It's That Pivotal Moment

When I started my sophomore year of college, I was thinner than when I had left the following spring (oh the pain of the freshman 15-20-30!)and more determined to make the Dean's List. I ran cross country again that year. We ran every day in the afternoon. Most every weekend there was a meet somewhere in the greater Chicago area. That was most of my life that fall semester of 1990; classes to attend and cross country practice in the afternoons with meets on Saturdays.

It was most, but not all of my life. I had begun to have a crush on a certain fellow classmate. It started during "O" week. "O" week is Orientation week for the freshman and transfers. Upperclassman tried out the previous spring to be on one of the staffs, Freshman Orientation Staff, Transfer Staff, or Camp Staff, that would lead the week's festivities. I had really enjoyed my freshman orientation week and wanted to make it as fun for the next group, so I had tried out and was chosen for "O" staff. During that week, we held different activities and Bible studies for the freshman to get acquainted with each other and their new school. It culminated in a skit show at the end of the week before they headed off to camp with the Camp Staff for the weekend.

This crush of mine was also on "O" staff. But it wasn't until the Camp Staff skit show on Saturday night, that I started to really think how cute he was. "O" staff's responsibilities were finished except to have a skit in the Camp Staff skit show. I don't remember our full skit, but I remember the parts I and that cute guy had. We each had to hold a piece of poster board. His said "CUR", mine "TAINS." Our role was simple, we were on stage at the beginning holding the posterboards together, our heads hidden behind. When the narrator began reading, he said, "The curtains parted" and we were to walk away like we were angry with each other. Our next part didn't come until the end when the narrator read, "And the curtains came together." We then were to quickly walk on stage, like lovers who were making up after an argument. It was that moment that I thought, hmmm, I wouldn't mind actually being this guy's girlfriend.

But how could that happen? I wasn't going to ask him and did he even know I existed? So I decided I would at least make sure he knew and remembered me the rest of the school year. As the school year began and daily life meant classes and running practice, I tried my best to be in the same areas he was. Although we had no classes in common, we did have lots of mutual friends. Therefore meals were the easiest time to be around him.

As the quarter continued, and I was getting to know this tall, dark, and handsome classmate, I was becoming more and more smitten. But I still didn't know what he thought. Was I simply another one of the good friends, who happened to be a girl? Did he already have a girlfriend? Questions, questions, always swirling questions, but never any answers. Would I ever know?

One day while all the gang was together chatting, the conversation turned towards what we thought our life would look like. I distinctly remember David saying that "I have no doubt I will be an elder in the church and be there every Sunday." I remember being so awed by that statement and knowing that David was the kind of guy I would like to date and eventually marry. He was smart, funny, a Lutheran, and proud of it.

It was becoming obvious to other people that I liked David. We were always around each other, although it was always with other people. I had several people ask me if David and I were dating, my reply was always, "I'm working on it," while grinning ear to ear. It was even easy to go to his room. His roommate, Roy, and other good friends, Scott, and Tim were also my friends. They tried to tell me that David liked me, but I always wondered why he never asked me out. But as fall quarter had turned to winter quarter and Christmas break had come and gone, I knew that I still liked him, and maybe, just maybe he might like me.

Super Bowl Sunday he invited me over to watch the game with him, Roy, Scott, and Tim. I remember having a great time watching the game and watching them watch football. At halftime I remember suddenly being aware that we were alone. Then I remember that David reached over and quickly gave me a kiss. It was that pivotal moment - I knew he really did like me!

And tonight is marks the 19th time we'll watch the Super Bowl together.