Genealogical Interview: Vicki’s Legacy Part Three

Part Three of Three
(Click to read Part One or Part Two)

How old were you when you began dating?

The summer before my 8th grade, our church, Fellowship Baptist, was playing in a baseball league. Grampy Ron (Dad) was the umpire. I can’t remember exactly how it went but basically I was noticed by both Rick and his friend Junior. While their team was up to bat, they would sit on the bench. Rick was drinking a soda and set the bottle down under the bench when it was time for them to go into the Outfield. For whatever reason, I went and sat on the bench. Rick saw his change to come talk to me. However, before that happened, one of them hollered out something against the ump. I got mad and said, “Watch it that’s my dad!” I got up and walked away from the bench so your dad didn’t have a chance to come talk to me after all.

When school started, he noticed me hanging around with Cecilia Sirois, who was in my home room class and his next door neighbor out on Mud Mill Road. So he asked her what my name was and for her to invite me to her house so he could meet me. Eventually, this happened and we met. I frequently went to Cecilia’s house. There would be several of this Sirois girls, Vigue boys, assorted neighbors, and friends. We played baseball, arm wrestling, croquet, and any other game we could think of. Fear of not fitting into high school when I got glasses and braces was tough. I really only had one single brace on one tooth but still… it’s your body changing and you changing. It was an awkward time.

Our first date was really pretty funny. I was so nervous! I had gone to school dances and over to friends’ houses and met boys but this was a real date – my very first date! Rick didn’t have his own car so he was borrowing his uncle Harold ‘s. Rick wanted to be all spiffy for our date so he went two a groovy store in downtown Augusta called Agent Orange. He picked out a silk, long sleeve shirt with ruffles down the front in gaudy shades of orange, yellow, and tan. He also doused himself in some type of men’s cologne that wasn’t very attractive. But I have to admit he had the nicest hair style. His hair was always silky soft.

So this car of Uncle Harold was an old Mustang with the cloth top that goes down. However, the top didn’t go down anymore and the back window was broken. Rick and Harold picked me up at my house on Duncan Road and we drove to Carol’s Burgers on Western Avenue. I was so nervous that when he ordered a burger, fries, and drink for me, all I could do was sip on my drink. My stomach was tied in knots! Rick kept saying that I should eat more. You Rick was resting his hand on the shifter between the two seats in the front where we were sitting. After a few minutes, he moved his hand from the shifter to my knee. I think he was surprised that I didn’t slap his hand away.

When it was time to leave, I had to sit in the driver’s seat to steer the car while Rick and Uncle Harold pushed it in reverse since the transmission wouldn’t shift to that gear! Rick drove me home and that was our first date. He didn’t open the door for me. He didn’t walk me to the door. And he didn’t kiss me goodnight. I look at it now and I think it was funny because we were so afraid and nervous and whatever else you want to call it. It really was cute. And Uncle Harold had to be our chaperone.