So glad I didn’t wash my hair!

Today is my sweet husband’s birthday. So happy birthday to the love of my life. Stay with me….getting to the hair part.

If I said he’s my EVERYTHING, I would not be exaggerating. Who knew so many years ago when I first met him it would be the one I end up spending my life with, sharing memories with, raising children and grandchildren with.  I certainly didn’t know. I actually thought he was annoying.  So let me explain our love story and then you will know why.

It was the summer of 1972 after my senior year in high school. Those summer days were spent on our houseboat on Caddo Lake. I had just gotten in from the lake so I had “lake” hair – dirty from being in the water. My hair was long and thick, straight, parted down the middle, you get the picture. It was the 70’s.

David was dating a girl I went to high school with. They both worked summer jobs where their fathers worked and that’s how they met.  Nancy Alexander, where the heck are you now?  Anyway, Nancy begged me to go with her to the company family skate night at a local skating rink.  Yeah, I know….skating is so lame when you’re out of high school. My excuse for not wanting to go was my hair was dirty – must stay home and wash my hair. Nancy was relentless so off I go to the skating rink. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…….

All I could think about when I got there was how quick I could leave. Didn’t know anyone except Nancy who was flitting around enjoying herself with all her work buddies. Then it happened. Nancy introduced me to David and one of his other work friends who had figured out a way to endure skate night with fellow employees – go to a bar before you go.  Let me just say I was not at all impressed. David thought he was so cute flirting with me, skating up behind and tapping me on the opposite shoulder so I would turn around the wrong way. How stupid and childish. Really?

Now here’s the part where I get stuck with my future husband. Nancy decides she wants to take a joy ride in someone’s Thunderbird which leaves me stranded. So sweet little David offered to give me a ride home.  Thankfully, he had sobered up by then and off we go.  He thought he was so cool, college guy, a guy with a brand new Montego, as in he had only had it a few days. After we pulled up in my driveway, he asked me to go on a date that next Friday.  I can’t believe I said yes, dirty hair and all, but I said yes. I got half way to my front door and realized I didn’t even know his last name. So I turned around, tapped on his car window, and said, “I don’t know your last name”, to which he replied, “That’s okay. I don’t know your’s either.”  Little did I realize his last name would one day be my last name.

Happy birthday, love.  So glad you were the one for me. So happy to be your wife for the past 37 years. Thankful I didn’t wash my hair.