Sadie Hawkins' Dance Date

Freshman year, newcomer to public school, my hormones were roused by Billy D. in typing class. Sadie Hawkins’ Dance just days away; a chance for girls to ask boys out. Too shy to show my interest, crumpled bits of paper I formed into balls, tossed them at the back of Billy’s head. Unsettled, as any boy would be, he glanced back at me. Wry smile, how could he know how my heart raced? Leo sat next to Billy, amused by this interaction. Because of his demeanor, it was Leo I asked to the dance. Turned out Leo couldn’t dance, though conversation was no problem. Leo spent the entire night talking about being an Eagle Scout -- tying knots, marking trails, building campfires -- seemed we had little in common. No chemistry at all, but Leo said, “Thank you,” at the dance’s end. For years I spent many days wondering what if I’d slipped Billy an invitation note, instead of lobbing paper balls? Perhaps he would have said, “Yes.” I might have had my first embrace; maybe even my first kiss. Years later at a school reunion Billy looked more handsome than ever; served as CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation. He introduced me to his pretty wife as the girl who pitched paper balls at his head. *True story for Carol Brown’s “First Date” contest. (Some folks were lucky to have more romantic first dates. LOL)