My Church strongly encourages youth to not start dating until age 16. This was a hard principle to observe as a 14 year old who was head over heels in love with a high school senior. Fortunately, Scotty was really shy and reserved and didn't make any moves on me at that young age. Our romantic life consisted of him driving past my house every night on his way home from work and waving... even though my house was not on the route home.
One spring evening, my brother came in my room and told me there was a phone call for me. I had the thought that it might be Scotty - a secret hope that flared up every time there was a phone call for me, but talking on the phone wasn't something Scotty and I really did. So imagine my surprise and fluttering teenage heart when it actually was Scotty. He was calling to invite me to his high school graduation and then to dinner with his mom and step-dad.
I was so excited and terrified. I arrived at the graduation with Scotty and his mom and step-dad. Then Scotty left us (to go be a graduate), and I was alone with his parents. I have no recollection of how that went, but I'm sure I wrote about it in my journal.
After Scotty's graduation ceremony, we went to a restaurant, and I had no idea how to act or what to order. It was like a date because I was there with Scotty, but it also wasn’t like a date because I wasn’t 16 yet, and we were with his parents. I remember being completely awkward about the entire situation, and I was probably a huge disappointment conversationally. At the end of the meal, I needed to pee really bad, but I was too embarrassed to excuse myself to use the restroom.
As we drove away from the restaurant, Scotty's mom proposed that I come to their house to watch Summer of the Monkeys. I had zero desire to watch Summer of the Monkeys, but to spend more time with Scotty, I was willing to suffer many afflictions.
I accepted the invitation, but there was one problem - I still needed to pee.
We ended up swinging past Blockbuster to get the movie, and then Scotty's mom made a brilliant suggestion that we stop by my house so I could change clothes (I wore a dress to the graduation). I was so relieved because I was fully planning on holding my bladder for the entire movie, which I'm sure would have caused me to implode.
That night, during the movie, Scotty held my hand for the first time right in front of his mom! I wanted to crawl under a rock and die, and yet, I was the happiest girl on earth. I couldn't help but think how weird it was that we were basically on a double-date with his parents. I would have rather pulled my fingernails out than be in that situation with my own parents.
Now Scotty and I have been married for nearly twenty years, and we have a son who is turning 16 really soon.
The other day, I was daydreaming about all of the events I want to attend in the coming year, some of which I want to take Nicky to, and I had the thought, "Oh! He might want to bring a date. I wonder if I should plan on buying an extra ticket!"
And then I realized... the tides have turned! I've become my mother-in-law. I just assume my son wants to go on double dates with me! I had to check myself. Britt, maybe your son doesn't want to bring dates when he goes places with you! But then Nah! Why wouldn't he?
(Though I'm not sure I want to sit through that again).
1 comment:
That's a really sweet story
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