Writing about my courtship with Linda is almost as tedious and slow as the real thing. I apologize for my laxity in writing. I know that I don't have a huge readership, but I apologize nevertheless -- and I especially apologize to myself. Linda and I have had a fairly tough year; mainly because of some of her health issues. I would like to report that she is doing very well. I am getting organized, so perhaps I can finish this story.
In my first posting about our courtship, I said that I would fill you in on something that changed the whole dynamic. Our dating history was quite spotty. I was stationed in San Diego and went to Bellflower whenever I had a free weekend. I always came with the idea of dating Linda, but there was the problem of my mother who just loved Linda -- and Linda's mother. "I hope you are going out with that sweet Linda Carper." That ended it, I would call someone else; a rebellious son. But we did continue. We would date a little and spend time with each other at church functions. I was already sure that she was the one, but I didn't want her to know it. I had commitment issues. Everything changed in the fall of 1963 just before I was leaving for deployment to the Western Pacific. I had extended my active duty in the Navy in order to make just one more cruise (at that time, I didn't really have any intention of making the Navy my career.) Linda and I were parked on Sunday night, just prior to my departure. She told me that she had no desire to continue in our relationship in the way it was going. I sputtered a little, but did tell her that I would like to change. And I did.
I began to write her regularly and talked of our future together, but I was still cautious. I signed every letter with Your friend, Richard H Hensgen. After all, I didn't want her to get the wrong idea! Then I made the fatal mistake of sending her a book from the US Naval Institute, "Welcome Aboard." This was a book for new Naval Officer wives. Unfortunately, it was written in the 1930s and was seriously out of date. My desire was for her to realize that I was serious, but, she read the book -- big mistake. She read the chapter dealing with the husband away on deployment. It went something like this:
It is inevitable when your husband is alone on a long deployment that he will be lonely. You will hear of his dining and dancing with beautiful, exotic women. Don't worry, this is perfectly natural. Just continue to trust him and keep to your normal routine. You should never be seen in the company of another man. Make sure that you are seen every week at church. Then welcome him home with joy and happiness.
Linda reacted quite badly at this. How bad? Well, I started my deployment in January, 1964. This was to be my last deployment in the Navy, but then the Navy threw out some bait and I was hooked. A message came in offering "high performing" Lieutenants Junior Grade to volunteer to be Executive Officers aboard some newly recommissioned LSTs. This sounded good to me, so I volunteered, was accepted and extended for two more years on active duty. I was accepted in June and had to report to my new LST, the Mahnomen County, in Norfolk, VA in late July. So, I flew home from the Western Pacific in order to spend a little time at home -- and spend some time with Linda. We had a good time and, shortly before I had to leave, I proposed. I was confident -- of course she would marry me! But she said, "I don't think so." Whoa! I didn't see that coming. I was disappointed and left for Norfolk, chastened and dejected.
Well, we are almost there in our courtship -- I will finish next time.
