1965, Dairy Queen and Cherry Coke

1965, Dairy Queen and Cherry Coke

Dear Diary,

I will never forget this day. It was in the summer of 1965 and I was a child. My mom treated me to an old fashioned (new then) Drive Inn lunch. We just left one of my swimming meets and I was starving or so I thought.  I can close my eyes and remember where we parked, what the whole scene looked like and how I felt. I was young, energetic and felt as if the world would last forever. Mom looks so young in my memory and her smile lit up my world. She had a contagious laugh so we spent most of our time together giggling.

Mom:  I'm proud of you. You did great today.

Me:  Thanks mom. Can I have anything I want?

Mom: You mean may I?

Me: May I?

Mom: Sure

Me: I want three chili cheese dogs! (one of my favorites)

Mom: No not three.

Me: But you said anything I want.

Mom: Two.

Me: Fine, okay two. And a large cherry coke with cherries in the bottom!

We placed our order and somehow our conversation went into the future.

Mom: I wonder if we'll see the turn of the century, Deb?

Me: The what?

Mom: The turn of the century. When we go from the 1900's into the 2000's.

Me: My immature mind didn't comprehend right away. As a child each day would seem to last and last. To look that far into the future was mind boggling for me. How many years is that?

Mom: It's 1965 so it will turn 2000 in 35 years.

Me: 35 years! You're gonna be old! Really old. That's too far to think of.

Mom: Not really Deb. The time will pass quickly. Let's see, by my calculations I will be 72 years old.

Me: What???? Huh-uh! You're never going to be that old! How old will I be?

Mom: Deb you'll be 45 years old! You'll still be young.

Me: Young? Young! You call that young? I would be an old lady! Yuk I don't want to think about that besides mom you'll live forever.

Mom: Smiling. I hope so dear. I hope to get old.

I got to spend the turn of the century with my mom! She was 72 alright. I was a sweet young thing of 45. That day at DQ I couldn't wrap my mind around that many years passing. I couldn't comprehend how that much time could ever go by!

Mom was a sweet young age of 37 years old that day. I was 10. We looked at each other and knew in our hearts that the turn of the century was a whole world away and we had nothing to worry about!

I could not fathom the future having that many days and nights and laughs and tears and wonderful times together.

When I was 10 I couldn't understand or believe that time could move on its own like that.

Today I look back and it seems like yesterday.  Thanks for letting me share one of my fondest moments.