LOVE IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR

Back in 1964, my Mom announced that she was going to marry Kenneth Walton. She was very happy about it because Mom hated to be alone. She and Dad had gotten a divorce in 1963(I think) and they had sold our lovely old house on Greenacres Avenue. Dad had moved into New York City and Mom had moved to White Plains. Suddenly, I went from living at home in a big beautiful room with a back yard to living in a cramped two bedroom appartment in loud old White Plains. I went from being able to walk to school to having to take a train to Altoona, PA

and traveling by bus to Tyrone and the Grier School for Girls.

Big changes.........and there were more to come. Like most children of divorce, I secretly hoped that my folks would wake up and get back together. When Mom married Ken, that killed that idea.

I had to travel back home for the wedding. I was supposed to fly but a fog put me on the train instead. I fell asleep and woke up with this creep staring at me. It shook me up. My Dad met me at the station and we went to the Plaza Hotel for breakfast. He then put me on the train for Hartsdale. Mom and Ken were married at the Hitchcock Presbyterian Church where Ken worked as the Choir master and organist. I guess it was a nice wedding but I wasn't very happy about it. Sometime along the way, Mom sang the song she had written with Ken about love. It was and is a lovely song called "Love in the Fall of the Year. " I have always liked it better than her wedding song and I find myself humming it on nice fall days.

"Tender young love is very nice but I want to make it clear. I'll take my love with a dash of spice that comes in the fall of the year". Don't panic , gang.........it's just the season.