CHANGES, CHOICES, and FRIENDS: 1970s After Divorce

In the tumulous 1970's, four, twenty-five year old, female friends - BETH, CONNIE,

MICHAEL and APRIL - newly divorced with children - had no idea how their lives could change so radially, or quickly. Prior somewhat ordinary, they became like 'sex & the city' for Chicago suburhanite housewives, as willing participants in escapade sex, some drugs and too much alcohol. The U.S. in quite an upheaval with protest marches of all types, but these young, women were rarely vocal concerning politics, the Viet Nam war, or the inequality of the sexes. They liked men, just not the ones they were married to, and not fairytale-dreamers, a little romance would be nice. So, they experimented dating men, not acceptable before: tried some drugs, drank too much, laughed a lot, and dance their cares away. With new male-attention, they grew more brazen and confident, exploring the gamut of willing men for dalliance or clandestine. Included were bikers and even a ménage a trois with a famous movie star for Connie and Beth, which actually empowered them all. Anything was possible with freedom and independence.

They took college classes, started a house-cleaning service, then thought about their changes, as the friendships shifted, but support of each other remained. Dilemmas-decisions of children-choices real careers and the "biggie' of remarriage came up, with a sense of irony-satire and sarcasm in situations to handle whatever hit them. Life separated them, when Beth and April move out of State, then Beth overseas - still they reunite frequently. Definitely changed-women years later, in many different ways. And yet, some things did not change, in how they supported each other through thick and thin circumstances, which would have torn weaker- women apart. At times, their history together was the foundation which kept them moving forward through life's harshest realities. Still fiends, their changed lives encouraged many women around them to do the same, sharing their memories and experiences regarding the crazy-times of younger years.

Julia was a well-traveled, twice-divorced, experienced business consultant-trainer, and quite outspoken about many topics. Tomis, a workaholic engineer in the ferry- tourism business in Croatia, carried guilt over his late wife’s death in the civil war. The older couple had come from opposite ends of the world to meet serendipitously in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A fated-encounter, as it is one of the most extensively beautiful, but population-deprived areas of the States. It is also not easy to get to, with only one jet equipped airport for the area. Thus, rather strange for two international people to meet, and go site-seeing through the glorious-colored fall nature together.

She had recently moved from San Francisco, and he was visiting his sister, while his purchased old Staten Island Ferries were finished being refurbished. They found an odd common connection regarding international business, in that Julia had traveled extensively, and been a business trainer in Japan for seven years. His lack of fluent English was not a problem for her, but understanding her bent sense of humor, and quirky attitude was not easy for Tomis. Having overcome her own workaholism, she saw the vast surrounding autumn trees and water relaxing him to bring them both closer.
Surprising those people around them, after only four days together, their lives are extensively changed when she travels to New York, and then back with Tomis to Croatia. She was to consult for doing training in the seemingly innocuous, yet rapidly growing tourism business. But, an Organized Crime faction, leftovers from the brutal war of twenty years earlier, wants to prevent Croatia from joining the European Union. They have had a wanton control over gambling, drugs, extortion, etc. and the EU would curtail their deadly power. Because of his business success and political connections, they made many attempts to kill Tomis, then infiltrated his employees’ union instead.

They see kidnapping Julia, the new love in his life, as key to extorting money from his business, and stopping his support of the government’s push for EU recognition. Fears of her personal safety haunt him, repeating the painful memories of the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter. But Julia will not play victim to anyone, and she almost kills one of the kidnappers. Though the State Police are determined to eradicate these criminals, Tomis feels quite powerless to help stop them, until the most unlikely of heroes arises to the rescue. It is a romantic adventure in the most unusual way, with twists and turns of situations filled with humor, and romping sexual intimacy that neither had known in many years.

I found a  Pandora’s box  exploding with such emotional tales, I was not really prepared to hear. In many of the Japanese I interviewed, there was this driving-need for the world to know their harrowing experiences, as they had been almost randomly tossed into, in the countries Japan had occupied. Occupied Hearts: Japan as the Occupier & The Occupied is the second book in the sequel to 'Occupied Hearts'. This book follows the lives of foreigners growing up in Japan after World War II, sharing their personal stories alongside historical facts. From the end of the Allied Occupation to Japan's economic struggles, you'll discover the challenges and triumphs of bilingual and bicultural living. Through heartfelt stories, 'Occupied Hearts II' reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit and the search for belonging, no matter where life takes us.