The gravels crunched beneath my tires as I drove my automobile up the inclined driveway. Bits of grass grew wildly between some of the rocks. After parking, I took a moment to view the house I was about to enter.
The two story older home looked like it had new siding – a pale yellow color. The front held two porch swings –one on each end of the concreted covered entrance. The lawn neatly mowed looked inviting. The trees in the front looked as if they were coaxing me to pull up a lawn chair and sit beneath them on this warm summer day, I immediately thought of my childhood home.
As a writer, this was my first time of interviewing people for something other than memory writing. Although I was a little nervous, knowing the couple I was about to interview for an article that I was writing, kept most of the butterflies at bay.
After walking the path to the front door, I banged loudly on the door to attract the attention of the older couple I was visiting. They were expecting me. I could hear the television – even with the front door closed. I knew Cecil wore a hearing aide. Many times sitting a few pews back from them at church, I’d hear his hearing aide buzzing because he had it turned up too loud.
Sally ambled to the door and after opening it, she invited me in, greeting me with a huge smile. After instructing Cecil to turn off the TV so that they could hear me, Sally offered me a seat.
The floral sofa did not match the floral chair. Most of the furniture was mixed matched. Photographs of their son, grandchildren, great and great great grandchildren lined the walls, shelves and tables. The hardwood floors held a variety of throw rugs. I noticed white country style curtains hanging on the windows in the family room and the kitchen. I wasn’t sure about the curtains in the rest of the house since I hadn’t seen it yet. I did notice the beautiful antiques, furniture and glassware.
I began my interview, starting with how long they had been married, (seventy years) to what times were like when they first married. I soon realized this wasn’t going to be a typical interview. I had to yell my questions, and they answered what they thought the questions were, most answers didn’t have anything to do with what I’d just asked.
These people were about the sweetest married couple I’d seen in a long while. The way they answered the questions together or looking at each other and their mannerism was refreshing. The couple brought back my faith in the institution of marriage. Although my intention was only to interview women, they were so tightly joined that it would’ve been almost impossible to just interview one of them.
They told me things like, we’ve never gone to bed angry with each other, never had a fight so big that divorce was contemplated, always worked hard and made decisions together. Cecil proudly says they’ve never purchased anything they couldn’t pay for in cash. They don’t use credit cards and don’t live above thier means.
Sally and Cecil say that their faith in Jesus Christ is what has sustained them through their marriage and just recently through the loss of their adult son.
Cecil and Sally attend church regurlary every Sunday and requires no special accomendations such as handicap parking and wouldn’t hear of being treated any differently than every other church member.
When I grow up, when I’ve been married seventy years, I hope to be as happy as Cecil and Sally are in life.
Darlene We remember Mr. Cecil being up on rafters of our new church building. He was 82 at that time.