We find ourselves in the early 1970’s, I am living in Austin with my grandparents (dad’s side). I went to 3rd and forth grade in Austin. Dad was still in LA doing music in some form but also married a woman named Cherrie(sp?). she was a flight attendant; I mean Stewardess for United Airlines. They traveled a lot including to her home state of Hawaii. Dad was seemingly livin it up! He also began working some indoor labor job for General Telephone (GTE).
I was with my grandparents because my mom was busted for some kind of drug charge and went to jail for a period. That was the tipping point with everyone, and Dad had to reprioritize life and get custody of me. During the court stuff, he was coming to Austin when needed, but also transferring within GTE to the Beaverton Oregon C.O. they called it. He and Cherrie got an apartment in Troutdale. Eventually I made it to Oregon with in 1974. I don’t remember much oft of the logistics of getting here, but I sure do remember moving in with Dad and Cherrie. She was a Total Bitch and clearly did not want kids of her own, or Dads for that matter. She was constantly calling me fat (well, I was) and changing my diet from the surplus loading my grandma was doing.
I’m sure that caused some fights but dad was learning how to be Dad while dealing with her criticism and efforts to change my physique. She eventually had an affair with one of his ski buddies and soon married that guy, so it was just dad and I for the first time. I was in 5th grade at Troutdale grade school. Shortly after his first teacher conference with ms Perry, I learned they had a dinner date or two. Years later, as a teenager I learned it was much more than dinner, but alas, she didn’t become step monster v.2. I will get into future fatherly companions in coming weeks. Anyway, Cherrie was gone, and it was just us and there was a strange similarity between us and “The courtship of Eddies Father”, minus Mrs. Livingston. I think our first outing together was a drive up the gorge, to see things my 10-year-old eyes could not fathom. And we ended up trying to catch a trout in the hood river I believe. I was using bait and fishing water I had never seen or heard of… A river with clear water and boulders…. using a single cured salmon egg on a tiny hook was as foreign to me as the green trees, grass, and snow-capped mountains. Everyone was adjusting. Even ms Perry.
I was so amazed at the scenery here, but noted that people were generally snotty, compared to the friendly Texas I left. No, Cherrie didn’t skew my survey, she was gonzo for good. Yay Trey!