In 1976 a high school boy in his Junior year asked a high school girl (also in her Junior year) out on a date. The date was to be for Valentines Day which would fall on the coming Saturday. It was to be their first date. The two kids had known each other since the beginning of the school year in September of 1975. He was a transfer student from a nearby school-the happy accident of family financial catastrophe that forced them to move. She was born and raised in the district-well known and well liked.

They had gotten to know each other fairly well in the months leading up to the date. She initiated the relationship by asking him to gather her homework assignments while she and her family went on a week’s vacation. He said he would and then didn’t. She got mad at him on her return but seemed to forgive him. Though they never saw each other outside of school before the date, they were fairly inseparable, just enjoying each other’s company in the hallways and lunchroom.

More that one teacher commented they had become each other’s shadow. She was studious, thoughtful and an athlete; a swimmer. He was the new kid-still grounded in the friendships from his previous school. He didn’t care for the new school: except for her.

And, yes, the kids do have names; his/mine is Don. Hers is Debbie. 

The date was a simple evening out, just a movie at the Village Theatre in east county Portland. For our first Valentines together I gave Debbie an oversized Hershey’s Kiss candy, (flowers would have been too much at that stage).

The movie was The Cassandra Crossing. Why? No idea. It was a single screen theatre and it wasn’t R rated. So that’s what five bucks would get us in to. I don’t remember if we shared a popcorn. I’m pretty sure I would have been too scared to risk being that bold. I did not want her to go away.

The movie was horrible so we left after a few minutes to catch Sissy Spacek in “Carrie” at The Hood Theater in Gresham-I was liking Debbie more and more because we agreed on movies. I do remember feeling pretty proud of myself that I got a frightened arm squeeze at the end of the movie (if you’ve seen “Carrie” you’ll know what I mean).

Details of that night are a little thin in my memory. Mainly what I remember is that Debbie was so pretty. If I had to conjure her wardrobe I’d like to think it was her flannel shirt and bell bottom blue jeans. Her smile was wonderful and she made me feel special each time she would laugh.

I couldn’t believe that she was with me instead of any of dozens of guys she already knew from school. I think the reason she liked me was that I could make her laugh. I think the reason I liked her (beyond being the prettiest girl I’ve ever met) was that she kept me honest. She wasn’t big on bs.

I don’t remember if we held hands during the movies. I was truly terrified to upset her by being too forward. I honestly had no goal except to be important to her. 

We watched the entire movie and afterwards headed to her folk’s house by the designated time. We parked at the curb of the house. I opened her car door and we walked the 20 or so feet to her front door. I remembered my adolescent terror as we neared our goodbye.

As we reached her door and faced each other, I leaned toward her to kiss. It’s funny to remember it now; there was no hesitancy, no fear, no doubt. We kissed our first kiss (it was a great kiss by the way). For 2 kids with little to no experience in that arena I think we did pretty good. 

I thanked her for going out with me, said “See you on Monday.” She thanked me for the date and said she had had a good time. She went inside her home and I returned to my parent’s borrowed car. That was it-I was hooked for good.

I called her the next day to thank her again and to probe if I had ruined everything by kissing her goodnight. Much to my surprise she seemed to still like me.

From that day on our lives have been intertwined on one level or another. Between various breakups and moronic decisions we stayed in touch. While attending the same college in 1979/80 I asked her to marry me. She said “Yes.”

We married in 1982 and between more various breakups and moronic decisions we have stayed together; Mr. and Mrs. Williams.

Beyond this being a Valentine for my beloved, my wish for all who read this will be that they learn that there is always a tomorrow. There is always a chance for failure and forgiveness, a chance to finish the race they have started. The Holy Bible tells us,  ^“Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.  It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;  it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (NASB).

So, what are we doing on this 50th anniversary of our first date and kiss? We are spending the night babysitting our son’s three children so that he and his wife can have a Valentines together. Is it a sacrifice? Not even close.

The lives that surround us now in the shape of our sons and their children all began with that kiss on a doorstep in 1976.

There are no words to say ‘thank you’ enough to God and to you Debbie for the gift that was created that night. Happy Valentines Day my sweetheart.