Sort-of Anniversary

C. S. Lewis died on November 22 that year.  I mourned when I heard about it.  I had just been introduced to his writings in October, and I had read almost everything already.  But that isn't my story today…this one comes almost a month later...

As of tonight, Darlene and I have known one another for 50 years - that's sort-of an anniversary.  After this much time, I have no memory of much that has happened.  All that I remember is golden and bright.  Am I naive still, or has our time together been as wonderful as I remember?  I do remember clearly how we met.

I had a blind date on the campus of Abilene Christian College (yes, it was that long ago!).  It was snowing lightly; it seemed to be a romantic December evening.  We threw a few snowballs, the four of us, and my friend and I went back to Zellner Dorm with the girls.  I didn't feel really good about how it went (no, it wasn't Darlene).  I admit it was cold, but she certainly didn't warm to me.  I found out later that she went back to the dorm and told her roommate what a boring date she had.  Well, not just boring, this guy had a weird sense of humor and he wasn't good-looking and….  Her roommate sat and listened to all she had to say.  Ah…failure…my old friend.

Then the roommate went down the hall, found the other girl who had been out on this double-date and said, "Get me a date with that guy my roommate went out with."  Later she was to say, "I knew what my roommate was looking for in a guy, and my roommate and I were very different, so…."

So…my next blind date was with Darlene - Tuesday, December 17, 1963 - 50 years ago today.  When my friend came by my room in the old wooden dorm where i lived (The Barracks), I said, "What do you mean, a date?  Don't you remember what happened last week?  I need to study.  Why would I want another blind date with someone you recommend?"  But he was persuasive.    We went walking - I wasn't expecting much by this time - went over to Templeton's Pharmacy and had a coke, spent time talking with one another and the same couple as before.  We knew the same joke, and we found out our parents lived only about 20 miles apart in Oklahoma.  At 10:00 pm we went over to the steps of the Administration building for the Tuesday night devo.

I went back to my room thinking, "I'd marry that girl."  The next day was Christmas break.  I was in the cafeteria, sitting at a table for eight with six of my friends, an empty seat beside me.  How did that happen?  I looked up and saw Darlene coming through the line with her tray of food.  I got her attention and invited her to come and sit with us.  We enjoyed lunch…then Darlene said she needed to go.  I offered to bus her tray and she started to walk out. I came back by the table to said goodbye, and her friend from the dorm reached across to shake my hand (what?), and when I pulled my hand back, there was a piece of paper in it.  I hurried out and caught up with Darlene and walked with her to Zellner.  Just before I said goodbye I said, "Can I come see you during holiday?"  And she said, "yes," and inside I said "Yes! I am going to marry her."

I walked away a happy boy.  I reached in my pocket and took out the paper.  It was a map showing how to get to Darlene's parents' home in Duncan, Oklahoma.  That really made my day.  It was months later, after we were married, that I found out that Darlene drew the map.

I'm still a happy boy.