My dear friend Cyndi was trying to set me up with an old classmate of hers. Cyndi and I were waitressed together at Apple Blossom Restaurant. She quit just a few weeks before. I was a little nervous but okay with it. She called and said after talking with him that he wasn't interested because of our age difference. He was 23 and I was 18. Okay, I thought, I can understand that. I haven't met him and I wasn't going to get upset about it.
A few days later she comes running through the doors at Apple Blossom and pulls me aside. "He changed his mind! He is over at my house right now. Can you come over after work?" she says excitedly.
"Yea, sure." I reply back, "I have to close up so I won't be out of here until 9:30 pm if that still works?"
It worked. I called my mom to let her know that Cyndi was setting me up on a blind date and I will be home to change and head off to her place. The rest of the evening I was thinking about the meet-up. I decided not to try to make a big deal and just be who I am. Plain and regular. I am who I am and if likes me then yea and if not no big deal.
Murphy's law played right into my hands. For the most part at work the last half hour no one usually came in. That night about ten to nine at night two couples come in for coffee and dessert. We were so ready to lock up at 9pm. The back kitchen was cleaned up, the floors were vacuumed and food was prepped for the morning shift. This didn't seem fair. I still had to be polite and serve them. At 9 O'clock I went and locked up the doors and turned off the outdoor sign. The couples didn't want to leave. I know they were enjoying each others company but I had plans. I think Joe, the cook, thought it was funny as I was pacing back and forth in the waitress area in hopes of these people to leave. Finally, about 10pm they decide to call it a night and left. I felt defeated. I didn't have time to run home and change. I called my mom back up and let her know I was getting out of work late and I was going straight to Cyndi's. Here I was about to meet a potential suitor smelling of grease, wearing a dark green waitressing uniform and these ugly brown, thick soled waitressing shoes. As far as first impressions go this wasn't going to be a great one.
As soon as I get there Cyndi rushes out the door and says we have to go get the pizza. He was there and hands me over some money. On the way to get the pizza Cyndi was asking me my thoughts on him. I told her I only glanced at him for a few seconds in the dark. I can't give a good answer yet of what I thought of him.
We get back to her place and as the door opened he was sitting there with a smile on his face. He had beautiful blue eyes. He seemed a bit on the thin side but when he stood up he was certainly tall. It was a nice evening with small chit chat. I found out he was a country boy while I was a city girl. He grew up on farms and horses and I grew up on city sidewalks and shopping malls. We did bicker some on the stereotypes of gender and we each are defending our own sex. "Girls are only after what is in men's jeans" he would say. I responded, "Men just want a quick night of fun and dash out the door." He was defending all of the men in the world and I was defending all the women.
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| 282 steps at Mt. Baldhead, Saugatuck, Mi. |
It started getting late. Brian suggested we all take a drive to Saugatuck and climb Mt. Baldhead. I remember long ago going there with my mom and her boyfriend and I loved it. I couldn't resist. Around midnight Cyndi, her fiance Michael, Brian and I made our way out to hike up Mt. Baldhead. Mt. Baldhead has 282 steps built on a sand dune. From the top you can see the town of Saugatuck and on the other side is Lake Michigan. It was a perfect warm night. Half way up we decided 4 smokers making this climb wasn't the best thing to accomplish. Michael went back to the car. Cyndi, Brian and I continued our trek up the dune.
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| view from the top of Mt. Baldhead overlooking Saugatuck |
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| view looking down to Lake Michigan. |
On the way down we talked about our future. He said he wanted six children and I wanted six children. I remember thinking to myself, This is the man I am going to marry!
We get back to the car and head back to Cyndi's place. They were calling it a night and going off to bed. Brian asked if I wanted to get a bite to eat. It was close to 4 in the morning. My mom is going to kill me! At least if she is going to kill me I won't have an empty stomach. "Sure" I say and we head off to Casey's Restaurant for a bite to eat. Afterwards we stroll through the parking lot. "Stay and watch the sunrise with me." he pleads.
"I can't. I have to be getting back home." I said. I really wanted to stay but I had to work that morning at 7am and I needed to refresh myself. I also had to go home because I knew my mom was beyond livid that I was gone all night. Brian pulls me up close and gives me a kiss. YES!
I quietly open the door and my mother storms around the corner flying towards me angry as can be. She did have full right to be upset. I didn't want to add fuel to her fire by telling her we were crusing around Michigan so explained that we watched a movie and fell asleep. Cydni didn't have a phone at her place and I couldn't call. She was still upset but understood. I know I lied but I was okay and why fret over the past that can't be changed anyway. I was grounded.
I headed to work with no sleep. I was still floating on cloud 9 so lack of sleep wasn't bothering me. Early that afternoon Brian comes into the restaurant. He wanted to see me again after work. I told him I wasn't too sure about it. I felt silly telling a 23 adult male that I was grounded. I let him know to call me around 3ish when I was home. He finished his meal, left me a $2 tip and went on his way. TWO DOLLARS! I was expecting a bit more as a way of being extra nice to me. Talking to him later on in our relationship about it he said he knew I had to claim my tips on my taxes and he didn't want me to pay too much for it. Logical but not romantic.
I get home and realize no one was there. A note was left saying they went to Holland to visit family. A smile crosses my face. I know I was grounded but in haste and early morning hours I was hoping they forgot about it. Brian calls and wants to take me for a drive. I told him sure and gave him directions. I left a note back to my mom telling her of my plans.
He picked me up in his pick-up and we drove off. Lack of sleep was getting the better of me. I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I placed my head in Brian's lap and fell asleep. Nudge. Nudge. Nudge. I felt Brian's hands on my sholders trying to wake me up. I sit up and look around. We were in a partially wooded area on a dirt road. I have never been on a dirt road before. To me dirt roads was where murder's happen. I didn't know where I was at or even how to begin to get home. "Come look at this huge tree trunk with me." Brian says.
I looked at him puzzled. A tree trunk? Who looks at tree trunks?! I have seen enough horror shows in my lifetime to know this would not be a good turn out. In horror movies there is usually a wooded scene where the killer goes after its victim. The victim falls, screaming out in terror but there is no one around to hear then SLASH! The victim becomes worm meal. I deserve this. I was stupid enough to go off with someone who I don't even know their last name. I have lived a good life. I thought as I was getting ready to make peace with my maker. At least it is a beautiful day to die. I looked around at the trees overhead. I took some deep breaths inhaling what would be my last taste of the air.
"Here it is." Brian beams. "Look how big around this trunk is!"
I look over at him. He is gauking at the size of this trunk. I walk over to him. He takes my hand. This is it. Here comes the kiss of death! He walks me around the tree to see if we both can place our arms around the tree trunk. We couldn't. I must say the tree was impressive. It is not something you would expect from someone on a date. The thought process of my brain must of stopped from total fear exhaustion. I don't remember where we went next or how I got home or if my mom was there before I was.
Sometime later I realize we were only a mile from where he grew up in Martin. At that time I had no idea Martin let alone Allegan County even existed. Seventeen years and six children later, we are still going strong and I now prefer dirt roads to drive on. The tree is still standing.
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