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It must have been 1960 when Diane met a guy at a party. Hank Tietje was in the navy and his ship was stationed at that time in Long Beach. They dated and he went out to sea, leaving Diane his Cadillac convertible to watch over while he was gone.
When he came into port in San Diego, Diane drove down in his car to see him. From Long Beach to San Diego on Pacific Coast Highway (there was no I-5 at that time) she felt like a starlet. Oh, was she hot stuff! With a scarf tied around her hair with its blonde highlights and her spaghetti strap summer dress, she was riding high. Hank took a lot of ribbing from his shipmates when he met her in the huge parking lot at ship side.
Soon he was out to sea again, but before he left he presented her with an engagement ring and she said YES. This was his last tour and when he came back into Long Beach he finished up his California business and left for Garnerville, Nevada, to see his folks and get settled. Later that summer Diane drove to Nevada, in her own bright red convertible, for a visit. Hank's mother was shocked. "What kind of woman is this you bring home?" she asked, not knowing that Diane could hear her from the other room. Bleached hair, make-up, sexy clothes, convertible with top down - it was all foreign to momma. But it was a great visit, Hank showed her off to all the relatives and friends, they went dancing and attended a fundraiser for a local cause. Diane had one of the winning door prize tickets - it was a shotgun! More teasing for Hank. And he received the shotgun.
Diane drove home and the long distance calls and letters kept them in touch. A problem arouse when Hank said he had put a down payment on a house and never wanted to travel again for the rest of his life. WHAT? Never travel? Diane felt she hadn't been anywhere and wanted to see the world. After six months she decided that there was too much yet to see and she sent back his ring with a long explanatory letter. Five days later she woke up to find him sleeping in his car in her driveway. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. It was a terrible time, but finally she convinced him that they had no future and he went back to Nevada. That was the end of their connection and she has always wondered what he did with the rest of his life. He would be about 85 now, does he still live in Garnerville? Have grandchildren? Did he ever travel? All unanswered/unanswerable questions.
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