Happy Anniversary

Mom was a sorority girl at UNC in 1968 when she strolled into The Daily Tar Heel offices, looking for a gig. Dad was the lecherous managing editor who “interviewed” her, said he liked “women who knew how to use big words,” and hired her. Wayne Herder was the editor-in-chief who vowed to fire both their asses if Dad wouldn’t stop looking up Mom’s skirt while a live edition was on the floor.

We routinely sentimentalize dates like birthdays; there are paper hats and cake and candles and any number of poignant motifs. But for me, the day that has the most to do with my existence, and my brother’s, and the 35 years of memories I am blessed to have, is when Mom and Dad got hitched in Washington D.C., 39 years ago Saturday. Since then the family has lived in different houses and across different states, done different jobs and led different lives. I’m not sure that where we are, right now – what we do and how we get by and whatever we can hope for – is anything we ever imagined. I do know the last remaining permanence in my life, from the first day of it, is their marriage.

Evie Stevenson and Rebel Good are today 60 years old. But whenever I think of them together, I always imagine them as college sweethearts. Young forever. Kids, really.

Some highlights while you were out: