Roy and Joni (Chapter 6)

Roy and Joni (Chapter----6)—When Hearts and Dreams Collide  

                           (Please read previous chapters first)  

                                 

Words have power. Words can strengthen. Words can weaken. Words can calm. Words can excite. Roy’s well thought out, romantically expressed, letter produced a kaleidoscope of feelings in all parties---Roy, Joni, and Larry.

Roy wondered, before Larry’s communication of Joni’s “Yes”, if his letter would illicit the response he sought. Had he been too direct? Had he been direct enough? Would Joni be able to measure the depth of his feelings for her? Perhaps she might think he was insincere. If she accepts his invitation for a date, where would their all too brief friendship go next? He had produced his best effort and nothing could be done now to alter anything in the letter. In sum, he was pleased, more than pleased, that his feelings were well expressed in the most important letter he had ever written. When he had negative thoughts about the effectiveness of his letter to  Joni, the remembrance of her fragrance and especially her kiss always served as a “Fail Safe” emotional backstop. In his room, Roy tuned his shortwave receiver from international broadcasts to Top 40 stations. He never thought this would ever happen.

It was Joni who thought about Roy’s letter in ways new to her. For the very first time, she wondered about someone else’s feelings besides herself. She had a mixed assortment of feelings of excitement, pangs of guilt for rushing the one night relationship, and sensing Roy was too innocent and sweet to be played like all of her previous boyfriends. Her honest anticipation for Friday night’s date with Roy was surprising to her. Normally, thoughts of an impending date were always focused on what to wear. Maybe a little, very little, about what was planned for the date? She kept asking herself, “Why am I letting a 45 minute conversation, one dance and one kiss have such an insane impact upon me?” Furthermore, she silently wondered how a country boy, with no phone, could write a letter that sounded like a Shakespearean love sonnet. In a way, she regretted asking Larry to read the letter over the phone. After all, it was a private letter designed for private reading.

Surprisingly, it was Larry who was conflicted like never before. How he wished he had never permitted Joni to talk him into reading Roy’s letter over the phone. He felt a certain amount of joy in hearing Joni’s acceptance of Roy’s invitation. Yet, he was jealous of his best friend’s writing. Larry thought about things Roy described when he was dating Joni; however, he knew he could never say or write in a manner that had such an immediate and profound impact upon Joni. Larry had heard many Sunday School lessons and long sleepy sermons on jealousy and covetness. Nonetheless, if his spiritual state were measured just now, it would be in the alarm producing red zone. He knew it and that made him feel worse. Larry was jealous of his best friend. Furthermore, he could kick himself for not trying harder to restrain and retrain Joni’s radar searching eyes. He simply gave up and gave in. How dumb can one man be? Larry rationalized his jealousy by predicting the Roy and Joni Show would be cancelled after just a couple of performances.

                                                          (To be continued)

  

Roy and Joni (Chapter---5)

                      When Dreams and Hearts Collide
                        (Please read previous chapters)

Larry called Joni Sunday after lunch and asked, “Will you be home this afternoon? I have a letter from Roy for you.”

“Larry, I’m sorry we are going to my niece’s first birthday this afternoon. How about reading the letter over the phone to me? Okay?” While she awaited Larry’s response, she twirled a lock of her blonde dyed hair which rested over her right eye.

“Joni, I don’t feel real comfortable about doing that because the letter is in a sealed envelope.” When he said that, he held the envelope up close to his desk lamp. This external examination confirmed a folded letter was inside.

“Come on; he’s your best friend and you and I dated a few months back----s-o-o-o it figures we are all friends here. Go ahead open it and read it to me.” Joni’s line of reasoning was flawed; however, he thought about their short but torrid romance and convinced himself it was probably OK.

“Alright Joni, I don’t like it, but I will I’ll tell Roy why I read it over the phone.”

“Remember Larry, you and I were once special friends, very, very close special friends.”

This was the clincher for Larry. They were very, very good friends. His memory tape went into playback mode. Who could say no to a girl who could kiss like Joni?

Larry tapped the envelope on his desk to insure the letter was settled at the bottom. Even though he felt like one of those communist spies on TV, he tore the envelope open and withdrew the hand printed letter and read it out loud.

Dear Joni,

Do you believe in love at first sight? Before I met you I didn’t know whether I did or not. Now, I’m a believer! Since that wonderful Friday night I have thought of only you. I have never felt this way before. Also, I’ve never written a letter like this before.

I so very much want to see you again; to be near you. I want to inhale your intoxicating fragrance that awakens every part of me , to hear you laugh, and to look into your eyes once more.  Please say yes to my desire to come by your house at 6:30pm this Friday night. We’ll take in a movie of your choice, followed by a burger and a coke.

If possible, let Larry know of your willingness to share a Friday night movie with me. He’ll draw me a map to your house. Please say yes.

Your not so secret admirer,

Roy

PS: Please communicate your decision before Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. I’ll be anxiously awaiting  your Yes.

There was an unannounced silence for a few moments. Joni spoke first, “Wow! I sure do like the way that farm boy writes!”

Larry, swallowed hard and said, “I can’t believe that’s the same Roy I know! He normally talks about his shortwave radio he built and his dream of going to State Tech to studying electrical engineering. Joni, what in the world did you do to Roy?”

“Well you ought to know. You once told me no one could kiss like I could. You and I had lots of practice; I only kissed Roy once---but it was a good one. Tell this cute Country Romeo I’ll be ready and waiting for him Friday night.”

Larry was happy for Roy; however, he could not forget his red-hot dating experience with Joni. She sure could kiss, thought Roy’s best friend.

                                                To Be Continued

  

Roy and Joni--(Chapter 4)

             Roy and Joni         ( CHAPTER 4)
                         Please read other chapters first

Roy’s dear Joni letter was unusual---in both content and construction. Larry received it Sunday morning prior to Sunday School at the weekly “Meet and Greet” gathering in the Fellowship Hall. The letter was sealed; consequently, Larry had no idea of what was inside. Later he would learn about the letter---more than he ever wanted to know.

Both going to and from church, Roy was very quiet, even more than normal. For the first time in his parent’s memory, he ate only a small portion of Mom’s beef roast and co-cooked carrots and potatoes. As soon as Sunday dinner was over, he asked to be excused and went silently to his room. 

Once inside, he retrieved his  draft letters from a waste can, the one with a big green 4-H emblem on it, and read them silently and then he whispered the contents of the final draft out loud to hear how it might sound to Joni. Thank goodness he dropped the “How are you? I am fine.” Opener after draft #2. That’s junior high stuff; kid’s stuff; and after all this is the big leagues. As he practiced on the lined yellow tablet, her face, her smile, her eyes, her laugh, her flowing, shiny hair, her head-turning figure and a thousand other features that would fill up a big pickup truck were front and center on his mind and in his heart. He could almost smell her breath taking perfume and taste the sweet residue of their first real kiss. She had captured his apt attention and ruled his entire personhood. He wondered how it was possible to simultaneously feel pride in writing his authentic love letter and feel more than a little fear that his letter was too short? Too long? Or maybe, just Goldie Locks right? For better or for worse, the letter was in Larry’s possession and would soon be given to Joni.

 The short letter, carefully printed on one sheet of Mom’s light blue stationary, boldly said:

Dear Joni, 

                                             To Be Continued....