Jefferson Street--Miss Independent Part 1

I was a very determined from early on to be independent. To show my parents and the world I could make it on my own! I decided after going to a state college and living at home one year to pack my bags and move to Springfield, MO. I had researched Evangel and knew that if I took only 9 hours a semester I could live off campus. I was not interested in dorm life, so I applied and scheduled my nine hours.

I have pictures my mom took when I left home. I am not sure why she was unable to go with me, I think it's because my sister had just had a baby and she had already missed a lot of work to be with her. So, I loaded up my mom's car and took off in my sable Cutlass Cierra (car and insurance provided by mom and dad--real independent huh!) I was going to take my 1983 Ford Escort, the first car I bought with my very own money from the Office Admin job I had after high school. My dad refused to let me take it on a trip that far! He said that he and mom would bring it to me after I got down there and got settled. (Again, so independent!)

I remember my trip very vividly. I was finally taking those steps of independence. I'd never live at home again. I'd make all my own decisions. I'd be my own person and provide my own way. I had just turned 19 and the farthest road trip I had ever taken on my own was earlier that summer when I wanted to go to a friends wedding in Fort Wayne. (They attended college in Terre Haute, that's how I knew them.) I was going to house sit for them until they got back from their honey moon, so I figured, why not go to the wedding. My dad said if I could find a car to drive (other then one of his cars or my escort) I could go. Lucky for me my boss had a Nisan z (? I think it was Nisan?) It was a VERY CUTE sports car, no back seat...drove real nice! He was single and everybody's pal, so he let me take his car! (I think I drove a little fast that trip! But I tried to be reasonably responsible. :) ) So, here I am on my second road trip, on my own, moving away from home to be independent --in my mom's car :)- Did I mention that Springfield is about 6 1/2 hours away from where I grew up? So this was a big deal to me!

I stayed with friends in Springfield for a week or two, while I looked for a place to stay. I found one. I called my mom and dad! I found a cute quaint apartment! It's built inside a house! It's the top floor! The house is yellow and there are stairs on the outside going up to my apartment! It's on Jefferson street, there's a park near by! It has a living room, a bedroom and a small room that can I can do homework at. It's furnished too! Not long after I moved in, I think before my parents even came to see me, I found someone who was giving away an old couch..The apartment only had chairs. So I moved the furniture into the small room and put the couch in the living room.

I was very proud of my apartment. I liked it a lot. It was cozy. My dad called it a fire trap. I was offended. (He was right.) He wanted me to move, I refused. I lived there a year. He didn't come to see me much. My mom came to see me a lot. I found out years later that my dad cried...Sobbed...Every time he left me there (my dad doesn't cry.) I met dash while I lived there. He completely agreed that it was a fire trap. He hated my cozy apartment and with his prodding I moved into the dorms the next year.