Ernest Graves
A:
Why don't you ask me which was the most exciting? I didn't find stress due to my
husband's assignments. I don't wish to make myself out to be a Pollyanna. I really
don't. But I have thoroughly enjoyed this life.
Q:
That's great.
A:
I readily admit many women couldn't be Army wives. That's perfectly true. I probably
couldn't be an astronaut's wife. I don't know. You're in different situations.
But if you want me to say that I had such a stressful time when my husband was in
Vietnam, I didn't. I really didn't. I didn't let myself have it. I didn't worry about him.
I knew he was out doing his job, and I was here doing my job. There was no assignment
of his which was stressful on me.
Q:
Okay. Which was the most exciting assignment?
A:
I really can't single one out because I feel they were all different. I think, probably, the
last assignment when he was dealing in international security affairs. That opened many
new avenues of interest. We met fascinating people and world-known leaders. That, I
think, was very exciting. We did a lot of entertaining, so I was a part of it. We went to
many events at embassies and attachs' homes, and that was really very exciting. At that
point, I had no children at home, so I could devote time to entertaining, and I was free
to travel with Ernie.
Q:
Obviously I'm bringing some erroneous assumptions to my questions.
A:
Well, I don't know about that. I just want to knock some of them down--some of your
preconceived ideas.
Q:
Well, that's the idea. If they need knocking down, then you have to do it because that's
the purpose of the whole thing.
But in some ways, I am a little bit surprised, because of my assumptions. I look at
women I know--many of whom have careers--and they seem to think it's very
important that they have to have--it's just important for them to have this kind of
work, rather than the kind of work that you did so well.
A:
I honestly feel that there is no more challenging job than raising four children--or
raising children. One child, I think, might be harder than raising four of them.
Q:
One's a handful.
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