F is for First Date: Fixed Up in College. No. 6 of 26 posts in the April 2024 Blogging From #AtoZChallenge. Theme: My Life: The Prequel (in Snapshots) adding my parents’ stories to the family history mix. Please join me on the journey.
In the years before dating apps and websites, my parents Norm and Peg (Laurence) Charboneau met through the 1940s version — they were fixed up by a mutual college friend.
For this I owe a debt of gratitude to Mary Jean, a classmate of Mom’s at Potsdam Teacher’s College, who had a memorable nickname. Dad told me the story in 2008 during one of my visits.
“Your mother and I were introduced by a gal named Mary Jean,” Dad said. “I think she was a lab partner of your mother’s, and we all called her ‘Lobster.’ Mary Jean was too short for me. But she knew I was looking, so she said, ‘I have a woman for you.’ “ And that’s how my parents met.
Alas, I can’t remember how Dad said Mary Jean got her nickname. Did she get sunburned on a group outing? Did her face turn red when she laughed? But what an entertaining aspect of my parents meetup tale!
First date possibilities
I’ve also wondered where my parents went on their first date, since I didn’t get details about that, either. Mom’s 1947 yearbook from Potsdam Teachers College contained the photo below and a fanciful description of straight 1940s dating — which offers a few clues.
“We met at Congdon Field last fall and danced on the tennis court…Soon after, we were bowling and bicycling together…We hardly missed a single basketball or hockey game all year, and Sunday night always meant the Rialto with a long hot chocolate afterward.
“I encouraged his budding love of music by bringing him to all the concerts at school. He’s quite a fan now. The Carnival found us stamping our feet as our cheers echoed frostily in the rafters of the arena. We attended all the formals, and most of the stag dances and vic parties. He gave me my first orchid for the Intersorority Ball.”
Sports most likely
Well, okay. Enough of that.
Given Mom’s lifelong love of sports, I am inclined to think they went to a sports event. Perhaps a Clarkson Tech football game — maybe even the annual showdown against St. Lawrence U.? Or one of the basketball or hockey games mentioned in Mom’s yearbbook?
Wherever my folks went, it was a landmark first date for them both. But that didn’t mean it was entirely smooth sailing from the start — as you will read in the next post.
Up next, G is for Greetings from Cape Cod: Patching up a fight. Please stop back!
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