The Judge said, ”What can I help you kids with?”  John said, “We want to get married.” The judge looked  right at me and said….”Are you pregnant?” I said “NO!”…..the judge said, then I will not even talk to you. He got up and left the room. John and I looked at each other and got up and walked back to the beat up Ranchero. Of course we were both disappointed to say the least. We figured my mom had already called the judges office and this was all planned out. I don’t know if that is true….but mom seemed pleased with herself when we got back to the house.

After we got home….we decided that I should get a driver’s permit. That was back when your parents didn’t have to go with you. I got a copy of my birth certificate and we decided to change my age on it so I would be older in case we had the chance to get married again.. I was born in Michigan so my birth certificate was black with white writing. That was tough to change, but we did it. (Now I know what the bible scripture means, be sure your sins will find you out…I’ve had to be one year older for years…ugggg) Yes, I passed my permit. I was really only 15, but my permit said I was 16. John was teaching me to drive in the 1969 red and black Ford Ranchero.

About a month later in February of that year 1969,  mom told us that she had been on the phone with her relatives back in Mississippi and Tennessee, and that her and daddy had decided that we were all going to move back south for work. Well, that really upset John. He said, they are trying to take you away from me…. Mom and dad started selling different household items, washer, dryer, tables, etc. We were to leave Oregon towards the end of February, moving to Tennessee. The time was getting close for us to leave and we were going to check out of school. Throughout the years if some of the children needed notes for being home sick or permission notes, mother would have us older girls write the notes and she would sign them. She worked as a nurse with many of those years night shift to be away while we were sleeping and dad was home. That day mom was going to come to the school and check all of us children out for the move. John called me that morning and said he had a plan. He said my sisters husband was going to help us. He told me that we were going to run away and get married. I said, “where will I meet you….mom is coming to the school to get us kids checked out.” John told me to go to the elementary school, then he said, no, go to the high school….then he said no you better stay on the bus and go to the elementary school……I was getting all confused, but it was almost time for the bus to pick us up for school… so I told my mom to just write us a note and she wouldn’t have to come to the school. I thought that would give us some extra time.  So I got her a paper….about that time, the bus came so she just signed the paper and said , write the note….I ran upstairs and grabbed a lacy yellow dress that I wore in my sister’s wedding and some white high heels. After all if I was gonna get married, I wanted to look good. So I ran to the bus….I wasn’t  sure where  John was gonna have my brother in law meet me…..The bus went to the high school and let students off..(that is where I was supposed to get off) I decided to stay on and ride the bus to the elementary school….about that time, I saw my brother in law pull into the high school parking lot…..I thought I’ll just stay on the bus because it comes back to the high school after dropping off elementary students. About that time my little sister Brenda, said, hey Pam, mom and dad are following the bus. My heart sunk…. I thought, I’m just gonna stay on the bus and go to school like nothing happened. As soon as the bus stopped for the little kids to get off, I could hear my mother’s voice……. “ Is Pamela Carole on this bus?”………….. (to be continued)