The Dating Game

Yeah, dating is a game. Some times you win, some times you lose, and sometimes it is a draw.
I would like to say that the names have been changed to protect the innocent, but if I do that I may forget who I am talking about. So all the names are real and I apologize in advance for any embarrassment I may cause you.

I was invited to the 7th grade school dance by Mark. He brought me a little corsage and his sister took us to the dance and brought us home again. We had a nice time, atleast what little I can remember. After that Mark would come over and we would sit on my front steps to talk. Boring, eh? Well what do you expect, we were in 7th grade. We both moved on to other interests during the summer. So that was a draw.

In high school I liked Tom, a boy from my church, but he only had eyes for another girl. I was still smitten by him and he did all he could to discourage me. He even set me up with another boy. Dennis came to pick me up for this blind date. He was taller than I was and he had reddish blonde hair. He was very nice, we went out to a movie, and on the way home he bought me a box of Dunkin Donuts. That was very unconventional and sweet. After I got home I told my mother about my date and the boy. She said that we had relatives with the same last name. Well after investigation it was established that Dennis and I were 4th cousins, so that ended that. He was a very nice guy though so I introduced him to my friend. They dated and later married. She and He both won.

Then there was the boy, whose name I will not even mention, not to protect him, but my memory....Anyhoo. After our date he drove me home and started to get fresh so I got his head in my arm and rammed it into the passenger side window. I won, He lost. We did not date after that.

And here is an oldy but a goody. Mike liked Loretta, Loretta got made at Mike so at the last minute she agreed to go to the anual church Gold & Green Ball with Ray. I did not have a date to go at all, I know... boo hoo. Mike's mother and My mother talked on the phone and set up this last minute date for me to go with Mike. I had to borrow a dress from a friend of mine and we did my hair all fancy-like. Mike picked me up and took me to a restaurant for dinner before the dance. He kept staring at me like he was seeing me for the very first time. We had a nice meal and then we went to the dance. Everyone there oohed and ahhed over me. I felt like a princess. Mike and I danced and people commented on how nice we danced. At this point the story of the ugly duckling should be entering your mind.....Well, Mike put on a good show and smiled and such. Loretta got jealous and she and Mike made up. Ray and I danced, then other boys and I danced. I had a really good time. Mike and I were just friends, so I knew this would not go anywhere, And as I said I was gaga over Tom. So He won, I won.

Tom never did see me as a love interest. We went out finally the night before he left for the MTC. We went to a movie. It was very clear that we were just good friends and I was okay with that. I figured that if he came home after his mission and had an interest... well, we would just have to wait and see. But that opportunity never came. He died on his mission. A heater malfunction and carbon monoxide. His funeral was a good missionary experience and his father later joined the church.

I see that I am getting very long here so I will try to wrap this up. Let me skip to Sam.

He and I both worked at Methodist Hospital. I was a CNA in Peds and he worked in the engineering department. One day I just happened to go through his dept. on my way out to my car because the lot that I usually parked in was so full so I had to park out back. I noticed this really cute boy. (he worked days, I worked nights)

So from then on I purposely parked out back and stopped at the candy machine on my way out to hopefully get another look at this guy. ( hence my addiction to candy ) Then I found out that he ate breakfast in the hospital cafeteria before work, so I started to eat in the cafeteria before going home. Well he noticed me and sat down at my table. Luckily I was sitting with a nurse that he knew. So he felt he could do that. Well one thing lead to another and we started dating. It really is a nice love story but space is limited so I will just tell you one endearing moment.

We were at his rooming house putting a puzzle together on the floor. We had our shoes off. All of a sudden he grabs one of my shoes and sniffs it. I was horrified. I mean, whose feet smell good? I asked him why he did that. His answer was, "I don't know". I thought that would be the end of him, but Sam asked me out again and again. He even took me out when I had a broken nose. Imagine two big black eyes and a cast taped criss-cross on my face. What a guy.
So I won.

Well by now you should see how this game goes. You do your best, cut your losses, learn from your mistakes, and hope that you will find that love of your life. I did.