The Forever Running Man - Part 1 posted 10/29/2009 1:04:42 PM | 1 kudo what's this?     report abuse

sybnann

Since I have joined MD, I have shared a LOT of things with you... from my poetry to my everday life, some of my childhood, dates I have been on, ... etc.

There is one area that I have avoided, and although a true story, its also a long one and sometimes painful one... but mostly a joyous one.

It is about my late husband. He was a fascinating man, and this first blog is just kind of a backround of who and what made him the man that he was.

Ralph was born in Bayard, W. Va. to a woman that was divorced after a very brief marriage, and she could not handle nor understand what it takes to raise a child. With no one to help her, she hit the streets... becoming a Lady of the Night... and severely neglecting this little boy.
The authorites soon got involved and Ralph was taken away from her and adopted by her parents.

He had a very hard childhood. At the age of seven, he was forced to start helping to support the "family." He worked around the house, on the railroad, in the coal mines, and more.

His grandmother abused him but he was really close to his grandfather, who lived to be 101 years old.

When Ralph turned 18, he joined the Navy. He trained at Perris island and became a member of the Special Forces. Training was the worst and some men died during it. I know a part of what they had to do was to carry their guns in their teeth while crossing the swamps that were filled with severely poisonous snakes.
He had said later that if this snake were to bite you,... you'd be dead in 3 minutes! After being assigned to the USS Canberra, he realized that it was at a time that his ship was embarking upon a world cruise. Ralph just LOVED that! Who wouldn't???

He was SO proud of that time, and saw every country in the world except for six!!
After the cruise, and a two year service, he went in to the reserves what was supposed to be for four years, completing his 6 year service. Well he DID end up serving it, but not much of it in the reserves. The Viet Nam war started and he was called back, this time to active duty..

It was so very hard, but he left a hero... saving men....and taking risks himself to do it. He even saved a Turkish seaman that was just floating in the ocean with his hand just laying over a log. Ralph saw that hand and yelled "Man overboard!!!"

The seaman had a 103 temperature, and if had been left much longer, would have surely died.

Ralph finished his service and always missed it.... the serving his country part that is. He got home, met a lady, got married and had a baby.
The baby was a miracle child. She had been full term, but laid behind her moms fybroid tumor in her stomach and didnt grow. The child weighed just 2 lbs and 3 oz.

There was talk that the child would die, and Ralph went straight to the chapel of the hospital. Although he never said... I believe it was at that time, that he met God. The child survived and will few physical issues.
When released from the hospital, the family faced another problem. Ralph had no job and they had no place to live.

This man was NEVER a quitter. That first day, he took his little family and went to every apartment house in the area of Washington that they found themselves, pleading with the owners saying ...
"If you trust me for just one day, and allow my family to stay in one of your rooms/apartments, I will return tonight with proof that I have a job."

One person finally agreed, and Ralph came through as promised, and had found a job.
It is unclear to me how long they lived in that area, but went on to have a second child, a boy, and he was healthy.

A few months after his birth however.... the little family was sitting having just finished dinner, and Ralphs wife turned to him and said "Honey, I feel funny.."

She dropped over dead , and I always believed that a part of Ralph was lost that day too. Childrens services soon came in to the picture, but only briefly, ... wanting to take the children.... and Ralph literally threw them off of the property.

They never returned!!!

Ok well I am stopping for now, until Part 2 is written...
Thanks SO much for reading!!!!!!!!!

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Blogs by sybnann: Princess Fender The Dream I Had Last Night Miracle Man The Difference Between Salmon and Chicken.... Sunday Evening Humor!! Prescription Assistance! A Walk in the Fall Rain in the High Desert Train Adventure I deleted a blog I had just posted called A Mind Preoocupied Laughing Till We Cry It's Over The Forever Running Man - Part 2 The Forever Running Man - Part 1 Maybe Another Milestone Is it Just ME? Apples A Meet/Greet Headlines Sentimental Value Twilight Ride Slow Suicide Mysterious Happenings New Photos and fun! Third Time is The Sweetest I Won't Do That To YOU!!!