The Silverstream Trailer was eight feet wide by nineteen feet long and consisted of a bedroom, bath, and kitchen/living room. A small heater was located in the living room area and for four years it was home to us in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Military families learn to depend on each other and at Geiger Trailer Park near the New River Air Facility, young wives formed close bonds while husbands were away on a Med Cruise or served daily at the nearby MACS Base.
Looking through the remnants of an old filing cabinet, I recently came across a Welcome Baby Card from a surprise shower given to me by neighbors who invited me for “coffee” and presented me with gifts including the loan of a decorated bassinet. Margaret’s family had brought it from Georgia for her and since she would not need it for several months, it was placed in my care.
D.J. spent his first months cuddled up in the fancy bed, unaware of the love and comfort he had been given by a generous lady with a Southern accent.
Not knowing any better, each time I changed a diaper, I kept up a constant line of chatter and spent the next months teaching D.J. to talk. As a result, he was the darling of the neighborhood with ladies stopping by to hear him perform his latest words.
When a new family moved into the spot behind our trailer, they were of course included in our circle of friends. I was surprised when after a few weeks, the new neighbor made a proposal to me. How about we exchange children? She would babysit with D.J. And I would spend time with Eric and teach him to talk.
The Project worked perfectly so when Eric’s father returned from a Med Cruise, his son was quite a chatterbox!