Saturday, August 31, 2013

55 years ago today…..

Sherry gave birth to our first child. We named him Jackie Jr.  He was born in a military hospital on Keesler AFB, in Mississippi.

Back then military hospitals were all ‘military bearing’, facilities.  So with  Sherry in labor I took her to the hospital. I started following Sherry and the male nurse. He turned to me and said, you can go home airman, we won’t need you. We will call and let you know if you are needed. I stood there for a minute watched my love disappear thru double doors, and I went home.  For some reason I ended up at our pastors trailer, giving the phone number to the hospital.

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(Sherry just before giving birth)

This story has gone around everyone of our friends there and many at home. Back in THAT day, the only way you knew if you were going to have a boy or girl was the old wives tales of ‘She is carrying the baby high, it will be a girl, or She is carrying the baby low it will be a boy. That could be backwards, but some of you know about that.

Anyway like most macho men, I wanted a boy. I told every one  we were having a boy. So around the first of August, I put HIS name in our family Bible. Also the month and year, leaving the day blank. Jackie Leon Darnell Jr.  then I went around saying the Bible does not lie, my son’s name is in there. (I know, I ain’t never been just right in the head)

Now, things are getting tight,  it was getting late, on the 31st of August and no call. I was beginning to think that was silly to put that in the Bible. The phone rang,  The pastor’s wife answered and said it is for you.

“This is Airman Darnell,”

“I am happy to tell you you have  healthy baby girl, she weighs 7 pounds and ten ounces,” after that I could not tell you what she said, I thanked her and hung up.

Pastors wife says, “Well? What?”

“We have a little girl.”

“When can you see her?”

“I don’t know.”

Later the phone rings again,  for me.

A friend saying it was a joke, a bad one, and they are sorry.

 

Phone rings again around 10:45. For me.

“This is the Keesler AFB Hospital, glad to announce you have a son, 7 lbs 13 oz. He and your wife are doing well, you can come on back to visit for a little while.” 

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(Here he is in the laundry basket in the back of the car, a few months later.)

The incident made a good tale, after jack Jr. was born.

I found out 53 years later, the preacher’s wife, and I love her to pieces, was a little tired of hearing all the bragging and the Bible entry, etc and set that up, and she did apologize.

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(Sherry and her two boys, Mark on the left Jack Jr. on the right, outside Olive Garden tonight)

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

If I have told that before, act like I haven’t. LOL

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1910 Ford

1910 Ford

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1910 Stanley

17 comments:

TARYTERRE said...

Those boys are handsome fellas. They take after their father. happy birthday to your son.

Chatty Crone said...

Oh my gosh - what a mean joke! lol

Isn't it funny how they got so big!

Happy Birthday.

sandie

Chatty Crone said...

Oh my gosh - what a mean joke! lol

Isn't it funny how they got so big!

Happy Birthday.

sandie

Paula said...

Happy birthday to Jack Jr. and many many more. So glad I got to meet you and your brother and your mother and your daddy.

shirl72 said...

Happy Birthday to JJ. Hope you
had a good time. Dad loved that
child and he could never do anything
wrong. I think one he was on the rostrum sitting on Dad's lap
before he delivered the sermon.


Amelia said...

Well, you got your way lol :) I liked that story. :)

Jackie said...

Love that story! I hadn't heard it before.
Isn't it amazing at how different childbirth at the hospital has changed. My husband never got to touch our son until he was three days old and we were taking him (our son) home from the hospital. Rules back then were that only the Mother could hold the baby. Hubby couldn't be in my hospital room when the baby was in there. Since I had a C-section, I was in the hospital for 3 days. So, our son and our firstborn was not touched or held by his Daddy until he was 3 days old. Standard procdure, back then. Now, the family can almost witness the birth firsthand!
I'm so happy that you all had a lovely birthday celebration. Happy birthday to Jackie Jr.

Louis la Vache said...

HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Great story!

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Happy Birthday to Jack Jr. So glad you were able to celebrate with him. August 31st is one of my grandson's birthday he was 3 yesterday! I'm a day late reading this. We celebrated with him too. Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Rose said...

I love that story and all the pictures.

That was a mean joke to play on you. And it was mean to send you home and not let you stay at the hospital if you chose to.

Hugs to my favorite couple! Rose

Mevely317 said...

Happy-Belated, JJ's dad!
I was SO surprised to learn your pastor's wife was behind that prank call. (Wonder if she felt bad after seeing the expression on your face?)

My son (now 43y/o) was also 7 lbs., 13 oz. ... even in 1969 the hospitals were overly strict; T's dad wasn't allowed to touch him until we were in the car!


PS - I LOVE this pix of Jackie in the laundry basket! :)

Lucy said...

They are handsome boys, now young men. They do look a lot like you. Things are good at my house....SO FAR

Glenda said...

Looks like you had a great birthday celebration with the boys! What a funy story about the announcement call, he was and still is one of the best looking kids in the world!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Jack Jr. I kinda like the prank, myself. It was harmless and made you think.

bonnie k.

Dar said...

congrats Mom and Dad on the handsome young/all grown up, young Jackie Jr.
I love that you put his name in the Bible a month before he was even born. that is faith.
Happy Day Jack Jr.
Life is good

Sheila Y said...

Happy belated Birthday Jack Jr. That was a pretty good joke...ha. I'm glad you didn't have to change the date in the Bible... I thought you'd have stopped
all this rain before I got back up here. I'm never going to get to put water in my blow-up pool and soak up some sun... :-) Take care, Sheila

betty said...

LOL; loved the "prank" that was played on you, Jack. Happy belated birthday to your son! Birthing has sure changed since then, hasn't it?

betty