The Travels of Foy and Odela

This is the day my family waits for, Friday the 13th in January. It’s the best day. My parents were married this day and yes, it was a Friday. They were married for 59 years before my dad passed away. We consider this day a good luck day. We don’t believe in luck, except for this day, Friday the 13th in January.
I know I typically tell the story of how they met and eventually fell in love, however, today I am going to tell a different story, the one of how they journeyed to California during the depression.
Foy and Odela realized that in order for them to make enough money for their family to thrive they needed to leave Oklahoma.
So, they packed up their Model T Ford and started the journey to California. Foy had already been there and knew that there were so many more opportunities than where they were at. Odela trusted his judgement more than anyone else on earth.
They packed up not only themselves but a four-year-old and a baby. Off they went, they worked their way across the country, picking cotton, picking fruit, vegetables, whatever work they could find.
When they made it to New Mexico their car decided it had been worked too hard and died. On the road, in the middle of nowhere with darkness coming on quickly.
A family drove up that spoke very little English, however through gestures and some words Foy was able to let them know what the problem was. The father of the other family was able to convey Foy, Odela and their children should get in their car and come home with them.
So off they went, trusting that these were good people. They were, they were also very literally dirt poor, the house had a dirt floor, but the family happily shared their food and made a pallet for Foy and Odela and their children.
The next morning the family once again shared their food with the travelers. The father took Foy to fix the car and Odela helped the mother clean up after breakfast.
Foy was able to fix the car and they continued on to California.
Odela would later say it was the first time she had ever encountered people who were not like her. She would say it was one of the best experiences of her life and she felt God had purposely allowed their car to break down so she could meet that family.
Foy and Odela started life out as poor as the proverbial church mouse, but they worked hard, never complained about the work and not only made it to California, their family flourished. They eventually made their way back to Oklahoma where they spent the rest of their days.