Our First Date

Not our first date, but a few months later before Senior Prom.

February 23, 1996.  Pueblo, CO.  The Lamplight Coffee Shop.

Belinda and I had our first date 15 years ago today.  Although we'd known each other since middle school and talked all of the time at school, this was different.  This was one-on-one.  In public.  Face-to-face.  There were no teachers to tell us to stop talking.  In fact, I was worried about talking.  Back then, I wasn't a talker.  Belinda was.

Belinda talked.  A lot.  She was in speech and debate.  She was in choir.  She even chose instruments that she could play and talk at the same time (piano and violin).  Her parents used to joke that they got her into swimming so that they'd at least have a bit of time when her head was underwater and she'd stop talking.

Compare that to me, who hardly talked, even to my close friends.  I played the saxophone, which involves putting something into your mouth.  I had a loud car ('69 Roadrunner!) and a louder stereo so talking in the car wasn't going to happen.  I was more of a listener.

Which brings us back to our date.  Why couldn't our first date have been a movie, or a concert or something where I didn't have to talk?  Instead, I picked coffee.  Not much to do at a coffee shop besides talk.  I was nervous, maybe even scared, but there was no way I was going to call if off.  I'd had a crush on Belinda since middle school and wasn't going to blow it again (we dated for a few days in the 8th grade, but (surprise, surprise) I didn't talk to her after I asked her out so she dumped me).

She tried really hard to get me to talk.  She asked me what I was thinking.  She asked me open ended questions that I had to give answers to.  She didn't talk just to fill the silence.  And you know what?  I talked.  I talked and she talked and it wasn't that bad.  I actually enjoyed it.

I enjoyed it so much that we haven't stopped talking.  We haven't stopped hanging out in coffee shops.  The conversation might have changed over the years and we probably work a little more and talk a little less than we should when we hang out, but we still enjoy our coffee shop dates.

Fifteen years ago, who would have thought that that chubby band-geek who didn't say much would end up marrying his high school sweetheart who was (and still is) beautiful and always had something to say?  Sometimes I still can't believe it.

Thank you, Belinda, for asking me what I was thinking and getting me to talk.  I wouldn't be the person I am today without you in my life.  So, want to get a cup of coffee?  I've got so much to tell you...