After three months in South America and six weeks of student teaching Catholic high school girls, I headed to Burgos, Spain, with 30 students and a handful of professors from Iowa State and the University of Iowa. It would be my way of earning the final credits of my dual degree. Linda, a high school… Continue reading Loneliest Study Abroad Ever
Category: firsts
Flyboy Fail
Offutt Airforce Base is just outside of Omaha. You could spot an air force guy anywhere in town because of his close haircut, back in the day of long-haired hippie dudes. A clean-cut guy in a uniform worked for a lot of women, and I was no exception. We met at a dance bar, and… Continue reading Flyboy Fail
Secret Agent Man
He was a familiar face from the dancing circuit. He told me he’d been thinking about me, and that we should dance. As in, no one else could dance with me the entire night. The next night we met and danced again. The day after that we had our first date and danced again. Fifteen… Continue reading Secret Agent Man
Dance with Me, Young Jeremy
Each dance bar in Omaha ended the night with its signature song. One bar closed with Last Dance by Donna Summer, another used Shout from the Blues Brothers movie (by the Isley Brothers) as its sign-off song. But my fave dance bar closed with the song New York, New York. It seemed an odd choice… Continue reading Dance with Me, Young Jeremy
Annie Oakley Meets Buffalo Bill
Aaron met Katie on Plenty of Fish. She didn’t message him back for months. For their first date, he took her duck hunting. She brought her own gun. He brought a boat and the friend who owned it. The trio didn’t’ talk much because they had to be quiet to get a duck. It was… Continue reading Annie Oakley Meets Buffalo Bill
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Match Date
Ingrid had been on the online website for a little over a month. She had tried meeting a few guys but only if they were willing to email back and forth and actually pick up a phone and call. Fred had flirted and called, and now it was time for them to meet. He was… Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Match Date
Stupid Is as Stupid Does
Lesley was a college freshman at University of the Pacific in Stockton, when a big football player type guy asked her on a date. Lesley had already met his roommate, so she thought she was safe with Chad and said yes. Chad took Lesley to a party, but when his roommate came up to say… Continue reading Stupid Is as Stupid Does
Ruthie Ann’s Designing Man
Ruthie Ann worked as a graphic designer in Cortez, Colorado. She met an architect named Edmond through her position on the design review board. He was about twenty years older but smart and distinguished looking with his gray hair and eyes. She liked the work he’d done around the Durango train station. Edmond asked Ruthie… Continue reading Ruthie Ann’s Designing Man
Desperado
Another Omaha first date was with a tall, thin but attractive man who was a few years older and reminded me of James Taylor. Kevin took me to the standard dinner and a movie and then wanted to show me his house. It was a summer night, and after the obligatory tour, we sat on… Continue reading Desperado
Teddy Bear With Back Hair
When I lived in Omaha for eight years in my twenties, I dated almost all the eligible men I met in my age range, at least once — shorter guys, smokers, non-dancers, younger guys, poorer guys (I was a school teacher!) and guys with facial hair. But I NEVER dated a guy with back hair… Continue reading Teddy Bear With Back Hair
