My first image of Rusty will forever be tied to a 1957 Chevrolet pickup truck. Standing at the back door of our house on Gilbert Road, I watched him unwind his lanky frame from the driver’s side and Cece lightly sprung out of the passenger side with a smile as big as our barn on her face. Thus began our 20 year association with as fine a son-in-law as ever a mortal man could hope for. Of course, such sentiments were all in the future. There were a few years of teen-age angst and outrageous surprises that had to be waded through first.
I will concentrate on the more humorous and character defining incidents that occurred during the years of their relationship. Having met as “lab partners” in a Junior High Home Economics class, Cece was forever talking about Rusty, to her sister. We were treated to a kernel or two of information from time to time. Then came the Twirp Dance in their Sophomore year at High School.
Kate drove them to the Yakima Mall to purchase matching shirts and hats for this traditional fling. The back seat with its two occupants was as silent as a tomb. Kate tried to make conversation only to have it be deflected by Cece who was working hard to minimize Rusty’s shy embarrassment. Probably not two words passed his lips that whole way.
Once when Rosa was visiting us, she and Cece walked all the way to Ahtanum, at least three miles one way, to visit Rusty just to say, “Hi,” only to find him in a cast and sporting a black eye and bruises from a car accident. Such is the strength of love. This feeling was so strong in Cece that when we were cleaning up the house for sale, and I was repainting some rooms, I found the word RUSTY spray painted in florescent green spray paint on the ceiling of her room. Sheesh! It took three coats of paint to cover that finally!
Over the years Rusty was present at (and tortured by) multitudinous Parrish, Cooper, Lopez, McBride gatherings, vacations, and family obligations. Cece moved down to California for a year in 1998-1999, but came back to Washington because a certain young man was still there.
They moved to Seattle in 1999, their first apartment being in the Wallingford district. They have not left Sea-town since. Moving to other various places, while Cece went to Seattle University and then the University of Washington, they spent a year or two apart, on and off dating other people. Ultimately, they reconnected and one of the two proudest days of my life occurred in 2009 (my eyes are getting wet here).
On July 27th, 2009, I officiated at the marriage of my eldest daughter Cecilia to one of the finest young men I know. Who, you may ask? Well, guess! Little would I have dreamed how this story would play out on that day in 1994, when the Chevy pickup pulled into our driveway. Rusty has been a presence in our lives and a part of our family so long it seems as if it has always been that way. My eldest daughter has very good taste!
JP 1-1-2012
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