• Home
  • About The Swirl World
  • Meet The Contributors
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy

The Swirl World

Celebrating and Elevating Black Women - mind, body, soul and spirit!


Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Just An Old Fashioned Love Story

November 15, 2012 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 9 Comments

It was August 1956, and an Army soldier who had recently fought in Korea now faced deployment to a war in Vietnam. His best friend Charles (more commonly known as “Bully”), a guy he’d known since infancy, had been married for a couple of years to a very pretty girl that he was obviously crazy about.

Bully had told him that his wife Marie had a younger sister who was just as pretty – and single.

In the meantime, Marie had been telling her sister Helen about Bully’s best friend  Columbus (more commonly known as “Nookie”). 

“You need to meet him!” Marie gushed. “He’s nice looking, he’s in the Army, and Bully thinks y’all would really hit it off.”

“What grown man has a nickname like ‘Nookie’?” Helen scoffed. “And I don’t know if I want somebody in the Army. I want whoever I’m with to be here, with me.”

Helen was more than a little skeptical, even put off – yet she was intrigued. She agreed to meet this “Nookie.”

Plans were quickly set. They would all go out for a late dinner that Friday night after attending the wake of one of Bully and Nookie’s classmates.

Later that night, Helen pondered an incident that had taken place a few months before. She’d been on her way to work, and her Mother stopped her.

“I had a dream about you last night, Girl,” her Mother said. “I saw your husband.”

Helen literally had trembled. Her Mother was a God-fearing, church-going woman and very spiritual. Mother Zora was known for having dreams and a keen insight into people’s character and motives. When she had a dream about something, all you had to do was wait for it to happen, because whatever she dreamed was certainly coming true.

“The dream actually wasn’t so much about you as it was about the man you’re going to marry. He’s on the short side . . . dark, and extremely intelligent. He wears very nice clothes, and . . . . . “

Helen listened with rapt attention as her Mother described the man she saw in her dream. Mother Zora described the man’s physical and intellectual characteristics, and then moved to the most important part: His character.

“He’s straight as an arrow, this man. He’ll be a good provider, and you won’t have to worry about him at all. He’s gonna want your children to do well in school; want them to be somebody in life. Family comes first with him. He does right by his Mother, and he’s going to do right by you.”

Helen had met a gentleman since that fateful morning, a tall, extremely handsome guy named Ralph who was being very persistent in his pursuit of her. For some reason, she was never completely at ease in his presence, and Ralph’s pushiness bothered her instead of drawing her. It also didn’t help that he didn’t meet her Mother’s physical description at all, and he wasn’t close to his family.

Helen sighed. Marie had tried to tell her what Nookie looked like based on Bully’s description, but she still couldn’t get a good grasp of him from Marie’s words. She’d just have to go to the wake and see this guy Nookie for herself.

Marie and Bully were already at the wake, seated at the front of the church when Helen arrived. Her heart pounding, Helen made her way over to them. She spoke to Bully, then sat next to Marie on the pew.

“Well, where is he?” Helen asked.

“He’s running a little late; he had to stop by his Mother’s before coming here,” Marie whispered.

HMPF! Helen thought. This Nookie person was already starting off on the wrong foot.

They sat for over an hour, until the end of the viewing period. Still no Nookie. Bully had periodically turned in his seat to scan the room for his friend. Helen refused to turn around;  she was not desperate! Even so, she had to admit to herself that she was a bit disappointed that Nookie hadn’t shown up. Whether she met him or not, the good thing was that she’d made up her mind to tell Ralph that she wasn’t interested. She’d tried to give him a chance, but her uneasiness around him and annoyance with him were two huge red flags she knew she couldn’t ignore. Helen felt a weight lift off her mind. Just the thought of telling Ralph to move on greatly improved her mood. 

Bully, Marie, and Helen stood for the benediction, then turned to leave. Looking toward the rear of the church, Helen’s eyes locked with that of an expensively dressed man – a man who perfectly embodied the description of the man described in her Mother’s dream.

In that moment, it seemed that they were the only two people in the room. In that moment, she felt no reservations about his person or his character. She had no sense of uneasiness; instead, it was as if she had known him all her life. She had never met him, yet knew deep in her heart that her destiny was tied to his. Whoever he was, she loved him on sight. She felt in her heart that he was “The One.”

“There he is!” Bully exclaimed. “Hey Nookie – over here!” 

Nookie barely heard Bully, because his eyes were still locked on Helen, who would find out later that when their eyes locked, Nookie had experienced the same thoughts and emotions about her that she’d had for him – he believed she was “The One.”

Three months later, Helen and Nookie  married in a modest ceremony at Mother Zora’s home. The date: November 15, 1956.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Join in the Fray: Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?

Copyright © 2012 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, All rights reserved.

I’m blogging every day in the month of November as a participant in NaBloPoMo. Thanks for reading and feel free to comment!

 

 

Be Sociable! Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Filed Under: Series, Special, Uncategorized Tagged With: cake, Dream, Fray, funeral, Korea, Mother, NaBloPoMo, Nookie, November, soldier, Vietnam War, wake, wedding

About Michelle Matthews-Calloway

I'm a native Louisianan currently living in Dallas, TX. I have a B.S. degree in marketing, an MBA and a PhD in higher education administration. I love writing and research, and also thoroughly enjoy reading and working out.

I am passionate about cultural/ethnic diversity and interracial relationships; so much so that my dissertation focused on these concepts. I'm a widow, and I started dating interracially a few years after my husband passed away. In addition to blogging about interracial relationships and social issues, we also provide a podcast available on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Sound Cloud and Stitcher.

You can also find me on Twitter or Instagram @ASwirlGirl.

Do you love vintage photos and history with your pop culture? Them come and join me and Podcast Co-Host Adrienne London Leach on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheSwirlWorld. If you love our military, come and show our warriors some love at Facebook.com/Military Swirl.

In The Swirl World we celebrate and elevate Black Women - mind, body, soul and spirit!™

Comments

  1. natruthstudent says

    November 19, 2012 at 12:04 AM

    Will do, my friend! Give me a couple days, I’m having a bit of minor inspiration in my book!

  2. A Swirl Girl says

    November 17, 2012 at 10:52 PM

    Aw, Michele, thanks so much!

  3. Michele Veillon says

    November 17, 2012 at 8:35 AM

    You had me hooked completely! Great love story………

  4. A Swirl Girl says

    November 16, 2012 at 2:04 AM

    Please do! I’d love to read it!

  5. A Swirl Girl says

    November 16, 2012 at 2:03 AM

    Chef Bob, thanks for your comment. So many of my friends and acquaintances no longer have both their parents. I know I am especially blessed to have them still with me and my two brothers. Sentiments like yours make me appreciate and treasure them all the more.

  6. A Swirl Girl says

    November 16, 2012 at 2:02 AM

    Eugenia, thanks so much! Both of them are real characters – and a testimony to the power of love.

  7. natruthstudent says

    November 15, 2012 at 10:59 PM

    Yes, I do believe in love at first sight. As for WHY, well that’s simple. I’ve experienced it. It’s a long, strange story, S.G. If you want, I could write it out for you privately…

  8. dasdbobb says

    November 15, 2012 at 9:31 PM

    I love this. You’re so lucky to have them. I wish I could still have had more time with mine.

  9. Eugenia says

    November 15, 2012 at 5:11 PM

    Oh that’s such a beautiful story. So sweet. Happy Anniversary to your mom and dad.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Show more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The Swirl World Mug
The Swirl World Mug
by TheSwirlWorld

Join The Swirl Nation and Receive Updates Via Email!

Are You In?

Provide your email address if you'd like to hear from us from time to time. We promise we won't spam you!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Looking for something? Search here!

Welcome!

I’m Michelle Matthews-Calloway, and I’m A Swirl Girl! Greetings to you from The Swirl World. We encourage Black women to expand their relationship options by dating and marrying interracially. Our overarching mission is to see Black Women live their best life. Come Swirl with us in The Swirl World™, where we celebrate Black women and the diverse men who love us!™

Join The Swirl World on Facebook

Join The Swirl World on Facebook

Listen to the Podcast on Sound Cloud

Join A Swirl Girl On Instagram

Instagram

Connect With Michelle On LinkedIn

View Michelle Matthews Calloway's profile on LinkedIn

Check Out Interracial Match!

InterracialMatch.com - the best interracial dating site!
InterracialMatch.com - the best interracial dating site!
The Swirl World Logo Flow Tee
The Swirl World Logo Flow Tee
by TheSwirlWorld
The Swirl World Logo Sticker
The Swirl World Logo Sticker
by TheSwirlWorld

Podcasts We Love

  • #SmartBrownVoices
  • Back2Us Radio Network
  • Behind The Brilliance
  • Black Girl Nerds
  • Design The Life You Want
  • Her Power Hustle
  • Interracial Jawn
  • Just Thinkin' Out Loud Media
  • Live By Design Inspiration Radio
  • Nerdy Black Chicks
  • The Freedom Biz
  • The Productive Woman
  • This Week In Blackness

Blogroll

  • 500and50
  • A Black Girl's Guide to Weight Loss
  • African American 101
  • Afrobella
  • Alaia Williams
  • Alphanista
  • Awesomely Luvvie
  • Baggage Reclaim
  • Beyond Black & White
  • Black Female Interracial Marriage
  • Black Girl Nerds
  • Black Girls Blogging
  • Black Women Deserve Better™
  • Black Women with Other Brothers
  • Black Women’s Interracial Relationship Circle
  • Bougie Black Girl
  • Chonilla
  • Courtney Herring
  • Elle Veg- All Things Vegetarian
  • For Harriet
  • Happy Black Woman
  • Interracial Dating Coach
  • Joyce L. Rodgers
  • Just Ask Kaye
  • Kaywanda Lamb
  • Littlefoot's Journey
  • LorMarie's Place
  • Married Girl in a Weird World
  • Mom's 'N Charge
  • MONETIZE THYSELF with Nicole Walters
  • Neecy's Nest
  • Oneika the Traveller
  • Petals
  • Socialite Dreams
  • Surviving Dating
  • Talk To Amber
  • The New Elegant Black Woman
  • The Social Graces & Savoir Faire Institute of Etiquette
  • The Sojourner’s Passport
  • The Style and Beauty Doctor
  • The Trendy Socialite
  • The Working Home Keeper
  • The World of Miss Glamtastic
  • Tia Delano
  • Water Cooler Convos

Copyright Terms:

All rights reserved. All work is the copyright of the respective owner, otherwise copyright ©2015 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, Swirl Nation™, all rights reserved, Dallas, TX, USA.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Archives

  • October 2018 (1)
  • August 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (1)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • February 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (2)
  • December 2017 (1)
  • November 2017 (1)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • August 2017 (2)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (2)
  • May 2017 (2)
  • April 2017 (2)
  • March 2017 (1)
  • February 2017 (1)
  • January 2017 (2)
  • December 2016 (14)
  • November 2016 (3)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (4)
  • July 2016 (9)
  • June 2016 (9)
  • May 2016 (11)
  • April 2016 (5)
  • March 2016 (11)
  • February 2016 (13)
  • January 2016 (7)
  • December 2015 (34)
  • November 2015 (32)
  • October 2015 (35)
  • September 2015 (34)
  • August 2015 (34)
  • July 2015 (32)
  • June 2015 (38)
  • May 2015 (40)
  • April 2015 (37)
  • March 2015 (37)
  • February 2015 (33)
  • January 2015 (37)
  • December 2014 (18)
  • November 2014 (7)
  • October 2014 (5)
  • September 2014 (8)
  • August 2014 (7)
  • July 2014 (12)
  • June 2014 (9)
  • May 2014 (3)
  • April 2014 (4)
  • March 2014 (8)
  • February 2014 (5)
  • January 2014 (7)
  • December 2013 (8)
  • November 2013 (2)
  • October 2013 (2)
  • September 2013 (4)
  • August 2013 (6)
  • July 2013 (30)
  • June 2013 (4)
  • May 2013 (5)
  • April 2013 (29)
  • March 2013 (5)
  • February 2013 (5)
  • January 2013 (31)
  • December 2012 (4)
  • November 2012 (29)
  • October 2012 (2)
  • August 2012 (1)
  • July 2012 (1)
  • June 2012 (3)
  • May 2012 (1)
  • April 2012 (1)
  • May 2011 (4)
  • April 2011 (5)
  • March 2011 (4)
  • February 2011 (4)
  • January 2011 (4)

Copyright © 2025 · The Swirl World™ LLC. All Rights Reserved. · Log in

%d