![\"bertha_young.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/mainecourse.com\/mt\/archives\/image\/bertha_young.jpg\")
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Bertha Downing as told to her son Dan<\/p>\n
In February of 1943 I embarked on a trip by myself to visit my fianc\u00c3\u02c6 Emerson and his family in Michigan. As a passenger service representative for Mexicana de Aviacion, I flew for free on standby from Mexico City to Dallas, where I would change planes to Detroit. However, in Dallas I was bumped from the connection to Detroit because I had to give up my seat to soldiers that were scheduled to fly there.<\/p>\n
So, I took a taxi to the train station, and boarded a train to Detroit, within minutes of its leaving the station. It was an overnight trip, and I was treated very nicely by soldiers aboard. I arrived in Detroit the next morning, and the station was completely empty \u00c3\u00b1 what was I going to do? I knew I could call on American Airlines for help if needed*and just as I was about to do so, Emerson rushes into the station to get me. Apparently the arrival time had changed, and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why he was late.<\/p>\n
We drove to his cousin Lucille\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s house in Detroit, where we had breakfast. I remember that a call came in from Aunt Estelle, who \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wanted to meet this woman\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. She was a retired English professor that later had a building named for her at Eastern Michigan University. When we arrived, I started discussing Charles Dickens with her, and her opinion of me immediately changed for the better. That was a relief, as she had written Emerson a nasty letter when she learned that he had broken off his engagement with Mary Ducat to propose to me.<\/p>\n
There we waited for Emerson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s brother Jack to take us to the family farm in Romulus. I was greeted by the formidable Downing family, all waiting to meet this Mexican woman that was going to marry Emerson. There was Jim Yarger and his wife Marion (Emerson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eldest sister) and their little kids Harold, and Alvin; Jack\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wife Margaret, and their eldest daughter Susan. A large family reunion was organized, and I mainly remember being stuck with washing all the dishes afterwards.<\/p>\n
I was fascinated by snow, which I had never seen, and by the chickens on the farm. The chicken house had heat and music from a radio to encourage them to lay more eggs.<\/p>\n
We stayed at the farm in a small room, and visited other family members and friends in the area \u00c3\u00b1 Miss Cooper, The Greggs. \u00e2\u20ac\u00a0Emerson took me to visit Cleary College, where he had graduated from, and also to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. We went shopping at Hudson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in Detroit \u00c3\u00b1 I was fascinated by Hudson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00c3\u00b1 such a large, fancy department store! I shopped every department on every floor.<\/p>\n
We stayed about two weeks, and then flew back to Mexico together. Oh for those times again. I was full of enthusiasm and self-confidence, and scared of nothing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bertha Downing as told to her son Dan In February of 1943 I embarked on a trip by myself to visit my fianc\u00c3\u02c6 Emerson and his family in Michigan. As a passenger service representative for Mexicana de Aviacion, I flew … Continue reading