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)