It was the fall of 1962 when everything began to change. I was only 17. I had always thought it was ironic that everything started to happen in the fall. It was… poetic. Everything I had known for the past seventeen years was beginning to fall apart. I remember sitting outside one day after school when I noticed the leaves beginning to change. I sat there marveling at the beauty of nature. As I sat, I noticed a single leaf disconnect from a branch and fall gently and quietly down to the green grass below. It was the first leaf I watched fall and as it fell, I felt strange. I felt, for a moment, that I was that tree and that something within me was beginning to disconnect. It was an awfully strange feeling and I immediately felt ridiculous and convinced myself that I was being silly.
* * *
The next day, I drove myself to school, as I normally did. It was a Wednesday, and I hadn’t any activities after school. In fact, I had nothing planned. I proceeded to my first period class which was English. I enjoyed this class, we were on the poetry unit.
That day we were supposed to be reading to ourselves silently and while we were doing that, I noticed something white being placed on my desk with the corner of my eye. I peered above my book and saw a folded piece of paper. Curious, I picked up the paper and unfolded it. I can’t remember exactly what it read but it had a mini poem on it written in a nearly unreadable script. As I struggled to make sense out of the scribbled letters, I felt something gently touch my shoulder. I quickly placed the note on the desk and looked around to see who had tapped me. I looked to my right and I saw Denny Wright smiling at me. I’d been going to school with him for as long as I can remember but never spoke much with him. He looked to see if Ms. Astin was looking and handed me another piece of folded paper. He smiled again and went back to his book.
I anxiously unfolded the second note and was surprised to read the words, VIOLA, MEET ME AFTER CLASS. I wondered why he’d want to see me, maybe for homework help? People didn’t really talk to me unless they needed some form of help with homework. I glanced at him and nodded. His icy-blue eyes seemed to light up as he smiled. We both went back to reading.
The bell rang and I packed my stuff into my bag and began to walk out into the hallway. I walked towards my locker where I found Denny. He smiled and greeted me when he saw that I had noticed him.
“Hey Viola! I-umm.”
“Hey Denny, how are you?” I interjected. I didn’t really know what to say, he was acting very odd.
“Good! Good- hey would you want to go to the drive in tonight? We could go and get milkshakes at the Diner after, my treat! What do you say?” Danny looked at me with hopeful eyes. I impulsively answered yes. He seemed very pleased and gave me an awkward hug before going to class. I stood at my locker trying to make sense of what happened. Did I just get asked out!? I was overwhelmed with excitement. I hadn’t ever been asked out on a date, and was happy that it had finally happened. My excitement was quickly replaced with fear once I realized that I was going to go on a date that night. I was just hoping that I wouldn’t mess it up. Denny was really cute; he was tall with dark brown hair that brought how is strikingly icy blue eyes. He seemed really nice, I remember he once helped me pick up my papers when my bag decided to give out and rip sophomore year.
I went throughout the day going to my classes and fighting conflicting emotions. I drove home nervous to tell my parents where I was going. They agreed to let me go as long as my homework was finished. I remember sitting in my room watching the clock tick and as the hours passed my stomach seemed to be filling with violently fluttering butterflies. I brushed out my long, strawberry blonde hair and put a blue ribbon in it to complement the blue and white dress I had chosen to wear. At 7:30 I heard the doorbell. I think my heart stopped for a good ten seconds; I remember my mother calling my name while I stood there, dumbstruck. Once my heart was beating again, I nervously grabbed my bag and headed down the stairs.
