Boys of the 1950s - 24. Chapter 24 Senior Year 1959 – 1960 – Shacking Up

The story will now move back in time to the end of the summer after Uncle Will and JB’s departure for Europe.

The girls told their parents they were moving into a room in a private home on a quiet street near the campus where friends had lived. They failed to mention that the friends were actually Tom and Peter still living there.

One fall day in October Mrs. Gates, Ann’s mother, and a friend visited a fabric outlet store in Munroe Falls. Since they were only about ten minutes from Kent Mrs. Gates suggested they visit her daughter at her new residence as she had not seen Ann’s new college home. Hopefully she could take Ann to lunch. After stopping at a gas station for directions they found the quiet street and pleasant house where Ann lived. They walked to the front porch with potted plants and an old style porch swing hanging on chains and rang the bell. Peter answered the door.

“Hello Mrs. Gates.”

“Well hello Peter, I was in the area fabric shopping with my neighbor, Della Baker, and we decided to stop by and take Ann to lunch if she was available.”

“She’s in class, should be back in about an hour. Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee. Or, I could take you on a brief tour of the campus. It’s a beautiful day. We could walk.”

“I am confused. Are you here studying with Louise?”

At this point Peter considered lying and creating a scenario that he and Louise were working on some major physics project. Ann’s mother knew Peter and Louise were both studying science and had some classes together. But he realized that at some point the truth would be discovered and he did not want to be known as both a liar and seducer so he said, “Louise and I do study together and I live here.”

“I thought Ann lived here.”

“She does.”

Louise was walking back from campus when she saw Ann’s mother, another lady and Peter talking at the front door. Oh shit she thought to herself.

“Hello Mrs. Gates. Welcome to Peyton Lane.”

“Why hello Louise. I’m very confused. I thought Ann lived here but Peter tells me he lives here. Where does Ann live?”

Louise smiled and with a sugary voice said, “Oh, we all live here, Peter and Tom as well as Ann and I.”

Peter interrupted, “I told them Ann should return in about an hour. I invited them in for coffee and suggested we take a walking brief tour of the campus. It really is beautiful today with the leaves turning to red and gold. If they want coffee I could run down to the A&P and buy a Jane Parker cake and some ice cream.”

Mrs. Gates then said, “Maybe we should be on our way. I forgot that my friend Della needs to be home to meet a Sear’s repair man this afternoon.” Della gave Ann’s mother a ‘what the heck are you talking about’ look.

“Tell Ann we’re sorry we missed her.”

When Ann returned about an hour later they told her about her mother’s unexpected visit. After Tom returned they had a long conversation about what they should do. Peter suggested they each call their parents and explain the living situation. Tom suggested they not do anything until someone contacted them, if ever. Ann and Louise were totally confused as to what the next step should be. They finally decided to just wait 24 hours and then consider action if any.

Meanwhile Mrs. Gates returned home in a total quandary as to what she should do. On an impulse she called Tom’s mother, Ann’s future mother-in-law and told her about the unplanned visit. Mrs. Kowalski, the good Catholic, was extremely upset.

As soon as Mr. Gates arrived home from work his wife dropped the news on him. She was surprised at how calmly he took it. She reminded him that their daughter’s reputation and future were at stake. If this ever got out it would ruin her possibility of getting a teaching position. Mr. Gates didn’t agree with his wife. He then reminded her about their past. “Remember where Ann was conceived? It was in the backseat of my father’s 1936 Packard (automobile). When your father discovered you were in ‘the family way’ I thought he was going to come after me with a shot gun. However, if I remember correctly it was your idea to try it in the backseat since the gear shift on the floor got in the way in the front seat. I don’t remember you resisting at all.”

Mrs. Gates laughed, “You made your point. I wonder if she knows that we had our 20^th wedding anniversary party in 1957 a year early and that she was not born a year and three months after we married but just three months after the wedding. I’m happy for her. Tom is a great guy. They are planning to married in the spring. I just wish I had reacted better when I talked to Peter and Louise. I don’t blame them for keeping it a secret. We would have, I mean we did, or at least tried to.”

“I think I might have done something stupid. I called Tom’s mother and told her about the living arrangements. The Kowalski’s are good people and excellent parents just a little too religious for me.”

Her father replied, “I disagree, they are not a little too religious but in my opinion way way too religious. Luckily Ann is marrying Tom not his mother.”

“I’m going to call Ann and apologize for dropping in unannounced. I’m going to tell her Tom is a great guy who I will be happy to have for a son-in-law. I’ll also tell her I won’t pry into her sex life if she doesn’t pry into mine.”

Mrs. Gates called and much to Ann’s relief had a happy mother – daughter conversation discussing all the items she had told her husband she would. She also discussed birth control with Mrs. Gates stating that a new device called an IUD was available. She suggested Ann discuss this with a medical doctor and send the bill home. She had read about a pill that a woman could take to protect against pregnancy but did not know if it was available (note: the PILL would not be available for another year, 1960) She also suggested that Tom use protection. Talking about such things was embarrassing to Ann but she realized her mother was being informative not judgmental. The bombshell that Ann’s mother dropped was that she had, without thinking, called Tom’s mother and discussed the living arrangements. She apologized but what was done was done. She realized Tom’s mother’s strong religious convictions could cause her to overact.

Mrs. Kowalski’s overreaction was an understatement. She cried. She prayed. As soon as her husband arrived home from work she cried more and related the tragedy of her son. She almost slapped him when he said, “What’s the big deal. They have been going together for years. He has proposed and they are getting married in the spring. Anyway, I just assumed they were in an intimate relationship” (as he thought to himself, I mean ‘fucking like rabbits’ but I know my sweet wife could not handle such language).

The next morning she attended the daily mass that hardly anyone attended. After mass she approached Father McFadden and told him there was a tragedy concerning her son and that he seriously needed guidance.

Father McFadden immediately thought she had discovered Tom’s relationship with Peter. They went into the priest’s office. She sat down and started to cry. “Please tell me what is troubling you.”

“I just discovered my son and his fiancée, Ann, are living together in the same house. They are doing this without the sanctity of a marriage in the eyes of God. Oh, what will happen to that boy’s soul? I had dreamed about their wedding in this Church. If they are living a life of sin they will never have a marriage recognized by the Church or God. My grandchildren will be born outside the Church. I don’t know if I can bear to attend mass with the guilt of my son’s sinful life on my shoulders.”

Father McFadden was immensely relieved that Tom’s sexual orientation was not the issue. “Mrs. Kowalski Tom is a good boy, I mean man. He is in a committed relationship with Ann. They plan to marry in this Church in a few months and they will. While some might condemn them I do not. If they were just using their bodies to have a good time with no commitment I would condemn them. Tom discussed this with me last summer. I neither encouraged nor discouraged it. If I had thought they were not committed to each other I would have told him it was not right. In my opinion Tom and Ann are not committing a sin. Some in the Church might disagree with me, but that is my firm belief in this situation. I will happily marry them in a few months. Tom and Ann need your support, not your criticism.”

“Let me tell you a very personal story. My parents are the most supportive, loving parents a person could have. My mother grew up on a farm with very conservative Mennonite parents. My father was the son of a poor Irish Catholic couple living in near poverty on Cleveland’s west side. My father had a job as a laborer building the interurban line (High speed long distance trolley / tram) near my mother’s home, they met, fell in love and she got pregnant. She was forced to run away as her strict religious father threatened to send her to a place where she would have the baby and then it would be taken away. She escaped to Cleveland with the father of the child she was carrying, me, and lived with his Irish Catholic parents while he continued to work outside the city. There she was pregnant and living in poverty with people who did not really accept her. My parents were strict Irish Catholics. One of the reasons Irish immigrated to USA was to escape the domination of England’s Protestant government over the Irish Catholics. So obviously this country girl was considered someone that back in Ireland would never have been invited into a good Catholic home. My parents married a few months before I was born. Gradually my father’s parents accepted her, loved her and treated her with kindness. Unfortunately I never had the same loving relationship with my strict overly religious grandfather in the country. Tom is a good boy. I love him as if he were my own son. I look forward to his marriage.”

Eventually all the parents accepted the living arrangement. They just did not announce it to all their friends and relatives.

The Last Semester

Their last year at the university with the wedding plans and employment searches by Ann and Louise along with their academic work almost overwhelmed the young couples. Tom under the mentoring of Keith Klemen was accepted in the management training program of Olentangy Insurance Company in Columbus. Peter had been accepted in the graduate mechanical engineering program of Ohio State also in Columbus. The girls were satisfied with a move to Columbus. Living as two married couples while sleeping as two gay couples would be difficult near their families. Columbus was about a three hour drive from Pleasant Valley. Far enough away that it was unlikely anyone would visit without warning. Hopefully Ann’s mother would not do impulse fabric shopping near Columbus and stop by for lunch.

Ann and Louise interviewed for teaching positions in the Columbus area. Ann who was searching for an elementary school position to teach lower grades was having the most difficulty finding a teaching job although her academic record was very good. Since she would be newly married at the beginning of the school year she was asked and in some cases interrogated about her plans for getting pregnant and starting a family (that line of questioning is illegal in 2016). No school wanted to invest in a new teacher and then have her quit within a year. Consequently, she was unable to find a teaching position. Louise had the advantage of a background in math and physics and an impeccable academic background. Despite concerns about getting pregnant she found a high school teaching position.

Both boys were required to take care of their military obligation. In 1960 all males were subject to be drafted into military service at the age of 18 unless a student deferment was obtained. Upon graduation this deferment ended and both were subject to be drafted to two years of military service. Peter could have extended his deferment by going to graduate school. However, he would just be putting off the inevitable. A way to avoid two years of active military service was to join the National Guard or Reserves. These required a six year obligation including six months of active duty followed by weekly evening meetings or monthly one day meetings and two weeks of training each summer. Of the military services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard) only the Army had a short waiting time for enlistment. If they delayed their enlistment they might be drafted for two years. In April the boys traveled to Columbus and joined The 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, an infantry brigade combat team of the U S Army National Guard. They officially began attending meetings the first week of May. Usually the six months active duty began about two months after joining. Peter requested active duty assignment as soon as possible after his June wedding. If he began his obligation in July he would complete the six months of active duty in time to begin the winter quarter in his graduate program at Ohio State. From May until graduation in June the boys traveled to Columbus Wednesday evenings to attend their National Guard meeting. Usually they stayed overnight with Keith and drove back to Kent early Thursday morning.

One Wednesday the boys were able to depart for Columbus after Tom’s 8:00 morning class. They planned to stay overnight at Keith’s apartment and return to Kent early Thursday morning. Keith was out of town that week but had given the boys permission and a key to stay at his place. Entering late after the National Guard meeting would not be a problem as the doormen knew the boys. They arrived in Columbus soon after noon and inspected two possible places to move to with their wives after the wedding. By 3:00 in the afternoon they had finished their house hunting, one of which was promising. They told the landlord they would describe the place to their future wives and bring them to Columbus if they were interested. Tom suggested they visit the bar on High Street where years earlier first Tom and then both had had an adventure.

The bar was quiet and nearly empty. The boys ordered beers and considered how to kill a couple of hours until they were due at their meeting. Peter suggested they call Joel, the student they had had a brief encounter with a couple of years earlier. Organized Peter had kept his phone number. The boys had little hope of contacting him as students frequently move. Also they were not sure he would still be in Columbus. Peter went to the phone booth at the back of the bar and dialed the number. A male voice answered. Peter asked to speak to Joel. The voice said “Hold on, he’s outside working on his car.”

“Hi, this is Joel.”

“Hi Joel. You may not remember my friend and me. First is this a private phone line? Wouldn’t want anyone snooping in on our business.”

“It’s private and who the hell are you?”

“We met a couple of years ago in the High Street bar. Actually you and I had a brief encounter in the men’s room. When my friend walked in you got all nervous until he dropped his pants. You made both of us happy. After our brief encounter we returned to the bar and had a short conversation. We told you we were students at Kent State visiting Columbus.”

“Now I remember. Sorry, I do not remember your faces but you, the one that stood next to me at the urinal has a nice full size cut dick. Your friend has a dick the same size, maybe a little thinner that is uncut. I remember the dicks, especially rolling the skin over and down the head of your friend’s. Do I have the right dicks? I mean right guys? What are you up to?”

“We are both moving to Columbus after graduation next month. Now we must visit your fair city Wednesday evenings for National Guard meetings. I will begin my graduate studies and my friend has a position at Olentangy Insurance. We called you to say ‘hi’ and hopefully get some inside information about life in this part of Ohio.”

“We live about ten minutes from the bar. I was cleaning my car. Jason, my friend, and I will pop over to the bar. I would like you to meet him. He is a real sweetheart. See you soon. Just stay out of the men’s room for now.”

Soon Joel and his friend walked in. Joel was about 5’ 10” (180 cm) brown eyes, brown hair. His friend who was introduced as Jason was tall, at least 6’5” (196 cm), very thin, long face, oversized glasses, dark hair with very large hands. You would assume he was a basketball player. However, he was awkward, and they later discovered had no interest in sports.

Joel and Jason had been living together for two years. Both were Ohio State graduates. Jason worked at a bank and Joel was in marketing at F&R Lazarus, the largest department store in Columbus. Joel asked how much time they had until their meeting. Tom replied they were free for about three hours and needed to be at their meeting at 7:00. Joel suggested they go to their apartment. But he warned them that he and Jason were home bodies. While he no longer played with other guys he and Jason enjoyed being in their company and were both somewhat exhibitionist. They delight in watching and being watched. Both Tom and Peter starred at Jason’s hands wondering how it matched his dick.

Getting in their cars Tom and Peter followed Joel and Jason. They stopped at a pizza restaurant near their apartment and placed an order to be picked up in twenty minutes. Joel commented that he wished they would deliver the pizza, maybe someday it could be ordered by phone and then delivered.

As soon as they entered the apartment Joel suggested they all get naked. Jason, the shy, quiet one, was the first one naked. The anticipated dick matched his large hands. A perfect specimen, still soft, long, lean, uncut with the skin covering the entire head and beyond. By the time the other three were naked they were hard. Meanwhile tall gawky Jason just stood scratching his low hanging balls. He began playing with his still soft dick. The boys thought it might be so large that it would not get hard. He pull the skin all the way back exposing the moist head.

Peter looked at him and said, “You are a perfect specimen. I respect your desire to not touch and play. But could I ask a favor? May I get on my knees and see you close up. I promise I will not touch.”

“Sure.”

Both Peter and Tom got on their knees. Their eyes were just inches away. Jason slowly stroked his tool. Each time he pulled the skin all the way back exposing the moist head. It slowly grew. He then held it so that the head was as close to Peter’s nose as possible without touching. The man aroma was intoxicating. Peter so wanted to hold or lick it but constrained himself. Then Jason moved to Tom with the same delight. Then he pumped harder. Tom pleaded with him to cum on his face. Peter was surprised that Tom made such a request. Jason with the no touching requirement had no problem shooting on Tom’s face with some going in his willing mouth. Peter leaned into his boyfriend licking his face and kissing his cum lips. Jason then went over to his Joel and leaning forward standing behind him jerked him off spraying the linoleum. Peter and Tom stood and each finished themselves.

Joel then quickly dressed and said he would return with the pizzas. Since Jason made no attempt to dress Peter and Tom stayed naked until it was time to depart for their meeting. Jason appeared to enjoy displaying his equipment. Peter and Tom enjoyed looking at him. Jason frequently scratched or stretched his balls or played with his dick moving the skin up and back. After the pizza Jason suggested they all have another jerk off session. It was difficult for the boys to determine which they enjoyed more, watching Jason or jerking their own.

Joel told them about gay life in central Ohio. No surprises and not much to tell. He told them they were welcome to return after the meeting and sleep on the pull out couch. Tom declined stating they were expected at his friend’s apartment. This was a lie as his friend, Keith, was out of town. As much as the boys enjoyed inspecting and sniffing Jason it was not something they would want to do on a regular basis. However, they did sincerely tell Joel and Jason they would call after moving to Columbus. During their discussion they had told about their marriage plans. Their new friends thought this was a strange arrangement.

The boys departed for their meeting. After their National Guard meeting they went to Keith’s apartment. There was no hanky-panky as they had to get up at 5:00 to drive back to Kent in the morning.

The boys described the possible apartment to the girls. It was the ground floor unit in a two family house. It would be available June 1. The better news was that the second floor unit in the double would be vacated at the end of the year, about the same time Peter returned from his military service. Tom would return about two months later. Tom called the landlord and arranged to inspect the unit with the girls. The five room unit consisted of a living room, large kitchen, large bedroom, two tiny bedrooms and a bathroom. The walk to the High Street bus line was about a ten minute walk. Tom and Peter could take the bus to work and school since Ohio State was on the same bus line which terminated in downtown Columbus near Olentangy Insurance. The girls would each need a car for Louise’s full time teaching and Ann’s subbing. A special advantage of this two family house was that there was only one front door and one back door with interior stairs to the second floor. When the unit on the second floor was available in January one of the couples, most likely the boys, could move upstairs. They could inconspicuously move between units. When they went to work or school and returned all would leave and enter by the same door with no indication as to who was living or sleeping where. They signed a lease for the June 1 occupancy with the understanding that they would rent the second floor in January.

Wedding Plans

Ann, Louise, Tom and Peter agreed to the overall wedding plans and then left it to the girls and the four mothers to do the details. Ann and Tom would be married at a late morning mass in the Catholic Church with Father McFadden officiating. Louise and Peter would marry in her Lutheran Church that same afternoon. That evening there would be a reception for both couples. Each participant would have their lover as a maid of honor or best man and two attendants (ushers or bridesmaids). Much to the displeasure of the mothers and pleasure to the fathers from a financial viewpoint each bride would wear an ordinary conservative party dress in off white not the very expensive wedding gowns usually worn. The bridesmaids would wear similar dresses in various colors to be determined. All the dresses would be appropriate to wear at other dress up functions. The boys would all wear dark suits, not rental outfits. One decision that really irked the mothers of the brides was the bridal flower rule. Only one bridal bouquet and one maid of honor bouquet would be purchased. The girls would share the bouquets as brides at one wedding and maid of honor at the other. What the mothers did not realize was that Ann and Louise believed by using the same bouquet they would be in a way bonding themselves.

Attendants at the wedding of Ann and Tom were: Louise maid of honor, Beth, Tom’s sister and a cheerleader friend from high school were bridesmaids, Peter best man, Keith Klemen one usher and a fraternity brother for the other. Attendants at the wedding of Louise and Peter were: Ann maid of honor, two of Louise’s cousins bridesmaids, Tom best man, Ronnie and Henry (their Negro friend who had moved to Cleveland with Seth) ushers.

Saturday, June 25, 1960 was the date selected for the weddings. Since Tom’s training at Olentangy Insurance began Monday, June 13 he would be living in Columbus the two weeks prior to the big event.

Aunt Mary arrived Friday afternoon, the day before the wedding. She was given Ronnie’s room and he would be sleeping with his brother the night before the wedding. As Ronnie got undressed for bed Peter naturally checked him out and stated, “Wow little brother, it has been almost a year since I have seen your dick. You have grown!

Ronnie laughed and grabbed his dick, “Yea, thanks to the photos from Uncle Will’s collection you gave me it’s been getting a real workout since last summer. Wonder if it’s as big as my BIG brother’s impressive piece of equipment?”

Peter went to his desk, got out a ruler to measure the length and scissors to cut a piece of paper to about ½ inch wide to over six inches long to measure the girth.

He told Ronnie to get himself hard and close to shooting and stop. Peter leaned in front of his little brother and just as he started to measure there was a knock on the door. “I have both of your ironed shirts, they need to be hung up so they don’t wrinkle.”

“Just a second mom, we’re getting ready for bed.” Ronnie jumped into bed pulling the covers up to his neck. Peter was just wearing tight white Jockey shorts. His dick that was getting hard quickly deflated at hearing his mother. He opened the door and took the shirts. His prudish mother realizing her son was just wearing under briefs dared not let her eyes stray down looked up at her son and said, “You have a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow is your big day.” Glancing at Ronnie who was pretending sleep she continued, “You have a good sleep too Ronnie, may God Bless you both and the Lord Jesus watch over you. I’m so proud of my good boys.”

As soon as she left Peter slide his desk chair under the door knob to guarantee privacy. A totally deflated Ronnie got out of bed. “Well, let’s determine just how proud mom can be of her little boy. We’ll see just how much God has blessed you.” As Ronnie stroked to get hard again Peter continued, “And remember, Jesus is watching over us.”

Ronnie just grinned and kept on pumping. “Let’s just see how much of a blessing Jesus will see.”

Peter measured with the ruler and determined it was just 6 ½ inches (16.5 cm) In length. Using the piece of paper determined the circumference to be 5 inches (12.7 cm). Peter realized this was probably longer than his. He dropped his briefs, told Ronnie how to measure and pumped up his already hard dick. The results: 6 ¼ and 5 inches (15.9 and 12.7). He realized Ronnie was no longer his “little” brother but his “BIGGER” brother. He then took out the piece of paper hidden in the back of his desk with the statistics he had found in the Cleveland library four years earlier that he and Tom had used when measuring their dicks.

He proudly announced to his brother that at 6 ½ (16.5) only 20% of men had dicks longer than his and that the average man dick was only 5.3/4 (14.6 cm) inches. His circumference was just as impressive as Peter’s. At 5 inches (12.7 cm) they were rounder than 70% of men.

Ronnie then said “We need to celebrate God’s blessings.” He started pumping and almost immediately shot his load. Peter soon followed. After wiping up the creamy mess off the hard wood floor the boys got into bed still naked. Although Peter and Ronnie had slept together when visitors needed a bed this was the first time they had slept together naked. Ronnie laid on his back holding his soft dick saying, “You are so beautiful. The girls just don’t know what they are missing. Someday, soon I hope, they will find out.” At the age of 17 he was continually horney. Lying on his back he started stroking again.

Peter looked at him and laughed. “Just do it my now bigger brother. If you don’t you’ll probably cum in the middle of the night and I’ll find myself sleeping in a pile of your sticky goo.” Peter then got up and got some tissues for his brother and removed the chair from the door. He enjoyed watching his brother finish. He drifted to sleep with thoughts of the family jewels. He wondered about the size of his father, the man who had sired both of them.

Suddenly Peter woke up. He sensed someone else in the dim lit by early dawn room. Opening his eyes he saw Tom standing over him. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“My house is a madhouse. At six o’clock this morning people were up making breakfast. My sister’s boyfriend who had slept on the floor of my room snored all night. I need some rest!”

“Just get in bed and shut up.”

Tom stripped and crawled in next to Peter who was now sandwiched between Ronnie and his boyfriend.

Peter rolled over with his ass to Ronnie and spooned into Tom.

Ronnie had slept through the intrusion. When he woke up he was surprised but not shocked to see Tom in bed with them and went back to sleep.

Wedding Bells Are Ringing

At about eight o’clock there was a knock on the door. “You boys better get up, we need to be at Tom’s wedding in a few hours.” The three boys woke all with morning woodies.

Peter briefly explained Tom’s escape and looking at their dicks said “We have to take care of a big problem, three big problems, time for a circle jerk.”

Ronnie took one look at Tom’s hard uncut dick and said, “Wow, never saw one like that close up. I’ve seen them briefly in the showers but was afraid to look. When I saw it at the swimming hole I didn’t really look. And never saw one like that hard, no never.”

Peter reached down and took Tom’s dick in his hand, “It is different the way the skin goes up over the head. Neat isn’t it. Go ahead try it. I’m sure Tom is willing to educate my little brother who by the way as you can see is not so little. I should say my BIG brother. We measured last night and he caught up to me and passed me. Take it and roll the skin up.”

Ronnie hesitated. Ronnie reached down and carefully pulled the skin back and then over the head. Just as he was doing this there was a knock on the door. “You boys better get up. Peter you should be going over to Tom’s house. It’s the duty of the Best Man to take care of the Groom.”

“We are up (in a whisper said “really up.”). I know I have to take care of Tom. I hope he takes care of me this afternoon. Be down soon (whisper “we’ll be down as soon as we finish here).”

Tom then told Ronnie, “Thanks for the assist BIG boy. I think I can finish on my own.”

Luckily Peter’s bedroom floor was hard wood, not carpeted. After wiping up the floor the boys went downstairs. Tom was carrying his wedding clothes. Tom said hi to the Smiths and explained that he had come over an hour earlier to get away from the chaos at his house. The two departed for Tom’s home to prepare for the morning wedding.

At the morning wedding Mrs. Smith sat in the Roman Catholic Church, her first visit to a house of worship of that religion and wondered why there was all the decorations. She felt the statues were garish and robes worn by the priest and assistants not in good taste. She felt sorry for the parishioners where there was too much emphasis on pomp and not enough on the soul.

At the afternoon wedding Mrs. Kowalski sat in the Lutheran Church, her first visit to a house of worship of that religion and wondered why the Church was so plain. With the plain white walls and only one barren cross there was little to honor Mary or Jesus. She felt sorry for the parishioners where there was little glorification of Jesus.