"Moving to Winton Street" from "I Double Dare You-A Rendezvous With Destiny"
*Author's note: Bill Guarnere and his family moved to Winton Street in South Philadelphia early in his marriage to Frannie. His father-in-law loaned Bill the money to purchase the house and Guarnere gave his new car to his father-in-law to thank him for helping him get the rowhouse. The amount he paid back to his father-in-law is in the book he wrote with Babe.
The price for Bill's new house is mentioned in his book. A house for sale next to his was listed on a Philadelphia realtor's web page for about $80,000 last September. It's the same type of home. I got curious and investigated what the property was worth in today's money. The "talking Italian" story also came from Bill's and Babe's book.
The U.S Government provided new cars to former soldiers who were seriously wounded in the war.He really made the,comment about wanting the car and not wanting to talk about baseball. President Truman really chuckled and said what he did to Bill This information also comes from the book Bill wrote with Babe. The rest is from my imagination. The scene with the U Haul was inspired by an event that occurred when I moved into my apartment. Unlike Leigh, I didn't hold up traffic on a street, I blocked two lanes of traffic on a major state highway. The truck I drove is a little bit larger than the one in the picture from the late 1940s.*
After Leigh was completely healed from the C-section surgery, she and Bill discussed moving to a rowhouse with three bedrooms, since they planned on having another child. While reading the real estate ads in the newspaper one evening, three months later, Bill saw that a rowhouse with three bedrooms was available on Winton Street, not far from their current location.
There was a major obstacle in obtaining the house. It had to be bought instead of rented. Cal Spencer was aware of the situation and he loaned Bill and Leigh the full amount of money to buy the house, $2,000. Bill insisted on paying Cal $20 to $50 per month.
Before the moving got underway, Bill was notified by a letter from an amputees' group in which he was a member. A congressman came up with a bill to give new cars to men who became amputees due to war injuries.
Bill went with the group to meet with President Truman. A man in front of him spent a long time chatting about baseball with the President. He told the man,
"Buddy, I didn't come here to talk baseball. I'm here for the car." Truman heard Bill's remark, chuckled and told him,
"You got it, kid." The new car was a black Pontiac and that particular model wouldn't be available for purchase until the following year (1948). Bill insisted that Cal should take the car, telling him,
"Pop Spencer, since you helped us get the house, it's only right that (he pronounced the word as 'dat') I give ya the car. When Cal tried to decline the offer, Bill convinced him to take the car, saying,
"A brand new car would stick out like a sore thumb around here. Our car suits us just fine." Mr. Spencer insisted that Bill and Leigh take his 1945 Buick. Bill was glad to have a newer car and he gave the 1941 Buick to Teresa. He told her,
"Since ya know how to drive, I thought you could use the car to go to work. You could take Ma an' Pop wherever they needed to go. That way, they'd have a way to get somewhere if they couldn't get a ride." Teresa was excited and happy to have the car.
Later that evening, while they were eating supper, Bill told Leigh,
"Thanks to your pop, we're on our way to havin' it all. We own our house an' we don't have a mortgage to pay. I was thinkin', after we get moved in, let's get busy an' sorta make each room ours, if ya know what I mean."
"I like that idea, Honey. You can explore my downstairs in every room."
"I'll never get tired o' explorin' your downstairs, Sweetheart."
Bill and Leigh decided to use a new company, U-Haul, to facilitate their move to Winton Street. Moving vans or trucks could be rented from the company, which was much cheaper than hiring a moving company.
It took quite a bit of time to box up dishes, glasses, furniture, clothing,baby items plus other personal belongings and household goods. Once the boxes were securely packed and taped shut, it was time to load the moving truck.
Bill's brother-in-law, his nephew and Babe Heffron helped load the truck. Maria and her family had to attend an out of town funeral, so they weren't involved in getting Bill and Leigh moved into their new house.
While Bill and the men were busy moving and arranging furniture, Leigh decided to drive the truck to pick up some small boxes of her clothing. She had a great deal of difficulty getting into the vehicle, since it sat much higher than a car.
Wearing a day dress made climbing into the truck a challenge. While some women wore pants, a majority of women still wore dresses. Leigh had to find a way to get into the truck without making the skirt of her dress ride up to expose her underwear.
She opened the driver's side door to the truck and found a strap to grab on to. Then she carefully hoisted herself into the cab of the truck. Next, she had to move the seat all the way forward to reach the gas and brake pedals.
Leigh backed up the truck and cringed when she heard the sound of it striking the garbage cans at the side of the driveway. She thought,
"Just what I don't need. The last thing I want to do is make a scene for the neighbors." A man from the neighborhood was walking past the rowhouse. He shouted,
"Mrs. Guarnere, Stop! You hit the damn garbage cans! Hang on, I'll help ya." Leigh was glad for the man's help, but she thought,
"Wonderful! Now everyone within hearing distance will know about the 'woman driver' who can't back up a truck without destroying something." He backed up the truck, turned it around to easily exit the driveway and helped her get the garbage and the cans picked up. She thanked him and he wished her luck with the move.
Power steering didn't exist at that time, and Leigh found the steering more difficult to manage than the steering wheel of a car. She ran into trouble when she had to pull onto a major thoroughfare to access Winton Street.
Leigh was accustomed to looking into the rear view mirror of a car, which is in the middle of the windshield. She quickly realized that she had to depend upon two mirrors, one on either side of the truck, to see.
She swore under her breath, rolled down the driver's side
window and stuck her head out the window, trying to see the entire street. Leigh could see the entire left side of the thoroughfare and only a portion of the right side.
Then, Leigh issued silent prayers to prevent an accident and to get her safely to her new home. Soon, several cars were lined up behind her. Unbeknownst to Leigh, her brother-in-law Sal, Julia's husband, was in the second car behind the truck.
He was heading back to Winton Street after a quick visit to his house. Sal needed to get his moving dolly to help move more furniture into the house. He saw Leigh when she looked out of the truck's window.
A man directly behind Leigh lost his patience and honked the horn on his car. He yelled,
"Are ya gonna sit there all day? Get that truck outta here!" Leigh was nervous about driving and she felt extremely irritable due to the traffic situation and the rude man behind her. She yelled back,
"Keep your shirt on, you baciagaloop (an Italian word meaning 'dummy' or 'fool' that she learned from Augusta), I'm doing the best I can!" Five minutes later, the man repeatedly sounded the horn again and Leigh put her left arm out of the driver's side window with the middle finger of her left hand sticking up, hoping the man would see the gesture.
By this time, Sal was laughing. He shouted,
"Atta girl, Leigh!", but she didn't hear him. The traffic let up for a moment, and she quickly got onto the street and headed for her destination. She decided to leave the driving of the truck to Bill or someone helping them from that moment on.
Ten minutes later, she pulled the vehicle into the parking lot behind the house. Bill came out to help her out of the truck. He embraced and kissed her before he helped her carry in the boxes of clothing. Sal pulled into the driveway, parked his car and walked toward Leigh and Bill.
"Leigh, ya did a good job handlin' that guy behind ya." She thanked Sal and Bill asked,
"What are ya talkin' about, Sal?" Bill was quickly filled in on the situation, with Sal adding,
"Then, she gave that guy the ol' one finger salute." Leigh couldn't help but laugh and Bill did his customary loud, single laugh.
"That's my sassy baby! You must've learned that word from Ma." She quickly glanced at the left side of the truck and was greatly relieved to see that there were no marks or scratches on the side of it from hitting the garbage cans.
When everything was unloaded from the truck, it was time to return it to the rental company. Leigh asked Bill to drive the truck, since driving it made her nervous. She drove the car and followed Bill to the U-Haul rental office. One of the employees in the office inspected the truck, telling the Guarneres,
"It looks great. This is a new truck and it's the first time it's been used." Leigh silently thanked providence that she didn't mar the truck when she hit the garbage cans and that she avoided an accident pulling out in traffic when she couldn't completely see the street.
A surprise awaited the Guarneres, the relatives helping them move and Babe. Teresa drove Augusta and her father to the new house and she had homemade lasagna, garlic bread, Broccoli Rabe and pizzelles for dessert. Leigh told Augusta,
"Mama, you're a godsend! Thank you so much for fixing a delicious supper for us." Then, she hugged her.
"You're welcome, Sweetie. I wanted to give you an' Billy a break. You've both been workin' hard an' I didn't want you to have to cook, too."
Everyone sat around the dining room table. Bill found a bottle of red wine in the kitchen and he poured it into a decanter that was passed around the table so everyone could pour as much wine as he or she wanted into their wine glasses.
They kept the noise down since Billy was sleeping in his crib in his upstairs bedroom. Bill asked the blessing and everyone enjoyed their supper.
Augusta, the other family members and Babe laughed when they heard about Leigh and the man in the car behind her.
"You done the right thing, Sweetie. That's exactly what I woulda called him. You're doin' a good job pickin' up Italian words. Would ya like to learn how to speak Italian?" Leigh said that she was interested in learning the language. Bill laughed, telling everyone,
"It'll be like when I was a kid. We knew one of us was in trouble when Ma and Pop started talkin' Italian. If my sweet angel gets mad at me, she'll probably start talkin' Italian, too." Teresa and Julia laughed at Bill's comment. Julia remarked,
"Hearin' Ma and Pop talkin' Italian made us wonder whose ass would get hit wit' a wooden spoon." Everyone at the table laughed. Leigh told Bill,
"Honey, can't see you doing anything to make me mad, but if it happens, I promise to speak English." Julia remarked with a smirk like Bill's,
"Leigh, you didn't know Billy Baby when he was a kid. He was usually into some kinda trouble." Bill feigned an expression of shock, telling her,
"Julia, you know that ain't true. I was a little angel back then." Laughter ensued after this comment. Bill had his after supper cigarette as Julia answered,
"I'm just yankin' your chain, baby brother. You were a pretty good kid, but I wouldn't call ya an angel." Augusta spoke up,
"Since we're talkin' about angels, is it OK wit' you, Sweetie, if I go up an' see Billy? I'll be right back to help wit' the dishes."
"Mama, you can see Billy whenever you want, there's no need to ask. Take your time visiting him. Since you fixed supper, I'm doing the dishes." Julia and Teresa also offered to help. The work was over fairly quickly with three women working in the kitchen.
While they worked, Leigh told Julia and Teresa,
"This reminds me of the time Bill brought me home to meet everyone. You, Maria and I washed the dishes and danced to the music." Julia and Teresa laughed, remembering how Augusta and Bill surprised them by applauding after they finished singing along with the radio. Julia told Leigh,
"Now, here ya are, married to Billy Baby an' you have that handsome little guy. I gotta see him before we go home." Teresa said,
"Billy's a little angel. I need to see him, too, before I take Ma and Pop home."
Augusta walked into Billy's bedroom. He was awake and she picked him up from his crib, holding him close to her.
"You're Nonna's handsome little angel. You remind me of your pop when he was little like you. You're growin'. Soon, you'll be Nonna's big boy." Billy smiled at her as she kissed his cheek.
"Such a sweet baby." Then, he wet his diaper.
" I'll get ya cleaned up an' in a dry diaper." After she took care of him and placed the dirty diaper into a diaper pail with a lid, she told him,
"That should feel better for ya. You're livin' in a new house now. There's lots of space in the backyard for ya to play when ya get older." Leigh excused herself for a moment and she got a bottle of milk for Billy. When she entered the bedroom, Leigh smiled as she saw Augusta holding Billy.
"I just came up to give Billy his bottle."
"Sweetie, can I do it?" She handed the bottle to Augusta. Mrs. Guarnere sat in a rocking chair beside the bed. She fed and burped Billy.
"Thanks, Leigh. I never get tired of havin' a baby in my arms. He's a blessin'."
"You and Pop are blessings, too." Augusta thanked her. Billy soon went back to sleep.
"Bill is a wonderful father. He helps with Billy, from feeding to diaper changes. He calls him 'My little ol' man.'"
"You're both great parents an' Billy's nickname is sweet." Augusta gently placed him into his crib.
"Mama, I hope you and Pop come over during the weekend. Mom and Dad are visiting."
"Louise told me she an' your pop were visitin' soon. You can count on us comin', Leigh. We enjoy spendin' time wit' your folks." Augusta and Leigh went downstairs. Once everyone had left, Bill asked Leigh,
"Sweetheart, will ya come outside wit' me for a minute? I forgot to do somethin'." Leigh complied, wondering what he had in mind, and they went out the front door. Then, Bill surprised her when he picked her up and carried her over the threshold."
"That's better, Baby. Now, we're officially moved in." He embraced Leigh, telling her,
"Now, how about we do a little explorin'?"
"What room do you have in mind?"
"Let's take it upstairs, Baby." They walked hand in hand to their bedroom.
"Oh, Baby!" from "I Double Dare You-A Rendezvous With Destiny"
*Author's Note: My depiction of Bill Guarnere is solely based on the actor's portrayal in the movie. Special thanks to Helena Liz for valuable information about pregnancy. The information about hospital charges that I posted is from a hospital, believe it or not, in Philadelphia in the mid to late 1940s.*
Several months of trying to become pregnant had Leigh at her wits' end. Bill assured her that everything would be fine, but she wasn't convinced.
"What if I can't give you children? Would you still want me to be your wife?"
"Baby, I want you no matter what happens. If we have to adopt kids, then we'll adopt 'em. Tell ya what, I'm gonna make an appointment wit' a doctor an' get checked out. Maybe there's somethin' wrong wit' me an' that's why you ain't pregnant yet."
"I'll get a checkup, too, Honey." She had the name of a good obstetrician and gynecologist who was recommended to her by the CBS station manager's wife.
The test results showed that both Bill and Leigh were in excellent reproductive health. Dr. Simms, the obstetrician and gynecologist assured her that she would become a mother.
"Mrs. Guarnere, your situation isn't uncommon. I know it's easier said than done, but try to relax. Stress isn't helping the situation. There's no reason why you can't have a baby." Leigh took the doctor's advice and hoped that she would soon be pregnant.
Four months later, Bill and Leigh sat at the dining room table eating supper. Bill had put in a long day doing construction work. Leigh sang on two morning radio programs and she had an appointment with Doctor Simms before arriving home in the afternoon. She told Bill,
"We're going to have a member of the family staying with us."
"That's nice, Sweetheart. How long will we have company?" Leigh stifled the urge to blurt out the news that had her smiling since she got home.
" I think our visitor will stay for about 18 years." Bill looked puzzled.
"I'm more tired than I realized, 'cause I coulda sworn that ya said our company would be here 18 years." Leigh grinned,
"That's exactly what I said, Pop. Our visitor will be here at least 18 years." Bill realized what Leigh was trying to tell him, and a huge smile appeared on his face.
"Sweetheart, did ya just tell me that we're havin' a baby?"
"I saw the doctor today. It's official, I'm pregnant! We'll be parents in about seven months." Bill got up from the table and Leigh stood up, walking to him. She gave him a passionate kiss.
"Leigh, you just made me the happiest man in South Philadelphia. I love you an' the little one. This is great news! From now on, ya won't have to lift a finger. I'm takin' over all the housework. I don't want my angel wearin' herself out. You need to take it easy since you're carryin' our baby."
"Honey, I appreciate your offer to help and I love you, too. I don't want you wearing yourself out doing all the work around here. Since I love our baby, too, I'm following the doctor's advice.
He told me to do everything I normally do, plus some mild exercising. I was told that it's good for both me and the baby.I asked him if we could still be intimate during pregnancy and he thinks it's fine."
"If the doc says it's OK, then it's fine wit' me." He looked shocked,
"Baby, ya actually asked him if we could still make love?" Leigh giggled at Bill's reaction,
"The doctor is perfectly aware of how I became pregnant and I'm sure it didn't shock him when I asked a reasonable question." Bill looked sheepish,
"I guess I got a little carried away."
"It's OK, Honey. The continuing intimacy is up to you. I'm in favor of it, but you may change your mind when I resemble a hippopotamus."
"Sweetheart, you'll always look beautiful to me."
"Please remind me of what you just said when I'm no longer able to see my feet." Bill chuckled at her reply.
"Have you told our folks yet?"
"No, I thought the father of the baby should be the first to know. For some odd reason, I could imagine George Luz saying,
'Leigh, it's nice you told Bill. Now you need to find the baby's father and tell him. Then, you would tell him, 'Shaddup!'" Guarnere laughed.
"That sounds exactly like somethin' he'd say. What the hell, let's call an' tell him the good news! I got his phone number written in that address book in the livin' room. Let me get it, Baby. It still wouldn't hurt to take it a little bit easy." Leigh rolled her eyes at Bill being overly protective of her. She knew he meant well and was determined not to be too critical.
Guarnere went through the dining room into the living room. Leigh heard swearing as he stubbed his sock clad left toes on the end table beside the couch.
"'course I had to stub my real toes instead o'runnin' into this goddamned thing wit' my wooden foot on my wooden leg. OK, now where's the address book? Here we go! " He got the book out and walked to the telephone, thumbing through the pages,
"There he is, George Luz in Rhode Island." Bill dialed the number. The phone on the other end of the line rang a couple of times. Guarnere grinned when he heard Luz say,
"Hello."
"Hey, George, how are ya doin'? "
"Bill, is that you?" Guarnere smirked,
"Hell, no! It's General McArthur! " He heard George laughing.
" I just got the best news from Leigh. We're havin' a baby in about seven months!"
"That's great news! Congratulations, Wild Bill! Please congratulate Leigh for me, too. We're still trying for the first little Luz."
"Just relax, it'll happen. She just told me an' I thought of callin' you."
"I'm glad you called. We're visiting some of my wife's relatives in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and it would be great if all of us could meet somewhere."
"That's a great idea. Let's see what we can set up." The men made plans to meet and include their wives. They settled on meeting within the next two weeks. When the conversation ended, Bill went back into the kitchen and told Leigh of the plans he and George made.
She was pleased to have the opportunity to see George and his wife. By the time they got ready to go to bed, Bill had contacted Joe Toye, Donald Malarkey, Johnny Martin and Buck Compton. Leigh said,
"We still haven't told our folks."
"Let me call Ma first, she's gonna be really loud an' excited." Bill dialed the number and Augusta answered the phone. He told her,
"Hello,"
"Billy, is everything OK? You're callin' kinda late."
"Everythin's fine, Nonna." He grinned, waiting for his mother to answer him.
"Have you been drinkin'? You know I ain't your Nonna." Bill laughed,
"You're Nonna Guarnere again, Ma. We're havin' a baby! Leigh found out today." Augusta shouted out,
"I'm gonna be a Nonna again! Oh my God, Billy, that's wonderful news! How is Leigh?"
"She's fine, Ma."
"Put her on the phone, Billy." He handed the phone to Leigh.
"Hi, Mama! I'll need all sorts of advice about babies because I know absolutely nothing about them. I'm just over the moon with the good news!"
"Sweetie, I'm so happy for you an' Billy! Don't hesitate to ask me anytime for advice. You'll be a great mother, Leigh. Well, if ya don't mind, I need to talk wit' my son a little."
"That's fine, Nonna." She handed the phone to Bill. He smiled as he heard his mother telling his father the good news in Italian.
"Your Pop says 'Congratulations' to you an' Leigh. We're the happiest grandparents in South Philadelphia! This is important, Billy. Make sure you're extra patient wit' Leigh. Her hormones will be changin' because of the baby.
She might get irritable or she might cry for no reason at all. Son, she might wanna...ya know, more than usual. Leigh might have cravings for food that's kinda strange. My cousin craved calimari all the time when she was expectin'. Anyway, it's all normal for expectant women." Bill was shocked his mother mentioned that Leigh might want more sex.
"Ma! You shouldn't be talkin' about that stuff wit' me!" Augusta and Leigh were laughing at his reaction.
"Billy, I've had ten children an' I know what women go through when a baby's on the way. Don't be so shocked. We didn't order ya from a catalog, ya know! Anyway, just be patient, like I said. Both of you will be great parents. Thanks for the good news, Billy! I love both of ya an' the little one. Good night, Son. "
"We love you, too, Ma. Good night." Leigh said,
"Now it's my turn to call. Did your mom mention something about sex? You turned as red as a tomato."
"I'm just an innocent boy. You an' Ma are corruptin' me." Leigh playfully swatted Bill's ass.
"That's my sassy angel." Leigh dialed her parents' phone number. Her father answered.
"How are you, Grandpa? " Cal Spencer asked,
"Leigh, are you OK?
"I just wanted to tell you and Mom that you're going to be grandparents in about seven months. I went to the doctor today and we're having a baby!"
"Louise, Leigh and Bill are having a baby!" He got back on the phone, saying,
"We're both excited. That's wonderful news! I would guess that Bill is very excited about the baby."
"We're both excited, Dad." She told him the manner in which Guarnere learned the news. Cal laughed and said,
"I would expect nothing less from you, Leigh. Congratulations! We love both of you and the baby, too."
A few weeks later, Bill was helping Leigh wash the supper dishes. She felt a strong, sudden wave of nausea and she ran to the bathroom. Leigh was aware that Bill was following her.
"Honey, please, just go back into the kitchen. I don't want you to see me like this." She was struggling to keep the nausea under control. Bill looked concerned.
"It ain't nothin' to be ashamed about, Baby." Leigh tried to close the bathroom door, but she wasn't able to do it. She lifted the lid on the toilet seat and immediately lost her supper. Then, she walked to the sink to splash some cold water on her face.
"Is there anythin' I can do to help, Baby?"
"Yes. Please get a glass from the kitchen. I need to use some mouthwash." He went to get a glass. Leigh felt dizzy and she started to sit on the bathroom floor. Another round of nausea hit her. As she opened the lid on the toilet seat, Bill entered the bathroom and held her hair back with one hand. He then set the glass on the floor and rubbed her back with his other hand.
"It's gonna be OK, Baby. Maybe you'll feel better now. " She closed the lid and flushed the toilet again. Leigh got the glass and poured some mouthwash in it. She swished it around in her mouth and spat it into the sink. Then, she rinsed the sink.
"I didn't want you to see or hear that. I'm so embarrassed." Bill kissed the top of her head,
"Don't be embarrassed, Leigh. It's somethin' natural."
"You'll probably never want to touch me again. This is probably happening because I'm pregnant. We know how I got pregnant. Now, you'll associate making love with this disgusting display." Bill fought the urge to laugh at her remark, because he knew she was upset.
He put his arm around Leigh, leading her to the couch.
"Baby, it'll take a hell of a lot more than an upset stomach to make me give up makin' love to ya. You're still the most beautiful woman in South Philadelphia an' I love you, even if ya do this every day. Now, just lay down here." he put a pillow from the couch under Leigh's head.
She complied and reclined on the couch.
"That's it, Honey. Do ya need a cover? How about I use this little blanket thing on the couch?" He took the hand crocheted afghan made by Leigh's great aunt, draping it over her.
"Thanks, Bill. I think I will lie still for awhile. I'm really dizzy. Oh, damn it! I need to finish doing the dishes." Guarnere kissed her forehead,
"Rest as long as ya need to, Baby. Don't worry about the dishes. I can get 'em done. Let me call Ma, she'll know what to do about this sick an' dizzy stuff." Augusta told her son that this is normal during pregnancy. She told him to get some soda crackers for Leigh to eat after her stomach settled a little more.
"The best thing for her is to get some rest. Tell ya what, I'll call Maria an' ask her to drop me off at your place. I can make some tea an' help both of you learn how to deal wit' this." Bill thanked his mother. He picked up the telephone, carrying it into the next room. Guarnere kept his voice down, telling his mother,
"Ma, I'm worried about Leigh. She's lookin' kinda pale. Thanks for offerin' to come over. I'd pick ya up in our car, but I don't want to leave Leigh by herself when she's feelin' bad. I'd better get back before she decides to finish doin' the dishes." Augusta reassured Bill that Leigh would be OK and that she would see them soon."
Guanere hung up the telephone and carried it back to the living room.
"Baby, Ma is gettin' Maria to bring her here. She said she knows how to help ya deal with bein' sick an' dizzy. " Leigh had her eyes closed and she replied,
"I'm glad she's coming over. Honey, I have to get up and get the dishes done. The kitchen needs to be cleaned up, too. I don't want your mom and Maria to think that I'm bad at keeping our home clean." Bill walked over to stand beside her.
"Honey, you're stayin' right here. If it worries ya that much, I'll get everythin' done." He added,"If ya need anythin' just let me know. Don't try to get up, OK, Honey?" Leigh promised that she would stay on the couch and that she would alert him if she needed help.
Guarnere went into the kitchen. Most of the dishes were washed and put away. He finished washing the remainder of the dishes and he soon had them dried and put away. Cleaning the kitchen didn't take long since it wasn't as messy as Leigh thought it was.
Augusta and Maria soon arrived. Mrs. Guarnere showed Bill how to make ginger tea. She brought the tea into the living room, advising Leigh to,
"Sip a little bit at a time, Sweetie, it will settle your stomach. Another thing that helps is keeping some soda crackers on the table by your bed. Eat one or two about a half hour before ya get up in the morning."
The tea helped settle Leigh's stomach. She thanked Augusta for the tips and she thanked Maria for bringing her mother in law over to visit. Leigh's morning sickness disappeared in her fourth month.
Leigh needed maternity clothes as her figure expanded. She was appalled at the notion that women had to hide something that was natural. Societal norms demanded that any sign of pregnancy should be concealed.
The word 'pregnant' was not used in polite conversations. Women were either described as "expecting" or "having a baby." Since many women worked during and after the war, the dated notion of keeping a visibly pregnant woman sequestered at home until the baby was born was fading away.
She made a few dresses that had panels on the inside of the garments that could be expanded to accommodate her growing figure. Catalogs touted girdles that promised to "disguise" pregnancy.
Leigh's doctor was considered to be radical among his fellow obstetricians because he vetoed the "eating for two" idea. He also advised his patients to not wear the girdles since he thought the garments could harm the developing baby. Support garments for his patients' backs were deemed safe.
One night, during supper, Leigh told Bill,
"You wouldn't believe the number of women who say, 'Oh, I see you're expecting.' I'd like to look them right in their eyes and say, 'I'm knocked up and I enjoyed every minute of getting into this condition!" Guarnere laughed loudly, replying,
"I wouldn't be surprised if ya did it!"
One evening as Bill and Leigh sat on the couch listening to the radio, Leigh felt the baby move for the first time. She excitedly told Bill. He was thrilled by the news, and he put his hand on her slightly rounded midsection, hoping to feel movement.
Although he couldn't feel anything, Bill thought that as the baby grew, he would be able to feel his future son or daughter moving. He excitedly called Augusta who was thrilled to hear the good news.
"Billy, don't worry or feel upset. The first time a baby moves, it's somethin' that only a woman can feel. I can't really explain it, but it's because when a woman is carryin' a baby, it's a small change that only the woman feels sometimes.
I'm sure your baby is just fine and you'll be able to feel your little one movin' around soon." Guarnere thanked his mother for her encouraging words and they ended their conversation.
Later that week, when Bill took Leigh to the obstetrician and gynecologist, he was surprised when the nurse asked if he would like to join Leigh and her doctor in the examination room.
He went into the room and saw Leigh, fully dressed, sitting on the examining table. Dr. Simms, a soft spoken, tall man with dark brown hair, introduced himserlf , telling Bill,
"Mr. Guarnere, your wife asked if you could come into the room to hear something. I just listened to the baby's heartbeat and everything sounds fine. Your wife wanted you to hear the heartbeat, too." He asked Leigh,
"Do you want to be the first one to listen or would you rather have your husband be first?"
"I think the baby's father should be the first to hear the heartbeat." Dr. Simms got a stethoscope and positioned it on Leigh's abdomen. He smiled, then he asked Leigh to hold the stethoscope in place.
"You're all set, Daddy. Just put the ends in your ears." Bill followed the doctor's instructions and he had a big smile on his face as he heard the strong, rhythmic beating of the baby's heart.
"It's comin' in loud an' clear! This is so amazin' an' wonderful! Sweetheart, thanks for lettin' me come in to hear this."
"I wouldn't want it any other way." Bill listened a few seconds more and he removed the ends of the stethoscope, handing them to Leigh. She put the ends in her ears and immediately smiled.
"You're right, Bill, this is both amazing and wonderful to hear our baby's heartbeat. This absolutely makes my day!" Bill and Leigh embraced as the doctor commented,
"I never get tired of seeing the happiness of future parents when they hear their child's heartbeat for the first time. It's obvious that Mamma and Daddy love each other and their baby. I'm happy for both of you." He added,
"Thank you for your service, Mr. Guarnere. I wanted to enlist, but I'm 45 years old. That's too old for Uncle Sam. My son is 11 years old and he has been enthralled with paratroopers. He wants very much to be a Screaming Eagle someday.
Your wife has been telling me about your bravery on the battlefield, especially in Bastogne. You made quite a significant sacrifice for our country. I was wondering, if it wouldn't be an imposition, if I could get your autograph for my son. He would be over the moon to have an autograph from a real Airborne Screaming Eagle."
"Sure thing, Sir. I'd be glad to sign my name for your son. You're welcome, an' servin' our country was the right thing to do. My sweet wife brags too much about me. I ain't a hero. The heroes are the men who didn't get to come home.
I was just doin' my job, just like every other man in the Army, Navy, Air Force an' the Marines. I'm proud of what I gave for our country. Let me call the man who was our leader. I'll see if he has any extra Screamin' Eagle (he pronounced these words as 'scrimmin' iggles') patches. If he does, I'll ask him to send one to me an' I'll give it to you for your son." The doctor thanked Bill and gave him a pen and a pad of paper. He asked the doctor for his son's name and then he wrote:
"For Jimmy Simms, best wishes to you. Staff Sergeant William J. Guarnere, 101st Airborne, Company E, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment."
The doctor thanked Bill and Guarnere thanked him for allowing him to hear the baby's heartbeat. When Bill and Leigh returned home, he immediately called his mother.
"Ma, Leigh's doctor let me hear the baby's heart. It was good and strong soundin'. It was amazin'! I coulda listened to it all day." Augusta was happy to hear the good news.
"Billy, that's wonderful! You got to do somethin' your pop didn't get to do. He wanted to listen to your heart, but the doctor didn't want husbands in the examination room. He was real strict.
You really get to understand what a miracle it is when ya hear that little heart beatin'. I'm so happy for you an' Leigh and I'm lookin' forward to meetin' my sweet grandchild."
From that point on, until the baby arrived, both Bill and Leigh talked to the baby. Guarnere kissed Leigh's bulging abdomen telling the baby,
"This is your Pop, little one. Your ma an' I love you, an' we're lookin' forward to meetin' you. Kid, you got the most beautiful ma in the entire city."
One night after making love, Leigh began to giggle.
"I think we either woke the baby or he or she wasn't impressed with moving around so much. I feel some kicking going on." Guarnere placed his hands on her abdomen and laughed as he felt the kicking. He told the baby,
"What your ma an' I done is somethin' we do 'cause we love each other."
Leigh felt huge at end of her second trimester. One evening as they sat on the couch, listening to the radio, Guarnere made a joking remark that would have usually resulted in her laughing and calling him a "smart ass." Bill had no intention of insulting Leigh when he told her,
"I've always heard that fat ladies are great singers. You should be doin' your best singin' soon." Bill's words deeply hurt Leigh.
"I never thought you would say something to hurt me. How could you be so mean spirited?" She got up and walked into the kitchen. From there, she went outdoors, slamming the door.
Leigh considered walking to her in-laws' house, but she didn't want to involve them in the situation and upset them. She sat on the back steps and began to cry.
Bill was close behind her. He turned on the outside light from a light switch in the kitchen and saw tears running down her face. He thought,
"What the hell was I thinkin'? I hurt my angel. Why did I have to run my mouth like a goddamned moron?" He opened the kitchen door and went down the steps to stand by Leigh.
"Sweet Baby, I'm so sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt ya an' make ya cry." Leigh didn't look at Bill or answer him. He tried to find a way to get her to go back into the house.
"Baby, it probably ain't safe for ya to be out here by yourself." She answered without looking at him,
"I'm very safe. Who would want to molest an ugly fat lady like me?" Bill felt deeply ashamed.
"Won't ya at least look at me, Leigh?" She turned her head to look at him. Bill could see the emotional pain in her eyes.
"There, I looked at you. Now, leave me alone."'She turned away from him, adding, "There was nothing remotely funny about what you said.
I've never been cruel or mean to you. Everything I've done for you was done out of love. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty because if I had everything to do over, I'd still cook for you to help you get stronger and I would still try to save you from getting shot."
She paused to wipe away some tears before adding, "Damn it, Bill, you really hurt me!" Leigh turned away from him as she began to sob. She got up with difficulty.
Guarnere held out his hand to help steady Leigh so she could have an easier time getting up. She brushed his hand away and walked up the stairs, into the kitchen. From there, she went to their bedroom, turned on the light and closed the door.
Leigh got a small suitcase out of the closet, opened it and placed it on the bed. She started to put in a few items of clothing, thinking,
"I can go home, but how can I tell Mom and Dad that Bill doesn't love me anymore?" She sat on the bed beside the suitcase and began to cry in earnest with deep, wracking sobs. The last time she cried in that manner was when she learned from Nixon that Bill was seriously injured in Bastogne.
Bill followed her upstairs. He could hear her sobbing before he entered their bedroom. Upon entering the room, he was shocked to see the suitcase on the bed.
Guarnere felt consumed by guilt. He sat beside Leigh on the bed and put his arm around her after offering his handkerchief. She took the handkerchief and used it, placing it on the floor.
"Seein' you this upset 'cause o' somethin' I done is like a knife in my heart. Why are ya packin' a suitcase?" Her statement hit him like a hammer.
"Our marriage is over."
"Baby, what are ya talkin' about? You're ready to walk out because of somethin' I said? Let's talk about this, please, Leigh."
"You wouldn't have said something that hurtful if you loved me." Leigh broke down sobbing again. Bill pulled her close to him, rubbing her back to soothe her.
"No, no, no! That ain't true at all. I love you wit' all o' my heart. Please, Sweetheart, don't say or think our marriage is over. You need to listen to me. I ain't losin' my angel over somethin' stupid that I said. Leigh,I've never been more sorry for sayin' somethin' in my whole life.
You don't need to leave, ain't no reason for ya to go anywhere." Guarnere put his hands on her shoulders, gently turning Leigh to face him. He tenderly cupped her face in his hands.
"Baby, I'm sorry for runnin' my mouth like a goddamned fool. I never meant to hurt your feelins an' I hate myself for upsettin' you this bad." He got up and walked to the chest of drawers where he opened the middle drawer and got out a few of her lace edged handkerchiefs. Then, he returned to the bed, sat down and dried her tears with one handkerchief.
"Sweetheart, you're still beautiful to me, especially since our baby is growin' inside ya." He tenderly kissed Leigh, adding, "You kinda have this glow an' your body is luscious right now. Don't feel fat or ugly, because you ain't. In my eyes, you'll always be a beautiful angel.
I hope you can forgive me. I'd give anythin' to take back what I said, an' I wish I never said it. Ma told me some things about women who are expectin'. I shoulda used my head an' not acted like a moron."
He continued to hold Leigh close to him while stroking her back. It took awhile, but she calmed down. Then, she moved back enough to look at Bill,
"I forgive you, Honey. I know my hormones are giving me mood swings and I'm overreacting to things that wouldn't usually upset me. What you said hurt, but I'll get over it because I know you didn't intend to hurt me in the first place. "Thanks for being so sweet and understanding."
"I promise to think before I go runnin' my mouth like that again." Guarnere stood up, extending his hand to help her stand up. Once Leigh was standing, Bill took the suitcase off of the bed and put it into the closet.
"Would ya like to go downstairs an' listen to the radio before we go to bed?" She told him yes and they returned to the living room. Later that night, they made love tenderly, snuggling together until they fell asleep.
The doctor had already decided that Leigh's pelvis was too small for her to deliver the baby naturally and he told her that she would have to have a procedure known as a C-section. The Caesarian surgery involved cutting into her abdomen and removing the baby from her uterus. A date for the procedure was selected for the beginning of her ninth month.
Baby showers and lots of baby clothes from Maria and Julia ensured that the newest family member had all the necessary items. The Andrews Sisters surprised both Bill and Leigh when they paid for two years of diaper service and purchased a $500 savings bond for the baby.
Leigh had a great deal of difficulty getting into and getting up from a chair. She encountered the same problem with the couch. After an appointment with the doctor, Leigh started to laugh once she and Bill were out of the office.
"Oh, my God! I've never seen anything funnier than a room filled with women who are wallowing getting out of the chairs or cautiously and slowly sitting down. Yes, I know that I do the same thing." Guarnere grinned,
"It did look kinda funny, but I didn't wanna to laugh at them an' I sure as hell didn't wanna laugh at ya for doin' the same thing."
The day for the surgery arrived. Leigh's parents were staying in a hotel because they didn't want to give Leigh and Bill the added hassle of having guests.
Both sets of parents and Bill went into the hospital's waiting room in the Maternity Ward. He tried not to worry about his wife and the baby, but he felt anxious every time a nurse came to the door to announce the name of a new father. Bill thought smoking a few cigarettes would help calm him, but they didn't ease his anxiety.
Finally, a nurse walked into the waiting room. Bill's parents and the Spencers heard the nurse tell Bill,
"Mr. Guarnere, your wife did just fine with the surgery. Since she had the 'Twilight Sleep' for her procedure, the doctor wanted to wait until your wife was no longer feeling sedated. Would you like to visit her and your son?" The new grandparents hugged each other and Bill quickly got up from the chair in which he thought he'd waited a lifetime.
The nurse walked down the hall, showing him the room. He walked in and immediately smiled when he saw Leigh holding the baby. Since she didn't go through hours of labor, the new mother had her hair brushed, her lipstick was freshly applied and the nurse had given her a sponge bath. Bill kissed her.
"Baby, you look beautiful." Guarnere bent down to place a tender kiss on his son's cheek. Leigh told him,
"I know we agreed to decide on a name together, but I chose his name. I hope you don't mind. Bill, I want you to meet William Henry Guarnere."
"Sweetheart, that's wonderful. I ain't upset one bit. I just wish..."
"It's OK to cry, Honey." Bill assured her that he was fine.
"Would you like to hold him, Pop?"
"Oh, hell, yes!"
Bill had previous experiences handling his sisters' newborns. He carefully picked up his son, supporting his head and back.
"Look at all o' that hair! We have a handsome son, Baby. He's really alert. I bet he's smart like his ma."
"You're very level headed and smart, too, Bill. He looks just like his pop. I hope Billy acts like you, too."
"He's smilin' at me! Sweetheart, he loves me already!"
"Of course he loves you. Billy has heard your voice for a long time. He knows you. Honey, if you hand him back to me, there are two items in that bottom drawer behind you. I bought one and made the other for him. The stuff in the middle drawer can wait until we have a little girl." Bill protested,
"Do I have to give him back already?" Leigh assured him that he could hold Billy as soon as he got the items out of the drawer. He gave the baby back to her and opened the drawer, extracting a small Philadelphia Phillies baseball cap.
"Honey, that's cute. It's a little bit big, but he'll grow into it. Maybe he'll be a baseball fan like his uncle." Bill looked into the drawer and pulled out a one piece sleeper garment.
Leigh had embroidered Guarnere on the front of the garment and she had also embroidered tiny sergeant's stripes at the top of each sleeve.
"That's somethin' else, Baby. I love it! You even got his name on the front an' ya done a great job on those stripes. They look like the real thing!" Leigh handed Billy to him.
"I made the same designs on three other sleepers so he can have a fresh outfit when we have visitors. Honey, after we're released from the hospital and settled in, how about getting a family portrait done?"
"That's a wonderful idea. I love it! Baby, I insist on helpin' wit' diaper changin', bathin' him, whatever needs to be done. This is somethin' I really wanna do." He noticed that Leigh was quiet.
"Are ya feelin' OK, Sweetheart?"
"You should add feeding to the list. Bill, you're married to a freak. Not only could I not bring him into the world the usual way, I can't nurse the baby because the milk ducts in my breasts never developed fully. You noticed, without a doubt, that my breasts didn't get bigger. There's no way to fix what's wrong with me."
"You ain't a freak, Leigh. If we have to use bottles, then that's what we'll do." He handed Billy back to Leigh.
"We'd better give our folks a chance to meet him." Leigh agreed and Bill went back to the waiting room. He found a nurse and asked if both families could go into the room together. She told him that was fine, but no additional visitors were allowed in with them.
Leigh held her son in her arms, softly singing to him. Bill stepped into the waiting room,
"Both families are allowed in. C'mon back an' meet our perfect little boy." Both sets of parents immediately fell in love with the newborn. When Leigh introduced Billy, Mrs. Guarnere cried, telling her,
"Sweetie, that's a beautiful thing ya done, namin' him for his uncle." She dried her tears with a lacy handkerchief. Bill's father brushed away a few tears, too.
The Spencers and the elder Guarneres thought the Phillies hat was adorable and they loved the embroidered 'onesie' sleeper. Little Billy smiled and tolerated being passed from grandparent to grandparent in a good natured manner. Louise and Augusta said that Billy's smile was probably due to him having gas, but Bill insisted that his son was smiling at him.
Both families agreed that he looked exactly like his father and they declared that he was perfect. Bill and Leigh agreed with their parents' assessment of Billy.
When the grandparents returned to the waiting room, Teresa Guarnere and her sisters were there, eagerly waiting to see the baby. Bill told them,
"Good to see all of ya. Follow me an' you'll see the most handsome baby boy in Philadelphia." When they entered Leigh's hospital room, she was holding Billy and singing to him. The sisters also fell in love with their new nephew. Teresa was the first to hold him. She told Bill and Leigh,
"He's a cutie and he looks like his pop. Will ya just look at those long eyelashes! I'd be happy to babysit anytime." Maria held him next, and she was enjoying meeting her nephew. She told Leigh,
"You're lookin' great for a woman who just went through labor. This little one is an angel!" Leigh thanked her.
"My pelvis is too narrow, even with the expansion that naturally happens during labor, so I had to have a C-Section." Maria told her,
"Don't hesitate to call me to help wit' him. You'll need to do some healin' an' my kids are old enough to stay on their own. My God, he looks like his pop!" Leigh smiled.
"Thanks for the offer to help, Maria. I'm restricted from lifting and doing normal household activities until the sutures come out. I agree, he's handsome like his pop." Bill said,
"In all the excitement, we didn't tell all of ya his name. Honey, tell 'em his name. She done a wonderful thing."
"We'd like you to meet William Henry Guarnere." The sisters smiled, then wiped away some tears. They thought that naming the baby for his uncle was "somethin' beautiful." By then, the baby was in Julia's arms. She kissed his cheek.
"You two have a little angel. He's perfect!" She held him close to her with one arm as she got a handkerchief out of her purse. She asked Maria,
"Would ya please hold him? I need to get a handkerchief out of my purse an' use it." Maria held Billy while Julia dried her tears and blew her nose. In addition to Bill, she was also close to Henry. Then, Billy was returned to her arms.
"You can call Aunt Julia for help, too. I'd enjoy helpin' you an' this sweetheart. Leigh, it might not feel like it now, but you're better off havin' that surgery. You'll still be tight downstairs, if ya catch my drift." She, Teresa, Maria and Leigh giggled. Bill looked horrified.
"Holy God, Julia!" She laughed at his reaction and teased him by saying,
"We all know how babies get here. I was just statin' a fact, baby brother. Are ya sayin' that you ain't pleased wit' your wife still bein' 'like new' downstairs?" Bill slightly blushed as Leigh laughed loudly.
"Yes, I think it's great news. Can we please stop talkin' about this stuff?" His sisters' laughter continued. Julia noted,
"Hang on. This little fella's wet. Where are the diapers?" Leigh told her,
"They're in the top drawer of the cabinet behind Bill." Julia asked,
"Do ya know how to change a diaper?" Bill admitted that he had no idea of what to do. Leigh also admitted that she'd never changed a diaper.
"Watch me an' learn." Julia walked them through the basics, adding,
"Be sure to have extra material in the front, to protect his little..." Bill interrupted his sister,
"Thanks, Julia, I get the idea." She laughed.
"Are you gonna turn red again?"
"No, I just get what you're sayin'." The baby managed to slightly spray his aunt while she was working on the diaper. Bill laughed.
"He has a hell of a good aim. Spray her again, Billy!" Everyone in the room laughed. Julia grinned,
"Billy just brought up the next thing I was gonna tell ya. Little baby boys do this a lot, so be prepared." She smiled at Billy.
"Sweetie, make sure an' spray your old man like a good little boy." Billy grinned at her.
"I swear to God, he just smiled at me! That ain't no gas, that's a smile."
"He smiled earlier, but Ma an' Mrs. Spencer said it was gas." Bill looked at Billy.
"That's a smile, no doubt about it. Thanks for showin' us how to change diapers, Julia. Thank all of ya for offerin' to help us until Leigh is back on her feet." Leigh told them,
"Your offer to help is greatly appreciated." The sisters each held and kissed Billy once more before leaving, promising to return the next day. They agreed that Leigh and Bill needed to rest.
Before they left, Bill showed them the baseball cap and the specially embroidered 'onesie.'
"Leigh made this an' three other sleepers wit' this design. She done a hell of a good job wit' the stripes, they look like the ones on my old uniform." The sisters agreed with Bill, telling his wife that she "done a great job" with the sleepers.
After they left, Bill placed Billy back into Leigh's arms. A nurse came into the room, saying that she had to take Billy back to the nursery. Both parents reluctantly let him go, giving him kisses before the nurse took him out of the room. Bill sat on the edge of Leigh's bed.
He gently embraced her and gave Leigh a tender kiss. Bill reluctantly ended the kiss and cupped her face in his hands.
"My heart's about to burst wit' all the love I have for you, Baby. Gettin' Billy is one o' the best things that ever happened to me." He gave Leigh a more passionate kiss and she eagerly returned it.
"I love you to the moon and back, Honey. Thanks for giving me Billy. When I'm completely healed from surgery, how about exploring my downstairs?" Bill chuckled,
"I'm lookin' forward to it, Sweetheart."
"Sorry I laughed when you blushed, but your reaction was funny."
" That's OK, Leigh. Even if ya laugh, I still love my sassy angel. I guess I'd better get home an' let ya get some rest. I'll see you an' Billy tomorrow.
Baby, I'm sorry that I didn't bring roses for ya. I wanted you to have somethin' special, but I was so worried about the surgery, I didn't think of buyin' some in the gift shop downstairs." Leigh told Bill that he didn't need to buy a gift for her. The nurse returned to let them know that visiting hours were over. Bill kissed Leigh's hand and left the room.
She got comfortable in the hospital bed and soon went to sleep. Bill called George Luz and Johnny Martin when he got home, telling then about Billy's arrival.
The following day, Bill brought in a vase containing one dozen red roses with a small ribbon banner on the vase that said "Mother" in gold foil letters.
"You shouldn't have spent so much money, but I'm glad you did. Honey, the roses are beautiful!" Guarnere was pleased that she enjoyed the roses.
"Baby, you deserve a whole room filled wit' roses. I wanted everybody in the flower shop to know that we have a healthy, handsome little boy. I didn't have the flowers delivered 'cause I wanted to bring 'em to ya myself. I wanted to celebrate an' thank you for Billy. I love you, Leigh." Bill leaned down to embrace and kiss Leigh.
"I love you, too, Bill. Remember, you're half of the reason we have Billy. I need to find a way to thank you for our sweet son. What would you like for your gift?" Guarnere thought for a moment.
"When you're able to cook again, how about my favorite meal an' some pizzelles?"
"That's fine with me, Honey. How about some antipasto, too?"
"That would be perfect, Baby." She added, "When I get back to work, I'm going to dedicate all the songs on one show to you. I already discussed this with my boss before I got admitted to the hospital."
"You're somethin' else, Leigh. I'm lookin' forward to that show."
By the end of the week, everyone Guarnere knew in Easy Company knew about Billy. Colonel Sink and Dick Winters both purchased a $50 Savings Bond for the newest member of the Guarnere family. Bill's brothers in arms chipped in for a $100 Savings Bond for their new nephew. The Andrews Sisters sent a dozen pink roses to Leigh and they also paid for two years of diaper service, cleaning and delivery included.
Numerous cards were sent to Bill and Leigh, congratulating them on the birth of their son. After an eight day stay in the hospital, Bill took his wife and Billy home. During the 1940s and into part of the 1950s, hospitals kept maternity patients and newborns hospitalized longer than they are hospitalized in the 21st Century.
With help from Bill's sisters and Guarnere himself, Billy got accustomed to his home.Leigh healed at a normal rate and she was soon able to take care of her son and return to work. One of Bill's sisters or his mother was always on hand to help with Billy until Leigh got back from work in the early afternoon.
Leigh was determined to get her figure back and she consulted Dr. Simms about the best exercises to accomplish her goal. She exercised faithfully and had her figure back before the year was over.
Bill was true to his word. He eagerly helped with Billy, changing diapers, feeding him and giving the baby his bath. Leigh admired his skill at getting Billy back to sleep after some loud crying.
She asked Bill what he did and he told her that he just sat and talked to Billy. Leigh thought that Billy found his pop's voice soothing. One night, after Bill got the baby to sleep. He returned to their bedroom, telling Leigh, in a soft voice so he didn't wake Billy,
"Baby, I swear to God that he laughed. I was tellin' Billy the story of how I met ya, an' when I got to the part about you kickin' that guy's ass, he laughed." Leigh kissed him and put her head on his chest. Bill wrapped his arms around her. They were soon asleep.
