I took Stephanie to Shawnie Lake. It was really the only place within driving distance from campus that was any fun. And it was only fun because it was off campus and we could drink and swim there. She didn't mention anything about us still being alone, so I didn't either. After all, it was possible we might run into friends. I just hadn't planned it.
I looked down at her hand and noticed she wasn't wearing the ring. I wanted to ask, but I didn't. And she didn't say anything about it, so I didn't either. I had heard from some friends that she had known Hank since grammar school and they were voted prom king and queen. He had graduated last year and was working on his family's farm while waiting for Stephanie to finish school.
I opened the trunk of my car and felt like a Boy Scout. It would have taken Hank years to prepare a picnic like this and it probably wouldn't have been as well thought out or planned. My date would not be cold or hungry. And I had all of the tools to survive both a bear attack and a national disaster. O.K., it was weird, but I wanted to be prepared. I mean, you never know when you might need a gas lantern or some decent china. Bye, bye farm boy Hank! I have to admit I was a little embarrassed when Stephy saw all of the supplies in the trunk. She didn't say anything about it, so I didn't either. Actually, I made some stupid comment like, oh that stuff is always in there in case the car doesn't start.
Anyhow, I'm still better than Hank I thought. He probably drives some huge farm like truck that smells of manuer. Ha!
She picked a spot off of the usual path and I went along with her lugging a tent, blankets, matches, cheap red wine, and my mothers pecan pie. Good thing it wasn't going to rain and good thing I had all of those blankets, because although I wished it was Spring, it wasn't quite yet. I made a fire and you know, that was just something you could do back then. Make a fire where you wanted, not in a pit, or in a made-up designated spot. I miss that feeling of easiness and romance.
She curled up in the blanket and I sat next to her. I told her all of my plans. That I would become a doctor. I just wasn't sure which kind, but I would apply to med school in a city. Then, I would travel the world maybe giving lectures, working with veterans, maybe doing volunteer work. "I'll even take you with me," I said. "To New York or anywhere you want to go." "New York. Wow," and she smiled.
Certainly I knew that my plans had to be better than Hank's. Hank worked on his family farm and would probably take over the family business, whatever that was. I'm sure it was stupid.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"I'm going to be a teacher."
"And then what?"
"What do you mean? I guess I haven't thought about it," she said.
"Oh."
"You know what Hank told me before I came out here today?"
Did she really just mention his name? Hank, my evil nemesis standing in the way of the world as I wanted it. I had to be brave. "What?" I asked.
"He said that if I came out here with you, or anybody like that, you know, that he would join the army."
"What?"
"Yeah, that he would join the army. And I told him that I am sick of him being so controlling, so he should just go ahead and do that then. Almost everyone in his family has served. What would be the difference? He probably planned on doing it anyway and not telling me."
"Not telling you? Well, I would never do something like that. Cheers to that!"
We clanked our glasses together. She took a sip of her wine. I took a big gulp of mine, mostly because our eyes were locked and I didn't know what to do with myself.
"So, you're not going to wear the ring anymore?"
"That cracker jack ring. I didn't even bother to give it back."
"Well, you could have this one." And I pulled out a ring I had stolen from my mother's jewelry box. It was on the bottom and I hoped to god she wouldn't miss it. I prayed she wouldn't notice.
"What?"
"Um yeah. I just had it. It doesn't mean anything. Not too much."
"No, I'll wear it." she said. "Is it real? Looks like my birthstone."
"Ummm, I think it's real." I wanted to kiss her. Actually, I wanted to marry her, but I still felt like I had a bit of convincing to do, so I offered her some pecan pie. I needed to eat something. My head was spinning. I felt like I had given her my heart in a snow globe and she was shaking it up and down. I'm sure the wine didn't help.
And then she kissed me . . .
We would go back to Shawnee Lake many times before summer. She never mentioned Hank again, so I didn't either.
I looked down at her hand and noticed she wasn't wearing the ring. I wanted to ask, but I didn't. And she didn't say anything about it, so I didn't either. I had heard from some friends that she had known Hank since grammar school and they were voted prom king and queen. He had graduated last year and was working on his family's farm while waiting for Stephanie to finish school.
I opened the trunk of my car and felt like a Boy Scout. It would have taken Hank years to prepare a picnic like this and it probably wouldn't have been as well thought out or planned. My date would not be cold or hungry. And I had all of the tools to survive both a bear attack and a national disaster. O.K., it was weird, but I wanted to be prepared. I mean, you never know when you might need a gas lantern or some decent china. Bye, bye farm boy Hank! I have to admit I was a little embarrassed when Stephy saw all of the supplies in the trunk. She didn't say anything about it, so I didn't either. Actually, I made some stupid comment like, oh that stuff is always in there in case the car doesn't start.
Anyhow, I'm still better than Hank I thought. He probably drives some huge farm like truck that smells of manuer. Ha!
She picked a spot off of the usual path and I went along with her lugging a tent, blankets, matches, cheap red wine, and my mothers pecan pie. Good thing it wasn't going to rain and good thing I had all of those blankets, because although I wished it was Spring, it wasn't quite yet. I made a fire and you know, that was just something you could do back then. Make a fire where you wanted, not in a pit, or in a made-up designated spot. I miss that feeling of easiness and romance.
She curled up in the blanket and I sat next to her. I told her all of my plans. That I would become a doctor. I just wasn't sure which kind, but I would apply to med school in a city. Then, I would travel the world maybe giving lectures, working with veterans, maybe doing volunteer work. "I'll even take you with me," I said. "To New York or anywhere you want to go." "New York. Wow," and she smiled.
Certainly I knew that my plans had to be better than Hank's. Hank worked on his family farm and would probably take over the family business, whatever that was. I'm sure it was stupid.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"I'm going to be a teacher."
"And then what?"
"What do you mean? I guess I haven't thought about it," she said.
"Oh."
"You know what Hank told me before I came out here today?"
Did she really just mention his name? Hank, my evil nemesis standing in the way of the world as I wanted it. I had to be brave. "What?" I asked.
"He said that if I came out here with you, or anybody like that, you know, that he would join the army."
"What?"
"Yeah, that he would join the army. And I told him that I am sick of him being so controlling, so he should just go ahead and do that then. Almost everyone in his family has served. What would be the difference? He probably planned on doing it anyway and not telling me."
"Not telling you? Well, I would never do something like that. Cheers to that!"
We clanked our glasses together. She took a sip of her wine. I took a big gulp of mine, mostly because our eyes were locked and I didn't know what to do with myself.
"So, you're not going to wear the ring anymore?"
"That cracker jack ring. I didn't even bother to give it back."
"Well, you could have this one." And I pulled out a ring I had stolen from my mother's jewelry box. It was on the bottom and I hoped to god she wouldn't miss it. I prayed she wouldn't notice.
"What?"
"Um yeah. I just had it. It doesn't mean anything. Not too much."
"No, I'll wear it." she said. "Is it real? Looks like my birthstone."
"Ummm, I think it's real." I wanted to kiss her. Actually, I wanted to marry her, but I still felt like I had a bit of convincing to do, so I offered her some pecan pie. I needed to eat something. My head was spinning. I felt like I had given her my heart in a snow globe and she was shaking it up and down. I'm sure the wine didn't help.
And then she kissed me . . .
We would go back to Shawnee Lake many times before summer. She never mentioned Hank again, so I didn't either.
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