Speaking Up

Story #86, page 171 of Grab Your Tiger

by Shannon M. Dean, Odessa, Florida

I may be one the few women, if any, in the world who at one point actually dated a Tom (a few years my junior), a Dick (a few years my senior) and a Harry (about my age) during my early thirties.

One May Sunday in 1973, Tom had agreed to attend a Russian Art Exhibit with me in D.C., but arrived quite late, never calling to explain that he had broken a finger playing baseball. After waiting in line at the exhibit a boring three hours with him, I certainly didn’t want to dine with him later, as well.

After he left, I did want to go out, though, so I called up Dick. We went out to dinner, but by the time we got back at nine, I still felt antsy. If I had then called Harry, my whole life would probably be different.

Instead I hopped in my car and drove to Georgetown to a singles dance I knew about. By the time I walked into the room and looked around, I realized there wasn’t anyone of interest to me, so I just sat watching people.

About half an hour later, out of the corner of my left eye, I noticed a handsome black haired man walking the full length of the rectangular bar area. Then he continued going round and round and round. After I counted his tenth full circuit, I stopped him to ask, “Do you know you’re walking in circles?”

Though I certainly didn’t realize it then, that night was the beginning of a friendship which has lasted thirty years and counting. He’s told me he intended to talk to me, but saw other guys talking to me, so he didn’t.

If I hadn’t gone out on that proverbial limb...

We had one movie date that month. Then over Memorial Day I attended a Folk Dancing Camp in West Virginia. Unfortunately, it rained most of the weekend. On Sunday I had a chance to leave early if I could get a ride from Frederick back to my apartment an hour away. I racked my brain for someone to call who might pick me up and thought about Ed, the circles man I had recently met who had told me he always spent Sunday afternoons at his parents’ house. Out of the blue I called him, and he agreed to drive two hours each way to pick me up! He soared in my estimation from that day on.

A few weeks later my sister in Baltimore set up a blind date for me for a certain Saturday night, but at the last minute the man backed out. I called my sister and asked, “Do you think it’s too weird if I call up a guy I’ve recently met who asked me to go to a Ski Club picnic on the same day as that date that fell through and say my plans have changed so I can go now?” She quickly answered, “It’s worth a try.” So I did. He was still dateless. We went together. Our first really Big Date.

On the first day of Spring in 1975, we married and had our first son in October of 1976 and our twin sons an hour and two hours before my 39th birthday in mid-August of 1978. This past spring, we celebrated thirty years of walking in circles, together, on a four-island Hawaiian tour.

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