Monday, August 31, 2020

Jack JR is 62m Happy Birhtday!

.. Jackie L Darnell Jr Discovered America in 1958

Cars from 1958:

 Caddy & Chevy

For Monday, August 31, 1958:

Many of you know some history of pregnancies. Well in 1958 folks used old-wives tales to guess what the lady was carrying, i.e. ‘If she is carrying the baby high, it will be a boy’, etc.

I was in the USAF and Sherry was expecting. We were very active in church. Most of the church attendees were military and like a big family. We were all away from our ‘real’ homes, so we sorta formed a family.

I bragged about we were going to have a son, I even put his name in our family Bible dated August __, 1958.

I figured I was safe, BUT THEN COMES THE 31ST  AND STILL NO BABY BOY!!!

However the Lord took mercy on me and Sherry went into labor that afternoon towards evening.

I have told this story hundreds of times. The ladies of the church thought I deserved some payback. When I had taken Sherry to the hospital, they told me to go home they did not need me. They would call and let me know if they did. I left the preacher’s number and Mother-in-law and I went to the preacher’s house to wait. Word spread quickly among our group.

 

About 7PM the phone rang and the preacher’s wife answered and said, “He is right here!” and handed me the phone.

“Airman Darnell here,” I said nervously.

“Airman Darnell, this is nurse Thomas at the Keesler Hospital, You have a beautiful healthy girl, 7 pounds 13 oz.”

I was in shock after all my bluster, I hung up the phone. And told everyone what I had just heard the Pastor’s wife asked, “When can you see her?”

“I don’t know, I forgot to ask.” Silence. In the room…..

A few minutes later the phone rang again and the pastor’s wife handed me the phone. It was the same voice, “Jack, I’m sorry the joke was in poor taste, this is Mary, I hope you get a call soon about your son.”

 

I breathed better but realize not only was the possibility of a daughter real, but the clock was ticking toward the end of August.



 

My Lord had mercy on an idiot, Later near 11 PM I got the call, “A healthy son born at 10:35 PM Central Standard Time.”   WHEW!!!

So now Sherry has a son 62 and eligible for Social Security, as we motor down the road……. He is driving.


 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK, LOVE YOU!

(WHAT?I AM REALLY ELIGIBLE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY?)
 

Nite Shipslog     

 PS: Susie, Sherry’s mama did not appreciate the joke at all, but said not a word. She was such a sweet woman, the best Mother in Law a guy could ever have. She traveled to Mississippi for Jack’s birth and to Missouri for Mark’s birth.



 

8 comments:

bobbie said...

Happy Birthday, JJ! You are 11 hours older than me!!!
Safe travels to you all ~

bobbie said...

Jack & Sherry ~ let me research that ~ I was born in Germany; so I might be a bit older than JJ ~
Off to look some stuff up!!

betty said...

Happy birthday JJ!! Cute little fellow you were!

Betty

Lisa said...

Happy Birthday Jack Jr. !
Lisa

Mevely317 said...

Love this story ... especially that photo with the phone receiver. Why, I wonder how many young people today know what that is!?
Happy (fiscal) New Year, JJ!

Dar said...

The baby pictures are adorable, and look at JJ now.........still adorable.!!
Happy Birthday....it can be repeated all year. Today you are the youngest you will ever be. It's awesome you're helping your folks drive thru the country.
Loven'hugs from up north where there's a chill in the air.....it feels like fall is coming too quickly.

Chatty Crone said...

Cute story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy birthday Jack and many more!

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

That joke was too funny since you were so sure it was a boy. And you guessed right for sure. Happy birthday to JJ! Hope you all have fun celebrating going down the road. Not everyone gets a present like that one. I'm hoping you all have fun and get home safely.