Written by Ruth Ann

This story is from around December 1963 when I was 7 and ¾ and Neil was already 17.

It was a Sunday night and we were watching the Ed Sullivan show.  I was trying to nestle down on my Mom’s lap with great difficulty and finally in frustration said…”What is the matter with you? Are you going to have a baby or something?”  And my mom said…”Well now, yes I am going to have a baby”.  

In the ensuing silence, Neil who was standing in the doorway said “Jesus Christ” and started walking away and then my Dad followed him.  In my young brain, I thought ” Ohh..he swore and now he is going to get it”.

The part that Neil may not know, is that a few days later,  I was walking home from school and Mrs. Clopp called me over to her house and gave me cookies and a drink.  Then she asked about my Mom and wondered if she was pregnant.  

At this point, I said…”yes she is going to have a baby and proceeded to tell her all about Neil saying Jesus Christ and Dad following him out of the room. I basically gave her the blow-by-blow details of the way I saw it.

Back then, discretion was a foreign concept to me.  Ooops!

/Ruth Ann