How I Ended Up in DC Back in the 70s

I graduated from high school in 1970 and I am the oldest and mom and dad didn't think much of college even though I wanted to be an art teacher. I was far to shy to date so I worked in a small restaurant until one day when the phone range and a Special Agent Peroda with the FBI asked if I might be interested in going to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Would I?? Absolutely, I was ready to get out on my own.


During the time the employment investigation was going on for my employment, there had been a murder in Bristow. If you are old enough to remember, and I don't remember the names but there was a man who was going to testify in a huge scandelous case - it was bad. His wife traded vehicles with him, the truck that he usually drove had dynamite under the seat and when she started it, it blew up. The FBI was not only investigating me for a job, but this case back in 1971. I received a letter with a stamped signature from J. Edgar Hoover telling me when to report to work and I flew out to Dulles Airport to begin working back in March, 2001 and stayed until the following summer.


I was a file clerk - working in files that contained mail fraud, car theft, kidnapping cases. I matured there - less shy, learned to drive and date and finally met my current husband who had the only last name I ever made fun of. I had worked with a Teresa Vogelpohl from Bristow and teased her about her last name - met and married David two years later. They are no kin - David was in the Navy going to school and asked me to marry him 4 weeks after we met. We were engaged for 14 months and married three days after his enlistment ended.


It was a wonderful time in my life. I was able to spend lots of time at the Smithsonian and traveled to see Jefferson and Washington's homes, the site where Jamestown stands. I soaked up the history and I met the love of my life.


Hoover died in office during my employment and I walked past his closed casket in the Capitol Building. I've seen both Sequoyah and Will Roger's statues there and knew enough of my history to know some their contributions. I was 19-20 during my employment - seems almost a lifetime ago.