Monday Memories - My First Date

Come join in sharing a few memories with Retired not tired Memory Monday, then link your memories to share the memory of your first date with everyone.

It won't take much space to tell the memory of my first date! First of all, the rule for first dates in our house were no dates until we reached that magic age of sixteen!

Up until that time, I was permitted to attend group activities only (usually involving church activity), and, if there was a boy in the car, I was not allowed to go. I led a very sheltered life, but believed when I reached sixteen, that would all change. It would be magical!! Anyway, I was hoping very much it would change because I was so insecure about myself. From age 13 until I married at 21, I was greatly lacking in confidence and didn't believe any boy would ever really like me. I was tall, wore glasses, and could have used some braces on my teeth. And too often, I sported a zit or two on my face.

There was a boy I had a crush on as a sophomore and thought he was "it!" When I turned sixteen, we went out occasionally, very informal, and almost always with another couple, so I'm not even sure those times constitute what you call a "real" date. We didn't do anything special except ride around, go to the lake, and drink Cokes. Since he was related to one of my close "church" friends, and my parents knew his parents, this was acceptable to my parents.

At 17, a boy I had known since 7th grade called me and invited me to "dinner" and a movie. He was cute, smart, and played in sports at school. This was my first real date and I was so excited! That is, until I told my parents. My Dad didn't like it one bit that I had planned a date with someone he did not know and informed me that I could only go after he met the boy and approved. I was very embarrassed, but agreed, and before the big date, everything was a go.

The night arrived. Our dinner/movie date was really nothing fancy. A meal at the local Tastee Freeze and then a drive-in movie. So I dressed very casual in shorts and a top. (I guess I need to explain at this point that wearing shorts anywhere other than when playing sports was frowned upon.) My parents were getting ready for my brother's baseball game and caught up in that, but when my Dad saw the way I was dressed, it stopped him in his tracks. He told me I could not go out with a boy dressed like that and furthermore, my curfew for the night would be 10:00! Say what??!! At that, I angrily spun on my heels, headed back to the room I shared with my sister, and declared I wouldn't be going since it would be positively mortifying to be treated like such a child at 17! (And, of course, in retrospect, I can see clearly how childish I was!)

My parents left for the baseball game and I was left to figure out how I was going to get out of this mess I had gotten myself in.

About 15 minutes later, my Dad pulled up in the driveway alone. On the short drive to the baseball field, apparently he and my Mom had a quick little talk and his heart had softened toward my evening. He told me I could go and stay out until 11:30. My heart flooded with relief at the compromise and I thanked him. He stayed and met the young man before returning to the baseball game.

My first "real" date was interesting in that I can't remember what movie we saw, because we got involved in such a great conversation. This was my first encounter with someone who did not believe in God. It was a shocking revelation to me as we talked. It had never occurred to me in those days to find out beforehand because everyone in my circle of friends were Christians. We spent the entire evening discussing and I very passionately shared my beliefs and he told me his. He was interested ... but sadly, not convinced.

I have wondered often where he was and how he was doing ... even had dreams of him a few times. He never has shown up at our class reunions and I don't know whether he is alive or not. My hope is that at some point in his life, he had a change of heart.