Having returned from my mission to Spain just two weeks earlier, I was eager to meet and date girls. My self-esteem was high but delicately balanced. It was a Ricks College summer student ward fast and testimony meeting in the Kirkham Auditorum. The testimony meetings that summer were notable for a young man reciting page after page of what he was sure to be memorized scripture well into overtime, and a sister who brought a jar of dried leaves to crush under her fist as some kind of object lesson, then calling on the congregation to applaud the Bishop. A voice of clarity, Amy Price shared her testimony, in which she mentioned being grateful to be back in Rexburg with her sister for the summer. Having attended first and second grade with Amy, I had recognized her several times since without thinking much of it: a track meet at Madison, Youth Legislature in Boise, like seeing a familiar face on a passing train. So, as I watched her return to her seat, I wondered to myself, “should I try to meet her?” Answer: “No, she’s Amy Price, the girl everyone knows from grade school, turned track star. It can’t be done, shouldn’t be tried.” To which I answered in turn, “Of course I should, consider the possibilities!”
So I looked for her after church…nothing. I searched again the following week, and she was long gone. Then, a chain of events began, fully inside my control, but whose trajectory I couldn’t have known. Saturday night, Bishop Hadlock called, asking me to speak Sunday morning. “Short notice,” I said, which he acknowledged, apologizing in behalf of someone’s short notice cancellation. I think my talk that Sunday was Amy’s first indication that I existed, and she disappeared in usual fashion afterward. That afternoon, I studied for Science class, when Martin Searcy called: “Will you assist me giving a blessing right now?” Mental reaction: “Gotta study…but it’s Sunday, Church service takes priority.” So, as Martin dropped me off afterward, he asked if I was attending the fireside that evening. Hadn’t heard of it, but again decided I had better put Church first that day, plus: social situation with girls. So, sitting on the hill at Smith Park, listening to some seminary teacher, I look across and see…Amy! What a profile, and glorious blonde hair. During refreshments afterward, I’m grasping for an excuse to get her attention. I tell this to Bryan Magleby, who says I should just go up and say hello.
So I did, just walked up and tapped her shoulder. She spun around, “Hey Wade!” Good. She made it easy to visit and catch up. Would she like to “go do something sometime?” Answer: “Sounds great!” spoken like Tony the Tiger. I had asked many girls out before, with all kinds of responses, mostly reluctant, and this felt way different. Butterflies tickled my stomach all week as this turned over in my head. So, when and where would we be married? Is she already serious with someone? Will she like me…why not? I consult both older brothers to plan “the date” while trying to somehow keep my feet in reality.
No comments:
Post a Comment