Confederate Math

Now, I understand the Internet brings together people from a wide variety of locations, religions, backgrounds, political leanings and world views. And having lived in Florida for 17 years is probably not enough to put me on the good side of proud Southerners . . . so perhaps only Yankees will understand my befuddlement over the death of Alberta Martin making national news, in a week filled with the death of a president, a continuing war, Venus & the Sun, high school graduations, the 60th Anniversary of D-Day, the G8 summit, and the much anticipated premieres of summer movies.

As I was stumbling to do the math in my head (when did the Civil War end? what's the youngest a soldier could have been?), wondering how Alberta could even have still been alive... the anchor explained how Mrs. Martin was a mere 21 at her marriage in 1927, to the former Confederate soldier who was . . . ahem! . . . 81. Now I learn from Margaret Dickson that 10 months after the lucky Confederate and love-is-blind bride married, their child was born. Not one to take the conventional path, Alberta eventually married her husband's grandson and they, in time, celebrated a golden wedding anniversary. Wow, and all this before Viagra, Hugh Hefner, and The Sun tabloid.

Since we're celebrating the 60th Anniversary of D-Day, I wonder if the news will report something about a 21-year-old MAN marrying an 81-year-old World War II WASP, celebrating the nuptials, perhaps, on the grounds of the new memorial, before taking off in a small plane for a South Florida honeymoon. Now that would be newsworthy!