Bounce back curls

Tales of love have their ups and downs as I was saying before.

And ours was up and down from the moment we started.

My aunt got it in her head she could pick out a girl for me the notion!

Well I'd show her!

The first stupid thing I did for my love or rather to my love follows.

My aunt had arranged for us to meet at a youth group get together.

I was drawn to the cute curly headed girl who flirted with me.

But the next day I asked my aunt to ask her for her blond friends phone number. Who I had no real interest in.

Stupid you say?

Yes, I know but I couldn't have my aunt thinking she was right about who I liked.

The request came back with a um, she's got a boyfriend statement.

So I asked my aunt to ask if I could call her instead.
You know Go with a good solid pick up line.
Like if your friend won't go out with me will you?

For some odd reason she said yes even though I had done pretty much the same thing the exchange student had done to me.

So I called my love and asked her out on a date. She agreed to go out with me.

The carnival was in town we went out and rode some rides.

Funny to see two people on a date who were not familiar enough with each other to hold hands.
But had the rides pushing us closer together.

I can remember riding one of those things that spin you around. When we went to get on the operator stopped me and put her to the side that had her being pushed up next to me.

I remember spinning with her being pushed up next to me. Our hands on the silver bar next to each other but not hand in hand. A couple of kids both on pretty much their first real date not sure of what to expect or what to do. Both interested in the other but shy and unsure.

When we were done at the carnival we walked back to the car which I had parked liked everybody else blocking other people in.

There stood a police man who gave me a lecture on being courteous to others and watching how I parked next time. He could have given me a ticket but he didn't. I felt like and idiot here I was trying to impress this girl and here I had went and done another dumb thing.

Where did we go for dinner?

You're laughing at me aren't you?
You know how picky I am.

Well I took her out to the local Taco Bell. Funny thing is I didn't really eat Mexican food back then, but that's where she said she wanted to go.

So we go there and she gave her order to the clerk and I think I got a Dr. Pepper.

We went and sat down after getting her food, and I watched her eat. She was insecure because she was eating so much more than me. I being insecure because I was trying to not show how much of a picky eater I was by not ordering things instead of just having them take off the stuff I didn't like.

Later we'd laugh about it. She said she felt like a pig because she had dinner and I just had a drink.

Another thing we'd laugh about.
My mother forbid me to drive on the main roads, and told me to take the little side and back roads in town.
Well my love who had grown up in town drove on the main roads, and was wondering where in the world I was going and what my intentions were that first date.

It's a wonder she ever went out with me again.
But that girl just like her curls would bounce back time and time again.

A tale of curls.

It was the year I turned seventeen I had been looking for love and had meet rejection from several young women.

Several? You say?

Okay you could count them on one hand maybe two.

Before approaching any young women I would always ask for God's guidance. That if she was the one it would just work out. If she wasn't that we would go our ways quickly.

The most recent rejection a foreign exchange student from Australia. Who would be willing to go with me to the Jr. Prom if her first choice fell through.

My Aunt was dating or had married a man involved in youth ministry.
And upon hearing of my search she recommended I come meet a young lady named Paula that was in their youth group.

Great a blind date, just what I needed.
My aunt said we both enjoyed the Beach Boy's music, but the funny thing is there was no great love of the group from either of us I don't think either one of us had a cassette tape from them.

Did I go you ask?

Well, she was from a different school and I had been turned down by the girls I took interet in at my school so I went.

Where?

It was a youth party at their Church.
I pulled up to the Church and no one was there.

Then these two girls pulled up in a little blue MGB convertible.
They left just as quick as they had come.

Rejected again was the thought that crossed my mind.

Well the adults and other kids showed up, the girls came back and we got started.
Can't say I remember too much.
Except the two girls the one I was there to meet was slightly overweight. Not so much that one would call her fat but she wasn't skinny like me or her blond haired friend either.

Her hair?

Dark brown with curls.
I remember the curls the most, but she had a glow about her,
A sparkle in her eyes, and I liked the way she laughed.
The youth minister would sit on her legs and tickle her knees and make her laugh.

Sat Behind them during the show or message or movie or whatever it was I don't remember.
My Aunt who was seated beside me behind the two young ladies had the nerve to reach up and playfully pull on one of those dark curls. Then she blamed it on me! The nerve, I was the quite shy type I didn't do things like that!

What's that?

Yes I would have played with those curls had I had the nerve.

Perhaps it's in memory of that night, but from time to time I delicately capture a curl on the back of my love's neck and gently slide it between my thumb and index finger till they slide off the end of the curl. If I do it just right I send a shiver down her spine and can make her whole body shake for a second or two.
I love to do that.

What's that? Was she interested in me?

I believe she was flirting her heart out all night.

And as I said before Love is full of hills and valleys of it's own.
As we stood there on that hill top together each one noticeably interested in the other.
I reached over and shoved her off the hill top.

You Didn't!! You say?

Oh, but I did.

And I will tell you about it next time my friend.

A step in the right direction.

To answer a question form a previous entry, yes I would be missed.

Love is a tale of hills and valleys all of it's own.

Tis a tale I tried to start several times with little success.

Twas during my seventeenth year that I would come to meet the love of my life.

It was three or four years after becoming a Christian.

What's that you say?

It should not surprise you to hear that I call myself a follower of Christ.

I see,.......
My earlier entries left some room for doubt did they?

It's good for you to ask such questions my friend.

Let me ask a question or two of you as well.

Does being a Christian make me less of a man?
Do I not feel, love, hope, cry as other men?

Why be a Christian then?

Because Jesus Shows me how to hope and love better than I ever could on my own.
With him to guide me. I climb to the taller hill tops, and navigate the deepest valleys.

He is there in my greatest joy, and He's there at my deepest sorrow.
You see He has already read my story and knows how each tale ends.

On with the tale you say?

Where was I?

Not as bad as it seems

I suppose I should clarify something least my friends that find me think me suicidal or just crazy.
One should not write when one is a little down I suppose.
I love to write. It's just the words don't come easy sometimes.
I love life both it's hills and valleys. It's just sometimes when I'm waiting for that next hill top. I get lost in the valley.

What's that you say?
A Tale?
I did promise that didn't I?

Shall I share a bit about my life then?

Not a Tale you say?

What is life but a series of tales woven together to make a complete story?

Granted not a tale like that of King or President.
Just a common man Living life as best a man can.

What's that you say more upbeat than the previous entries?

Well that's not something I can promise.

You see life has it's hills and valleys you see....

Yes, yes quite right a hill top then.