Introduction

 

1950s Plattsburgh is a small town in northern New York, located about twenty miles from the Canadian border and less than two hours from Montreal, Canada. It is bordered on the east by Lake Champlain, a large, scenic, natural body of freshwater stretching from Quebec Province to Ticonderoga, New York. Easterly, across the lake, lies Burlington, Vermont.

Plattsburgh played a prominent role in the country's history during the Revolutionary War period: the War of 1812 and The Battle of Plattsburgh.

Today, the area is primarily noted for farming, apple orchards, liberal arts, and teaching degrees (mostly young women), a beach widely popular with many Canadians who don't wish to drive all the way to Florida, and a new Air Force base (mostly young men) still under construction.

Having played a prominent role in the formation of America during The American Revolution and the War of 1812, the town's strategic location was designated as the site for the primary wing of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) on the east coast of the United States; construction began in 1954.

The arrival of the Air Force base and the continuing expansion of the college would change the area from a rural farming community to a more urban, more modern community with greater needs: new housing, stores, hotels, and restaurants springing up to meet the growing needs of the arriving airmen and their families, and the college's ever-growing student body population, a growth that continues still.

 

Chapter One

Laura

 

September 1956

 

"Welcome, Miss Dornay," she said, smiling at me, "Your registration says that you are eighteen years of age, live here in town, and will be staying in the girl's dormitory here on campus"

Turning back, I pointed to my friend, Diane, who was in line behind me, saying, "Yes, I'll be living in the girl's dorm and sharing a room with Diane Feretti."

"That's correct," she replied, "That's what your registration states. Please go in and meet some of the other girls who will be in your freshman class."

"Thank you," I reply, standing aside, to wait for my friends, Diane, and behind her, Mary Lynn Fredericks, both also waiting to register.

There are two lines in the auditorium; girls register in this line, and guys in the other line across the auditorium.

Diane and I both grew up here in town and were classmates at D'Youville Academy, the local Catholic high school for girls, and she is the one who introduced me to Mary Lynn Fredericks, who has since become a close friend, and who rooms next door to Diane and me.

Mary Lynn Fredericks is from downstate, and apparently, from a wealthy family. She is pretty, energetic, very outgoing, and friendly. She is also sensitive enough to realize that not all of us enjoy the same level of support she does, as there is nothing showy about her. When Diane first introduced us, we were immediately drawn together as friends.

Last week we moved into our dorm rooms, where we'll be living during the school year. Classes will begin next Monday, but this week is Freshman Orientation: we'll be hearing from Dean Ashford and other faculty members about the Rules of Conduct; regarding curfew hours, guests in dorm rooms, alcohol use in dormitories, cafeteria hours, health-related issues, and emergency evacuation procedures. This afternoon will give us a chance to meet some of the other freshman students.

After Diane registered, she came to stand by my side, as we wait for Mary Lynn to register. While we're waiting, Diane nudges my arm, I turn to look at her and she whispers, "Laura, look over there where the guys are registering. See that guy, the third one behind the guy registering now. He's been giving us the eye for some time. I noticed him looking our way for a while now, him and the guy behind him.

"Diane, do you want me to go over there, tell him you're interested and give him your name and number?" I reply, laughing.

"No," she replies, "but he sure is cute."

Mary Lynn catches the end of our conversation as she walks toward us, and asks, "What's going on?"

"Nothing serious, Mary Lynn, Diane noticed some guys who have been giving us the eye."

Each taking Diane's arm, Mary Lynn and I proceed to walk toward the auditorium stage, where all of the students had already registered and were congregated in groups, talking with each other.

That evening, the three of us are sitting with some of the other girls on our floor at a local watering hole not far from our dorm. Our classes begin Monday and we're chatting about the professors and the courses we'll be taking. Diane and I are the only girls in our freshman group who live here in town, as is Teresa Hastings, the only sophomore in the group. Mary Lynn and Barbara Fisher, rooming next door, are from downstate.

Sitting and drinking our beers and snacking, one of the girls asks, "Did anyone notice how few guys there are in our freshmen class? Apparently, teaching is not high up on the list of career fields for males."

"Yeah!" one of the girls replies, "and of the few that there are, I didn't see many that I would be interested in dating.".

"Although," remarks Teresa, "I have noticed that there are a lot of nice-looking guys around town from the airbase."

"Yes!" replies Diane, as I turn to look at my roommate, my eyebrows raised to show my surprise.

Diane is quick to explain, "I met one of the guys from the airbase last weekend. I was with two friends at Finnegan's, and there were two guys sitting at the table next to us. We started talking and soon, they joined our table and one of them danced with me most of the night. Before we left, he asked me if he could call me and I gave him my telephone number. Since then, we've gone out twice, once for lunch, and once to a bar in Keeseville."

"How did it go?" asks Rosemary.

"He's very nice! He was a gentleman and he's a good dancer." Diane replies. "I like him!"

One of the other girls, Beverly Haskins, said, "Lucky you, Diane, I didn't have the same luck with my date."

"Why, what happened?" one of the girls asks.

"Well," Beverly answers, "things were going well, we went for a drink and dancing, and when he brought me back to the dorm, we parked for a while and he was feeling me up all over the place. I told him to stop, but he wouldn't."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"I pushed him away, opened the door and got out, and told him not to call me again," Barbara replies.

I was surprised to learn how many of the girls had already met guys from the airbase, and as several of the other girls shared their experiences with the guys they had recently met, their comments were mostly favorable.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed our 'gathering,' I was surprised to learn that so many of the girls had already met guys from the airbase; and was more than a bit upset that Diane never said anything to me about it. We continue our chat, and as the curfew hour was nearing, we decided that it was time to get back to the dorm, promising that we would get together again from time-to-time, to share information regarding classes, boyfriends, dates, etc.

When we arrived back in our dorm room, I face Diane, asking, "Diane, I didn't know you were dating a guy from the airbase. How come you didn't say anything about this to me?"

Ignoring my question, she responds, "Laura, I have to ask you for a favor. I didn't say anything to you because I just met him and I didn't know anything about him and wasn't sure if I wanted to see him again. Since we met, I've been with him twice. I think he's a nice guy and I like him and I know he likes me. The favor I need to ask is this. I have a date this Friday with him, and I need to find someone to double-date with me."

"Why? You've been out with him a couple of times already, why do you need me?"

"Well," she replies, "when I told my dad that I met a guy from the airbase he was not very pleased that I was dating an airman. You know how strict my father is, so I told him I was double-dating with you, and you know how my folks feel about you, so he said, Okay! So, come on, Laura, please say yes!"

Grinning, I replied, "Okay, I'll go, but do you know anything about the guy I'll be with?"

Diane gives me a big hug, saying, "I don't know whom Bill might have in mind, but I'll tell him to make sure his friend is a nice guy." Then she adds, "Oh goodie, Laura, I know we'll have a good time!" as she gives me another quick hug.

Although I have dated a few guys, most of my dates were guys who either lived here in town and that I knew or guys who were from the college. I haven't dated any of the guys from the airbase, which has only been activated for about a year. This is going to be new for me, and I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to this or not, but hey, I tell myself, you'll be with your roommate, and it's only for one night. If it doesn't work out, you'll never have to see the guy again.

Chapter Two

Laura

 

Friday evening, Diane's date and his friend pick us up at the dorm around 6:30. Diane hops in the front seat with Bill, and my date, seated in the back, behind Bill, turns to face me as I open the door to hop in. We look at each other, and just for a moment, I pause to catch my breath as he smiles at me before I seat myself.

With a big smile on his face, he extends his hand, saying, "Hi! My name is Tony Giannelli, I'm pleased to meet you."

As he takes my hand in his, I smile saying, "Hi Tony, my name is Laura Dornay, I'm pleased to meet you,"

Boy, am I! I've been on plenty of double dates before, but never have I had the pleasure of finding myself with a guy as good-looking as this guy; especially on a first date that I did not arrange. Not only is he good-looking, but he also has a killer smile.

I immediately relax, as we were both beaming at each other; I sensed that we are both very pleased with the person we were looking at.

Diane introduces me to Bill, saying, "I see you two have already met as she introduces herself to my date.

I found it odd that, despite the wintry-cold temperature outside, my date was not wearing an overcoat, only a light jacket covering a blue sweater over a white t-shirt.

We drive to a local nightclub in a nearby small town, which offers music and dancing every night but Mondays. Arriving at the nightclub, Tony gets out and runs around to open my door. We walk in and are taken to a table not too close to the band. After seating ourselves, we order our drinks and after the waiter brings them, Tony turns to me and asks, "Laura, would you care to dance?"

"Sure!"

Tony pauses, saying, "Laura, I have to warn you, I'm not a very good dancer, but they're playing a slow number, so maybe we can have a chance to talk, and I'll try not to step on your feet."

"Okay!" I reply, smiling, as we rise to go to the dance floor.

Turning to face him, I raise my arms as he enfolds me in his, bringing my body close to his as his arm encircles my waist.

As we move slowly around the floor, I say, "Tony, tell me a little about yourself; where are you from?"

"Which version do you want to hear," he answers, "the long or short version?"

"Whichever version you feel like telling me," I reply with a smile.

"Well!" he begins, "I was born and raised in Schenectady, my parents are from Italy, I'm twenty years old, I have two older brothers, and I've been in the Air Force almost two and a half years. I work in the base shop maintaining cameras and electronic equipment on B-47 airplanes. That's it, that's the story of my life," he replies with a smile on his handsome face.

Looking into his eyes, laughing, I say "Wow, Tony, that's a pretty brief narrative to cover twenty years." thinking to myself that this guy has a sense of humor.

Tony then declares, "That's my story, Laura, now it's your turn. Please tell me yours, and I'd like to hear the long version."

I pause briefly, taking a moment to decide what he would like to know about me. "Well, I'm eighteen years old, I was born in Redford, I have one older sister, three older brothers, and one younger brother. When I was ten, my father died, and two years later, my mother was hospitalized after my youngest brother was killed by a drunk driver, and I was placed in a foster home until I entered college this past September. I went to a Catholic high school for girls, I wrote a weekly article for our local newspaper, and I was valedictorian of our graduating class in high school. That's my story!"

For some reason, Tony had stopped in the middle of the floor and was looking deeply into my eyes for several seconds as he listened to me relating the tragedies I experienced as a young girl; he appeared to be briefly overcome with an emotion that made him want to enfold me in his arms as if to protect me from experiencing any further pain. Bringing me close to him, and with my head on his shoulder, he then hugs my body to his as he inhales deeply, his face touching mine; I sense my body heat rising. After the music ends, we return to our table with Diane and Bill.

As we sit and talk, Tony is looking into my eyes for several seconds. Thinking there is something wrong, I say, "Tony, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me that way?"

Tony replies, "Laura, has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful blue-green eyes? I just noticed them after we arrived at the club."

Immediately relieved, I reply, "Why thank you!" thinking that he saw something objectionable about me.

We continue talking and dancing when the band plays a slow number, and as the evening progresses, I am comforted, finding Tony to be very engaging and apparently, quite taken with his blind date. Not only is this guy quite good-looking, judging by the looks of some of the young ladies around us, but I also have the feeling that, for some reason, he is also really attracted to me, taking every opportunity to dance with me and hold me close when we're on the dance floor.

He seems to enjoy holding me with his face touching mine. I have to admit that I don't find this intimacy to be bold or threatening. In fact, I'm quite flattered that he feels this way about me, despite not being able to understand how he could find me so appealing after only a few hours. Needless to say, I am quite comfortable with his wanting to hold me close; actually, I'm quite amazed, that for a blind date and a first meeting, we seem to have hit it off so well. Despite his good looks, Tony appears to be a little shy, but sincere and very easy to be with. He behaves like a gentleman and exhibits a personality filled with irony and deprecating humor; a personality that most females would not find to be intimidating at all. I find Tony very easy to be with.

As the evening comes to an end, Bill drives us back to the dorm. Tony is sitting close beside me as we continue talking to each other and laughing as if we are the only two people on the planet, oblivious of anyone or anything else around us; just enjoying each other's company.

When we reach the dorm, Tony again runs around to open my door, and when I step out, he takes my hand to say goodnight. We're beaming at each other as we shake hands, I say, "Tony, thank you for a wonderful evening; I had a nice time."

Tony replies, "Laura, believe me, the pleasure is all mine."

When Diane and I get back to our dorm room, we immediately begin to critique the evening. With breathless excitement, Diane asks me, "Well, Laura, how did it go? What do you think of Tony?"

"Wow! I can't believe my lucky stars," I answer, excitedly, "Meeting a guy like him on a blind date. I thought that only happened in books and movies. He is so easy to be with; he's intelligent and has a good sense of humor, not a great dancer, but he likes to hug you close, with his face touching yours. All I can say is wow!"

"You know Laura," Diane declares, "I think we should change partners. My folks would love to have me bring home a nice Italian boy."

"Not on your life, Diane, he seems awfully nice, and he's so good-looking, too."

"Are you going to see him again?" she asks.

"I don't know! I'm pretty sure that he enjoyed being with me, but he didn't ask me for my telephone number."

"Don't worry," Diane replies, "I'll have Bill give him your number."