I never had a girlfriend in high school. Dates never turned into relationships. It was a rare occasion when I went out with a girl more than once. I have a cousin who would occasionally set me up on blind dates. We would double date on these occasions to try and make things go well. Things never clicked on these dates. There was one evening that seems more memorable than the others.
My cousin and his girlfriend were trying to set me up with a girl that I was interested in. I thought that if I encouraged them to set me up with anyone, I would end up on a date with the dream girl. One Friday at school, I told my cousin to just set me up with someone over the weekend. My cousin and his girlfriend went to work on arranging something for Saturday.
On Saturday evening, my cousin came by my house to get me. We proceeded to his girlfriend’s house. Her parents invited us into their living room to wait for the girls. Soon I found out that this night was not going to go how I hoped it would. It would be a bad night. How did I know it would be bad? My cousin’s girlfriend came out of her bedroom looking me straight in the eye. Not making a sound, she mouthed these words:
“I’m Sorry”
My date for the night was following her. It was not who I was hoping for.
I was disappointed. The teen dating scene was not working for me. I always ended up on dates with girls that I didn’t want to be with. Every date was coordinated by friends just like this one. But no one had ever felt the need to apologize as it was starting. The girl seemed to be uncomfortable with the situation from the beginning. I was having a hard time being my usual, charming self. I know I wasn’t bad or mean that night, but I’m not sure I would describe myself as nice. I like to think that I’m the kind of guy that’s always “on” in any situation. That night, I was having a hard time just being polite. I don’t remember much conversation. I remember less eye contact. This would be the pattern for the entire night.
Our plan was to go to the movies. That seemed like a good idea. But we had decided to go see the PG rated version of Saturday Night Fever. The original version of this film was released in 1977, This was two years later and this version was released to attract teenagers who had made the soundtrack album a hit but weren’t old enough to see the R rated version. The filmmaker’s strategy worked. At least it did that night. The theater was packed with groups of teenage girls. Any other night, I would have been there with my buddies, thrilled to be surrounded with young women running amok, excited with prospects of love and too scared to say anything. It was a shy, teenage boy’s fantasy come true. And I could have been there in that situation.
The night couldn’t end too soon for me. After the movie, I was ready to go home. We did go ride around town before we took the girls home. I felt myself slumping down in the backseat of my cousin’s card, not wanting to be seen. I’m not proud of it today, but I was embarrassed to be on a blind date with a girl that someone felt compelled to apologize for. A stop at one of the popular places to hang out would normally be welcome. A chance to stretch our legs catch-up with all my friends. This time, it just made me more visible to my little world. The night was getting even longer.
I don’t remember our paths ever crossing again after that night. I still think I owe her an apology.