26 Years Ago Today

(Originally posted May 28, 2009)

It was a Saturday night, 23 April 1983, Luther and I stationed aboard the USS Forrestal and both made the trek from Mayport, FL to the Philadelphia shipyard for the FIDs service life extension program (SLEP) decided to head out and explore the South Jersey. Our ship had not been in the area but a few weeks and we were all still getting our bearings.

As we navigated one of the local road ways it became quite apparent that I was not going to be able to continue without a pit stop. My bladder felt as if it was going to burst. Luckily relief came into view.

The Silver Saddle Saloon, which we found out, was a bar – upstairs was all country and the basement was all rock and roll. It was the only obvious immediate stop along the roadway.

We pulled into the gravel parking lot and found a spot to park near the back of the property, still in view of the entrance. I quickly got out of the car and made a move to relieve myself at the edge of wooded area of the parking lot until I heard a yell, “HEY!” I turned and saw the bouncer for the club standing at the door and signaling for me to come over. Luther was still in the car, we did not plan on staying.

I approached the club’s bouncer and he asked what I was doing in his parking lot. As I danced in front of him I explained I had to use a bathroom in a bad way. He said they had one inside I could use and using his parking lot was not acceptable. I started to enter the building when he put his hand up to stop me – “What?!, I have got to go!”, I pleaded. He responded, “$5 cover charge.” GAHHHH!

The head was located at the opposite end of the building, just past the dance floor. As I made my way to it I saw a very beautiful woman standing at the bar. I couldn’t stop – I had to go.

Relief.

I started to make my way back to the door, Luther was still waiting in the car, I turned to the bar to see if she was still there. she was. We made eye contact. I stopped, turned and quickly approached her.

Bonnie was wearing a cowboy hat, jeans and one of those leather vests with the thin leather tassels – she was dressed very westernly…

I walked up to her, introduced myself and asked if she knew how to dance to the country music they had playing (I had never seen anyone two step before – heck, this was the first time I had ever been in a C&W bar). She said she did.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the dance floor saying, “Good, you’re going to teach me”.

I don’t know how much time passed before I asked, “What are you doing tomorrow?” she said, “I’m going out with you”. I got her phone number and left.

Luther and I later that night stopped at Denny’s for a late night meal. I told him about Bonnie and told him right then, “I am going to marry that girl”, he thought I was  nuts.

On May 28, 1983 – 26 years ago today and 5 weeks to the day after I had met her, we were married. Believe in love at first sight? I do. 

Tom Goering is a retired Navy officer currently living in Bartlett, TN where he spends his time working on his Navy CyberSpace blog and spending as much time with his beautiful wife as she can tolerate.