Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Dating Disaster: Forties Style

College boy.
Who wouldn't want to date that face?
Today's post, is in honour of my Dad, and because I have him on my mind.
This should be fun . . .

Dad was home from college for the Christmas vacation in the winter of 1946.
He'd been working very hard (or so he said) and was ready for some fun.
What could be better than a dance?
With girls.
He gussied (real word) up and drove to Raymond, a nearby town.
The band was hot, and the girls were cute.
Heaven.
One young lady (hereafter known as The Girl) particularly took his eye. He asked her to dance.
The Girl agreed.
They danced.
He asked her again. Again she said yes.
They danced.
This went on for some time.
Finally, he asked if he could call on her. This was the 40s. Guys said things like that . . .
The Girl was most agreeable to that suggestion as well.
He floated home.
A couple of days later, he drove out to see her. Now, I should point out, here, that it was only about twenty minutes from Dad's family home to The Girl's family home.
When the conditions were good. As in - during the summer.
But it was winter.
Anything goes.
Dad reached the girl's house just as a blizzard hit. That was okay with him. He was warm and safe.
And he had The Girl totally to himself. Well, totally to himself if one didn't count her parents, siblings, siblings friends, neighbours . . . you get the picture.
They enjoyed a few minutes of conversation. Things were going well. Then, the doorbell rang.
Dum, dum Duuuum! (Actually it probably sounded more like," Bing-bong!" But that would be boring. And totally not-ominous. The story needed ominous-ness.)
Moving on . . .
It was another guy. And from the ensuing conversation, one who was already close friends with The Girl.
For the remainder of the evening, the two young men tried to engage The Girl in conversation.
And glare unobtrusively at each other.
Finally, the evening drew to a close. It was time to leave.
Then, the ANNOUNCEMENT.
I capitalized this because it's important.
The Girl's mother announced that the blizzard had grown so bad that she would allow neither of the suitors to leave. The two of them would have to spend the night.
Okay, not so bad.
Together.
Wait. What?
In the same bed.
Yikes?!
According to Dad, it was the most uncomfortable night he had spent. Ever.
Including his time serving in the army.
At daylight, he peeked out the window. The storm had blown itself out. It was the best sight of his life.
No need to even stop to dress as he'd not bothered to un-dress. In fifteen seconds he was out the front door.
Leaving an astonished The Girl's mother with a batter-coated spoon half-raised in greeting.
Dad left in such a hurry that he even beat the snowplows.
He didn't care.
The sooner he made it home, the sooner he could begin to forget the whole thing.
At the age of ninety, he almost had it.

9 comments:

  1. I assume that The Girl became history?
    A powerful tale. I feel for him in his hurry to leave...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your poor Sad. Stuck in bed with a total stranger who also had his eye on the girl. I'm guessing your Dad never saw her again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can only imagine! Yeah. Strangers in the night, indeed!

      Delete
  3. Seriously, this could be a scene in a movie. Your poor dad!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can't you just see it? Two rivals sharing the same bed. Yikes!

      Delete
  4. Awkward!!

    Hmmm ... one has to wonder why The Girl was encouraging two fellas at once ...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such a great story Diane. So sorry you heart is heavy. Thinking of you dear friend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So many unanswered questions! Was there a shared future for the other guy with the girl? Would history have rewritten itself if the other guy hadn't shown up - or would your dad have lost interest anyway!?

    ReplyDelete

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