Life's Mysteries

Joanne and I were married by a Unitarian minister in June, 1956. After the ceremony we borrowed her parents' GMC 3/4-ton and their poodle, Bobo, and set off to the cabin for our honeymoon. I think her parents insisted we take Bobo because they wanted someone on the expedition who had some sense.

Everything went according to plan except we forgot Bobo's dog food. He had to settle for leftovers. He liked the stew and the spaghetti, but he drew the line at beans. One night we put spaghetti and beans in a big mixing bowl. He ate all the spaghetti and licked the bowl clean – but he left every bean. But he had licked each bean dry. I still don't know how he did that. One of life's mysteries.

Another great mystery is some peoples' sense of timing. What was it that could prompt Joanne's first cousin Bill to show up with a friend to do some hunting while we were on our honeymoon? Alternatively, what could have prompted us to have our honeymoon just when he and his friend wanted to go hunting?

Bill and his friend hiked around for a while and stayed the night. They left early next morning. And it was OK. It was fine. Joanne and I have been married 53 years and counting, and I reckon that we have spent almost 18 of those years in bed together. From that standpoint, one night out of 18 years isn't that big of a deal. Besides, we really needed someone to help us eat those beans.