Dating

I was talking to a friend of mine recently and we got into a conversation about high school and our dating lives back then. I told him I did not date in high school because I was too afraid of being rejected. I had several crushes on girls that I would’ve liked to date but instead of asking them, I didn’t take any action because if I didn’t ask them, I couldn’t be rejected and suffer the consequent bad feelings about it.

I thought because I was fat, the girls were not attracted to me. And there was no way I was going to take a chance on finding out this was true.

I did go to the senior prom with a girl (who shall remain nameless to protect her identity) who had not been asked by anyone else to go and so our mutual friends “fixed” us up together for that night. Because of my eagerness to impress her, I brought her a corsage, a box of candy AND a bottle of perfume when I picked her up in my '66 Chevy Impala SS. Talk about overkill. I think it just made her uncomfortable. This set the stage for the evening. Like most other high-schoolers, I looked forward to the senior prom hoping it would be a magical night of dancing, laughing and having lots of fun. I dreamed of dancing every dance, even the slow ones.  "Color My World" by Chicago was the song I heard the most in my day dreams.  I wanted to bring her a glass of punch like a gentleman. My experience, as well as my date’s, I’m sure, was awkward, nowhere near dream-like and not very enjoyable. And after all my efforts I did not get a kiss goodnight when I walked her to the door. In all honesty, I didn't even try because I was too scared.

When I got to college my whole dating life changed hugely. I attended a small private school and there I met girls who liked me for who I was and not what I look like. My confidence and self-esteem grew exponentially.

I think the main thing girls liked about me was that I was funny. I was also a nice guy. God blessed me so much by allowing me to meet my wife, Linda, at college. I give her and God the most credit for the fact we have now been married for 38 years.

Our high school class has had a reunion almost every five years since 1975. While conversating with several of these women (yeah, I know “conversating” is not a real word, but I love it!) I have mentioned that I wanted to ask them out during high school but was afraid they would say no. Their response each time has been something like, “Stan, I would’ve gone out with you. You were such a nice guy!” Frankly, it was worth the wait for the woman I eventually married.

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