The first ‘I love you’

When I was in grade school a couple of my classmates, named Bernal and Jean had crushes on each other. The class found out when Bernal thee a balled up piec of notebook paper on Jean’s desk. I sat beside her and 2 desks away from him and I watched along with a few more girls as she opened up th sheet of paper. I leaned over and saw that it read, “I like you do you like me?” Jean responded by writers my back “I like you too.” They passed a few more notes and everyone knew they were crushing on each other.

Back in those days hearing “I love you” for the first time from a guy was special. As teens, my friends and I would gleefully listen to each other’s puppy love tales and especially when a boy said those 3 charming words. We grew up in a culture where the guy always said it first and it was magical. Girls shared this moment with more excitement than their first sexual experience or becoming engaged. Television and movies of days gone by often romanticized this moment by having it happen on starry moonlit nights or in some other intimate setting.

The first time my husband and I said those 3 little words is etched into my psyche and I can recall the moment as if it were yesterday. It was April 17, 1976. As I’ve shared in other writings, we met at a party on April 17th and danced once or twice but he was interested in another girl named Anna that night. Eight days later on Sunday April 25 he came to visit her and things went terrific boy wrong. He rode to our neck of the woods with a friend named Johnny who had become interested in a different girl, Sandra on the 17th. Michael came along to see Anna who lived next door to Sandra.

My telephone rang around 5:00 PM that Sunday and it was Sandra on the other line. She sounded frantic as she told me that Anna was seated on her front porch on the lap of the guy everyone knew she had bern dating for a while. She wanted to know if Michael could come to my house and talk to me she she could spend time with Johnny.I was afraid to ask my grandma because she was so strick but she said it would be OK. I told Sandra yes and began walking to meet Michael because he was 2 blocks away. We lived in the county so I met him half way near the corner intersection of two roads.

We walked back to my house together and officially introduced ourselves. A few moments later we were kissing. He stayed about 2 hours befor Johnny picked him up and before he left he took off a bracelet he was wearing and gave it to me. I took off my own bracelet and gave it to him. I can still recall what we were wearing that day. I had on faded blue jeans, a short sleeve brown blouse with yellow flowers that had a matching neck scarf. I was wearing black cloth Sandler that had a heel of about one and a half inches. These were the days of big clog heel shoes but my ankles were thin and I could not walk in the real thing.

Michael was wearing faded jeans, a bright dress shirt, a mangold hat and men’s clogs. When he left I was so excited and could not wait to hear from him again. He promised to call on the following night at 8:00 and he did. He was not home but playing ball at a nearby park and used a pay phone to keep his promise. I’m getting to the first “ I love you” but I wanted to set the stage. I knew I was falling in love and I hoped he felt the same. As mentioned earlier, girls in those days were taught not to be too foreword and to allow the man to lead the way.

The first date, phone call, kiss, and of course a marriage proposal all came from the man. Even at parties and danced the boy always asked the girl first. I can still remember my first slow dance at age 15, It was a guy named Stacy Tucker and he was from another town but came to a party in my neighborhood. I was 15 and thought it wonderful to experience my first slow drag. After that I loathed slow dances because most guys were only trying to grind on you and not dance to the music. So now my heart is bursting at the seams and I’m hoping, praying, and waiting for Michael to make the first move.

I had butterflies in my stomach and was singing silly songs and could not wait to talk to him again. At a little after 10:30 AM I was dusting a table next to the left side of the couch when the phone rang. It was on a mantle near the front door but had a long cord. I answered and it was Michael and my heart began to pound. I walked back to the table as we began to talk and early in the conversation he said “ Cheryl, I love you.” I responded with “ I love you too.” Yes, it really was a big deal I’m the 1970s and even before. I’m almost 63 now and have no clue what young people today do, I understand that roles of boys and girls have changed so maybe it does not matter who initiates the firsts in a relationship. I know I’m happy that I grew up in a time when it did.