“Happy Birthday Lee Jr. and Many More Birthdays”

Dec 5th “Happy Birthday Lee Jr. and Many More Birthdays”

In Florida… little Lee would wear his “swim trunks” all most all the time or he would have a pair hidden somewhere outside so that he and his friend, Arthur who lived down the street… would meet to go swimming across the street in “LAKE MELBA” only a seventy foot deep LAKE.

This memory is of Lee Sr.’s MOTHER and of my MOTHER as they were both staying at our home and may have been for a month or so and then… on this particular day, maybe “NOON TIME” … Lee Sr., comes HOME from one of the restaurants we operated and with some special treats to eat… for all of us, and while he is opening up the “goodies” for us, Lee Sr., ask us… “WHERE IS LEE?”

We were all sitting around the dining room table and would you believe, “WE did not know where little LEE… was?”

So… I went outside and started calling LEE’s name and not seeing him anywhere around, my husband, Lee Sr. was awfully upset! Lee said loud enough for everyone in the neighborhood to hear … as the windows were all open and you know how voices can travel especially, when you do not want the neighbors to hear, “THREE grown women sitting here and “NO ONE KNOWS” … where “ONE” LITTLE KID is???”

Well with super speed, Lee Sr., took the vehicle and started driving down the road along the LAKE and is calling out and looking around the water areas hoping to see the boys and bring them home. Finally, one neighbor that lives on the LAKE side heard all the commotion and called us, to say, that the boys had taken one of their boats out, and they are on it.

Also… someone should come and take another boat out and pull that one in… as the one that they are on, is just bobbing around, but the boys do look to be okay???

Lee took care of getting the boys in that boat and towed in to shore, and I do believe everyone in the neighborhood got the message, that if ever… these two kids are caught again in and around the boats call the POLICE, as Lee Sr., was retired POLICE and everyone in and around Fort Lauderdale knew that “LEE JR.” as young as he was just loved to be in the water and would swim just like the fish, and never had training but, because of this happening, Lee Jr., soon did get enrolled into the local “Y MAC” and received plenty of training in all phases of swimming and that of being a “High Dive” swimmer, too.

And so – on this day must remember that the most important NAVY MAN… my son, Lee Aldrich,Jr., and how wonderful he looked as when he was serving in the NAVY.

And just one more of “Lee, Jr. on leave from the NAVY – for the HOLIDAYS – only wish that this Photo would also have been in full color.

But, when it comes to the HOLIDAYS – that smile is the best of colors you can get – just being NAVY – smiling all the way HOME!! Thank YOU, Almighty Yahweh for your protection for all of our young people, that will serve this their Country, AMERICA … for the “FREEDOM” that we all share, with our neighbors, forever! D.V.