Throwback

I had a spontaneous dinner today with the person whom I'd probably consider my first 'real girlfriend'. I met her Freshman year in our Freshmen English class. I remember seeing her sit across from me in the chair closest to the door. The classroom was set up in 4 long rows. Two with their backs to the window facing the other two rows with their backs to what was the hallway. I was two seats from the board in the first row.

(Anecdotal note: the guy sitting behind me in that class I was friendly with, but I don't know that I'd say we were ever really friends. He did football; I did basketball; We just ran in different circles. Always pleasant, friendly, gave a wave if we saw each other in the hallway or in the development where he lived and where E and I would play ball every summer. I mention this not because it has anything to do with the story, but because I feel I'd be doing a disservice to his memory if I didn't mention him. He died at Virgina Tech.)

Purl, as I'll call her, the two other girls and I always worked together whenever we had a group project of any kind. When we didn't have a group project, we competed to see who would get the better grade on each and ever assignment. We'd write a "B" or a "B-" on a sheet of notebook paper and flash it up at the other person, teasing them about the grade we thought they'd get. Quickly it progressed passed in class banter and we started hanging out outside of school. I'd get my parents to drop me off at her friend J's house where there would be another quartet of us who would spend virtually all of the summer btw Freshman and Sophmore year together. J&J and Purl and I. We went to the movies, hosted parties, walked around the neighborhood, lit sparklers on the fourth of july, spent a day at Dorney Park, or just stayed in, made popcorn, and watched movies, at least until we'd split off and do 'coupple things'.

So many different memories flood back writing this. The Exorcist (first kiss), Titanic (first other things), the Sprite bottle (J(male) and I pissed in it for some reason I can't quite remember, as a joke or to get back at someone's ex or something. We stopped them before they drank it though), the accident... (J (female) fell in the basement and severely hit her head. She had amnesia for days while in the hospital. I remember going to visit her, brought her a letter/poem I had written for her. Also never forget the moment she looked up at me and said my name because she finally remembered who I was.)

Anway, all these flashbacks played on repeat during the lead in time until our dinner. She looked exactly as I had remembered/expected her to. The wonders of Facebook and knowing more about someone's life than you can typically get from an hour conversation I suppose. Suffice it to say, it was like we were just going out for our weekly Friday dinner. Constant, meaningful conversation peppered with laughter, memories, and the insight that comes from knowing someone over a decade. As much as I figured that's how it would go, it was still nice to have it turn out that way. Married life was good, her house was coming along, and her labrador reminds her daily that she does not and can not handle children at the moment. Which, all things considered, I suppose is a good thing... it's strange enough knowing she's married and I'm just still here...