FIRST DATE......03.10.2012......Barbara H.......

.....remember your very first date?

The excitement? The fear and trepidation, desire to make

that first impression?

Keep that thought as I tell you the REST of the story.

When I first began spending time with Bill ,I listened, as he

told me stories of his life with his wife and children.

Wonderful stories of how he and Jeanenne agreed on the

way the children should be raised.

Bill was a pipeline welder for the local gas company (who

worked nights as a plumber) and Jeanenne, a stay-at-home

mom, provided  a good homelife, the meals and kept the six

kids cared for.

With such a large family, there was not too much time, or

finance for extras, but when there was, it was shared

family style.

To what extent, is actually the fun in this story.

Lynn, Bill and Jeanennes's eldest daughter, had reached

sixteen and was finally permitted her first date.

Following, of course, the DIATRIBE (Lynn's description) of all

the rules and regulations the date had to agree to before

he escaped the premises with the treasured daughter.

In our area of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, there is a

famous curb service (since 1947) which has become THEE

place for the first date and so popular as to have been

featured on televisions's Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-ins and

Dives."

Kids and (adults who bring their classic cars and still believe

they are kids) from all over, rush to Jerrys to enjoy the best

food and the thrill of watching the cars cruise throughout the

area.

So there sits Lynn with her first date, smiling, enjoying coke

and french fries, anticipating the movie later in the evening,

watching the cars cruise passed.

When all of a sudden a familiar sight, a huge, boat of a

vehicle, station wagon with faded wooden doors and a kid

hanging from each window waving and screaming, "HI

LYNNY!"

And to make it even worse, it backed in directly beside

Lynn's dates' Chevrolet.

Lynn tells me she blacked out at that point and has no

memory of what happened after that.

Her siblings, however, told me it was the best first date

they ever had even though they had to share the french

fries.

I smiled as I listened to that story but was sympathetic

to how Lynn must have felt at seeing her dad and mom

pull in beside her.

"Didn't you realize, how she would have felt," I asked

Bill when he finished, "Well I just figured we could all share

the first dinner together," he answered. "After all, we

didn't follow them to the movie!"

I just shook my head as I thought there should be a limit to

family togetherness.

What do you think?

03.10.2012

Barbara H.