I was busy in the shop today….sanding away, minding my business. The air cleaner was loudly humming, in competition with the big vacuum in the corner. My hands vibrated wildly as I slowly moved the sander over the wood. I didn’t have half a thought going through my head, working from repetition, and my earphones (earbuds for those <30 years old) softly playing classic rock. I was more sensing the music than listening.

Then that one song came on. Lyrics began to collect and surface in the front of my head. It caused me to stop, turn off the sander and remember the phrasing. I am sure you also have that one song that makes you stop and listen intently, wanting to sing along. Mine is ‘Danny’s Song’, sung by Kenny Loggins. And don’t ask me why but it does drift me back to the early 70s, when life began…..

It was the fall of 1972, the first weeks of our college band class. Not a huge band, only 50 or so students, but enough to sound good. We had a decent jazz band and a concert band. But there were only two of us drummers for four different parts causing us to hustle at times. We took advantage of the time when the band director worked with the woodwinds on some sans-drums part. It was during one of those breaks that we two drummers had a very perceptive, meaningful discussion of great importance…..

“So which of these band girls would you want to date?” the other drummer asked while we waited for something to do.

“What?…Hmmm….lets see….”. I quickly scanned the room but locked onto my answer in no time at all. “It has to be that little red-headed girl in the first chair clarinet”. I replied. We had the advantage of looking over the entire set of band students from our perch, high on the top riser. “Yep, definitely the red-headed girl!”. There were no seconds.

He selected the cow girl in the trumpet section….”naw”, I thought.

Nothing happened with the conversation and I don’t know if he lassoed the girl with the cowboy boots or not. I do know I was too shy to talk with the little red-headed girl needless to say, ask her out… But I did get to watch her during every band class that followed… She had such a straight back as she sat perched on the edge of her chair playing. Her long red hair cascading down her back to her waist…..”Ahhh “.

Later, I was sitting on the lawn talking with friends I had met. My eyes were red and teary as I sneezed due to the grass and pollen. My sleeve wet from wiping away tears. Then, from behind, came the little red-headed girl. It seemed she also knew my friends! So she stopped to talk then joined us on the lawn. I thought “She is sitting with me….er…us!” I was, “ACHOO!”, ecstatic. She then put down her books and reached into her purse, pulling out a box of Kleenex. “Here”, she offered.

That was the first of many days of sharing tissues on the lawn and getting to know each other. We shared friends, the love for music, and a good tissue. It was that fall (November 19 to be exact….how’s that for a memory?) she agreed to go on a date with me….and our friends. I remember driving to her house with another guy in tow.  I made certain that he understood she was with me, not him! We were there to pick her up but she was my date and not his!  Boy was I nervous.

My voice squeaked like I still had years to go before puberty. I guess you could call it a first date, with lots of friends. We went to a concert at a church in her town and hung out as a group after. But it was magical to be with her. I remember thinking… this is going to bring a tear of joy to my eyes!

Now years later, people smile and tell me I’m the lucky one. And we’ve only just begun….