1908 & 1967

The title is two numbers that don't appear to have anything in common when you just put them out there, but let me tell you these two dates are connected. How one might ask? For me it is easy. The dates are fifty-nine years apart and have always held a place in my heart and in my mind. The first is the year of the birth of my grandmother Lula who was born at a quarter till midnight on June 27, 1908. The second date, my birth year. Ok so now you'll know how old I am. I never hide that anyway. I am proud to have lived my life to this age. Never thought I would be this old or feel this young at this age. I was born on Tuesday, June 27, 1967 at a quarter till midnight. Now has anyone noticed a correlation there? My fraternal grandmother and I were born exactly to the minute fifty-nine years apart. Tonight as I walked with my dad at first and talked of sports and Obama, and Michael Jackson and Farrah, my mind wandered and then as my dad headed back in the house after forty minutes of the walk and I continued on my way I remembered the story of the day I was born that I have heard so often. My mother had started feeling contraction early in the morning, but she didn't want to go to the hospital and sit where they would poke her with needles and pester her, so she had my dad and his brother Pearlie Jr. Take her to the Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo with my brother Ritchie of course. She spent quiet a bit of time there and took a ride on the Koonville Express (The zoo's train). Then dad and her headed back home. They lived in a little apartment down town and their phone was a party line. For those that don't know a party line was a phone that several people shared the lines to. So to use the phone no one else could be using it at the same time. Does anyone see where this story is going all ready? About eight o'clock in the evening my mother decided they should head out. Guess what? Dad's car wouldn't start. So he went over and picked up the phone. He says these two old biddies (old women) were yacking about garbage. I don't know if he meant literal garbage or he didn't think their conversation was important. Anyway, he says he politely explained to them he needed the phone and they promised to be off shortly. This went on until around 10pm and they were still not off the phone so my dear old dad pulled the phone over to the stereo speakers and blasted them full force into the phone. Can we say OUCH? Dad says he was called back by the phone company and he explained the situation to them and they got off the phone and allowed him to call a cab. Yep, I was extremely close to being born in the back seat of a Fort Wayne Taxi, but I wasn't. They arrived at Parkview at 11pm and I was born at 11:45pm. Talk about cutting it close. This should have been a good heads up for them that I was going to be trouble. That and other stories of my pre-birth that I will be happy to share at a different time. My dad was so excited he forgot it was his mothers birthday. My mom named me Sheila. It was after a song my dad loved at that time. Yep I was named after a song. "Sweet little Sheila, you'll know her if you see her. Blue eyes and a pony tail." That would be me. My grandmother never let them forget that they didn't name me after her either. Nothing personal grandma. I loved you, but I am glad I am Sheila. Coincedently my first job was at "The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo". So here we are forty-two years later. I love my family and my life. Of course my mother thought I was turning forty-three today. Hum. I'm certain she was there. :>)