Bucksport Days - My Prince in Shining Armor

I confess -

I was a flirt, a boy-crazy girl! From the time I can remember, I've always had a special "boyfriend" - not particularly in a romantic sense, but a boy who paid special attention to me. Interestingly, most of them were named Randy or Andy.

(What can I say? I must have been a cutie! *smile*) 

When we first moved to Bucksport, I had a boyfriend. But when school started - he wasn't the kind of person I thought him to be and dropped him unmercifully. (I also confess that I was often quite rude to those I didn't like...sorry!)

Well - at that point, I decided that I had enough of boyfriends. I would just ignore them and concentrate on finishing high school.  I hung out with the kids from church (boys and girls) and I was happy with that arrangement. The church had an active youth group. We went on hayrides, progressive suppers, worked as leaders at AWANA, etc.

One Saturday in December, we had rented the pool at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine for the AWANA kids. Of course, they needed chaperones, and all the leaders got to enjoy the outing too. While we were waiting for the last kids to change back into their clothes, Randy Blake, asked me if I would like to go to a basketball game with him and a few other people.

I was stunned and honored and excited and all that goes with realizing that someone notices you. To me, Randy Blake was not a boy. He was a man, a mature adult - out of school. (only 4 years older, but I didn't know that at the time) I couldn't wait to go home and tell my parents about him. Of course, I knew him, but I didn't know that he had been watching me - and even liked me ever since we moved into the area. He was just patiently waited for the right time to say something.

Randy picked me up in his dark green Camaro. (although I wasn't impressed - I didn't know one kind of car from another) The bucket seats were already filled with three other boys. He put a cushion between the front seats for a place for me. (no seat belt laws then)

I don't remember much about the basketball game at the Bangor Auditorium, but I do know that I was tremendously impressed that Randy would not allow the boy in the passenger seat to play rock n' roll music on the radio. He said, "This is my car, and I will choose what kind of music in it." I knew, somehow I KNEW right then, that this was the one I would marry. This is the type of man I wanted -  someone with strong moral convictions.

All evening long, he treated me like a queen - opening doors, helping me with my coat (not something I was used to), paying for my snacks, etc. When he dropped me off, he took my hand and kissed the back of it. (I could have melted! It was so sweet!)

(On a comical side, my father had forgotten that I was out and locked the doors. He never worried about me. He often did the same thing when I was babysitting too. So, Randy hung around until I woke my family, so that they could open the door. He said, "When I have girls, I'll never lock the door on them."  Ha Ha - I don't think our door has ever been locked. )