In my first two years of high school, I did not form any of the romantic relationships that my Mother had threatened would occur. There were two reasons for that. First: the junior girls quickly attached themselves to sophomore and senior boys. Second: I was a dork!
All that mysteriously changed, early in my third year. By the end of September, I had acquired a girlfriend – or rather, apparently, a grade ten girl had acquired me. I quickly went from wandering the halls with a steadily-decreasing crowd of drones, to doing it with a gorgeous female by my side. Overnight, I stopped sitting at the loner, loser tables in the cafeteria, and moved over to the ‘dating’ section, to learn more about couples’ development.
We hung out at school, and after school, at Pop’s Diner. We managed to see some movies, despite the fact that the theater was in my home town, she lived in the next town, five miles away, and my principal method of transportation was hitch-hiking. Many times I walked her home after school. I met her mother, who approved of me.
I was punching WAAAYYY above my weight here. Puberty had been generous to this young woman. I just didn’t get to reap all the benefits that I’d have liked. We had some necking and petting sessions, but I didn’t have the aggressive self-confidence to demand or expect more. We just didn’t have the time, or place, or privacy.
Still, it was an idyllic year, but it was fated not to be. At the beginning of the next school year, I walked her home one day…. and she gave me The Talk. I was a nice guy, (Damn! That smarted.) she really liked me, and we could be friends, (we were) but she had decided to be mature beyond her years. There were things that she wanted, that I just couldn’t provide. She wanted an older guy, with a job, and an income, and a car. She wanted someone to take her dining and drinking, and dancing, and partying – to drive her around and show her off. She was willing – perhaps anxious – to pay for the privilege, in the inevitable coin of the female realm.
It was not a total loss. Before we amicably parted company – like a second-hand, Thrift Shop purse – she passed me off to her year-younger sister, who had expressed an interest in me. This gal was more my social and emotional speed. We shared many tastes and likes. She was nicer, kinder, than her sister, and smarter. We got along very well. The biggest problem in our relationship was not US.
We were both blue-collar children. My Father worked in a factory, as did hers. I/we still had that transportation problem but, her best friend in high school was the daughter of the town’s successful doctor. He lived in a big, fancy house, and drove a big, fancy car. Her boyfriend lived in my town. His father was a very successful insurance agent, who lived in a big, fancy, brick, century-house, and drove a big, fancy Lincoln Continental, which he got the occasional use of for double dates.
He did not approve of my girlfriend, and the doctor’s daughter did not approve of me. We were socially inadequate. It was not long before we too, parted ways. I began dating a girl from my town, whose next boyfriend, who eventually replaced me, did sixty-days in jail. The course of true love never runs smoothly.
This BEDA Challenge has run its course. I’m going to sleep in, and take it easy tomorrow. (As opposed to what??!) CU Monday, I hope. 🙂
Archon's Den 