Summer, 1978. Boy can sing. Girl plays the flute. Making music for a wedding brings them together. Girl thinks: he’s smart and funny and has nice eyes. Boy thinks: she has nice boobs.
The duet has a sweet sound. Boy asks, ‘Encore?” Girl smiles, yes. Boy thinks: she’s cute. His finger brushes her’s. She nabs his hand. They walk by the lake, talk away the night: ‘Tolkien? No way. Me too.’ ‘Cockburn? Dylan? Lightfoot? They’re my favourites, too.’ ‘Africa? What? Me too!’… By sunrise, boy thinks: she’s smart and funny and has nice… um, hair.
There’s a kiss. Then, ‘I do.’ ‘I do.’ A honeymoon backpack through the Rockies. Boy builds a house. Girl thinks: he rocks the tool belt. Boy thinks: the girl can swing a hammer.
Duet becomes trio, then quartet, quintet… Life belts out it’s big beautiful song, high notes, bone-shaking lows, sharps, flats, discord, harmony, dazzling melodies, missing beats—
Thirty-seven years and the duet plays on. Boy takes girl on mountain hikes and forest rambles. Girl still thinks: he’s smart and funny and has kind eyes. Girl takes boy on shore walks and ocean adventures. Boy still thinks: she’s smart and funny and has nice boobs.
Spring, 2016: Boy photographs an ancient forest. Girl thinks: the boy can rock a camera. Girl looks up, wondering at stories scribbled in the branches. Boy thinks: the girl has a way with words. He says, ‘You’re cute. Let’s make music.’ Girl smiles. ‘Encore!’
Such a beautiful love story!! Love the wedding photo too!
And we know what ‘the boy’ in the picture is thinking, don’t we.
Love this post. You fought for it and won!
Thanks, Marie. It’s been an adventure for sure. And we’ve got our Tilleys so we are ready for more.
Beautiful Heather!
Thanks, Pam. We’re signing on for another thirty-seven.
Congratulations!
You should tell the Summer 1978 story more fully sometime.
You’ll have to wait for ‘The Colour of Sky’ to hit the book shelves. It’s all in there but names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Another fabulous journal page and post. Thanks. It sure filled the room with wonderful memories this morning. Boys who wear capes and beards, girls struggling with a wedding day hair do. Boys who don’t know who in the world the wedding photographer is. Yes, lots of chuckles this morning.
John was just remembering yesterday that it was 37 years ago that Shauna and I were in Toronto for your wedding, and he was home alone getting ready for a day at school, before heading down to Toronto for the wedding. He started the car and left it to warm up in the driveway, while he went back into the house to get his things. The car shifted itself into reverse gear in the driveway, and drove itself out onto the street without anyone in it. He chased it down the street and was only able to jump into the driver’s seat when the door hit a tree and slowed down enough for him to fling himself into the car and slam on the brakes. Pretty scary at the time, but a hoot of a story now.
I look forward to reading The Colour of Sky
One thing I know for sure, being part of this family I will never run out of source material for stories.
Glad John made it in one piece. And, didn’t I look like Miss Texas 1959 when the hairdresser finished with me. Thankfully I had my sisters to calm the mess down.
Happy Anniversary, Dear. I like this story 🙂
You make me happy!
Well, you should like it, you are the hero of it after all.
The Hero & his Princess what a love story that still continues.
Enjoyed the art work & your quotes too.
Congrats on 37 years of adventures ~~~ Wishing you many many more.
Thanks, Charlene. I’d say we’re more like a pair of funky socks than hero and princess but we are a good match 🙂