Out on the Economy for a Year
Our married life, which started on an Army Post - Fort Benning, with its PX and Commissary and Army Hospital where young David was born, and our Army supplied married quarters, was not to last.
For when we got orders for me to go get a Masters Degree from the civilian University of Pennsylvania we had to move to Haddonfield, New Jersey, from where I would commute through Camden, NJ to 'school'.
Patsy would be 'on the civilian economy' for at least a year. Since she, as an Army Brat, had moved with her parents several times during her teen years she was familiar with what would be involved. And knew how to pack.
For one thing she had - which came from the years her father and mother and she lived in Germany - much fine glassware, and bric a brac porcelain figurines. All our 57 years of married life she added to that collection, which made it through all the moves with her packing it.
Of course we had the fine mahogany veneer bedroom suite which also lasted all of our 57 years together. It was the living room furniture that changed often.
So we began life with Foot Lockers for the next 25 years. So the Army moved our furniture in a van to the Apartment building we leased for a year in Haddonfield. And very young David made his first of many moves.
We still were in long reach of a Commissary on the closest Post, but for all intents and purposes we were on the New Jersey civilian economy.
But because we were renters in an Apartment Complex, I did not have to worry about light or heat or water, or the yard outside. Just keeping our car maintained.
And Patsy's responsibilities were confined to shopping, cooking, and bringing up David.
Cindy and Chuck Adams
We arrived in Haddonfield, New Jersey on the same orders that Charles Adams, Class of '49 West Point was on. Both of us were to get our Masters Degree, and then teach at West Point for at least 3 years.
I don't remember why we ended up renting in the same Apartment complex, but we did. Charlie and I could car pool to the University and free up one of our cars for our wives. So we close to them, and since Cindy had just had Bucky Adams just a year off David's age, Patsy and Cindy became fast, fast friends - which lasted all their lives.
Wallworth Apts - which Cindy and Patsy Visited in 1980. We were on the left, they on the right |
Here is a photo of Chuck and Cindy, which was taken a year or so after we got to West Point. By the medallion on his dress coat and his Captains bars, I think it was taken June Week 1956.
Chuck and Cindy Adams, Patsy's best lifelong friend. |
Rebecca muses about Patsy and Cindy's relationship - " A life long friendship with Aunt Cindy began here in Haddonfield - Mom thought she was the most elegant graceful woman. Aunt Cindy was the primary reason why my mother collected blue willow china. That was Aunt Cindy's hobby and later became a vocation in the form of an antique store."
Music via Bozak
So with no 'homeowners' or even 'military home occupiers' responsibilities, other than doing my homework and getting to and from classes, some of my time was available for pursuing the finer things of life.
I undertook to build a really Hi-Fi - high fidelity sound music system. I started with the state-of-the-art set of stereo 'Bozak' speakers. For which I had to also build a pair of substantial cabinets - at least 30 inches high, and 20 inches deep and wide - to reinforce the base notes. Cover their front where the sound came through with a gold threaded mesh fabric. And finish them off with a mahogany-color paint. Patsy liked mahogany.
And of course I bought a separate turntable for long play vinel records, an FM-only Tuner, and a kit amplifier.
I took a half a year tweaking them until our apartment was filled with recorded, and occasional the newest FM radio station music. Our record collection started to grow.
I was proud of myself, for that system lasted us a good 25 years, until every commercial home sound system was a package deal and hi-fi.