Free Marilyn Monroe by Michelle Morgan Page A

school,’ she later told the ‘All About Marilyn’ fan club.
    These flirtations eventually led to a first date for the couple, which was ‘encouraged’ by Grace Goddard and Ethel Dougherty and took place at the Christmas party of Doc’s company, Adel Precision Products. There they danced together and Jim was surprised to discover he was having a good time, while Norma Jeane seemed to enjoy herself too and leaned in close during theslow dances. They began to date, but although both held each other in high regard and enjoyed going out together, Jim worried about the five-year age gap between them. The relationship was in danger of fizzling out, just as a devastating announcement came from the Goddards: they had plans to leave California and move to West Virginia – and would not be taking Norma Jeane with them.

Chapter 4
Mrs Dougherty
    When Grace and Doc decided to move out of California, they approached Sam and Enid Knebelkamp to ask if they would be willing to take Norma Jeane into their home. Understandably, however, they had their hands full with their own daughter and had to turn the proposition down. Several other plans also fell through and eventually – feeling the need for a quick solution – Grace approached her neighbour Ethel Dougherty about the possibility of Jim marrying Norma Jeane.
    Knowing how upset Jim had been when his relationship with Doris Drennen had ended, Ethel believed that a marriage to Norma Jeane would be a good alternative and spoke to her son about it. Unfortunately for her, however, he laughed off the suggestion, declaring that their relationship wasn’t serious and, besides, he felt that she was far too young to be marriage material.
    But when Ethel explained that Grace was worried Norma Jeane would have to return to the orphanage, he showed a glimmer of interest in ‘saving her’; so much so that before he could change his mind, Ethel excitedly announced, ‘Let’s set it up for June.’
    Some people have insisted that the entire courtship and marriage were only executed because of the ‘arrangement’ between Grace and Ethel Dougherty, but others insist that the couple did have a lot of feelings for each other and would have probably married at some point anyway.
    ‘The idea of an arranged marriage almost made him vomit!’ remembers Paul Kanteman, Jim’s nephew. ‘Yes there was anintroduction and maybe a little push in that direction, but he would not allow anyone to push him into anything, let alone marriage. Believe me, he would never have gotten married to her if he hadn’t had great feelings for her. He wasn’t the worst looking guy on the block, and could get just about anybody he wanted or pursued.’ Indeed, Jim later admitted enjoying being thought of as Norma Jeane’s ‘Knight in Shining Armour’ and agreed to save her from the orphanage.
    When Marilyn spoke of the marriage years later, she never mentioned Jim as a knight in shining armour. Instead, she always spoke without emotion, saying that the Goddards could not afford to take her to Virginia, so, ‘Instead of going back into a boarding house or with another set of foster-parents, I got married.’ She also declared that ‘it brought me neither happiness nor pain. It was like being retired to a zoo.’
    It is true that Norma Jeane felt tremendously let down and abandoned by Grace Goddard and despised the idea of going back to the orphanage, so marriage was the better option at the time. However, Jim later insisted that they were genuinely happy with each other, and fell more and more in love every day. If Norma Jeane had any feelings to the contrary, she kept them well hidden but did admit to worrying that her future husband might be marrying her out of duty or obligation.
    The couple went out shopping for a ring and, to Jim’s amazement, Norma Jeane insisted on a cheaper one than the ring he originally picked out. They returned to the Dougherty home to break the news that they were officially engaged,