Tom & Bev | a love story

He was from the city, she was from the country. He was a lady's man, and she was a tom-boy. He had a nice car, and she needed a ride. I used to love listening to my grandparents giggle while telling both sides of the story of how they met and fell in love almost 70 years ago.

They met in their senior year of high school, and Bev wasn't exactly in Tom's plans. He had dates lined up for every night he had off work, and she didn't go steady with boys who dated around. Much to her surprise, he actually cancelled his dates in hopes of going out with the pig-tailed, Levi's wearing girl from Navarre. As stubborn as she was, she still said no to him and chose to sit at home and listen to the radio, while he called into the station with a series of romantic songs dedicated to her. Well alright, she thought maybe it might be fun to go for a ride in his snazzy new convertible after all. And so with throngs of broken-hearted ladies behind her, Grandma got a ring on her finger by '48, and Grandpa left for military duties, but I found the stacks and stacks of letters he wrote to her while they were separated.

The yellowed letters are held together with rotting rubber bands, and the painfully neat handwriting of my grandfather is starting to fade away. But tonight I'm going to look through those letters and remember what a great example they were to me of true love and commitment. Miss you, Grandma.

Comments

[Rae Veda]

This is beyond adorable. I love love stories from the older generations. Such a beautiful way of life back then. xo, rv

http://aneclecticheap.blogspot.com/

[Anne]

Wow, this brought tears to my eyes. My grandparents' stories are similarly sweet & romantic. Ah, the golden days when everybody knew what they wanted.

[Natalie Malik]

That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing that lovely story!

[Gwyneth]

Such a stunning post. I'm a little blown away! Thanks for sharing...

(Also, for Valentine's tonight I went to a showing of Casablanca, and thought of you and your blog each time Bogart delivered your blog's namesake line!)

xoxo

[Aelish]

this is so sweet. my grandmother (my grandfather's sweetheart of 65 years) past away three weeks ago today. its so beautiful to see and remember love like that.

[Sarah]

Love this. Very sweet.

[Lexi]

And scan those lovely old love letters, right? What a treasure!

[bianca]

Beautiful story- love is so beautiful!

[Maddie Flanigan]

This is the best thing I've heard all day. So lovely and so romantic. Thanks for posting :)

[GB]

Such a beautiful post--I got goosebumps where you mentioned stacks and stacks of letters.

[Emily]

You look so much like that lovely lady! Great post!

[Joy]

this is too sweet! best valentine day story :)

[meridith]

love this!

[call me debbie]

ohhhh i love this story!

(New blog needing some love and support: http://inwhirlofinspiration.blogspot.com)

[Allison]

so sweet! you've probably thought of this but you should scan those letters so your great grandkids and great great grankids and so on and on can read them!!!

[Katherine]

Great story! My grandparents told me separately just before my grandfather passed away about how they got together. It was so good to hear the story from both sides before time ran out. I loved hearing them talk about their past.

[Victoria / Justice Pirate]

I wish my grandparents had such lovely stories of their relationships as you do, but my grandparents were filled with awful things in the late 40s/early 50s. That is so lovely that you have a truly beautiful story that you can tell to your kids and everyone!!

[Nicky]

Awww!

[Miss Peregrin]

Oh wow, what an adorable story!