I went on a date with a young man. A first date. A date I wasn't sure at first was with the one who asked. The date was with Derek. When he asked me to go to a birthday picnic for a mutual friend I was under the impression that Derek was dating someone else and assumed that I was being asked to be the date of the birthday boy. After it was made clear that I was to be Derek's date unfortunately the miscommunication continued. I continued under the impression that Derek was dating someone else and since she was out of town and I was a friend of all the others attending the picnic that I was invited as a stand in. Derek was a friend and in the elders quorum presidency with my roommate's boyfriend (as was the birthday boy) and so we were friends. I thought of him more or less as the boy next door. Things changed a bit 10 years ago today.
We went to Kawanis park in Provo, Utah. We had submarine sandwiches soda and chips. I still remember what we were wearing. I, khaki short overalls with a coral shirt and he, jeans and a blue and green "Reusch" shirt. ( Derek still has the shirt and I still have my outfit somewhere - for posterity) After which we played catch with a football. One threw the ball while everyone else would try to catch it. I began seeing Derek with different eyes. The boy had hops. And...well let's just say he started to look much less like the boy next door to me.
After the picnic we went to Magleby's for pies, where my roommate was finishing up work then following that we went to Derek's apartment to play games. Some kind of mystery game that I can't remember now. When it was time to go home I told Derek "thanks" and walked home with my roommate and her boyfriend, leaving Derek at his apartment. He was confused.
The next day at church when I saw him I mentioned how much I'd appreciated being a stand in. Then he understood and told me that he was not dating the girl I'd thought he'd been dating. That, they say...was the beginning.
To be continued....
2 comments:
Brei said...
I got giddy reading this...don't leave me hanging for long!
The Dalton's said...
Where's the "like" button on blogger. Thanks for sharing!! Loved it!