The war is over and the engaged couple are on opposite sides of the world. Neil has been discharged from the US Navy and is back home in Amsterdam, NY while Pamsy is still in the Land Down Under.
As mom was still underage, she needed her parents’ permission to leave the country and despite her repeated requests to join her fiancé in the United States, the answer was always the same. “You’re too young” and “You barely know him.” The last part was fairly true as it had been over two years since they had seen each other.
Dad, who if you remember always went after what he wanted, decided the only thing to do was to go back to Australia an
d marry her there. He had some money saved so he bought a bus ticket to San Francisco, California where he planned on getting a job on a ship and working his way across the ocean. What could be easier? He had just gotten out of the Navy and he knew his way around a ship, plus he was a hard worker and not fussy about what job he would be willing to take. However, he hadn’t counted on the Stevedores’ Union. Without a union card there was to be no work on a ship. Not giving up on his plan to go after his bride-to-be, he found a room and a job and started saving up to buy passage. In just a few months, he had saved enough for the trip partly because he shared a room with another man and got free meals at the restaurant where he worked. Dad always knew how to pinch a penny and get a nickel.
As mom was still underage, she needed her parents’ permission to leave the country and despite her repeated requests to join her fiancé in the United States, the answer was always the same. “You’re too young” and “You barely know him.” The last part was fairly true as it had been over two years since they had seen each other.
Dad, who if you remember always went after what he wanted, decided the only thing to do was to go back to Australia an
d marry her there. He had some money saved so he bought a bus ticket to San Francisco, California where he planned on getting a job on a ship and working his way across the ocean. What could be easier? He had just gotten out of the Navy and he knew his way around a ship, plus he was a hard worker and not fussy about what job he would be willing to take. However, he hadn’t counted on the Stevedores’ Union. Without a union card there was to be no work on a ship. Not giving up on his plan to go after his bride-to-be, he found a room and a job and started saving up to buy passage. In just a few months, he had saved enough for the trip partly because he shared a room with another man and got free meals at the restaurant where he worked. Dad always knew how to pinch a penny and get a nickel.This is a photo dad sent to mom while he was in San Francisco, ever the romantic he drew a heart with an arrow and their initials on the side by his shoulder.
Coming next - Together again
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