It seems like Heaven wants to reward us earthlings by giving us a reason to laugh heartily. It was simply fate that an American and a Cuban who lived so far away would meet, marry and eventually create I Love Lucy. I'm really thankful for this sitcom because I've made it a habit to watch I Love Lucy whenever I am feeling angry, troubled or sad. It works like magic every single time. I'm sure many of you do the same thing too!
It wasn't by sheer coincidence that they two wonderful people finally conceived a baby just before I Love Lucy, and another during the end of the first season. You could feel their desire/obsession to want children by reading their autobiographies: Love, Lucy, and A Book. A child is a gift unique to the couple, and they both wanted to cement the marriage by all means.
Here are extracts from the autobiographies, and they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle! I really, really, really recommend these two books, because not only do they make an enjoyable read, the stories that come from the horses' mouths are the most legitimate!
Lucille Ball: Love, Lucy
I wanted him and only him as the father of my children.
...
In 1949, Desi and I instituted a "stay at home" policy. I was still childless, which caused me great heartache. Freddy (her brother) and Cleo (her cousin) were both married and had kids of their own; I had dogs and cats. So one day, Desi and I sat in our cabbage-rose-papered living room and talked far into the night. We finally decided that Desi would give up his cross-country tours and only take local engagements with his band. We would both consult doctors to see why we did not have children.
Desi Arnaz: A Book
The reason we hadn't had a child was not because we weren't trying. We were doing everything humanly possible to have one. I'll never forget the day I had an appointment with one doctor. Maybe it was my fault, I thought.
"I have to have your semen count," he told me, "so go into the bathroom back there, take this little bottle and put your semen in it."
"Wait a minute," I said. "How?"
"Masturbate, and when the orgasm comes make sure it flows into this bottle here."
"I'm getting a little too old for that, Doc. Couldn't one of the nurses help?"
"Never mind," he said, "you're on your own."
I went into the bathroom and told myself, "Well, you gotta do it, so do it."
Fire engines and police sirens going by on the street below did not help my chore any. The result was that there was no physical reason why I couldn't be a father. Lucy had already been examined and there was nothing wrong with her either.
I'm so glad that their wish came true. Not only were they rewarded with Lucie Arnaz, they had Desi Arnaz Jr. to carry on the family line.
