Wednesday, December 11, 2013

When We Were Twenty

1983 was the year we all turned 20. 

Blockbuster movies that year included "Return of the Jedi", "Trading Places", "Flashdance", and "Risky Business". 

Popular television shows included "Dallas", "Dynasty", "Magnum PI" and "Cagney and Lacey". 

I was still listening to Michael Jackson, only this time without his brothers. The world was blown away by "Thriller".  He was on the  top of the charts with "Billie Jean" and "Beat It". Other popular songs included "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, and the "Flashdance" soundtrack. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's "Islands in The Stream" was a huge country hit.

Today when I saw my counselor Kate, she suggested that I also mention another statistic. In 1983 she was five years old. I found that to be very interesting, and a fun bit of trivia. 

Hair was big. Leg warmers were popular (for the first time), and I truly did not have a care in the world. 

We had been out of high school for two years. Some of my friends were in college--either in town or away. But me? 1983 was the year I decided to drop out of community college, and marry my first husband. We tied the knot in October of that year. 

David and I had a one bedroom apartment. Even though we had very small paychecks, money was never an issue. Since we managed the building where we lived (sweeping the hall, changing lightbulbs, and showing vacant apartments), our rent was only $75 a month. We budgeted $25 a week for the grocery store. There was always plenty of food. I cooked dinner every night in our little galley kitchen. On Friday nights we went to Pizza Hut. I continued to have everything I needed and most of what I wanted.

I was desperately, hopelessly in love. But I've already written that story during my "Love Letters" series. 

In only a few months, I would start my first "real" job. I was hired with the company I still work for in January, 1984.

Life was good. I was healthy, thin, beautiful, and dumb as a damn rock. But like most 20 year olds, I had no clue about this. 


No comments: