After the Starbuck's evening, which was delightful, our next meeting was at the Happy State Bank Downtown Branch open house...two days afterwards. I was again so ridiculously nervous, I couldn't keep my hands dry! Now, one thing that happens when I get really nervous or embarrassed or upset, is my birthmark on my neck becomes bright red...to the people who don't know me, it looks like a hickey...of all things!
So, I get to the branch and visit with Bill Bandy, Gary and Gary's other friend, Charlie Cox. If you know Charlie, and many people do, you know he is such a character and quite comedic. He loves to give people a hard time in a fun way. However, this particular night, he really GOT me!
I'm already nervous as a cat because it's only my fourth time to be around Gary and I'm still trying to impress him. It's obvious to each of us that we like each other, but we both are really nervous. So, Charlie proceeds to comment on the hickey on my neck and in front of everyone, asks if Gary gave it to me!! Oh my goodness, I felt the blood rush into my cheeks, my nose, my forehead, my ears...from my neck up, I was beet red! Even that embarrassed me to tears almost...not sad tears, but laughing tears. It's impossible to make the red go out of your face when you're that embarrassed. We all laughed at that one and still to this day get a good laugh from it.
The night was coming to a close and Gary asked me if I'd ever been to the Cattle Baron's Ball? I said, yes, I have. Then he asked if I'd like to go this coming Saturday night? I'm BEYOND excited that he asked...because it seemed like he was asking me on our first "official" date! Of course, I said YES! What does he do next? He hands me a ticket to the Ball and asks if we can meet out there between 7:00 and 7:30. I said sure. I have to admit, at that moment, I was a little disappointed that he handed me a ticket and didn't say, "I'll pick you up between 7:00 and 7:30." However, the Lord had been working on me regarding "boundaries" in this relationship. I couldn't remember going out with someone who seemed so emotionally healthy regarding boundaries in a relationship.
In my journal, I have several entries that I thanked God for showing me what a healthy relationship/courtship looked like. This was it. Even though I'd never been in a relationship quite like this one, I knew it was right and healthy.
It actually turned out well that he didn't pick me up because I was so nervous and distraught about what I would wear that night, I thought I might have to cancel going altogether! I think I changed outfits at least four times before I finally settled on a white pair of pants and a really colorful sweater set. My goodness, that took a long time. I finally arrived at the Cattle Baron's Ball and walked over to the table where Gary and Charlie and his wife, Tami, were at. Gary looked up at me and smiled. The butterflies in my stomach flew away and instantly, all was well.
It was this night that Gary learned that my favorite song is Sweet Home Alabama. I love to 2-step to this song as well. We asked the band to play it, but while I was there, it never played. Later, a few of us decided we wanted to go country & western dancing, so I ran home to change into boots and jeans...the white pants and sandals wouldn't cut it for 2-stepping. Well, guess what? Gary called me as I was driving down I-40 headed for my house and said, "guess what the band's playing?" He held his phone out to pick up the loud music and what did I hear? None other than Sweet Home Alabama! I couldn't believe it and neither could he.
We met at the Nat parking lot and thought about going in there to dance, but ended up going to Graham's Central Station. We danced and danced until our feet hurt. One particular song came on that I will never forget dancing to...The Broken Road by Rascal Flats..."God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you..." As we danced to this song, and held each other...the words washed over me as if the song was written just for us. I remember thinking, "Lord, this is too good to be true! How can I be dancing with this wonderful man? How did this happen? To me? I don't deserve a man as wonderful as him." This was a "dream night" for me. I completely enjoyed myself, danced with a wonderful man and didn't drink a drop of liquor. This might well be a first for me...a good first. I am a new person, yet the new clothes took some getting used to. I was trying, but it was all so hard to believe from my point of view. After all the bad I'd done, how could God give me such a wonderful night like this?
Although my spiritual clothes were new, there were still some old thoughts roaming around in my mind. The guilt, shame and condemnation from my past continued to haunt me-especially now that something wonderful was happening. (I would fight these old thoughts for a few more years before finally being free from them completely.)
When Gary drove me back to my car to drop me off, I had no expectations of him kissing me goodnight and that was a relief. We'd had such a great time and he said he'd be in touch. I was confident he'd call again because the night seemed magical.
Sure enough, I was about a block away and he called. :)) He asked if I'd like to go the movie with him the next day, Sunday. Possibly see a matinee`...he wanted to see Million Dollar Baby. And, of course, I said. . .yes.
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