The date was Wednesday, Oct. 25, 1950. It was an ordinary mid-week school day at Robertsdale High School.  Overnight the October fall air had tuned chilly. But four of us Robertsdale High School girls had better things on our minds than the sudden change of weather. In fact, we thought it neat that the weather was crisp, because it seemed more like fair weather.

We had been secretly making plans for the upcoming night ever since we heard that Baldwin County Cattlemen’s Association had organized a county fair to be held in Robertsdale. The shrill ring of the final bell swelled the air signifying that the school day was over.

I hurriedly joined my friends, Ginger from Loxley, Joyce from Rosinton and Doris from Elsanor and boarded the Loxley school bus. We sat close together chatting about the sleep over and before we knew it, we had arrived at the Bodle family home on Highway 59 near Loxley. Our teenage heads were spinning with exciting thoughts of a night of fun at the first Baldwin County Fair.  When we arrived, Mrs. Bodle welcomed the three of us to her home as her daughter, Ginger, placed a quick kiss on her mother’s cheek.

Although the next day’s history test was looming in the back of my mind and making good grades was important, I just could not settle down to study. There was simply too many other pertinent things to talk about that afternoon. Soon Mrs. Bodle served us a tasty supper of fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Ginger’s four younger sisters and baby brother ate together later.

We quickly excused ourselves, thanked Mrs. Bodle for the delicious meal, and rushed to get dressed. Our wardrobe consisted of long skirts that reached almost to our ankles and small silk scarves that we tied in little knots at our neckline to compliment our blouses or cardigan sweater sets. I had polished my brown penny loafers to a high sheen the night before and made sure that I did not forget my thick white bobby socks that I turned down twice. Ginger had to polish her saddle oxfords with white shoe polish and make sure the polish did not smear on the brown. As soon as we brushed our hair that we had carefully put up in pin curls the night before and applied our red lipstick, we were ready to hit the road to the fairgrounds. We were the “girls of the 50s” and ready for a night out on the big town of Robertsdale. We were 16, trying to act like 21.

Before long we squeezed into Ginger’s dad’s Dodge car and off to the fair we went. Mr. Bodle dropped us off at the gate of the fairgrounds before he reported for his job at the Robertsdale Theatre down the street where he ran the projector for the movie theatre every night. We wondered who would want to go to the movies with the excitement and sounds of the blaring music coming from the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and other rides and attractions. High school kids were crowding through the gates since Wednesday was the night school students got in free. 

We bought a lot of tickets for a dollar and saw quite a few side shows and rode several rides with our tickets. As the men from the booths barked, “Step right up,” I secretly wished that just maybe I might have a chance to win one of those big stuffed animals. I noticed a few of the girls from school carrying big teddy bears that their boyfriends had won for them by throwing tennis balls or other objects through hoops. Having one of those cuddly bears to show off drew attention and envy from everybody. But I was down on my luck since I was near sighted and refused to wear glasses, so the prizes stayed on display.

We began checking things out by taking a trip through the “House of Horrors.” Just looking at how awfully big and fat we looked in those crazy mirrors and trying to hold our skirts down when the air from the shaking floor blew them up was enough of that. Of course, we screamed like the others who went before us. There were freak side shows with “Dolly Dimples, the world’s fattest woman,” and the strongest man and other outlandish people and animals on display. We sat on a bench in a little box that had a background of palm leaves and exotic bushes and had our picture taken. Actually, the picture was pretty complimentary and did not cost very much.  

Joyce wanted to ride the Ferris wheel and I took a seat beside her. It took us up so fast until it made my head spin. I really got dizzy when the worker stopped the wheel with us at the top. Someone began rocking the seats and my stomach felt queasy. But as we rose above the trees, the view of our little town below with lights flickering from the homes was pretty amazing. I had never looked all over Robertsdale from that height. Joyce said I looked pale and yelled above the music, “You had better not throw up on me.” I didn’t, but was glad when it came our turn to get off. We all bought some cotton candy to enjoy, but soon regretted indulging in that pleasure when our hands and face became so sticky.

As we walked around to the different rides and attractions, we noticed that there were four sailors who seemed to always be trailing behind us. Although I knew that there were a lot of sailors stationed near Pensacola, Fla., and that they seemed to walk the streets of Robertsdale on Saturday afternoons checking out local girls, I paid little attention to them. However, more than once I looked over my shoulder and wondered why they were always behind us.

I threw my last piece of change at one of the gold colored dishes we called carnival glass, but missed. It didn’t matter because I would have been embarrassed carrying a bowl around, even if it was pretty? Before we realized it, we were all out of money. We had taken in the side shows; rode the spinning rides; had cokes and pop corn and lost our money at the throwing booths. The man continued barking for us to “Step right up,” again. He wanted to guess our weight, but we were broke. 

Before we realized it, the movie was over and we caught a glimpse of Mr. Bodle walking the fairgrounds looking for us. Our adventurous night and first experience at The Baldwin County Fair was coming to a close and it was getting late. We had not had time or really wanted to take in the exhibits at the coliseum.  Once in the Bodle’s car, we began to tell Ginger’s dad that there had been four sailors at the fair and everywhere we went, they seemed to be walking behind us. Mr. Bodle chuckled and said, “Well, that must be your sailors in that blue convertible following close behind me.” And sure enough, as soon as he turned off the highway at his house, the blue convertible turned and parked close by the highway. The four of us girls started for the door with Mr. Bodle keeping a watchful eye on the situation.

Questions from the men in white Navy uniforms rose from the convertible. They asked us what our names were and so forth. We told them we were school teachers. I am sure they thought, “How funny. Teachers don’t wear bobby socks and saddle oxfords.” After a few more comments, Mr. Bodle told us it was time to go inside. Before the sailors turned around, they shouted, “We’ll be back on Saturday night. We’ll see you at the fair.” We whispered a lot that night and slept very little. I don’t remember what I made on Mr. Buck’s history test the next day.

Joyce and I didn’t take the sailors seriously; but Ginger and Doris did They returned to the fair on Saturday night to check out those guys. When the girls saw the sailors coming toward them on Saturday night, there was only two. Doris said to Ginger, “You take the short one; I’ll take the tall one.” They found out their names were Stanley and Charlie. Ginger thought the short one was the cutest. They all enjoyed the fair and made a date for another night. On their next date Ginger was not impressed with Stanley “Tiny” Helsel who was from Pennsylvania. She couldn’t understand a word he said because he was from the north and couldn’t talk “Southern.” The feeling was mutual and Tiny told Charlie if he wanted him to come back again, he had better find him another date. Things weren’t working out with Ginger. Charlie promised he would, but when they returned again, it was Ginger he was stuck with.

But as time passed, cupid drew his bow, love bloomed and Ginger and Tiny decided that they really did enjoy spending time together. After Charlie shipped out and his convertible went with him, Tiny began hitchhiking from NAS to the Bodle’s to see Ginger. It would be late when he arrived and Mrs. Bodle would sit up with them all night while they talked and then Tiny would flag down the first Greyhound bus and go back to his Pensacola base. Ginger and Stanley married the next summer on June 1, 1951, after an eight-month courtship. They settled down and built a home near Ginger’s parents on land where she was born and where her daddy, Virgil Bodle, ran a Motorola TV Shop on Highway 59 between Robertsdale and Loxley for many years. Over the years the Helsels have traveled extensively.  They have visited every state in the US and have been to several foreign countries. 

They will tell you that life together has been good, but not a life without heartache. They raised five children, but death claimed one of their sons on their 50th wedding anniversary.  They have also lost a granddaughter.  If you ask them about their years together they would tell you that they wouldn’t change a thing if they had it all to do over again. Their chance meeting happened 56 years ago on Saturday, Oct. 28 and they still celebrate the date they met. Whenever the fair comes to Baldwin County this year and has a new beginning, Ginger and Tiny will remember the days of their youth when they first met by chance and love came slowly.