Marcie and I were married September 12, 1948 and we went to live with her parents. I could not find a job so we decided to use my last year of eligibility under the G.I. Bill and get a Masters’ at Johns Hopkins University. All school expenses were paid and we were given $105.00 monthly for living expenses. That is what we had. We were poor! We helped in Sam Hoffman’s business, Marcie helped in the house, I looked for a job and went to school. We discussed the matter continuously and as the year wore on, Kenmar Food Market was conceived. We borrowed $5,000.00 from my parents and bought the store in early August, 1949. Risa, Marcie and I moved in upstairs from the store on September 12, 1949, on our first wedding anniversary. Our bureau consisted or empty orange crates and we slept on a spring and mattress on the floor. We had no refrigerator; our food was kept in the walk-in box in the store.
We did well. I had experience as a meat cutter pre-war and my Bachelors’ degree was in Business. We were able to pay our parents within the year. Marcie did not drive so she would place Risa in baby carriage and walk in the neighborhood when she got the opportunity. One year soon after, she decided to buy an anniversary gift for me. She walked down to Richmond Brothers, a jewelry store where she had previously worked and bought Seiko wristwatch which probably cost the grand sum of at least $30.00. I don’t know where she got the money; probably the cash register. We had a very loose security system. I treasured that watch through the years and only wore it on special occasions.
Flash forward to September, 2015. I made an emergency medical trip to Baltimore and stayed with Dorathy and Arnold. The watch promptly died and I borrowed one of Arnold’s. He promised to replace the battery, but was told that the watch needed a complete overhaul. So, when I returned to Florida, I left the watch with him.
Several weeks ago I received a small package in the mail. Inside in a soft purple sack was the watch, alive and ticking. Arnold had it refurbished; it was alive and well. I decided to save it for special occasions. And then I thought, “ I am 91 years old. Every day is a special occasion.” I wear it every day and it is the only one I wear.
