It was early October in 1943 and the air was already snapping cold. Piles of pumpkins decorated several of the shop windows in downtown Walla Wall, Washington.
Shirley pulled her coat more tightly around her as she walked quickly through the darkening streets looking forward to the warmth of her family's fires.
She felt a slight uneasiness for some reason and quickened her steps. Then she heard a honk behind her and she turned to see an acquaintance from the United Service Organizations (USO) waving to her from his Model A. Daniel Lee, a young Army recruit,had been at the USO dances several times over the last few months. He reminded her of her husband, Orville, who was overseas in the Army, stationed in Hawaii. How she missed her husband. They had been married two years before, shortly before he had enlisted.
Now she waved back at Daniel and listened as he asked her if she would like a ride home. She couldn't think of a reason why not to ride with him, and it sure would be a lot warmer than walking. Shirley climbed into the front seat and relaxed against the back of the seat.
"I just have one stop to make on the way to your farm," said Daniel, "but it will only take a few minutes and you'll still get home before you're expected."
For some reason, Shirley felt a hitch in her chest and had some second thoughts about taking a ride from a man who was a stranger to her parents. Oh well, Daniel seemed to her to be a very responsible young man and she was tired of walking the 5-mile distance between the USO offices and her farm outside of the city. She would just relax and enjoy the ride.
Daniel started the car and they began to travel the long road to her folks farm. Suddenly, Daniel pulled the car onto one of the many side-roads that started at their highway. This did not alarm her for she had been on all of the side roads for years. They drove for about a mile and then Daniel abruptly pulled the car off of the side of the road and into a small grove of oak trees.
Shirley suddenly wondered why they had stopped, "Is this the place where you have a short meeting?" she asked.
"Yes, this is the place I was speaking of. Now, how are you doing? Last time I saw you you were very down-hearted. Missing your husband?"
Suddenly, Daniel grabbed Shirley and forced her face down onto the car seat. Shirley could hardly breathe, but she started flailing her arms and elbows, connecting with Daniel as he struggled to hold her against the seat cushion.
"You are nothing but a whore," said Daniel. "I see you dancing with all of the service men. What do you think your husband would say about your activities? No answers? Well, I know how he'd feel; crumby! I'm going to make you pay for cheating behind his back."
With that said, Daniel undid his uniform trousers with one hand, then he flipped Shirley on her back and put his hand over her mouth. "You shut up now, and I won't hurt you; just teach you a lesson."
Daniel then raped Shirley after first slapping her hard for daring to scream out for help. Then he took her shoes away from her and set her down out of the car where there were no people or houses for a mile or more.
Barefoot in the cold night, Shirley started walking to her parent's farm. What would she tell her parents? If they found out she had had relations with another man, they would disown her as they were very religious and would consider it her fault. How could she tell Orville? Best not to at all. It wouldn't do to tell a soldier about bad news at home; there was nothing he could do about it and that would frustrate him to no end. So, Shirley snuck in a back door, found a second pair of shoes, and went outside to complete her duties to the milk cows.
Three months later, Shirley knew she was pregnant. What now? If she told her parents that she was pregnant, they would wash their hands of her and send her away from home to have her baby alone.
A week later, her mother noticed her growing belly and demanded to know if she was pregnant or not, and how did she get pregnant with her husband overseas? They disowned Shirley and sent her to live in San Diego. She would have to learn to support herself and her baby; and whatever would she tell Orville?
Two weeks later, Shirley took a bus from Walla Walla to San Diego. She had a small paycheck each month from her husband and she took a job as a riveter at Ryan Aeronautics. She went to see a doctor for her pregnancy and decided to have the baby in Quintard Hospital in downtown San Diego. She let the doctor believe that the baby was her husband's.
In July 1944, Ruby Lee Baker was born at Quintard Hospital. The birth announcement in the newspaper said, "Little girl born to Mr. and Mrs. Orville Baker, and then her address at the Ladisaw's. The official record in the County Clerk's Office said that Ruby Lee had been born to Shirley and Orville Baker.
Tomorrow: A baby book tells the true story and mother has to get back to work in order to keep her Ryan job. Is an orphanage in the works?
All week we will be looking at the various sides of adoption. From the birth and adoptive parents side and the side of Ruby herself.
Shirley pulled her coat more tightly around her as she walked quickly through the darkening streets looking forward to the warmth of her family's fires.
She felt a slight uneasiness for some reason and quickened her steps. Then she heard a honk behind her and she turned to see an acquaintance from the United Service Organizations (USO) waving to her from his Model A. Daniel Lee, a young Army recruit,had been at the USO dances several times over the last few months. He reminded her of her husband, Orville, who was overseas in the Army, stationed in Hawaii. How she missed her husband. They had been married two years before, shortly before he had enlisted.
Now she waved back at Daniel and listened as he asked her if she would like a ride home. She couldn't think of a reason why not to ride with him, and it sure would be a lot warmer than walking. Shirley climbed into the front seat and relaxed against the back of the seat.
"I just have one stop to make on the way to your farm," said Daniel, "but it will only take a few minutes and you'll still get home before you're expected."
For some reason, Shirley felt a hitch in her chest and had some second thoughts about taking a ride from a man who was a stranger to her parents. Oh well, Daniel seemed to her to be a very responsible young man and she was tired of walking the 5-mile distance between the USO offices and her farm outside of the city. She would just relax and enjoy the ride.
Daniel started the car and they began to travel the long road to her folks farm. Suddenly, Daniel pulled the car onto one of the many side-roads that started at their highway. This did not alarm her for she had been on all of the side roads for years. They drove for about a mile and then Daniel abruptly pulled the car off of the side of the road and into a small grove of oak trees.
Shirley suddenly wondered why they had stopped, "Is this the place where you have a short meeting?" she asked.
"Yes, this is the place I was speaking of. Now, how are you doing? Last time I saw you you were very down-hearted. Missing your husband?"
Suddenly, Daniel grabbed Shirley and forced her face down onto the car seat. Shirley could hardly breathe, but she started flailing her arms and elbows, connecting with Daniel as he struggled to hold her against the seat cushion.
"You are nothing but a whore," said Daniel. "I see you dancing with all of the service men. What do you think your husband would say about your activities? No answers? Well, I know how he'd feel; crumby! I'm going to make you pay for cheating behind his back."
With that said, Daniel undid his uniform trousers with one hand, then he flipped Shirley on her back and put his hand over her mouth. "You shut up now, and I won't hurt you; just teach you a lesson."
Daniel then raped Shirley after first slapping her hard for daring to scream out for help. Then he took her shoes away from her and set her down out of the car where there were no people or houses for a mile or more.
Barefoot in the cold night, Shirley started walking to her parent's farm. What would she tell her parents? If they found out she had had relations with another man, they would disown her as they were very religious and would consider it her fault. How could she tell Orville? Best not to at all. It wouldn't do to tell a soldier about bad news at home; there was nothing he could do about it and that would frustrate him to no end. So, Shirley snuck in a back door, found a second pair of shoes, and went outside to complete her duties to the milk cows.
Three months later, Shirley knew she was pregnant. What now? If she told her parents that she was pregnant, they would wash their hands of her and send her away from home to have her baby alone.
A week later, her mother noticed her growing belly and demanded to know if she was pregnant or not, and how did she get pregnant with her husband overseas? They disowned Shirley and sent her to live in San Diego. She would have to learn to support herself and her baby; and whatever would she tell Orville?
Two weeks later, Shirley took a bus from Walla Walla to San Diego. She had a small paycheck each month from her husband and she took a job as a riveter at Ryan Aeronautics. She went to see a doctor for her pregnancy and decided to have the baby in Quintard Hospital in downtown San Diego. She let the doctor believe that the baby was her husband's.
In July 1944, Ruby Lee Baker was born at Quintard Hospital. The birth announcement in the newspaper said, "Little girl born to Mr. and Mrs. Orville Baker, and then her address at the Ladisaw's. The official record in the County Clerk's Office said that Ruby Lee had been born to Shirley and Orville Baker.
Tomorrow: A baby book tells the true story and mother has to get back to work in order to keep her Ryan job. Is an orphanage in the works?
All week we will be looking at the various sides of adoption. From the birth and adoptive parents side and the side of Ruby herself.
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