Mark Joel Branton:  

A LOVE STORY, FIFTY YEARS IN THE MAKING" I don't think I can tell MY story in only twenty thousand characters, so I'll tell you A story. One considering and sort of pertaining to our upcoming fiftyeth reunion, and yea, I spell that way, get over it. During the senior year of high school back in the day there was offered, as I heard it, a chance to sign up for a week long cruise to the Caribbean, if your school could get at least twelve students to sign up. I think I was the twelvth so it was a go. There were, as I recall, ten females or whatever you call them these days, and two males, or two non-females if that's even a category, which were me and Dale, who ended up sharing a cabin together. I didn't know Dale, his last name wasn't close to mine so we never had homeroom together. Seems that's the bunch I remember the most cause we always had to sit in a row according to our last name in homeroom. That poor gal that sat in front of me, did I ever pull on her pigtails or give her a raz? Sorry! Does anybody else remember it that way? Sure would like to know if my memories match others and I just didn't make up a lot of stuff over the years thinking I remembered it right! Anyway, they cut down on school rivalry by keeping the students from the same school together. Today they'd figure out what gang you belonged to and accommodate you accordingly. I had figured by that time that I was going into the Navy and thought this would be a good chance to see how shipboard life was like, always keeping in mind that there'd be a big difference between navy life and cruise ship life!! But I'd get a look at how a ship is run and what job I'm suited for best if I was to work on board. The fateful day of the flight to go on the cruise sailing out of Miami was rather uneventful until I got on board the plane and took my seat for the 2-hour trip. I had flown before, but that was when I was five, and only from Birmingham to Atlanta, barely enough time to let it sink in what was happening, being that young. I've had to fly many times after that being in the service, you KNOW you got to go WHERE they send ya, and HOW they send ya! Truth be told, (or why else talk about it, right?), I was very nervous and had my favorite lighter knot that i used to rub on when I got really agitated, whittled to fit neatly in my left palm so I could wear on it with my thumb. My life changed in the twinkling of an eye when an Angel from Heaven came down to my row and said, "Is this seat taken?" Shall I go on? Well, it's not up to a vote, although common curtesy seems to dictate that one at least ask, so here goes... Things got a bit fuzzy after that encounter, and still I've been in a fog in some respects ever since. Her name was Jan...Expand for more