Cute date (part one)

In lieu of a current dating story or advice, here is an amusing teenage tidbit.

I was 14 when I started college. To be precise, that year I began the Early Entrance Program (EEP). The first year of this program was called Transition School (TS), which was housed in Guthrie Annex II on the University of Washington campus. We took English, History and Math and one college class a quarter. I started college full-time the next year. The world of the EEP was divided into transition school students and older EEPers.

I became friends with some of the older EEPers early on in Fall Quarter. I hung out and ate lunch in the EEP Lounge, which was across the hall from the TS classroom.

Everyone liked Jeff because he was funny and sarcastic. Perhaps Jeff was sought after because he never had time to hang out with us. He studied a lot and he lived on Mercer Island. None of us were old enough to drive and the commute to Mercer Island was long so Jeff hung out in the afternoon, but never did things with us at night--like ice-skating or the movies.

Jeff was tall, at least taller than me, thin and had very dark hair and eyes. He had long fingers and he dressed in sort of an old-man way for a 15 year old. He wore cardigan sweaters. He seemed very grown up because he had his learner's permit. That was a big deal. He was almost an adult.

It was late fall, before winter break, and I was in the EEP lounge, waiting to go to math class. Jeff was there and so were Susie and Mary. Mary was the leader of another clique that opposed TS students, such as myself, from hanging out in the lounge. She was my enemy, but she and Susie liked Jeff as much as the members of my group. I liked Jeff fine, but I don't think I had a crush on him. Jeff was looking at something in his hand. Mary and Susie asked him to show them what it was, but he wouldn't. He looked at me and said, "Jamy, come here. I want to show you something."

"Me?"

"Yes, come here." He beckoned to me. I went over and he showed me a fortune from a fortune cookie. I read it, "A dark haired woman will come into your life." Jeff said, "So would you like to go out Saturday night?" My jaw dropped. I heard a whooshing sound and I felt dizzy. I looked at Jeff, who was standing quite close to me.

I said, "I have to go to math class." I ran across the hall to the classroom. I was not able to concentrate in math class. I didn't know what to think. Was he serious? Was Jeff asking me out? It seemed impossible. Why did he go to all that trouble? I didn't understand. When class was over, Jeff was waiting for me in the hall. He said, "Jamy, can I talk to you?" I didn't want to talk to him. I wanted to go home. I stood there. "Did you think I was joking?"

I said, "Yes. Maybe." (I had a specific reason for thinking it might have been a joke, but that's another story.)

"I would never do that. I wouldn't treat you like that. I was serious. Do you want to go out on Saturday?"

I said, "Sure. Yes. I would like to."

And we did.

To be continued...

Grateful for: Jeff for making me popular for the first and only time in my life.