My Answer

About noon time he came in, and ordered a beer and he didn't look so rested either, but he had gotten some sleep. I was a little busy with other customers during the noon rush, but soon slowed down, and I took a much needed break. I sat down on the stool behind the counter and he was sitting across on the opposite side.

He spoke up and said, “Well are you or ain’t you?” I knew what he meant, but I wanted to hear him say it again when he was somewhat sober. And I asked, “What are you talking about; are I or ain’t I doing what?”

He chuckled and said, “Are you gonna marry me or not?” I thought about it for a few seconds and said, “Yes I’m gonna marry you?” And then he said, “Pack your duds and let’s get underway I have to check in on the Boat tomorrow morning, and it’s a long drive from here to Key West!”

My boss lady was sitting close by in her easy chair, and I looked at her with a question in my eye. She said, “Go for it girl, you won’t ever find a better man than him, he’s a fine man I've been knowing him a long time; I’ll find somebody else to work, and I've been wondering just how long it was gonna take you two to figure out that you’re in love, everybody else knows it, and we have known for a long time

It was a good 8 hour trip to Key West; we arrived in the wee hours of the morning. We checked in at the El Parado Motel and grabbed some much needed sleep. He asked for a wake-up call, because he had to muster aboard that morning, if memory serves me right at 7:30 a m.

He checked us out when we left, he wanted to try to get basket leave so that we could come back home to get married. If he couldn't; then we would get married in Key West. He had to go in early to the barracks and change out of civvies into dungarees and then report to the Boat.

I sat in the car and waited while he was changing; neither women nor civilians were allowed in the barracks. But I felt like a fish in a glass bowl, all the guys were scoping me out, and so were the wives who were bringing their husband’s to work.

Boats Docked in Key West

When he came back and got into the car, we rode down to the Boat. Again I sat in the car and waited, for quite some time. Finally he came back and he was jubilant, he got the basket leave, another 10 days!

I asked why it took so long and he said, “The Yeoman had to write it up and the Captain had to sign it, and all of the guys were razzing me about getting married!” I learned sometime later what he meant by that statement.

A Pontiac like hers

A 1955 Plymouth like Chuck's

We had to go back to the barracks for him to change again. While I was waiting a really heavy-set lady pulled up in a pink and gray Pontiac beside his car and parked, and she sat there staring at me with a big grin on her face, she was making me really nervous.

She actually had a crew cut, and I had never before in my life seen a woman with her hair cut like that. She just kept staring and grinning. We both had our windows down; Key West climate is like sitting in a steam bath.

I finally spoke up and asked her if something was wrong. And at last she chuckled, and spoke with a drawl, but not southern, “I’m just checking out the one that finally caught ole C B!”

I asked a bit defensively, “And just what is that supposed to mean?”  She answered, “Now honey don’t get all riled up, you’ll find out in due time!”

At last Chuck came back to the car, he laughed and said, “I see you've met Bobbie she is one of the Boat Mama’s, she takes care of all us drunk sailors and makes sure we eat, and she gets us back to the Boat on time if we are too drunk to drive, we hang out at her and Hickman’s house a lot, and then he told her my name.”

I said, “I’m pleased to meet you”. She answered, “Ah Annie, (she dubbed me immediately with a nickname) you’re not even half as pleased to meet me as I am to meet you, and that’s a fact!”

Chuck said, “Now Bobbie that’s enough, don’t you be telling her all my secrets, we have to hit the road again, we’re going go get married!” She answered, “I’ve already heard all about it, and I’ll see you when you get back, and then I’ll fill her in!”

She was the very first Boat wife that I met, and she was one of life’s greatest characters! As I got to know her I grew to love her dearly, she kind of tucked me underneath her wing and taught me the ropes about being a ‘Submarine Sailor’s’ wife. She became one of the best friends I had ever had at that point in my life.