It takes those reoccurring moments in life until you have that sudden epiphany. The kind of epiphany that sort of sums of your entire life, in one brief moment. You know, I had one of those moments recently. I was planning on going somewhere, with a girl of course, its always about a girl isn't it? Anyhow, I was planning on going to a party with a girl. I message her and she replies with one of those replies that has a subconscious meaning attached to it. The subtle kind, you wouldn't notice unless you went with your gut instinct. Long story short she decided that I shouldn't come along.
So as I’m sitting home alone I get this thought. Maybe I should just go and surprise her. Surprises are always great aren't they? Catching someone when they least expect it even after they clearly said they didn't want you somewhere. No, of course not. But it crossed my mind nontheless and it brought me back to my freshman year in high school. The memory is so vivid as if it had all happened yesterday.
It was the week of homecoming and I had already decided I didn't really want to go. I don't know why not. Perhaps I didn't have anything to wear, or I had a zit or some silly teenage catastrophe, who knows? At the time I was dating a gal by the name of Joanna. We hadn't been dating that long and she knew I wasn’t going to go to the dance but she was going anyhow. Can't recall exactly why, but I am at home hours before the dance and I get this brilliant idea. "You know what, Im gonna go to this dance. All my friends are there and I cant have my girlfriend dateless without me." So I run to my parents room and and scrounge through their closet. For some reason whenever I wanted any of the latest fashion or to wear something “cool” I always peeked in my dads wardrobe. So, I’m going through everything and there was nothing that was catching my eye. Then I saw it, it was covered in a fresh dry cleaning bag, tucked neatly away. It was something to admire or at least I thought it was. I quickly grabbed it out of the closet ran to my room and began to unwrap it as if it was Christmas morning. Peeking from the plastic was an all white, leather suit. (Yes, I said Leather!) Complete with a leather overcoat and overall slacks. I just knew that I was going to turn heads with this one and boy was Joanna in for a treat.
I was all ready. But I couldn't just show up empty handed. This was back when I still did little corny romantic things. If I was going to impress, I had to do it in an extravagant way. So, I went to the dollar store. (Oh yes I went all out.) I picked up a few artificial roses and and a couple that was filled with perfume inside. Of course I had no idea what the perfume smelled like, but I’m almost certain it was something of a cheap hooker. Anyhow, Now I was officially ready. I remember just before showing up at the dance replaying Joanna’s reaction over and over in my head. I often do this from time to time and have yet to learn that it never turns out the way I imagined.
I show up at the dance and everyone is surprised to see me. No one expected that I would have ever came. They all ask, “Does Joanna know you were coming?” No, she didn’t know I was coming but I wanted to find her. I walk into the dance and there was my Cinderella. She was dressed in this beautiful blue gown. I must admit she was looking pretty good. I walk up to her and I give her the roses. I look at her face and it didn't seem to display the expression that played over in my head. In fact the excitement that I expected to radiate from her face was very similar to a look of disappointment. But you couldn't tell me anything, I had a white leather suit on, black shirt, black shoes, and topped it all of with my Dads white leather cowboy hat. Man did I just know I was looking good. I can’t manage to recall Joanna’s exact words but it pans out to be something around the nature of us breaking up. I couldn't believe it, here I am at a dance I had no intentions on going to, I purposely changed my plans to come, all to impress a girl. I even risked getting in trouble with my Dad who had no idea I was in his suit.
I had just got dumped at my first homecoming of high school. I would say that that night scarred me for life but I’d be lying. I went on to have a great night despite the unfortunate events prior. Her dumping me actually made me more attractive to all the other single ladies at the dance and of course I indulged in their sympathy.
But the point of it all is that this is the story of my life. I have many times since then taken unnecessary risk, gone over and beyond, even made drastic changes in my life, all to impress women. Its funny how history has a strange way of repeating itself and yet we often overlook the lessons that are right in front of our eyes. Needless to say I didn’t raid my Dad’s closet this time, I didn’t go buy any hooker fragranced perfumed roses, and I didn’t go surprise her in an all white leather suit. But as I took a stroll down memory lane, reliving that faithful moment, all with a smile on my face, the thought did cross my mind.
So as I’m sitting home alone I get this thought. Maybe I should just go and surprise her. Surprises are always great aren't they? Catching someone when they least expect it even after they clearly said they didn't want you somewhere. No, of course not. But it crossed my mind nontheless and it brought me back to my freshman year in high school. The memory is so vivid as if it had all happened yesterday.
It was the week of homecoming and I had already decided I didn't really want to go. I don't know why not. Perhaps I didn't have anything to wear, or I had a zit or some silly teenage catastrophe, who knows? At the time I was dating a gal by the name of Joanna. We hadn't been dating that long and she knew I wasn’t going to go to the dance but she was going anyhow. Can't recall exactly why, but I am at home hours before the dance and I get this brilliant idea. "You know what, Im gonna go to this dance. All my friends are there and I cant have my girlfriend dateless without me." So I run to my parents room and and scrounge through their closet. For some reason whenever I wanted any of the latest fashion or to wear something “cool” I always peeked in my dads wardrobe. So, I’m going through everything and there was nothing that was catching my eye. Then I saw it, it was covered in a fresh dry cleaning bag, tucked neatly away. It was something to admire or at least I thought it was. I quickly grabbed it out of the closet ran to my room and began to unwrap it as if it was Christmas morning. Peeking from the plastic was an all white, leather suit. (Yes, I said Leather!) Complete with a leather overcoat and overall slacks. I just knew that I was going to turn heads with this one and boy was Joanna in for a treat.
I was all ready. But I couldn't just show up empty handed. This was back when I still did little corny romantic things. If I was going to impress, I had to do it in an extravagant way. So, I went to the dollar store. (Oh yes I went all out.) I picked up a few artificial roses and and a couple that was filled with perfume inside. Of course I had no idea what the perfume smelled like, but I’m almost certain it was something of a cheap hooker. Anyhow, Now I was officially ready. I remember just before showing up at the dance replaying Joanna’s reaction over and over in my head. I often do this from time to time and have yet to learn that it never turns out the way I imagined.
I show up at the dance and everyone is surprised to see me. No one expected that I would have ever came. They all ask, “Does Joanna know you were coming?” No, she didn’t know I was coming but I wanted to find her. I walk into the dance and there was my Cinderella. She was dressed in this beautiful blue gown. I must admit she was looking pretty good. I walk up to her and I give her the roses. I look at her face and it didn't seem to display the expression that played over in my head. In fact the excitement that I expected to radiate from her face was very similar to a look of disappointment. But you couldn't tell me anything, I had a white leather suit on, black shirt, black shoes, and topped it all of with my Dads white leather cowboy hat. Man did I just know I was looking good. I can’t manage to recall Joanna’s exact words but it pans out to be something around the nature of us breaking up. I couldn't believe it, here I am at a dance I had no intentions on going to, I purposely changed my plans to come, all to impress a girl. I even risked getting in trouble with my Dad who had no idea I was in his suit.
I had just got dumped at my first homecoming of high school. I would say that that night scarred me for life but I’d be lying. I went on to have a great night despite the unfortunate events prior. Her dumping me actually made me more attractive to all the other single ladies at the dance and of course I indulged in their sympathy.
But the point of it all is that this is the story of my life. I have many times since then taken unnecessary risk, gone over and beyond, even made drastic changes in my life, all to impress women. Its funny how history has a strange way of repeating itself and yet we often overlook the lessons that are right in front of our eyes. Needless to say I didn’t raid my Dad’s closet this time, I didn’t go buy any hooker fragranced perfumed roses, and I didn’t go surprise her in an all white leather suit. But as I took a stroll down memory lane, reliving that faithful moment, all with a smile on my face, the thought did cross my mind.
