How It All Got Started

Over 29 years ago I met the young man who would one day be my husband. I didn’t realize it at the time because I was only fifteen years old. I met Tom or should I say “Blondie” as I affectionately called him before knowing his name, when he started working at a fruit and vegetable store in my neighborhood. For about a year he would stare at me, flirt with me shamelessly and all along I pretended I didn’t notice him. Now I would imagine we would have gone on like that forever if it weren’t for one thing – God. God wanted us together. Of course I didn’t know it at the time but looking back it was obvious that God hand picked this man for me.

I went to an all girl Catholic High School because basically my father didn’t want me to ever meet boys. Unfortunately for him he couldn’t control who worked in the neighborhood. I liked High School even though it was lacking 50% of the population. I found myself in my junior year, sixteen years old and my school was going to close it doors because of lack of funds.

I don’t know about your school but my school had little groups or "clicks" - the jocks (the ones who were on every sport team our school had), the princess’ (back in the 70’s it was big high, too much make-up and uniform skirts worn high above the knees), the rockers (they wore heavy metal band t-shirts underneath their uniforms and looked stoned most of the time) and last but not least the brains (the ones who took school seriously and actually cared about grades). And yes this was the group I seemed to have fallen into and not because I was so smart but my friends were all very smart. I did get my share of good grades but my friends were in the top ten of the class. Now people didn’t expect much from "the brains" because all anyone thought we did was study, study, study. Well that may be true to a point. This afforded us the opportunity to break out of our boxes and blow people’s minds. I wanted to go to my junior prom and walk in with a really good looking guy by my side and turn heads. Ah, sweet. So my girlfriend, Julie and I put our heads to together and tried to figure out who that we knew would be presentable enough and pass the “daddy test.” Before I could actually go to the prom this was a very important step. Julie came up with Blondie. I on the other thought that was nuts because even though we flirted a bit I thought he had a girlfriend or he would have asked me out by now. But she was very insistent, I caved and agreed to ask him.

Growing up in Brooklyn it was important that at all times you looked cool. In order to help me do this I decided I would practice in front of the mirror. I also needed to practice a cool response in case he turned me down or said maybe. My response would be – “Don’t worry about it, it’s no big deal. See you around.” I did this for a couple of weeks and avoided the subject when I would see him until . . .

To be continued tomorrow . . .

© Nadine Z. 2006