My Family Part 8

The man I married was really a boy when we married. I was merely a girl. I do not believe I would change anything. At the same time we should have been older. We wanted to be married and we were.

He came from a big Irish family. They are all wonderful people and I care for them very much. They are as much my family as the family I was born into. He was just as close to my family.

David was a hard worker even as young as he was when I met him. He dropped out of school after the 8th grade. That was as soon as he legally was able. It was not unusual during that time even if it was unwise.

He was good at hiding the fact that he could not read. I did not realize that he was illiterate until long after our first child was born. When it became obvious that I was not the one to teach him he enrolled in night school.

He went to two different night schools. Both were teaching reading to students who could already read. He was discouraged.

A few years later we found a night class teaching people who did not read English. He not only liked the class but I think he had a bit of a crush on his teacher.

My husband worked menial jobs for several years. It was hard for him having a boss near telling him what to do. His Irish temper would flare and he would soon be at another job.

Driving a truck was a good job for him. He was by himself all the time. No boss issuing orders.

 A fellow truck driver moved to Tennessee and began his own trucking company. He asked my husband to work for him. Since the pay was better my husband said yes. That was the end of his schooling.

I was due to have my third baby and was not able to travel. My children and I stayed with my parents until the baby and I were cleared to travel. Then we all moved to Tennessee.

It was nice there. With my husband gone during the week the kids and I were on our own. We were able to explore all over the place.

After a couple of years and another baby we moved back to Michigan. The new speed limit laws were hard on drivers and the companies.

We started a business. Actually he did the work while I kept the finances.

As many marriages do ours did not work. We tried to get it back but it sort of died. Our divorce was final on our oldest son's 18th birthday.

We did not remain friends. At the same time I knew I could count on him and he knew he could count on me.

My husband was only 62 years old when he died. All the years of smoking, drinking, and not taking care of himself caught up to him. He had cancer.