Teach
02-27-2008, 07:00 PM
As soon as I walked in the door, I noticed her. Striking. She stuck out look a beautifully decorated ornament on a Christmas Tree. My heart skipped a beat. I can still see her face, now. Brown eyes. A round face -- that was framed by a coiffed page-boy look. Lovely figure. I tried to hide my glances, but it was no use. Impossible. I was mesmerized.
I had just walked into a classroom at a Boston-area college. I was taking summer-school graduate courses that would lead to a master's degree.
As I think back, she (her name was Barbara) looked like Melanie Griffith in the movie: "Something Wild!" (If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Well, in the movie, Lulu – I mean Griffith – is wearing this black page-boy wig. She’s trying to seduce this yuppie played by Jeff Daniels).
Well, a few days later, I managed to find a way to introduce myself. I recall Barbara was reading the Upton Sinclair novel: "The Jungle." I remember saying to her, "Pretty gory stuff."
Soon after, we were talking and then -- dating. I have tell you -- it was wonderful. Those next several weeks were some of the happiest of my life -- well, with the exception of hitting a huge tri at Suffolk Downs some years later.
Yet, as the weeks had progressed and the course had come to an end, I began to sense a cooling in Barbara's attitude toward me. It was kinda subtle. Little things. I dismissed it as nothing particularly important. Maybe, she was having trouble with her parents? Who knows?
Then, one fall night, I took Barabara to a movie; we later went "parking." As I went to kiss her; she eased away. I remember saying, "What's wrong?" I'll never forget her reply: "I don't think we're right for each other." It was as if
she had just hit me with a sharp overhand jab to the choppers and then quickly followed that up with a sharp uppercut right into the "labonza."
Well, I have to tell you (I’m trying to tell an honest story here) I started crying like a baby. Tears are flowing down my cheeks like Niagara Falls. Just then, to add insult to injury, a cop comes by checking on people who were watching the "submarine races." Only I’m bawling away like I just missed the Pick-6 carryover at "The Big A." He motions me to open the car window. "What’s wrong?" he says, "Oh nothing, officer." (Not really). He walks away. Yet, as we were about to drive off. I remember saying to Barbara, "Is there any chance for us?" I recall her saying-- matter-a-factly, "Where’s there’s life, there’s hope."
Well, for the next several weeks, I was in a trance. I wasn’t eating. Hardly slept. It’s amazing I was able to teach school (I had just started my first teaching position). And, I kept calling Barabara almost daily. Most of the time
her mother would pick up the phone and say she wasn’t there. I tried writing her. No replies. I even sent her a dozen roses for her birthday. Nothing. Nada.
Eventually, I did give up. But not after much angst. In hindsight, I had been a complete fool. I had let my heart rule my head.
Just recently, I’m betting over the Internet. I had just missed – by inches — a several "bones" trifecta. I had the first two horses – medium longshots – but I couldn’t get my third horse home. Ouch!! Ouch!!
Well, I let is slip away, mentally. I wanted to recoup. To get revenge. To win. But, then, just like my ill-fated relationship with Barbara,
I started making irrational decisions. Just like those frequent phone calls and letters that went unanswered. I was pouring more and more money down the rat hole.
Oh, it wasn't so much that I had lost; it was the way I had done it! Without getting up, stepping back, and taking account of what was going on, I kept punting away. I literally coundn’t see "the forest for the trees."
As for Barabara. I don’t know whatever became of her. One of our mutual
friends had told me that she accepted a teaching position out of state. I would never lay eyes on her lovely face, again.
As I think back, life is filled with youthful indisgressions. It’s by the time we reach adulthood that we should have learned our lessons. But that would be wishful thinking.
Oh, by the way, before I leave you. One line from "Something Wild"
always stuck in the back of my mind. "Remember, no matter what, it's better
to be a live dog than a dead lion."
I had just walked into a classroom at a Boston-area college. I was taking summer-school graduate courses that would lead to a master's degree.
As I think back, she (her name was Barbara) looked like Melanie Griffith in the movie: "Something Wild!" (If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Well, in the movie, Lulu – I mean Griffith – is wearing this black page-boy wig. She’s trying to seduce this yuppie played by Jeff Daniels).
Well, a few days later, I managed to find a way to introduce myself. I recall Barbara was reading the Upton Sinclair novel: "The Jungle." I remember saying to her, "Pretty gory stuff."
Soon after, we were talking and then -- dating. I have tell you -- it was wonderful. Those next several weeks were some of the happiest of my life -- well, with the exception of hitting a huge tri at Suffolk Downs some years later.
Yet, as the weeks had progressed and the course had come to an end, I began to sense a cooling in Barbara's attitude toward me. It was kinda subtle. Little things. I dismissed it as nothing particularly important. Maybe, she was having trouble with her parents? Who knows?
Then, one fall night, I took Barabara to a movie; we later went "parking." As I went to kiss her; she eased away. I remember saying, "What's wrong?" I'll never forget her reply: "I don't think we're right for each other." It was as if
she had just hit me with a sharp overhand jab to the choppers and then quickly followed that up with a sharp uppercut right into the "labonza."
Well, I have to tell you (I’m trying to tell an honest story here) I started crying like a baby. Tears are flowing down my cheeks like Niagara Falls. Just then, to add insult to injury, a cop comes by checking on people who were watching the "submarine races." Only I’m bawling away like I just missed the Pick-6 carryover at "The Big A." He motions me to open the car window. "What’s wrong?" he says, "Oh nothing, officer." (Not really). He walks away. Yet, as we were about to drive off. I remember saying to Barbara, "Is there any chance for us?" I recall her saying-- matter-a-factly, "Where’s there’s life, there’s hope."
Well, for the next several weeks, I was in a trance. I wasn’t eating. Hardly slept. It’s amazing I was able to teach school (I had just started my first teaching position). And, I kept calling Barabara almost daily. Most of the time
her mother would pick up the phone and say she wasn’t there. I tried writing her. No replies. I even sent her a dozen roses for her birthday. Nothing. Nada.
Eventually, I did give up. But not after much angst. In hindsight, I had been a complete fool. I had let my heart rule my head.
Just recently, I’m betting over the Internet. I had just missed – by inches — a several "bones" trifecta. I had the first two horses – medium longshots – but I couldn’t get my third horse home. Ouch!! Ouch!!
Well, I let is slip away, mentally. I wanted to recoup. To get revenge. To win. But, then, just like my ill-fated relationship with Barbara,
I started making irrational decisions. Just like those frequent phone calls and letters that went unanswered. I was pouring more and more money down the rat hole.
Oh, it wasn't so much that I had lost; it was the way I had done it! Without getting up, stepping back, and taking account of what was going on, I kept punting away. I literally coundn’t see "the forest for the trees."
As for Barabara. I don’t know whatever became of her. One of our mutual
friends had told me that she accepted a teaching position out of state. I would never lay eyes on her lovely face, again.
As I think back, life is filled with youthful indisgressions. It’s by the time we reach adulthood that we should have learned our lessons. But that would be wishful thinking.
Oh, by the way, before I leave you. One line from "Something Wild"
always stuck in the back of my mind. "Remember, no matter what, it's better
to be a live dog than a dead lion."