“Penelope, what do you want to be
when you grow up?” was the common question asked by every important
adult in young Penny's life. It seemed a child was supposed to know
by age 4 how she would spend the waking hours of her far off adult
life. Penny stood mutely and pretended not to understand the
question. This only worked until about age 5 when adults just
repeated and cajoled until given what they deemed a satisfactory
answer. Unsatisfactory answers were: astronaut, or singer or
trapeze artist. Satisfactory answers were: teacher, nurse, and
secretary. Even at a young age Penny was pretty sure that teachers,
nurses, and secretaries never had as much fun as the unsatisfactory
jobs. Her father was a businessman and the neighbor was a nurse;
she had heard enough about those jobs to know she did not want to
come home crabby and tired each night. No, a space traveler in a
cute little uniform or an idolized singer in a glittery dress were in
Penny's dreams.
As most children discover, Penny
learned to give the satisfactory “what do I want to be when I grow
up” answer so adults would smile and then leave her alone. All
except Aunt Eileen who knew Penny better than her own mother but who
also understood the hardships in a child's life. When Penny trotted
out her, “Oh, I just can't wait to be a nurse and help sick people
get better” answer, Aunt Eileen smirked, winked at Penny, and
walked to the kitchen for another old fashion. She and her favored
niece would find each other later in the day and laugh together over
everything and nothing, making Penny feel understood and accepted.
While Eileen didn't live that far from
the Peebles' home, her visits were infrequent. Eileen did not hide
her intolerance well and the adult Peebles irritated the living
bejeesus out of her. Peter Peebles was a peacock of a man who
strutted his overblown MBA, his trying-too-hard wardrobe, and his
vapid wife. Rose Peebles (nee' Harrison) barely made it through high
school because she spent more time flirting with football captains
and reading teen magazines for the latest hairstyles rather than
opening a text book. Since she smiled prettily and spoke sweetly the
teachers generously allowed her to graduate. And she graduated right
into the marital arms of Paul Peebles.
1968 was not friendly to hale and
hearty young men and upon his 19th birthday Paul was
drafted into the U.S. Army shortly after marrying the beautiful but
shallow Miss Harrison who was just a tad pregnant with our
protagonist. Paul was only too well aware of what Vietnam would hold
for him and had hoped to avoid the whole ugly mess by attending
college. But, Paul underestimated the demands of college and while
he could find the adequate amount of coeds to complete his homework,
he never figured a way to get them to pass his exams. Upon failing
all but his tennis class, Paul was snatched up by the ever vigilant
United States Army.
Despite all Rose's clinging, crying,
and pleas, Paul left Castleton early one August morning. He was
headed for basic training, and Rose was facing the next 6 months
adjusting to her growing girth and her mother's increasing demands.
Rose worked part time at a little gift shop and loved her job because
all the elderly customers fussed over her growing bump and brave
husband. At home her mother didn't seem to realize Rose was special
and instead of pampering her, expected her to help around the house
--- even more than she had in high school!
Paul's high school athleticism allowed
him to handle the physical rigors of basic training but mentally he
epitomized “the bigger they are the harder they fall.” Being a
big fish in a small pond. Being fawned over and idolized simply
because he could throw a football did not prepare him for the naked
hostility of a drill sergeant.
Despite all Rose's clinging, crying,
and pleas, Paul left Castleton early one August morning. He was
headed for basic training, and Rose was facing the next 6 months
adjusting to her growing girth and her mother's increasing demands.
Rose worked part time at a little gift shop and loved her job because
all the elderly customers fussed over her growing bump and brave
husband. At home her mother didn't seem to realize Rose was special
and instead of pampering her, expected her to help around the house
--- even more than she had in high school!
Paul's high school athleticism allowed
him to handle the physical rigors of basic training but mentally he
epitomized “the bigger they are the harder they fall.” Being a
big fish in a small pond. Being fawned over and idolized simply
because he could throw a football did not prepare him for the naked
hostility of a drill sergeant.
