While ashore in West Palm Beach, we revisit 1966

In late 1965 and early 1966, Rodger Dill and I were in training to save the world from communism.  We were together in boot camp and then at the U.S. Navy Hospitalcorps School in Great Lakes, Illinois.  The results of that experience include the making of life-long friends, the coldest weather to which I have ever been subjected, a blind date that is still on going, acquiring useful life saving skills and the fall of communism.

On April 9, 1966, Rodger, another corpsman, Chip and I made our way to the Illinois Central Railroad station in Chicago.  We were meeting three girls from Park Forest.  For Rodger, this was his second or third date with Bonnie, but for me it was a blind date with Barbara.  Soon, a vision of loveliness, dressed in an orange sweater and skirt, a shapely, beautiful brunette with hazel eyes approached.  It was like the rest of the world became a blur and the only sight in my field of vision was Barbie.  We strolled around downtown Chicago for several hours, sometimes hand in hand.  We boarded the train bound for Park Forest and the rest of the Easter week end, where I was warmly welcomed by Barb's parents.  Barb's dad had been a Navy radarman in WWII and her mom was a wonderful cook.  It was a nice visit and now, having married on 9/4/68, we are approaching forty five years of the continuing saga, still sometimes hand in hand.

Nearly thirty years later, Barb was at a professional conference in Boca Raton, FL and as it was concluding, I joined her to tour Florida and visit Disney World.  Waiting at the airport, on our way back to Colorado, my mind wandered to those Navy days and the memory that Rodger had lived in West Palm Beach.  I wondered what may have become of him.  I checked in the phone book, found a name and number and called.  The woman's voice that answered inquired as to whether it was Rodger, Sr. or Rodger, Jr. to whom I wished to speak.  I said I didn't know which, but the Rodger I wanted was about fifty years old and a Navy veteran.  That would be Rodger, Sr.  We only spoke on the phone for a few minutes and then Barb and I boarded the plane, but that was enough to reconnect to a long lost sailor buddy.  A few years later, during a second professional conference, Barb called and then visited Rodger and his wife, but I had not been along on that trip.

In January of 2007, we were headed south toward our first Bahamas trip and we stopped in Vero Beach.  We called Rodger and he and his girlfriend joined us aboard Jupiter's Smile for a reunion.  We had not seen each other for forty one years!

Libby and Rodger in January, 2007

Jay and Rodger, 2007

We got together again in Lake Worth two more times and vowed to keep in touch.  That really hasn't happened very well while we have been out of the country and I submit this apology for not contacting Rodger earlier as we lay over, waiting for our replacement dinghy, in Lake Worth this time.  I did finally call him and we reconnected for an evening with Rodger, Libby (now Mrs. Dill) and her father, Robert, at Duffy's.  Rodger is still working and pursues his passion for Corvair automobiles along with his wife and friends.  The expression, "It keeps him off the streets" does not apply here.  It serves to occupy many weekends in his "barn" with his buddies tinkering with cars and going to shows. This Saturday we spent the day with them, visiting their home, looking at corvairs, doing some shopping and then dining at The Key Lime House (pictured below.)

Barb and Rodger

Libby and her Dad, Robert

Jay, Barb, Rodger, Libby and Robert

I see that Rodger has just joined facebook and there will be no excuse for not keeping in closer touch from now on.  Sounds like a resolution, doesn't it?

Till next time - be well!