THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

1989

“Manic for a Day”

            January 1989 was a disaster.  Every Monday we had a crisis.  First of all,  Alyssa got chicken pox at eight-months-old.  She got real sick.  I had to find her another babysitter because she couldn’t go to daycare.  She was a very smart, happy baby and her activities decreased.  I took her to the doctor. My happy baby was so ill.

            In a couple of days, B.J. was admitted to the hospital because of his asthma and allergies for a few days. Bob did not go to the hospital once to see about B.J. and he worked there.

            Bob’s unit referred me to go see a therapist.  I told her about my entire childhood, teenage years, life and marriage to Bob.  She said that I was an over-pushed female.  Bob thought that I should have been committed to the mental ward because he thought that I was crazy.  He thought that I hadn’t told the entire truth about myself.  I told the therapist my entire story because I was mad and wanted Bob to stop acting like a jerk.

            I was assigned to social services on post because I had a lot of mental and emotional issues.  My social worker told me that I was an over jealous wife, but my husband gives me strong reasons to be over jealous and insecure.

            I said, “I’m an over jealous wife?  Fine, I’ll show you how Bob feels when the shoe is on the other foot.”  I got my check from work and went to get Dawn.  I told her what Sgt. Brown said about me being an over jealous wife.  “Let’s go shopping girl and get two of the sexiest dresses in Springfield, Missouri and party all night.”

            We didn’t make it to Springfield, but we found two sexy outfits and went back to Dawn’s house to change.  I selected a denim, two-way zipper dress.  It was on sale for $17.  I bought white stockings and navy blue pumps.  I let my curls fall freely.  I turned heads and danced all night.  I danced with a thick guy because it was only about a party.  I wasn’t looking for a man.  The DJ said, “Lady you need to zip your dress up and down!”

            When this club closed, we went to the NCO Club.  The guy at the door never charged me.  I grabbed a guy and said, “Hey, let’s dance.”  He said, “You’re the first girl that I broke a sweat with tonight.”  I said, “I came to party!”  The DJ said, “Don’t hurt him.”  Dawn wasn’t having any fun, so she caught a taxi home.  I was in no hurry to get to Bob, so I stayed.

            Eventually, the club closed.  I went to breakfast with a moron.  After breakfast, we went to the car and he got all over me.  I said, “Stop!  This is a mistake and I shouldn’t even be here.  I don’t sleep around and I don’t need a boyfriend.”  I hurried up and took him back to his car.

            I still can’t understand what intrigues Bob about street life and nightlife.  Nothing has changed since the 1970s when I was single and free.  I hated being single and I hated playing games and this is the main reason