And With the Same Woman, 1983

November 19, 1983. Mother and Dad’s 50th wedding anniversary.

All are assembled at the Seniors’ gathering place, the Drop In Center on main street, Wishart.

Applause. Voices from the crowd.

Dad, granddaughter, Patricia, Mother, Myrtle Wolitski, and Astra Engstrom, at the Drop In Center, circa November, 1982.

Twenty-five years ago they were calling for Jean and the Tennessee Waltz.

This time it was for Joe.

Speech. Speech. Speech.

Dad rises to the occasion. He begins with the most laudatory of appreciative comments, when rather unceremoniously interrupted by some happy-go-lucky fellow from the crowd  —  who rises above Dad’s rising to the occasion  —  with a loud, offhand question.

“Joe, would you do it again”?

Without even the mere blink of an eye, Dad reels back.

“Yes, and with the same woman”!

The faces had changed

Most likely, Ed and Evelyn Harvey. The Collingwoods. Frank and Mary Lamb. Dublanicia, Zack, Storozuk, Federko, Szeman, Lyle and Myrna Reynolds. Ella Engstrom, Auntie Tillie.  Wolitski. Fedoruik, Moroz, Luciuk, Stefankiw, Latoski. Siganski, Melnychuk. Pasternak. Shewchuk.

Along with sons, daughters and, this time, grandchildren.

Just to name a few. Fewer in number than in 1958, to be sure.

Older. Still determined souls. Gathered to eat and sing, if not dance, and celebrate.

Mother and Dad were two of those faces.

How we miss them.