Most of What I Know, I Learned from Dead People
Some of what I know, I learned at the fair
by Matt Benson on Unsplash
Mrs. Jackson taught me that with teacher's pet status, comes great responsibility. It confirmed something my Dad tried to teach me before, nothing in life is free, especially lunch.
My maternal grandmother taught me to never, ever look a gift horse in the mouth. Except her exact words were, "uppity britches get spanked!" If the kindest, sweetest, most generous, patient soul on earth has had to resort to spanking you, then you definitely need to modify your behavior.
A special Aunt taught me that prayer is important, and it's always answered, even if the answer is no.
I learned another important truth one year at the county fair. I was 16, and freshly heart broken from a break up. A friend set me up on a blind date with one of her boyfriend's friends.
Turned out that the blind date could see and when we saw each other, I wanted to fall through the ground into China. It was my ex's best friend. When my friend realized that me and my date knew each other, she and her boyfriend took off to get in line for one of the rides.
We both started apologizing at the same time. My name was very common, so he had no idea it was me he was being set up with and he didn't know my last name. I only knew him by his nickname, 'Straw'. Turned out, his real name was Jamie.
He was laughing, but I wasn't. I was embarrassed. I hated him knowing I was already going out with other guys after just breaking up with his friend, and then putting him in the position of breaking "bro code" by being seen with me at the fair, his best friend's ex-girlfriend.
He immediately sobered after seeing the look on my face, and apologized again.
"Straw, I only agreed to this date because Andrea begged me to come with them. I didn't really wanna go out with anyone else right now!"
Jamie moved closer to me, put his arm around my shoulders, and then planted a kiss on top of my head. I was reminded of how tall he was, and I was too stunned to argue as he led me to one of the vendors. He ordered two sodas and two soft pretzels with mustard. Then, he planted me on a picnic table and told me to eat.
I didn't know what else to say, so I started eating, it was delicious. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until that moment.
"This is really good, Straw, thank you!"
"No worries, I figured you might like one...what happened with you and Billy, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I never see him, so there really wasn't a point in being together, ya know?"
"Yea, I know, he stays pretty busy."
I snorted, "Busy?! If you can call hunting and fishing every weekend busy, then I'd say you're right."
He grinned. "I'm sorry. He asked me to go this weekend, but I told him I had a date."
"I'm sorry, Straw, I bet you wish you had went now."
"Aww hell nah, don't be sorry, I'd much rather be here with you. I can always go hunting or fishing."
"Thank you, you're sweet. But, I don't want you and him to fall out because of this."
"Fall out? Are you crazy? If Billy wants to scrap cause I had the good sense to go to the fair with a girl instead of sloshin' around in the woods with him, then me and him is through, too," he laughed. It was deep and full, made his blue eyes twinkle.
"Go on girl, finish up, cause I'm about to win you one of them big bears!"
We had the best time, even though that kiss on the top of my head was the only one I got that night. Jamie and I never became boyfriend and girlfriend, but we remained really good friends. He taught me that a boy and a girl didn't have to be dating to go out and have a great time.
I heard Straw passed away a few years ago. He died of cancer. He had been married and had two children. I was so sad for his family, but all my memories of him are wonderful, and they make me smile whenever I think of him. And, I still have that bear.
Kim Hamlin is a writer, information junkie, and a researchologist. Yes, it’s a thang. She lives in Lexington with some Shih-Tzus, a cat named Diana, and a guy named Steve. She’s on X and LinkedIn as Kim Hamlin. https://about.me/kimhamlin