Bubble & Linda

It's hard to fathom these two people being together. Bubble, old, mean, nasty. Bubble, dirty, ignorant, disrespectful. Bubble, alcoholic, drug addict, prone to violence. Bubble, degenerate gambler. None of these qualities equate to husband, father, pop-pop, beloved member of society. Yet here he is all of those things.

Bubble is quite affectionately known in the neighborhood as "Mr. Bub the oldhead that fixes cars". Everyone seems to love him despite all of his flaws. Despite the fact that he talks close even though his breath smells like depression, addiction, stress. Like the local bar smells at closing time. Despite the fact that he talks to people with a lack of respect and disregard of their feelings. Despite the fact that he wears the same clothes all week long. Despite the fact that he could threaten you will physical harm at anytime. In fact the neighborhood seems to either not care or ignore the fact that he is an alcoholic and recovering drug addict. Yes even with them knowing all of these things he's still very affectionately known as "Mr. Bub the oldhead that fixes cars."

Then there's Linda, sweet, gentle, kind. Linda, respectful, loving, generous. Linda, diligent, hard working, frugal, sober. All great qualities to have as a wife, mother, Me-mom, pillar of the community.

Linda is not very affectionately known in the neighborhood. She's known just as "Ms. Linda". She used to be known as the church lady despite the fact that everyone knew she was a Jehovah's Witness and didn't even attend church. No one seems to love Linda despite all of her good qualities. Despite the fact that she worked at the neighborhood elementary school for over 30 years. Despite the fact that she helped feed, clothe, and raise quite a few of their children often to the detriment of her own. Despite the fact that she spoke to people camly and respectful. Despite the fact that she'd never physically harm anyone. Yes even with knowing all of those things she was still just "Ms. Linda", nobody special.

It wasn't just with the neighborhood either. Even within their family there was a vast discrepancy on the love and affection being shown to the two of them. Often times throughout the years Linda took in family members. Anyone who came upon hard times were welcomed with open arms into her home.

Linda welcomed them. Bubble quite frankly couldn't care less. A few times these hard times included children. Children who had to be fed, clothed, supervised, cared for. Little girls who needed their hair done. Children who needed to get to school, be bathed, whatever the case may be. There was Linda making sure it all got done. Then there was Bubble taking all of the credit. Well not exactly. Bubble received all of the love and praise that came with that. Bubble received the thank You's and the occasional case of beer. But it wasn't exactly him asking for it. To be honest most of the time he would give the credit to Linda himself. None of that seemed to matter to them though. To them it was Bubble's house. It was Bubble's kindness and generosity and Linda's duty as his wife.

His wife! It kind of makes you feel a little strange reading that don't it? You're kind of wondering how could this be? Why would this sweet old lady be married to such a man? You may think the answer to this question would baffle the mind. But after 45 years, four children, fourteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren the answer is quite simple. Love!

The story of Bubble & Linda starts in 1955 in South Carolina. That's when and where Bubble was born.

Oddly enough Bubble was born to a god fearing church going mother and an alcoholic auto mechanic father. His parents were married and lived together as husband and wife for the majority of his childhood. They were a typical southern family of that era. Bubble was the second child of eight. Although there were rumors of hogs and chickens being raised there was no evidence or stories of farm life. There are different stories about how he came to be known as Bubble even though his real name is William. None have been confirmed. There isn't even a difinitive story on why his mother moved him and six of his siblings to Philadelphia. The only thing for sure was that his older sister was left behind to care for her father.

There's speculation that his father's alcoholism led to the deterioration of his parents' marriage but once again nothing was confirmed.

Bubble isn't highly educated either. Bubble was the oldest of the male children. He had not yet finished high school when his mother decided to leave his father. Due to the way of the world at that time Bubble essentially became the man of the house. What that meant for him was that instead of finishing school Bubble had to join the workforce. He had to help his mother care for the rest of his siblings.

There's not a clear time frame for when the drug and alcohol abuse started. But that was the story of the beginning of Bubble.

Linda's life began less than a year later in 1956. About 650 miles north in Philadelphia Linda was born. Much of her childhood is hidden in secrecy as well.

Linda grew up in public housing. She was the second of three children being raised by a single mother. There are rumors that her father was a rolling stone. That her birth may or may not have been the product of an adulterous relationship. Although her father wasn't involved with her mother throughout her childhood, he still was a significant part.

It's not clear what her mother did to support Linda and her brothers. There were stories of her possibly being a bar tender but that was never confirmed or denied. There isn't many details floating around on how Linda was raised. Something was right about it as evidenced by the adult she turned out to be. Linda with all of the chips stacked against her still turned out to be a good person.

At some time during her seventeenth year, she had become pregnant. For most young ladies that was the beginning of the end. Teenage pregnancy in the inner city was hard to overcome. Especially when the father of the child had no participation in her life. Not for Linda though. Shortly after her eighteenth birthday she gave birth to a baby girl. That didn't seem to derail her life in any way whatsoever. Despite her situation she still managed not only graduate from high school but also to attend some college. Linda however did not obtain a college degree.

Their upbringings are yet another testament to how odd their relationship was. Linda by all means was set up for failure. She met all of the criteria for what society says leads most people to become unproductive members of society. She grew up in what society called a broken home. She grew up in a housing project in a pretty bad inner-city neighborhood. She had a teenage pregnancy with a man that didn't support her and didn't care to be bothered with his child. Yet she still turned out to be the wonderful person that she had become.

Bubble on the other hand had what many would consider a better start to life. For most of his childhood he was raised in a two-parent household. His mother and father lived together as husband and wife. He was raised in a home in a rural area. Now even though he wasn't able to finish his education he was taught valuable life lessons to help him become a better man. He was taught the responsibility of a man. He gained valuable work experience. Bubble was in a good position to be a productive member of society. Yet he still turned out to be the terrible person that he had become.

The story of how they came to be together has been quite consistent throughout all of these years. Linda with daughter in tow was near a water ice vendor. Her young daughter craving one of the water ices. Now it's not clear whether Linda had the money for the water ice or not but as the story goes Bubble bought the water ice for her daughter. They exchanged pleasantries and the rest was as they say history.

Linda was as far as we knew a good girl. Went to work and took care of her daughter. There were small signs that there may have been a time where she partook in drugs or alcohol. A picture here or there where she'd look a little under the influence. A random story once in a while of "remember when Linda was drunk". For the most part though Linda was a good girl.

Bubble was not a good man though. At the time of the water ice purchase, he was said to have had up to four other girlfriends. Linda was just going to be another notch on his belt.

Linda was smarter than that. She'd already been a belt notch before. She wasn't about to let it happen again. So rather than allow Bubble to dictate her life she went out and got an apartment for them to share.

The apartment put Bubble in a predicament. It essentially acted as an ultimatum. Move in there with Linda or try to enjoy your life without her. Bubble chose to move in with Linda. Soon the two of them were able to find and secure the purchase of a home. They were starting a family together. Bubble had already essentially become the father of Linda's daughter and Linda found herself pregnant again. This time giving birth to a baby boy.

Now common sense tells us that Bubble couldn't have been all bad. Linda was educated. She was far from dumb. She'd already been burnt by a man before she knew that she had to be careful with her heart. So, although we don't know the exact beginning of the drug and alcohol abuse, we have to safely assume it was under control. Maybe Bubble had endeared himself to her because of his willingness to raise her daughter as his own. Maybe he had been honest with her about his lifestyle. Maybe he had told her about the other women. Maybe she was excited by the fact that he had ultimately chose her. Whatever the case may have been at the time one thing was for sure, there was no turning back.

Now there was never a story told about how it happened. Honestly neither one of them may even remember. There were plenty of instances in their old age where their recollections of the same events were vastly different. So even if they were asked there's no guarantee that we'd even get the correct story. There was never a story told of a proposal. Not once was anything ever said of Bubble getting on one knee. There was never any diamond engagement ring to be found. To be honest it was probably all Linda.

Linda seemed to have a plan for her life. There was no way that Linda wanted to have two children grow up in a single parent household. There was no way that after having a rolling stone father and deadbeat father of her daughter that she'd let it happen again. So, it's not beyond the realm of belief that Linda may have initiated the situation. That Linda may have in fact asked Bubble to marry her. That maybe there was essentially another ultimatum put into place. There may never be a story. There may never be a definitive answer to how it happened. There was never a party or a dinner or anything to commemorate or congratulate. There was never even a wedding. but there is without a shadow of a doubt a fact that Bubble & Linda are married!