1974

I’ve been challenged by my friend Susanne to write a short piece on the happenings in my life in 1974. Good pick, Susanne! Not only does it tax my memory bank but it has major significance for me on many different levels.

First off, 1974 – my first full year out of high school! I was the same age that year that my own daughter Laura is this year! Oh to be that young and have all that opportunity again!

I was dating several different guys at the beginning of the year after having had a steady boyfriend for most of my high school years. I had been introduced to society as a Debutante the previous fall (stop laughing, Karen) and during the Debutante season had been introduced to several Air Force Cadets. My fellow Debs, Kathy, Jill and I had great fun with these fly boys. None of us wanted a future with these egotistical maniacs but they always had plenty of money to spend on us which was all we cared about.

My best friend at the time Penny went through a horrible ordeal that year when her mom committed suicide. I had never had any experience with death up to this point, especially not someone this close to me. I learned a valuable lesson from my mom during this time. She told me I had to go and visit Penny even though I had no idea what to say or do to comfort her. I have always been the type that finds it easier to crawl under a rock then deal head on with problems. As hard as it was my mom insisted and kept saying to me “when someone dies you need to comfort the survivors, that is when the true measure of a friend is taken.” Years later when I suffered losses myself I came to understand why my mom had been so insistent. Thanks mom!

On to happier thoughts. One of my good friends from high school, Linda was a year older than I was and already off at college. She knew I was struggling with what to study at college since by this time I knew that nursing school was not for me. What had I been thinking? Me who can’t stand the sight of blood? During trips home from San Diego State Linda would call me and invite me down to visit as well as inquire about my love life. By Spring Break I had grown weary of the AF flyboys and was lamenting to Linda that I needed to meet a nice guy. Without hesitation she said “I know someone that would be perfect for you!” She told me she was throwing a birthday party for one of our mutual friends and would make sure this new guy would be there. That guy turned out to be none other than Mr. Mark himself! We hit it off immediately at the party and when he kissed me late in the evening in front of the pool table I knew I wanted to see this guy again. Thirty four years later I’m still seeing that guy!

Meanwhile school life was boring me to tears. My parents were reluctant to send me off to a four year college after my abrupt end the previous winter to my nursing school career. I hated the thought of one more minute in the little town of Lancaster and concentrated night and day on figuring a way to get out. I knew I had to sell my dad on the idea for the plan to work. I systematically made a list of all the reasons why I HAD to attend San Diego State. Fortunately for me I had Linda to rely on for information about the school and Penny to rely on as a potential roommate – both of us were desperate to move on with our lives. This was the beginnings of my list crazed phase – a phase I really have never left. When I want something bad enough I list all the pros and cons on a piece of paper and then evaluate the situation from there. I must have made a hell of a list because Dad thought San Diego State was a great idea. Penny and I left in the summer of 1974 for San Diego and neither of us have ever left this beautiful city!

The only bad thing about moving away was leaving Mark. By this time we had been dating steadily for several months. Mark’s parents did not approve of him attending college and so he was forced to stay in Lancaster and attend junior college and work until he could afford to transfer to a four year school in his junior year. My parents were sympathetic to me pining away for Mark but thought this would be a good test for our relationship, especially since they told me I wasn’t allowed to have a car while away at college. I worked part time and managed to save a few bucks for a bus ticket home. The bus station wasn’t too far from Mark’s job at the local newspaper so I found his car and thought I would leave him a note that I was home. I managed to have nothing to write a note with so I had the brilliant idea to write on his car with toothpaste! The mere fact the man stayed with me after that is still one of the great mysteries of our relationship! That note stayed on the car until the car died some 10 years later!

1974 was also the year for:
· The Sting to win Best Picture (also Mark’s and my first date movie)
· Patty Hearst kidnapped by the SLA
· Nixon resigned as President ( I remember driving by the San Clemente Inn on my move to San Diego and seeing the marquis say “Welcome Home, Mr. President”)
· Cost of a stamp was 10¢
· People magazine was published for the first time
· Stephen King publishes “Carrie”