Sue Mercurio:  

Upon graduation, an extensive multi-State camping trip w/my family for the summer, before starting school at The Ringling School of Art. Eventually, moved to Pompano Beach, working w/a dental surgeon, on Galt Ocean Mile beach, before joining Tom Croy (SHS-1965- passed away Mar. 2023) in Biloxi to be married, at Keesler AFB. A year later, I earned my wings, with my first long journey (36 hrs, just under 10k mi.) across the nation to L.A. & then onto Anchorage, days b 4, my 20th birthday. After refueling, the plane rose above the snow-capped mtns in May, offering me a window view of wild cold open land. I saw the pilot come down, the aisle looking out to both sides of the cabin, but being a trusting novice, it wz not a concern then, at least. Upon hz return 2 the cockpit, he announced a need to return to the port for an emergency landing. The hydraulics were stuck. Still, no panic, on that plane, as we landed w/fire engines flagging both sides of the craft. Having always been compliant & obedient, I wz still not in a panic. Just "a good quiet mouse"! The airlines put us up in shared rooms, informing us of missed connections following r landing in Tokyo 24 hrs later. Sure enough, the airline paired up 3 women & 1 baby, heading 2 Okinawa, w/a Japanese-only speaking cabbie, who wz persuaded 2 drive us 2 Yokohama-only, names, I barely recalled from WWII stories. As, we young women w/a baby, sat in the backseat of the small cab, we held hands, praying 4 a safe journey. It was THEN, that I got SCARED, as the driver raced thru the traffic, on the proverbial WRONG side of the road!!!! :=) He dropped us off at the GRAND HOTEL, across from a park on the waterside. After, a barely restful sleep in the Old Grand, the next morning entertained r ability to remain calm, as a young life changing event of a 5.7 quake on the Richter scale, moved that small room, as a reckless dance partner would do w/a loud salsa beat. I will never deny, that the great advantage to youth is the joy of discovery, w/o fear, if at all possible. W/nearly 3yrs. in Okinawa, as the B-52's flew over my head on the way to Viet Nam, I experienced the fright of typhoons, earthquakes and angry local protests, including a fully- loaded B-52 crashing on Kadena AFB, nearby. Tom & I watched a Stealth bomber fly into our camera's eye, once. Worked w/the Army along w/time as an assistant to an AF Chaplin for awhile. After living w/some protection & certainly air-conditioning in that extreme hot humid air, we moved to an apt. (w/o AC-insane) over a locally owned property, where I listened to the sounds of the neighbors, w/the smells of fish oil wafting into the open windows. I watched the movements of the REAL families on that very interesting Pacific island before it reverted back to the control of Japan. Greatly, enjoyed the exploration of the island and all that it offered. My home décor certainly represents my love for the Asian-made pieces. W/the aid of the USO, wives were offered tours of factories, where beer glass was recycled into vases; dolls were dressed in beautiful satin; drinks of 100% Sake w/a snake curled up in the jar were offered to the BRAVE humans. (OK to taste). Bingata hand dyed strips were displayed before being sewed-up into kimonos, to be worn on special occasions. Tea ceremonies for visitors marked each movement made by the beautifully dressed servers, following generations honoring the past and presenting it to the present. I had been interested in the Orient, long before my wonderful opportunity came to be. Loved every moment of the time there.....except for the extreme HOT humid heat & the dangerous typhoons on the little island. We "found" our dog, Chico there, who came back w/us to the States & loved his new country for the following 12 yrs, as he roamed freely around the property in the PA countryside. Returned to the US, to start 2 businesses in PA. (Wholesale produce sales to the Main Line into Philly & a resale small operation selling RV's). Three beautiful daughters, Jennifer, now a molecular biologist, w/her world-wide recognition for lung cancer research. Cynthia, studying to be a nurse, as she works in the medical field. Along w/Carrie, whose target is a Master's degree in social work. Each now blessed with adorable sons, As Tom (Croy) decided after 18 yrs of marriage, to "find himself", the girls, (11, 10 & 4 ) and I regrettably left PA & returned to Fl. Lots of hard new experiences for a newly single Mom. Friends w/the ex-wife of a well-known baseball player, as she danced on the wooden floor w/her fingers covered in large glistening rocks. My social education then, could top any current reality TV shows. A date w/a horse jockey, for a trip to the local mall, while he tried to impress my very youngest child, then. A 1x dance w/a N.Y. mobster & later dinner. Worked for George Steinbrenner's horse trainer once, on a farm, where the ceiling crumbled into the small house/office, onto the couch beside me. The horse near the front door greeted me at lunch time. when I walked outside for a free touch. Friday afternoons, I joined other employees at a local bank, all eager to cash our paychecks before they bounced. Met too many horse farmers, w/too much money that wanted extra play time, away from the horse "farms". They had control over the whole town & made the rules. A lot of threats made against nice people, who learned too many secrets from the REAL bad guys in control. I BARELY existed in that whirlpool of insanity, of working 3 jobs at a time, while still fighting the court system (& Tom) for child support. Finally, one judge sent Tom to jail for a few hrs. He only went to jail one time, but there were MANY other events, which he created where he should have seen the metal door close behind him, 4 a very LONG STRETCH! People, whom we first trust and love, can change in very ugly ways. We tend to dismiss the unkind & harmful pain, hoping it will not continue. But, the circle of the victims increases & that hateful & ...Expand for more