Part 16… Enjoying the Rockies

When thinking back to our time in Denver, we have only happy memories.

The joy of being together in this big wide world.

A feeling that has sustained us for over fifty years.

I had found a job at Denver General Hospital, an apartment in the same building as my aunt and uncle just ten minutes from the hospital. Life settled into a happy rhythm: a new chapter in our lives. We discovered Mexican food and shrimp pizza. One night driving into the city, this small town girl looked around at the lights, the hustle and bustle and a new view of the world was revealed.

The first months Boyd spent the majority of his time in the hospital with occasional weekend passes, later in his recovery he spent a lot of time at the apartment. If he had times when he was not undergoing treatment he was allowed to leave. On my days off we would drive to the mountains, take a picnic, sometimes inviting Boyd’s friends to join us.

I would drive Boyd and his friend, Bill to the drive-in. I was a working girl so I’d climb in the backseat and sleep. Boyd would wake me up when the movie was over. I’d take them back to the hospital then go home to finish my night’s sleep.

We socialized with my cousin and his wife. Feeling normal was wonderful. Boyd was on crutches. He could play miniature golf so that became a fun date activity. We loved going to the City Park and Elitch Gardens. I walked into a supermarket, saw a display of oranges piled high, I had never seen such a display in my small town grocery. I tasted my first avocado and lamb. We experienced an expanding view of the world.