Autobiography 003: But his best friend wrote me a letter saying that this fellow was pretty wild.

Here Carola tells about her surprise in having to move from Washington to California, and how it crushed her aspirations of performing on stage. She then discusses meeting her future husband of 65 years, my great-grandfather Elmo Eugene, and how he made a fast move on her in a parked car and her rapid response.

Transcription

     For three years at North Central High School I played violin in the orchestra which was a fun time as the music teacher was a very special teacher & every year put on an operetta. Oh how I wished I could be there on the stage instead of in the orchestra part. So ----- I screwed up my courage & tried out for the chorus -- and made it! But soon all my ego was crushed as dad announced that we were moving to California. My dad's sister who lived in so. California kept asking him why he stayed in Spokane shoveling snow; why didn't he come to sunny California. So there went my chance of a bit of life "on stage". Little did I know what life had in store for me.


     We settled in Huntington Park, California, a nice little suburb of L.A. I soon made some friends. One in particular asked me to go with her to the Christian Endeavor a young people's meeting on Sunday evening. My dad later called it C E O -- see each other. As it worked out that evening that I went to C.E. with my new girl friend a tall blond fellow was leading the meeting. I could just see his mind working -- Oh! New girl in town!


     So we started dating now & then. This Gene Gough was such fun to be with. But his best friend wrote me a letter saying that this fellow was pretty wild. Well, I guess he & his buddy were liable to take off most any time & hitch hike to Canada or stow away on a boat headed for Alaska. Incidentally they were discovered & put off on the first port in Canada.


     On one date when we went to the local movie theater, on the way taking me home this "wild" fellow stopped & parked & kissed me. Well! This nice girl thought she had better deal with this guy so said "Well, I knew where we were I'd walk home." So Gene started the car, pulled up one block & stopped in front of my home. What could I do but laugh! At that

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