Padre Mickey is an inspiration to us all. He shared his memories of the day he heard that President John F. Kennedy was shot and invited those of us of a certain age to share our memories. I think the good Padre meant for us to share at the Dance Party, but, with all due apologies, I choose to share my memories of the day here at Wounded Bird.
On the fateful Friday afternoon, I was at work at the Mobile Public Library in Mobile, Alabama. Grandpère called my office from Spring Hill College to tell us that the president had been shot in Dallas. Within a short time, we learned that President Kennedy was dead.
Upon first hearing of the president's visit to Dallas, I was apprehensive because emotions ran high against him there as in many parts of the South, including Mobile, where we lived at the time. It's easy in hindsight to wonder about things done and things left undone, like the bulletproof bubble-top which was not used on Kennedy's car. The story is that the president wanted the bubble left off.
That weekend, Grandpère was scheduled to report to his duties in the US Army Reserve, therefore he was gone for most of Saturday and Sunday. I spent the weekend in front of the TV, crying off and on throughout the two days. I left the apartment to go to church Sunday morning, and then it was back to the TV.
And then on Monday, Lee Harvey Oswald, who was declared by the Warren Commission to be the lone assassin of the president, was shot and killed by Jack Ruby in front of the TV cameras as he was being transferred to jail from police headquarters.
Below is a video of Walter Cronkite, along with the staff of the local news affiliate, reporting the news of the shooting and death of President Kennedy.
Picture from Wilipedia.
Thanks for sharing, Grandmère. It was a terrible time.
ReplyDeletePadre, it was a terrible time. I will never forget it.
ReplyDeleteIt was terrible but I still celebrate my birthday.
ReplyDeleteA Blessed and Happy Birthday, Ann. May you have many more.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you. I celebrate that you were born, too. What would we do without you?
Merci Grandmère.
ReplyDeleteI was alive, but before my memory (do remember Bobby's death though).
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I'll sleep better knowing President Obama has made it safely through this day (as it's exactly the same place, chronologically, in his presidency that JFK's was. November of 3rd year, first term).
[Happy Birthday Ann!]
Mimi, my memories of that day are so rich... I've been attempting to work them into a short story, which I hope to post some day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your memories.
Tobias, you're welcome. I hope you write your short story. I love your story about the old priest on September 11.
ReplyDeleteI was in 7th grade, and my very controlled, strict history teacher entered the room with tears streaming down his face - we were all so shocked that when he relayed the news of the president's death we at first just sat there, and then we all cried.
ReplyDeleteAnd on the same day, C.S. Lewis died.
ReplyDeleteCiss, it was a sad and shocking day, indeed. At work, we were all silent for a while. No one had words.
ReplyDeleteTim, I did not know that Lewis died on the same day. At least in the US, the news was eclipsed by Kennedy's violent and tragic death.
Aldous Huxley also died that day. It's hard to believe that the 50th anniversary is just two years away. It's also the date of the first satellite broadcast between the US and Japan (which is how we found out about it).
ReplyDeletePaul Powers, it's hard to believe that the half-century anniversary approaches in two years. The other events of significance which occurred on the same day fade into insignificance here in the US, though they may not at all be events that should be forgotten.
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