard to spot. He wasn’t kidding. After turning the car around and heading back into town I noticed a couple of trailers parked on a hill behind a closed gas station. My first thought was that this couldn’t be the place. It was!

To be continued...