Chapter 76: Sadie Hawkins

Friday, April 2, 1982

Things started returning to normal this morning. Normal being relative; in all the hoopla I hadn’t forgotten that I had a dance tonight, nor had Megan. The dance theme this year was ‘Fifties’. I wasn’t that interested in doing a fifties look, but, with some compromise, we came up with something we both liked.

I’d chosen the ‘Fonzie’ look, pretty much. Black leather jacket, white t-shirt, black pants. We both knew the jacket couldn’t stay on; that was fine. Megan somehow came up with a pink poodle skirt. That, a white blouse, white shoes, and bobby socks made a nice outfit.

In all the craziness we hadn’t done any dress rehearsals; tonight would be it, for good or ill. Our plan was that I’d run her home after Debate. I’d change there (certainly, and regrettably, not in the same room with her), then we’d take pictures. I’d drive her to my house for more pictures. Then we’d go to dinner — burgers seemed totally appropriate — where most of the expanded gang would meet us. From there we’d head over to the dance.

I knew others were going, but mostly I didn’t know what they were wearing. Half the people or more would just wear regular clothes anyway.

The rest of the day was ‘normal’. The new normal. Lots of congratulations, lots of hugs from unexpected people — many cheerleaders, but others, too — and, in general, interruptions of all sorts. And glares from some of the disgruntled.

Cindy continued to sit next to Ryan and sulk. Ryan himself seemed much less perturbed.

After class, I offered Megan my arm and walked her to my car.

“Excited?” I said.

“Yes! Very! I’ve been looking forward to this! I’m really lucky the election timing was what it was. I’d have been going a bit crazy if it’d been just the dance with nothing else to distract me.”

I smiled. “I’m a bit more of a dance veteran. That said, I’ve been looking forward to it!”

“Mom and dad were very impressed. You totally passed the parent test. Which is a big deal, particularly with the, um ... unusual ... relationship you have with Jasmine.”

“I’m glad. I’ve done well with parents so far. I keep wondering when someone’s going to come after me with a shotgun.”

She giggled. “I hope that never happens! That’s terrifying!”

I helped her into my car, drawing a big smile, then got in myself.

“I got some other news today, by the way. You’ll be the first to hear!” She had a big grin.

“Oh?”

“I’ll be varsity next year! Our girls’ team isn’t very good, but I love playing! Coach and Meg worked it out so I get three weekends off from basketball games, one in February, one in March, and one in April. If we have an open basketball weekend and I go to a tournament it doesn’t count.”

“Cool! I’ll have to go to a couple of games.”

“That’d be really nice! I’d like that. Also, now I have a busier summer. Three weeks at Kansas for debate, then two weeks at UT for basketball camp. Fortunately I can do both.”

“UT’s program is good! That should be a great camp.”

“Yes! I’m looking forward to it. I’ve got at least an outside shot at playing in college. I’d love that!”

“So, and I suppose you could take this impolitely, but ... how good are you?”

She giggled. “That’s a question I could have all sorts of fun with. I’m really good at basketball. I’m usually either the leading scorer, or second, and I’m usually tops on assists. I’m not so good at steals. I need to work on speed and quickness. They’re suggesting I take a dance class because apparently a lot of skills transfer.”

“Angie and I are taking a dance and movement class right now. I’d be happy to get you the class information.”

“I’d like that! It sounds like you’re enjoying it.”

“It’s a lot of work, but I have to dance on stage in ‘Brigadoon’. Not falling over is a very good thing.”

“I am definitely going to go see that! And I agree, too. Falling over in games is dangerous. People get tripped over or stepped on and it results in weird and painful injuries.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Not planning on it.” She paused a bit, biting her lip. “Okay. I’ve been debating asking this. I need to just be bold and ask. How ... um... open is your open relationship? I know what I think, but I don’t know if I’m right.”

I smiled. “Essentially completely. I need to steer clear of anyone Jasmine wouldn’t approve of; she needs to steer clear of anyone I wouldn’t. There are very few people on either list right now. Not none; I think Cindy Baird would be on her list for me...”

Megan giggled and nodded.

“ ... and Randy Holmes would be on my list for her...”

She giggled a bit more.

“ ... but those two are obvious. There aren’t a lot of less obvious names. It’s very open. Outside of that, there aren’t any restrictions.”

“So, bluntly ... taking someone to bed?” Megan asked.

“That’s specifically something that’s fine.”

She blushed. “I ... um ... interesting. I’d thought that, but it’s ... unusual.”

“It is. So far, so good.”

“It’s happened? No, wait, you’d never answer that, would you?”

I nodded. “I can’t. It would encourage guessing about who and when and what. It’s open knowledge that I’ve kissed Lexi and Sheila, for instance, but that’s about it. Well, that I’m dating you and will likely date Jessica.”

She blushed. Not too badly. “Yeah. I’ve gotten so many questions from my friends. I mean, a lot of people are free agents just for Sadie Hawkins, but it’s still different.”

I bit my lip, thinking. On the one hand, I really, really didn’t want Megan to think I was ‘after her,’ that way. On the other hand ... maybe she wanted it to be a possibility. Maybe this was one of those cases where a touch of pursuit was exactly what I should be doing. Saying I had no interest in her could hurt her feelings, and Megan was very attractive, so it’d also be a lie. I’d be extremely cautious, though I’m always very cautious. But she checked off a lot of boxes.

She shifted, nervously. Finally, she spoke again. “So, if ... um. It’s ... possible. If we ... hit it off?”

“It’s possible, if we hit it off. Not something to do lightly, not ... well ... there’s nothing in the way of it but just whether it’s right for us, and that’s a decision only the two of us together can make.”

She sighed, smiling. “That’s a really nice answer. I appreciate that. I don’t know what I’ll want, but ... I like that I can think about it. I really like you, a lot.”

“I really like you a lot, too.”

“It ... I think it ... matters ... if tonight is just as a friend, you know, or if ... well, maybe.”

I smiled. “In this case, whichever is better for you is better for me, especially since it’s Sadie Hawkins.”

“It being a ... well, maybe ... is better for me.”

“Then we’re set.”

“Good!”

I could see why she’d feel that way. It would change the evening slightly for me, too. The easiest answer would have been that we were just friends, but that had the lowest payoff. Would we do anything beyond dance? Maybe. With lots of talking, first, of course.

We got to Megan’s shortly thereafter. Judy showed me to a guest room. I changed into my 50s outfit and came out.

Judy was waiting. “Very handsome, in that ... good bad-boy way that fits Fonzie. I like it!”

“Thanks! I imagine at most half the people will dress for the theme, likely less, but I enjoy dressing up for dances.”

“There’s a Halloween dance, right?”

I nodded. “Yes. We encouraged Megan to go, but she didn’t.”

“She had no one to go with. No one was asking her, and she didn’t have the drive to ask anyone.”

I nodded. “She’s intimidating. Athletic, pretty, smart? Most people would assume she has a better offer and would never consider them.”

She nodded. “You see that. I see that, because I lived it. Megan didn’t see it until you talked to her. Now she’s getting it.”

“I had no idea, really. We talk about most everything in Debate, but usually not someone’s absence of a dating life.”

“And, honestly, she’s a young fourteen and we were insecure about her dating. A chaperoned dance is fine, of course. If this date hadn’t started the way it did, we wouldn’t have approved you driving her, though.”

I nodded. “That makes perfect sense. My first actual, official date date wasn’t until fairly recently. Even then, my parents only approved it because I’m out with people so often at all hours without direct supervision.”

She nodded. “And by people, you mean girls.” She laughed softly. “That’s been wonderful for Megan, that there are so many girls on the team. We weren’t expecting that.”

“It’s apparently a big change from years ago. Not recently; last year there were four more girls than boys. This year, six. Well, seven, I somewhat forget to count Cindy because she doesn’t do very much. As of right now, I think we’ll lose just as many boys as girls going into next year, so it’ll depend on who signs up that’s new, and no one can predict that.”

“By now, it doesn’t matter as much because she’s so well-established and there are such good role models.”

“And maybe Megan will be one of those good role models for some new freshmen next year.”

She smiled and chuckled. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. She’s really as good as I think she is? I know I’m biased.”

I nodded. “I’d put Megan and Anne in our top three or four teams out of seven in CX, and she’s one of the stronger people in Extemporaneous.”

“I like Anne quite a bit. She’s been over quite often.”

“I do, too.”

We heard a door open. Megan came out. She looked both cute and lovely in her outfit. The poodle skirt really showed her legs, and Megan had a lot of leg to show. Her flat shoes both fit the costume and put us nose to nose. I had no problem with her being taller, if she’d worn heels, but I think she would’ve hated it. She’d probably have to get over that.

I rose as she came in, smiling.

“It’s not too much, is it?” she said.

“I think it’s perfect.”

“You look wonderful, honey,” Judy said. “And authentic! I remember wearing that skirt to a few dances. Had a lot of fun, too!” I caught the wink she threw Megan’s way, a wink that got Megan blushing just a bit.

“You look great, Steve!”

“Thanks!”

“I’ll go grab Jeff. I think he’s on the phone, but he can pause five minutes to take pictures!” Judy went off down a hall.

Megan came over. “You really like it?”

“It’s great. Perfect for the dance. You look very lovely.” That drew a bigger blush.

“Thanks! I’m trying to make myself get used to thinking that way.”

“I promise, you do.”

“Thanks!”

Judy came back, Jeff in tow. He had a camera ready. He got us arranged in a few poses. A couple were even a bit artsy; back to back with arms crossed, or Megan in front of me with my arms looped around her. I thought they’d look good.

“Would you print extras for my parents? They’d really appreciate it!”

“Happy to, and I’m glad you’re thinking of them.”

“We’re going over to say hi before the dance, and they’ll take some, too. I’ll make sure there are some for you.”

“Thank you!”

I offered Megan my arm and we headed out, to approving looks from both parents. I went around, got in, and started on the way to my house, Megan waving goodbye.

“I have a love/hate relationship with being so tall. I love basketball, but it seems to intimidate guys.”

I nodded. “You might just have to ask some out yourself. It worked out this time.”

She giggled. “You’re right, it did! I mean, I had the perfect excuse, but ... do you think it’d work when it’s not something like Sadie Hawkins?”

“Not for every guy, but you don’t need every guy to like you. Just some good ones.”

“Oh! That’s a point.”

“One other idea, if you want to go with guys who’re taller.”

“Date the basketball guys?” she said with a giggle.

“Well, yes. But more than that. Calvin’s one of us on Council now. I don’t know him well, but I trust Tom Myerson as a judge of character. Plus another couple of people who’d have to have thought about it; Mel Riley for one. Ask him who the guys are that seem like they might be okay. Or maybe Jessica; she’s plugged in to all the sports gossip, I bet.”