Late the next morning we kissed mom and dad goodbye as they left for Missouri. Louis and Gail took our little bunch to the train station and after our goodbyes we boarded the train for Kansas City. We were all mighty tired but happy. The media was full of the horrific death of President Kennedy and most of the passengers on the train were talking about the tragedy. It was to be unresolved forever…….

After the wedding Louis and Gail had a lot of things to finish up and get back into the swing of things. Since they both worked at Allen-Bradley life was fairly simple during the work-week and on nights and week-ends there was always a lot going on. Louis was the one to dream up things to do and for six years they enjoyed their home and their life.

I can’t think about their early life together without talking about Mame. Before they were married, Louis bought an adorable little black poodle for Gail as a gift. Mame had the cutest personality of any dog I’ve ever known. She was a party dog for one thing because Louis worked after hours as a bartender for a friend. Gail would wait for him to get off work at the bar and Mame grew accustomed to having a drip or two out of everyone’s bottle when they had emptied it. She was the true vernacular of a booze-hound.

Mame was the child they never had. Louis felt she needed exercise so while they lived in their two-story house he would sit on the floor in front of the stairs and throw a ball up the steps. Mame would tear after it up and down time after time until she just couldn’t wiggle. Louis had fun incorporating new twists to their fun and Mame absolutely loved playtime. “Hide your dirty little face” became a favorite. He would put his hand over Mame’s eyes, throw the ball and when he said OK she could run find it. She was oh so smart……hardly ever got stumped on that one.

One time we visited and they had never eaten tacos. Louis had several of their pals over for a Saturday get-to-gather since we had met them all before. This was before the big taco thing hit everywhere so I went to several stores to find the tortillas and had to fry each one in the shape to put the fillings in. I worked for several hours frying the shells and preparing the rest of the fillings one uses to make tocos. Finally it came time for the taste test. I showed Louis how to build one and after the first one he was hooked. I don’t know how many he ate but I can honestly say he did them justice. A next door neighbor of ours back in Kansas City had served them once to us and I knew it would be something Louis would like. He introduced us to pizza and we introduced him to tacos. It was a love affair for both of us from then on.

On these visits there were always two ingredients. Watching Mame play and visiting with all of their friends. Louis and Gail were apt hosts and everyone loved coming to their home. This was home to them for six years……but it was about to change…….

Louis had a good friend who had an excellent job offer in Seattle with Emerson-Diesel. It was a company that made huge generators and machinery, much of which was used with deep sea equipment. His constant phoning back to Louis with details of his job were interesting and inspiring. He kept telling Louis to come out and go to work for him……..he had a good opening.

The offer finally took root and the decision was made. Louis gave notice to Allen-Bradley after working thirteen years for them. Gail stayed behind to sell the house and get ready to move the household. When the final preparations were made Gail gave notice to them also; she had worked for them since high-school…..eighteen years in all. With the furniture loaded and on its’ way Gail and her mother headed for Seattle in their red Mustang convertible. Mame of course was on Gail’s lap with her favorite toy…..a ball she loved to chase…….

Tomorrow…..a new address in Seattle…..
Until then,

Essentially Esther