At 6:05 am, weighing in at 5 lbs. 2 oz., and 21 inches long, Sonny’s baby boy squalled out his first sounds of life, much to the relief of his exhausted young mother who now cried more from the ease of her pain than joy for the arrival of her child, so wanted, yet not wanted at the same time. Carol and Art stayed with their daughter for the first hour after the birth then departed for home as Gina settled in for a well earned nap. On the way home, Carol could see the familiar grimace on Arts face and knew all too well what he was thinking, as they headed back over the bridge and out of town. She had been told clearly enough for months now, as Gina’ s pregnancy progressed, how her husband felt about it and now that the baby was a reality; as she sat alone beside Art, the silence was palpable and she too now quietly grieved for her daughter as well.
* * *
Gina had always loved the County Fair. It was a chance to meet with friends, eat her weight in Cotton Candy and ride the Ferris wheel, her personal favorite on the midway. As she stood near an arcade looking at the prizes all lit up in a cage, hoping to entice passers-by with a chance to win; Gina’s best friend Susan Clayton waved as she ran up to Gina, introducing her to the two male companions with her. Bob Sorenson had a dark complexion with wavy black hair; he was an athletic good looking young man who was Susan’s cousin from Richmond Hill, a few miles south west of Savannah. His friend Sonny Boone was tall, and lanky with blond hair, and had a shy nervous James Dean look. As the four conversed and got acquainted, they moved down the midway taking in the sights, laughing and deciding what to do next. After whirling around on most of the rides and taking in the Agricultural exhibits, all four were famished and sought out the food stands near the beer garden. As they sat under the strung lights that now hid the starry sky from view, they munched on their food, listened to the music coming from the near-by dance hall and talked about their dreams and the future that stood before them now that the war was over.
Sonny was twenty two, just six months older than his friend Bob whom he had met in the service while stationed in Evreux France, right before the end of the of hostilities and the liberation of Paris. Bob had been an administrator attached to a bomber squadron for most of his deployment; but Sonny had fought with an armor division that crisscrossed over the borders of France and Germany the last eighteen months of the war. The girls were fascinated to hear about their experiences but soon noticed the pained look on Sonny’s face as he finally changed the subject by offering to buy more goodies to eat for anyone who wasn’t stuffed already. They all laughed declining, as they rubbed their tummies and stood to clear the table. Bob suggested that they go in to the dance hall and Jitter-Bug off their supper while they could still walk and so they did. The band that night was from Charleston, South Carolina, a group called the Baxley Band, and they really kept the music rolling. The four changed partners throughout the evening and had the best time moving to the beat of tunes like the Chattanooga Chou—Chou, with their supple energetic bodies. After the austerity of the war years it was great to be young and alive and have hope for a future that looked questionable just a few short months ago. When the music changed to a dreamy slow dance, Sonny asked Gina to take the floor one more time. As he took her in his arms there was a look of tender longing on his face and as they swayed to the music, he could not help putting his face into her soft flowing curls and closing his eyes to let the moment carry him away, far away from where he had been, to a place that was soft, sweet and gentle, where all seemed right with the world again. Later as they all walked to the parking lot and to say their good-bys, Sonny asked to see Gina again and she happily agreed, giving him her address as she smiled, waved and pulled away into the night.
* * *
Two days later after their introduction at the Fair, Sonny Boone drove up into the drive at Gina’s home. He had followed her directions just fine, connecting with the rural route just outside of town and looking for the mail box with the hand plow attached to its post for added decoration, and a wooden plaque that dangled from the box announcing the number 174 with the name Harris in bold black letters; all a creation of Gina’s father, who thought himself to have a creative eye. Sonny parked his 1940 black Ford convertible in the drive way, turned off the radio and put out his cigarette. Popping some gum in his mouth, he checked in the mirror while slicking back his wind—blown hair with the palms of his hands. As he got out of the car and began to walk across the lawn toward the house, Carol, Gina’s mother came out onto the front porch with a watering can in her hand to water her flowers. Looking up she saw the young man and waited for him to approach the steps. Smiling he reached out his hand, and Carol put down her watering can next to her bright pink Geraniums and took his hand. Sonny introduced himself and asked if Gina was at home, to which Carol replied that she was and that he could find her around back, in the vegetable garden. As Sonny moved around the corner of the house, he could see Gina crouched down pulling weeds and thinning Okra plants. She looked so adorable with a kerchief tied around her hair, dressed in what looked like overalls that were rolled up to the knees and caked with damp soil. As she stood, she pulled off her gloves and reached to wipe the sweat from her forehead when she turned and saw Sonny walking across the lawn. At first she smiled, then remembering her appearance, she quickly grabbed the scarf from her head and began to tidy herself. This made Sonny laugh, and a smile lit his face.
Carol soon came out of the back door of the house with a tall pitcher of iced tea and glasses on a tray, placing them on a small picnic table under an Elm tree that grew near the garden. At that point Art, Gina’s dad, came out of the garden shed with a spade he had just sharpened and saw that they had company. Carol motioned to Art to take a break and have some tea to cool off. As everyone coalesced under the Elm, a slight breeze brought momentary relief from the hot Georgia noon day sun, and everyone gladly reached for their tea. Gina happily introduced Sonny to her parents and told them how they had met at the Fair through her friend Susan Clayton, whom her parents had known since Gina and Susan were in the second grade together. Art being the typical father of an only child and a daughter to boot scrutinized Sonny and asked about his family, where he was from and what he had done in the service. Sonny seemed a bit shy and reluctant to reveal much about himself. However during the course of this friendly interrogation, the family came to know that Sonny Boone had grown up in the small town of Jesup Georgia, about two hours south west of Savannah, where his family was in the Hardware business. He had one sibling, an older sister named Katie, who was now married and living in Atlanta. His parents had planned to send Sonny on to College but the war broke out and then everything changed. When asked by Art what he wanted to do now, he seemed uncertain and at a loss for words, finally saying something about looking into school again and some business opportunities up north. Soon Sonny changed the subject by asking Gina if she would like to take a ride. After getting a nod from her mother, she said that she would love to but needed a few minutes to wash up and change her clothes. While Sonny patiently waited for Gina, he made an attempt to engage her parents in conversation about their garden, as he moved toward a row of leafy collard greens. Art stuck his newly sharpened spade in the ground and began a dissertation on the need for frequent irrigation of the sandy soil found near the coast.
* * *
As Sonny and Gina drove off down the lane that afternoon, Art turned to Carol with a quizzical look on his face, shook his head and walked back into the garden shed. Carol stood motionless near the picnic table for a moment, staring off over the nearby fields, remembering how it was when she was young; within the flower of her womanhood, experiencing everything new for the first time. She thought about what a special season it is for every young girl and how the pure joy and sweetness of those moments is like the flicker of a candle, a wondrous, passionate glow, but once disturbed, disappears, and is gone forever. How soon it is, that the realities of life settle in, shattering the naive expectations of youth. Finally, Carol bringing
herself back to the moment at hand, placed the pitcher of tea on her tray, gathered the glasses and disappeared inside. When was it she wondered, when she and Art had lost the magic between them and had settled for the mundane grind of life, the mechanics of living without the pleasure, passion and excitement that makes life worth living?
Sonny and Gina drove to a park near the river and pulled up under the shade of an Oak tree, letting the slight breeze from the water sooth them. As they had driven there, they laughed and held light conversation, mostly talking about their meeting at the fair and the good time they had. But now as they sat looking out over the river, they seemed to each be lost in their own thoughts. Finally Sonny looked over at Gina and reached for her hand. She nervously held his hand, searched his face for any signs of what he might be thinking. Then staring straight ahead, he started out slowly, forming his words with care, unsure of how much he wanted to say to the young happy girl seated beside him. He told her that he now understood what a delicate thing life is and how in our normal passing we do not fully understand the miracle of our being, the essence of life; “We take so much for granted’ he said. The sadness in his voice made Gina wish she could make him feel better but she didn’t know how. She acknowledged that what he said was true and that the war had made everyone a little more sensitive than they might have been, for all had suffered some kind of loss. Sonny went on to say that when he was a little boy; he would lay in his bed at night and wonder what he would do when he was a grown up man. All he knew as he grew older was that he did not want to be his dad. Even then he had felt like running, that there had to be so much more waiting for him out there in the world. He, like many small boys, dreamed of far off places and grand adventures; of seeing how others live in far off lands. Now turning in his seat, Sonny look into Gina’s eyes and said he had seen far off places and that he now realized that at the heart of it, all people want the same things; to live, love, and laugh, to have families and grow old tending their grandchildren. Sonny said that over the last few years he had gained a new respect for his father, his steadiness and quiet wisdom, that in the past he had regarded as dull and boring. A soft smile creased Gina’s lips as she reached to pat the hand she was holding and admitted that often it is hard to fully understand and appreciate parents with their rules and concerns, but that most parents love their children and do the best they can for them. With his free hand Sonny reached for Gina, placing his arm around her neck and gently pulled her to him, he kissed her tenderly.
Over the next several weeks Gina and Sonny became inseparable, except for the time Sonny was obligated to work for his father in his business while living at home, until he decided what he wanted to do with his future. Gina had graduated from High School in the spring and now worked for the public Library as a file clerk and all round gofer in training. When they were not at their respective jobs they were together. Over the course of time the two had opened their souls to one another, speaking of all their personal aspirations and desires. They found that they had so much in common, that there was a natural ease in their relationship, like putting on your favorite pair of old slippers. Gina had noticeably been good for Sonny, bringing him out of his shell and forcing him into a true belly laugh on occasion. As the two seemed to be best friends, Carol already knew that her daughter had fallen in love with Sonny and waited, wondering how soon it would be before Gina would come to her with this news. Even Art, over time, had come to see that Sonny though a quiet, private, person, had a good heart and the right kind of values they all shared. And then there was the other side of it, the pure joy and delight that his daughter exhibited at the very mention of Sonny’s name. Yes, Art also saw the signs and felt it would only be a matter of time before he and Sonny had the talk.
One rainy afternoon, Sonny pulled up in front of the Savannah Library with a sack lunch. After he held his coat over their heads, getting him and Gina back to his car, they settled in through the downpour and ate the Hot Dogs, pickles and chips Sonny had brought. As they talked, laughed and ate their lunch Sonny looked over at Gina and smiled. Reaching for her face, he swiped at the mustard dancing at the corner of her mouth and with his finger, put that mustard in his own mouth saying “Waste not want not” to which she laughed and offered him more with a quick kiss. Smiling at each other with mustard smeared on their faces, Sonny took Gina’s hand and teased, that just by looking at her big yellow grin he could tell she was the girl for him. As Gina giggled and began to pull her hand away to wipe her face, Sonny stopped her and held on to her. When she looked into his eyes she could tell there had been a slight shift in his mood, he now seemed more deliberate. He then faced her, putting both hands on her shoulders and with an intense looked, gazed straight into her eyes and said, “Mustard mouth, will you marry me”? At this Gina threw her arms around his neck and squealed “Yes”.
The young couple decided to talk to Gina’s parents together. Gina had invited Sonny over to the house for dinner one night and was prepared to serve cake and coffee after the meal, when she and Sonny would tell her parents about their plans. That night as the meal progressed, everyone seemed in a good mood and conversation was easy. Sonny told the family about his decision to pursue a career opportunity in Indiana. He said he had heard from a friend of his, a guy he had met in the service that the Studebaker plant in South Bend was now hiring; picking up their auto production again now that the war had ended. Sonny for the first time seemed excited and animated by the idea of helping the company produce a car line he had always admired. He spoke of the revolutionary Bullet-nose design they had used in the production of the Champion, Commander and Starlight models and what a success they had been. Art said he knew that Studebaker had the reputation of being a quality car and that the Mayor of Savannah actually drove one in a parade the city held down town a few months ago. He went on to say it was a beautiful shiny Robin’s egg blue and the only one he had ever actually seen outside of magazines. Sonny said he loved that color, then after a moment to help himself to more sweet potatoes, continued talking about all that Studebaker had done for the war effort; like producing 200,000 army trucks, most having been sent to France and the Soviet Union, and how they had perfected the engine used in the B-17 Flying Fortress. Art was happy to see a glint in Sonny’s eyes and that he had finally begun to think about his future.
After supper they decided to sit in the Living room to have their coffee and the wonderful Coconut Cream cake Gina had made from her mother’s recipe. it had always been a favorite at the Harris household. Once they were settled and were sipping at their coffee, Gina began by telling her parents that a few days ago Sonny had asked her to marry him and that she had said yes, and she flashed a happy excited smile his way. Sonny took over at this point, explaining that with this new opportunity in South Bend, the factory was giving veterans’ a leg up in hiring and that he felt confident once hired, he could make enough money for them to live on. He said that he had already forwarded an application to them and should be hearing back any day. Gina crossed the room to pick up a calendar from the desk and pointed to a date just two weeks away. “Mom, she said, we would like to be married soon, because when Sonny gets his letter, he will need to leave right away”. Sonny then explained that the plan was for him to go north and get established, find an apartment, then dart back over a weekend and pick up Gina. By the time he came back for her, he would have money in his pocket and a place for her to live.
Art sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin, taking turns looking into Sonny and Gina’s young expectant eyes, realizing their longing for each other and need to be together. He cautiously tested their emotions by asking if they had considered waiting until Sonny had his job and all the other preparations made, and then get married and not be forced to rush and make plans. A flicker of disappointment shown in Gina’s eyes but Sonny jumped in and said he understood Art’s concerns for his only daughter but that he was going to take good care of her because she was his soul mate and that he and Gina
both knew that. At this point, Carol broke in to say that she realized they sincerely loved one another but that two weeks was a very short time to put a wedding together. At that Gina said a small gathering of family and a few of their closest friends would not require much notice for a simple ceremony that could be held in their own beautiful flower garden at home. Carol looked over to Art who had now clasped his hands and was looking down at the floor, studying the pattern of the throw rug beneath his feet. After a short silence, Art looked up and asked Sonny if he had discussed all of this with his parents, to whom he replied he had and that his parents had asked to meet Gina, and that he hoped to take her home to Jesup on Saturday for an introduction and visit. Carol then said with a sympathetic smile, “Why don’t we talk again the first of the week and decide then, what needs to be done”. At that, Art stood and stretched a bit, asking Sonny to walk out—side with him for a moment. Gina shot her mother a distressed look as her mother began carrying their cups and dessert dishes into the kitchen, motioning for Gina to follow her and lend a hand. Washing the dishes, Gina looked out the window above the sink and saw her father across the yard under the Elm tree with one foot up on a picnic bench, gesturing with his hands as he spoke to Sonny. Sonny stood there listening with his hands in his pockets, occasionally nodding his head with acknowledgement. “I wonder what dad is saying to Sonny” Gina asked, while her mother rubbed her shoulder and told her not to worry. “I am going to marry him mom” she said as she folded the dish towel and again peered out the window. “I know sweet girl, but let’s make sure it’s right” said Carol, pulling Gina into her arms for a hug.
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