Egos and Stoplights

Story circa 1994.

I was sixteen years old and in high school. I was not dating Patricia at the time. During high school Patricia and I spent a lot of time on and off, off and on. I would swoon and pursue after her and eventually she would cave in. We would date for a number of months; she would then see the error of her ways and dump me. This was a very normal routine and we had both grown accustom to it.

So here we go again…

I was driving down the road in my pickup and saw an attractive girl in the car next to me. I smiled. She smiled back. She accelerated and I accelerated. She slowed and I slowed, all this time we stole glances at each other and she continued to smile at me, even a giggle or two. During this time I trying to look casual and still smile and look interesting. Teenage boys are easily some of the stupidest creatures on the planet. Not that this is a revelation to anyone. So we both pull up to a stoplight.

I turn towards her car and give her the big charm smile. When from the passenger seat pops into view a very stern face. She started laughing…and he continued to stare through my eyes into my quickly shrinking ego. I believe we sat at that stoplight for three hours and seventeen minutes, with her laughing, him staring, and me pretending to be preoccupied with my windshield.

Adolescence, such an enchanting phase.