My Real Memoir
Martha. It was an old-fashioned name for an old-fashioned girl from an old-fashioned family. Echoing Chekhov, there were three sisters, a “rebellious one,” a “baby-of-the-family,” and a “good one.” Martha was the good one, and she was everything I wasn’t: a straight-A student, religious, selfless and thoughtful, always remembering people’s birthdays and baking cookies for them. She was also a talented singer and actress (we’d met in Drama), and she was seriously pretty. But I wasn’t just attracted to her.
I wanted to be worthy of her.
So, the previous year, I’d asked her out, blowing what was left of my now-defunct paper route money to take the good one, smart, religiously pretty Martha to a romantic movie Doctor Zhivago and a French restaurant with an impressively unpronounceable name.
She’d seemed uncomfortable the whole time, and I, despite my meticulous planning, had hardly been Mr. Smooth. Then, during the make-or-break, front door “well, goodnight” moment, she’d kissed me with dry, pursed lips, much like my first-ever date Paula had. Both, in all fairness, had been nervous and simply not yet learned the art of kissing; and neither had I, for that matter. Nevertheless, I’d taken it as a cursory “thank you for trying” dismissal, and not asked her out again. Besides, all of my paper route money was gone.
But now, a year of learning how to kiss, one adorable first-girlfriend, and one three-day whirl with a curvy blonde from Texas later, I noticed her again. Marc and I had driven to nearby Newport Beach to hang out with our drama friends, one of whom turned out to be old-fashioned-Christian-girl Martha. She was still smart, still kind, and still pretty. Also, religious upbringing nothwithstanding, she looked amazing in a bikini. But she wanted nothing to do with me. She’d heard about my by-now-infamous girl-from-Texas fling, a friend informed me, and decided I was “shallow and worldly.”
Nevertheless, when a short time later I organized a day-trip to Catalina Island for our drama posse, Martha showed up. Her date was a painfully-introverted non-drama fellow named Ted. I was booked to fly to Texas the following week, and so, in anticipation of resuming my romp with Lynn-From-Lubbock, didn’t have a date.
Still, Catalina isn’t called “the island of romance” for nothing. The beaches and bayside walks are made for lovers. Especially for teenagers in love with being in love…
During the Summer of Love.
My Real Memoir is a series. To read the next one, click here.
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You left us hanging. Can’t wait to hear the outcome of the Catalina Island trip!
Ah, but this is the no-frills Free version of my blog, Vera. To read the outcome you’ll have to sign up for the Pro version. ;>)
🙂
Great story. I hope you got the girl.
Wait and see. ;>) Thanks, Molly.
Check this out: https://pin.it/6KafsYz
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;>) ?! Did you do this, mich?
Of course. I am a roving correspondent for the Whittier News. ‘Who loves ya, baby!’
;>) I forget, btw, do you go by Bill or mich in WordPressland?
Sadly, mich. Even if I went on Wheel of Fortune and bought a ‘t’ I still wouldn’t amount to a Mitch.
I like your writing style …..
…’an old-fashioned name for an old-fashioned girl from an old-fashioned family’….
Beautiful Memoir …
Thank you, Roksana.
Martha sounds like she would’ve been a good friend to have- kind of like your pen pal. A confidante!
You were just ahead of your time, that’s all. “Shallow and worldly” are recommendations now…
;>)
Keep us informed on the outcome. Pursed dry lips, we have all had a few of those dates, even a few with a shake of her dainty hand. Sounds like the girl from Lubbock was your worldly conquest. Nice recount.
Thanks, Phil.
Loved it. Congrats on Lynn-From-Lubbock.
Catalina truly is magical
Thanks for sharing your blog with me today. Very interesting topic. I really enjoy reading it.
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Shallow and worldly…huh. As always, I enjoyed your memoir, Mitch.
Thanks, Kellye.
Mitch,
Sounds like a great summertime experience for sure. Man, what we learn from dating, right? And we survived.
Gary
;>)
Well this sound interesting!
Lulu: “Catalina Island! That is our Mama’s very favorite place in California! Our Dada likes it too, but he is not a fan of boat rides …”
Funny how life’s vibes connect sometimes. Just got back home from visiting my dad. Took my youngest children with me for the first time back to my hometown. Shared stories with them about my teen years. Not as romantic as your’s :)….
Sounds like a great trip, Jamey!
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