The Dance
I must have been crazy to expect her to live next door, but I guess that's what I thought. Because it came as quite a shock as we discussed it in the moments before departing. And looking back I guess I was crazy, crazy in love. I had left the world I once knew and entered a new more private one. One only she and I had shared. For a few weeks I had it all. And now, it was gone.While we were young lovers willing to knock down any and all walls that dared to stand in our way, we did not fool ourselves into thinking anything other than that long distance relationships rarely work. While we were set to defy all odds, we knew that we would have to work hard to keep love burning bright. Well, it was a strong burning torch, so maybe it was more that we would have to work hard to fnd a way to stay in contact. We wrote each other constantly. As soon as one letter came in another went out in reply. We also talked on the phone about once a day or every other day. I'm sure the phone bill must have been big on both ends, but truthfully I never thought about it. And had I thought about it honestly I wouldn't have cared. I'm not proud of that, but I was young, foolish and in love and I would have done anything for one more moment with her.
For some reason my parents were very supportive of this relationship. I'm not sure if it was for love, my happiness or because I would have done what I wanted anyways (and I was so in love I would have). But, they were at this time and I have often wondered since if they ever regretted that.
I'm not sure how this came about. Or for that matter I'm not sure what the hell either set of parents were thinking, but for a week she was allowed to come visit me. Knowing what I do now, this must have taken some arm twisting by my parents and the girl herself for her to be able to come. So we drove to get her and she came back for a week. One memory stands out more than any other. We often cuddled, very closely usually (often much to my parents' chagrin) and one night while we were cuddling close on the sofa that had become my bed, I thought to myself (and man I must have been in crazy love out of mind to have thought this) what if she didn't leave and go upstairs to my bedroom? And so that night we spent our first night together. Just laying together (clothed) all night. This needless to say didn't sit well with my parents and they blew a gasket. Though a day or so later they let it drop. But, to me anything that had happened would have been worth it. That night at the time was very special. To have spent the nght with the one I loved was priceless.
When her school's homecoming dance came, she invited me and my parents were excited and so we made the 8 or so hour drive (again). Her parents attitude was more tolerant than anything, but we hadn't seen each other in a while and we were just happy to be together. So after everyone had taken their photos of us I took her out to a nice diner and we went to the dance. And we danced. In my head I think no one else was there. In my head I think we were dancing in the moonlight all alone.
All that was left was for the credits to play and the most famous words in the world to appear, "THE END". Then it could have been happily ever after and that moment would last forever. But, this was no movie. This was reality. And I was in for a reality check.
And to paraphrase a great Country Musician Garth Brooks, holding her I held everything and for a moment wasn't I the King? If only I knew....
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