Today is Rikki Miller’s wedding day, and thinking about her and what great parents she has brought an old story to mind – my first date. I grew up in Ravenswood on a farm out on Pleasant View Ridge, had pop-bottle glasses, freckles, red hair, a gangly bookworm who would rather be in the library than anywhere…..which means dates weren’t just lining up – my first husband said until I got contacts, I was the face only a mother could love:) Anyway, my friend had gotten a brand new car – she was an only child and her parents spoiled her terribly, and her new car was a Camaro, I think, bright red and very sporty, of course. She had met these boys in Ripley and was wanting to fix me up with one of them. I was game but very nervous, of course. I had never been on a date, was only 15 and not allowed to date, so it would be a huge juggle just to get permission to even do anything. Rick Miller was my friend’s date, and I was to meet the other one. My parents said they had to meet the boy and I was not allowed to go anywhere in a car, so they had to come to our home, which they agreed to do. Well, what do you do on a farm with two boys you don’t even know, your mother right there – awkward! There was this really neat “haunted house” that was a couple miles or so back in the woods, and we used to walk there on Sunday afternoons as teenagers – it had like newspaper for wallpaper, two-story house clear back in the middle of nowhere, very interesting – I always wondered how in the world they got the materials back there and all that. Anyway, we take this walk back into the woods, find the house, look around it for a bit and begin to return home. Mind you, it took at least an hour to get to the house, so by the time we headed back, it was probably getting close to dark. My dad was on midnights, so he would need to leave for work around 10:30, I guess, but we would certainly be back by then. We head back, and it seems like we’re walking forever and ever, and it’s getting darker and darker. We had this old cow bell in front of our house that stood on a big pole, and mom would ring it when it was time to come for dinner and things like that. Well, we’re in the woods and I hear that bell ringing. That meant mom was warning me to get home, get home! We were trying, we really were, but somehow we’d messed our route up and we were just wandering around and around. The bell would ring, and we’d try to get our bearings as to which way to head, then there would be silence, then more ringing. I could tell mom was getting frantic, knowing dad would be up soon and we’d be in trouble. Well, before we know it, it’s almost fully dark, and we are still wandering, wandering. I was getting more nervous about how much trouble I was going to be in than the fact that we were lost in a briar patch with two strange boys who probably were wishing they’d never met these Ravenswood girls. The bell kept ringing, but we weren’t getting any closer, and it was too dark to see much. All the sudden, we hear this roar of a motorcycle coming. I said, “Oh, no, dad’s coming!” We all sort of froze, and into the briar patch he tears, comes to an abrupt stop and hollers out, “You need to GET HOME!” The boys stand there white as a ghost, and I’m about to cry, and we all say, “Yes, sir,” and off he goes. We are then able to follow the motorcycle path through the dark, quiet as can be. I’m thinking this is about as disastrous a first date as anyone ever had, and word will probably spread through even Ripley that asking me on a date is more trouble than it’s worth. We get to the road that leads to my parents’ house, are beginning to walk down the hill to the house, and up comes this truck. It’s Tim Staats from Ravenswood, and he stops and says, “What are you guys doing?” I give him the short version of the story, we got lost, got in trouble, dad’s about to have a cow, and we’ve got to get home. He says, “Hop in, I’ll give you a ride, you’ll get there faster.” Sounds like a good idea – we all hop in the back of his truck and he takes off. Well, you may have guessed it – the night CAN get worse. Mom and dad are standing in the yard as Tim slows down like he’s going to let us off and then takes off faster on down the road, with us still in the back, laughing his head off, mom and dad just staring as off we go. By then, I am almost into full panic – I’m banging on the window to the cab of the truck telling Tim he’s truly going to get me killed, I will never be allowed to leave the yard the rest of my life! He drives on a bit and eventually takes us back. Dad is still there waiting for our return so he can leave for work. We get out of the truck, everyone stands there in silence, dad gives us that “I’ll deal with you later” look, throws his helmet on and off he goes. The boys get in their car and leave as fast as they can, and the night is over…..whew, what an ordeal. I will probably never get a boyfriend….. Well, shock of all shocks, my date ends up calling back and we dated for the next two years. He was the best high school boyfriend – very respectful, no pressure, just easy and fun. Well, other than the time he tried to outrun the police on prom night…..oh yeah, we’re standing there taking pictures, and the State Police knock on the door. He’s outrun them from Ripley clear back Flatwoods Road and up our road, and he gets hauled out to their car while I stand watching in my prom dress. My dad said later, “Well, if I’d known, I would have hid his car in the garage.” Right, like he is going to think that the same guy who roared into the briar patch on his motorcycle was going to aid and abet him outrunning the police! Dad said, “Well, I’ve had to escape from the police a couple times myself:)” Rick and my friend might have gone out one more time and it was over – and he has been blessed to be married to Brenda for all these years and has raised some incredible daughters, one of which becomes a wife today! And you wonder where’s the spiritual lesson? Well, our heavenly Father is just like our earthly Father. When we’re missing, He comes looking for us, invites us back home, and stands by the road waiting for our return, with that mix of love and conviction. I’d ask you, are you lost today? Do you need to be found? If so, there is a Father who loves you beyond your ability to comprehend it, and He wants a relationship with you – just reach out with your heart and touch Him!
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 13:09:14 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015