It’s strange how people’s attitude change over time. When Bev and I were first married we were frequently asked when we were going to have kids. After a few years that changed to “You don’t have kids yet.” That eventually changed to “You don’t have kids? Gee, you’re lucky!”
The Veterinary Office was located in a building that was used to house German prisoners of war during World War II. The military housed POWs at various cities in the US. Those POWs were used as farm laborers among other things. Many of them stayed in Nebraska after the war.
One Sunday Bev’s parents took us to the Bohemian Cafe (really good Czech food). I suppose they finally decided that I wasn’t going away so I might as well join the family. Bev always ordered dumplings and sauerkraut. We went to the Bohemian Cafe off and on for over 50 years. Had to make that one of our stops every time we were in Omaha. Bev’s order never changed and she never ordered anything else other than an occasional kolache for dessert. I was sad when the restaurant finally closed its doors a few years ago.
I had an experience at the Bohemian Cafe that was the only time in my life that I’ve been at a loss for words. I’m ashamed to admit that I once watched “professional” wrestling while in Omaha. One of the wrestlers was Pompero Firpo. Billed as the Wild Bull of the Pampas he looked very fierce with has long black hair and bushy black beard. One day as we were leaving the Bohemian Cafe someone held the door for us. I looked up and there he was as fierce looking in person as he was in the ring. I was speechless and didn’t thank him for his courtesy. After we passed him, I heard him very friendly say “You’re welcome.” My first encounter with a celebrity and a life lesson in proper manners. I heard from someone later on that he was a real nice guy in person, as opposed to his villain persona in the ring, and that he used to be a high school teacher.
One of the food items at our wedding was apple strudel. It was made by a bakery in Omaha and we had to go there every time we were in Omaha to get some. Strange that one of the most enduring memories of the wedding was a dessert. But it was that good! The rest of the wedding is kind of a blur. I remember the vows of course. I remember the priest calling me James while reciting the vows. I always told Bev that we weren’t legally married because she married James and not Jimmie. I remember spending the night before the wedding in Bev’s parents basement. I think they wanted to make sure I didn’t get cold feet and take off.
One of the Air Force requirements in that era was that airmen needed to be counseled before they got married. My unit commander was in the Vet Office one day and I asked him if I needed to set up an appontment. Commander: “We can do it now. Why do you want to get married?” Me: “Sex.” Commander: “Consider yourself counseled.” Probably the shortest marriage counseling on record. Luckily, my commander had a sense of humor.
Dealing with the public coming into the Vet Office was interesting. I was trying to help a Captain that had some kind of problem and he was not very happy about the answers I was providing. The NCOIC, a Chief Master Sergeant, over heard and got involved because the guy was being a bit of an asshole. He managed to get the Captain calmed down and the problem solved. Before the Captain left, the Chief turned to me and said “Remember Jim that you cannot call a Captain a SOB but you can call a SOB a Captain.” He turned to the Captain and said “Right Captain?” Captain stomps out of the office and Chief goes back to his office muttering “asshole” under his breath.
The only other memorable customer was a young woman. I looked up when she walked in and felt a shiver. I’d never been instantly attracted to someone before. She wasn’t particularly attractive but very striking with her one brown eye and one blue eye. I admit to being tongue-tied. I did notice she was married so that meant she was off-limits (yes, I’m old fashioned that way). I’ve often wondered what might have happened. It was before I met Bev so I guess it was fate that she was just a passing fancy.
You can count me among the people who have seen a UFO. We were leaving the house one day and I happened to look up. Bright blue sky with high clouds. I saw a triangular formation of three bright orange “dots”. They were moving pretty fast from west to east and appeared to be high up. They seemed to be at the altitude that passenger jets fly. I know they weren’t airplanes because of the color and I’ve never seen reflections off aircraft that was that color. I don’t know what it was I saw. Since we didn’t have an alien invasion that day, I chalked it up as truly an Unidentified Flying Object.
I bought my first set of golf clubs at Offutt. Our unit commander was going to give me lessons so I got fitted for a set of First Flight clubs by the golf pro. I remember he fitted me with clubs that were three inches longer than normal. I got transferred before we could get together for the lessons. I used the clubs for years. While in Spain, I happened to play a round with the club pro at Rota Naval Air Station. On one of the holes he asked if he could hit my driver. He swung and hit the ball straight right. He said that no wonder I was hitting the ball all over the place because only a gorilla could hit those clubs. He offered to cut them down for me. I started hitting the ball better after he did that. I rotated back to the states shortly afterward and went to Hill AFB. That fall, I broke 100 for the first time. I’ve always been grateful to that pro for what he did.
I was up for reassignment and was supposed to go to Thailand. I was not enthused and my Chief pulled a few strings and got me an assignment to Dyess AFB, Texas instead. I always said that I traded one overseas assignment for another. It ended up that I only put off the trip to Thailand for a year or so though.
Jim's Memory Walk 