Twenty years??

March 25th, 1988. Junior Formal dance for Lakeland Regional High School.

Coming up to the dance, I was trying to figure out who I would take as my date. I wasn't seeing anyone at the time, and couldn't figure out who to take. I heard from a friend that this one girl, Dena, wanted me to ask her. She was nice, and very cute, but not quite my type... but I was at a loss for anyone to ask, so I asked her one afternoon. Wouldn't you know it, the very next day I was in Drama Club and there was that totally classy girl, Grace, who had broken up with her long-time boyfriend a couple months earlier. I always got along with her really well, but never considered her since she was just plain way too classy for me. But, she was a really good friend, and I thought that she would be a bunch more fun at the dance -- but I'd already asked Dena! *argh* My wretched timing!!

That afternoon, Dena asked me if I was just joking when I asked her to the dance. In a move that I'm not proud of, I took the opportunity presented to me, and said I was. She took it well, I guess, I really don't remember. I felt kinda guilty, but started screwing up my courage to ask Grace to go with me.

Was it the next day, or a couple days later? I don't know. I do know it was in the afternoon, after rehearsal for the school play. (I had met Grace through Drama Club the summer before, when I showed up to be a stage hand and wound up being Li'l Abner instead.) I still remember the outfit Grace was wearing, and trying to wait until she was away from anyone else so I could ask her without witnesses. When the opportunity presented itself, I walked up to her, and struck up a conversation. I remember being pretty direct about it, but no doubt I hemmed and hawed for a little while before getting around to the question.

When I finally did ask her if she'd go with me to the Formal, she didn't even pause, and just said "Yes". Well, I was now at a loss for words, since I might not have been expecting to be flat out rejected, but I expected there would be some type of waiting period for consideration before I got the answer -- during which I could retreat to safety and wonder what the hell I just did. But instead, she answers "yes" without even pausing? I was totally thrown off guard. Don't remember quite what I said, maybe she does... but it was probably something to the effect of "uhmmm... great! uhhhh... well I'll see you later!" at which point I probably ran like hell.

As for the dance itself, it was your basic high school dance, and we had fun. I remember being really mad at my folks... at the time we had two cars, a nice, shiny, SAAB 900, and a nasty, slow, beat-up old '78 Ford Grenada. Obviously I wanted to take the SAAB... but they wouldn't let me, and I had to take the Grenada. I was pretty steamed about that.

I don't remember much of the dance itself except at one point when I got up enough courage to give her a kiss... the kiss we still refer to as the "military strike kiss". I swooped in, gave her a quick kiss, and retreated to a point of safety before any defenses could be raised. Apparently, the reaction (beyond that of "what the heck was that?" shock) was good... and twenty years later, we're still together, going on 14 years of marraige! Sometimes I try to think about what life would have been like if I didn't stay with Grace, or didn't ask her to the dance... and I just can't imagine it.

She's the best thing that's ever happened to me, no matter how cliche that might be! Even if she kicks my ass on the bike. :)