So we continue on down this road towards a wonderful Hippie style classic wedding.
We had been living together since around August of 1973. And we decided to get married the following year....
I started purchasing Calico material for the brides maid dress' and of course I was planning on making them. We were planning on the wedding being about August...Long Story Short...I got very cold feet! Brrrrrrrrrrr.....
Instead of getting married I left the state. Literally, I made a few phone calls packed up my stuff and got on a Grey Hound Bus and hit the road to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I already had a job lined up, I had called about renting a room, sorta long term....the old man that answered the phone, was mostly kind, somewhat gruff, but kind. When I asked about getting a room he wanted to know why I was coming to Rehoboth at that time of year, I informed him I was looking for a job. Immediately he said, "I need a girl, I need a girl!" I had a job as a bartender, I was 19, and not old enough to even drink in the state, but he said don't worry it will be fine. This from an old Greek, Papa John, as he was affectionately called by most all people in Rehoboth. I hadn't even told my parents I was moving...just up and left...went somewhere, where I knew no one and no one knew me. I thought that, that was what I wanted. Looking back, I am glad I had the experience, but...
uncles, cousins and grandparents all went as a big group to Dewey Beach. Dewey Beach, for those of you who aren't familiar with the lay of the land, is a bit further south of Rehoboth, actually you can walk to Dewey, bit of a long walk, but is do-able, and Lewes is about 11 miles north of Rehoboth. Lewes is were the Ferry starts and stops and goes over to Cape May, NJ.
If you have never been for a ferry ride it is a lot of fun!
If you have never been for a ferry ride it is a lot of fun!
Ever since I was about 10 years old my family and aunts,
So I arrived in Rehoboth and it took about one week for me to acquire any friends. Boy oh boy was I lonely! But eventually I did make some friends. After about another week a gentleman in the real estate business came in and he and Papa John were old cronies. And the real estate man asked where I was staying and I told him at Papa John's hotel. He then asked if I was looking for somewhere else to live and I said that I was but that it was a tad difficult since I didn't really know anyone in Rehoboth. So he said he might be able to help me out a bit. Well a couple of days later he stopped in and asked if I would be interested in sharing a top of the garage apartment with another girl. Of course I said yes, however I would really like to meet her first. So this was arranged. That Friday I meet Andrea for the first time, we talked for five minutes and the next time I saw her I was moving into our new apartment that was about three blocks from where I worked and the same distance for her to get to her job.
It was a nicely furnished little apartment with a small combination dining area and sitting room, with a sofa bed, which is were I ended up sleeping, it was only fair, she got there first, we had a kitchen, pretty tiny, but it was a kitchen, a small bedroom and a bathroom with the shower on the left as you walked from the kitchen to the bedroom and the potty and sink was on the right with a door, the door being strategically placed so that when you were in the shower and had the door open that formed a wall to block the shower and bathroom from view....It was tiny! But it was ours and we were pretty happy there.
Although, the very first night we were there, I had placed my purse on a chair in front of the window. Now remember I said this was a top of the garage apartment...there were steps that ran up the outside of the garage to a little landing where our front door was. Well that window was right easy access from the stairs. Even though there was a screen there, that didn't stop whoever was in need of my little purse and it's contents.
Probably close to a month went by before I was called to the police department to pick up my purse that had been found in the canal. The really rough part was that they had first called my parents, because my driver's license was in the purse, so they called my parents. I am so thankful that although my youngest daughter has pushed the envelope on a couple of occasions, no one has ever left me thinking that one of my children was possibly drowned. I can not even begin to imagine how upset my mom and dad must have been. Needless to say I did call and let them know I was alright and that only my purse had been stolen. I was completely fine, and I would see them when they came to Dewey Beach in a few weeks. I knew I had hurt them pretty badly and yes I did feel pretty sad about this for quite a bit of time.
Well the summer progressed, I earned sufficient money as a bartender to easily pay the my half of the rent, and spend money on developing my pictures. When I was about twelve my grandfather had purchased a Kodak 110 Instamatic camera for me for my sixth grade field trip. So I discovered that I could buy a detachable lens for this little camera...so of course I bought them, they came in a set, one converted it to a wide angle and the other converted it to a slight zoom. I was in heaven! And I took lots and lots of pictures. This was in 1975, we didn't have digital cameras or smart phones...not yet. Oh and I bought a 10 speed bike, I had to have wheels!
I had actually started my picture taking endeavors back in sixth grade and my love of capturing a moment just continued. I actually have a website where my pictures are for sale... http://rebecca-smith.artistwebsites.com/ I digress...
being a bartender at a seaside resort is a good way to make money, however, now as I am older I wouldn't suggest it for anyone who is walking with the Lord. It will undermine your walk if you aren't really really strong..well that's an oxymoron, if you are a strong Christian, you wouldn't be working in a bar.
At this time in my life, yes I believed in Christ and God and the Trinity, but did I have a personal relationship with Christ, NO. Sadly that was not something I was ever taught.
Back to life in Rehoboth Beach....Lots of sun and sand and fun (said tongue in cheek). I would really have to say the best thing to come from my time in Rehoboth was my photography.
In my spare time I took pictures, I would get on my bike and ride up to Lewes, Delaware and go to the Air Force Recreation Base, the beach there was almost private, especially when you arrived early in the morning, and I did.
Do you know that when the sun is coming up you could probably take a picture every 15 to 30 seconds and every picture would be different. I probably spent about $100.00 a week on taking and printing pictures. Some were good and some where not so good. But I was learning.
 |
| After working for Papa John as his bartender I was able to land a job making blue jean skirts for a head shop that was just down the street. Didn't pay really well, but it was a job. |
Then there was the Henlopen hotel job.....
The restaurant was on the 8th floor of the hotel looking out over the ocean, and it was all windows. The views were amazing, especially in the winter. I really liked working there. The scenery could not be beat and the tips where quite nice, it was a high dollar restaurant and the food really was good. One thing that stood out was the oyster fritters served on Sundays only on the brunch buffet. And we were allowed to enjoy them as well. Oh, so good!
Shortly after getting my job there I met someone...someone that I really have to say was a person I would have been better off not meeting, however, there were some great learning experience in that time period and one very nice child was conceived during that time as well, but more on that in another chapter...
As I worked at the Henlopen I had also taken on another rental, you have to have heat and our little garage apartment didn't have heat, so I had to move. And move I did. I also acquired another room-mate. Living with a room-mate can be a very interesting prospect, and not always fun. We really didn't know each other very well..but we managed.
After living in this rental for a few months I ended up moving again.this time to an amazing apartment in Lewes, the one wall was completely covered with sounding charts. It would have been an awesome place to live had I had a car...alas I did not. I did have my bike and that was it.
It was about this time that I started on my next adventure!
Remember I said earlier that I had met someone...well that will be the next chapter.
See you all then and be blessed.
