PLEASE READ EARLIER CHAPTERS FIRST
Friday night
finally arrived. Roy took a shower in the morning and another one late Friday
afternoon---Ditto on two shaves (He really didn’t need either one.) Joni
settled for one 2 hour long tub bath, with several ounces of “Summer Evening”
bubble bath. This date for both Joni and Roy was wrapped in mystery and tied
with a multi-colored cord of anticipation. For Joni, several dates were part of
her social history. Roy, on the other hand, could count his special dates on
one hand---really three fingers. On the surface, and to an outsider, this was a
classic case of a seasoned veteran dating a rookie. This was not going to be a
boxing match; however, each could easily envision some “clenching.”
Roy had
unfolded and refolded Larry’s hand drawn map to Joni’s home so many times, a
couple of the sections looked as if they had been cut with a sharp knife. The
“Lewis and Clark” map to future adventure and delightful discovery rested
securely next to Roy in the passenger’s empty seat. He was surprised, and a tad
disappointed, he was not more anxious.
He knew that when he saw Joni again all bets were off. He had started
for her house several minutes earlier than necessary and he slowed way down
about five miles from her house. The closer he came to her house, the more
times he looked into the rear view to check his front teeth and hair. This was going
to be a big, big evening so he put two
chlorophyll breath mints in his mouth, without thinking his tongue turned
green—that’s just great! He quickly used his tongue to rubber around his mouth
in a desperate attempt to dislodge the green stain. The main advantage of his
double dose of breath control is that it worked like a champ. Maybe a little
green in the mouth is not all that bad. Fresh breath trumps a green tongue---at
least in Roy’s book.
Meanwhile in
Joni’s home she gargled Listerine so many times her tongue was practically
numb. Hair check number three confirmed that she was mission ready. Ditto her
white blouse with the almost obligatory gold mustard seed necklace around her
well-scrubbed, elegant neck. Joni was indeed a beautiful young woman. Tonight
she was nervous. She really wanted to get to know this country boy who cannot
fast dance. She liked him for that reason alone.
Roy parked
on the street in front of Joni’s house. He
bravely walked onto a small cement landing in front of an aluminum storm door and
rang the doorbell---now it was nervous time. Joni’s mother answered the door
and welcomed Roy into the living room. His introduction of himself was not
Fuller Brush greeting material, but it got the info across. Joni’s mom looked
as if she was on some undisclosed road to recovery. She walked to the stairs, lifted
her voice and announced to her daughter
that her date was there. Joni slowly walked down the dozen or so steps and gave
Roy the biggest smile she had. Roy was overwhelmed by her beauty, her hair, her
smell, and her clothes which did ample justice to her shapely figure.
Roy stuck
out his right hand toward Joni. She preempted the handshake and without warning
gave him a polite grade school kiss on his cheek. This innocent kiss prompted Joni's mother to look down and attempt to wipe a non-existent piece of lint from her dress.He could feel the warm color
rising and he swallowed hard and said, “Gee, Joni you look great.” Joni’s mom
viewed his comment as an opportunity to exit stage left into the dining room.
Joni simply replied,
“Thanks, I’m ready to go if you are.”
“Sure thing
Joni.”
“Mom, we’re
leaving now.”
“Fine, Roy
it was good to meet you. Enjoy the movie”
“Nice to
meet you also.”
Roy opened
the varnished front door and the storm
door for the prettiest girl he had ever seen.Outside,
Joni grasped his hand and they glided to the car. Passenger door opened, Joni
slides in and Roy confidentially walks around the front of the car and took a
couple of deep breaths before opening the driver’s side door. So far so good.
This was exactly what he had hoped the first date would be.
Without any attempt
at etiquette, both spoke exactly at the same time, “I didn’t think Friday night
would ever get here.” They both laughed as she slide over next to her first
date with this real farm boy who looked like he was no stranger to the sun and heavy, hard farm work.
Off to the
movie.
To be continued…….
