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<p>The girl was active in the church my family attended. She was a grade younger than me and also went to the same public HS I did. Her father was an employee of that church in the finance department. She was always dressed conservatively and a little out dated. Her older brother was in my grade and was the class buffoon to the point of embarrassment. </p>
<p>She was very, very intelligent. A careful introvert but there was just something under the surface about her that was very appealing. I asked her out early in my Senior year and --one of those B<em>D A</em>S fathers at the door and inquisition as to where we were going and “have her home by _____!”</p>
<p>When we got into the car she said “Sorry about my Dad.” When we returned to in front of her house at the end of the date she told me “no kissing at the door.” Then she smiled, kissed me again and asked me “well, was tonight worth having to put up with all this?” She was the absolute mistress of 1960’s “misbehavior” on a date. But, it was ALL on her terms. Heck, I was just turning 17, that was A-OKAY with me. She made it crystal clear that if she heard one word that indicated that I had “loose lips” play time with her was over.</p>
<p>We’d get together every couple of weeks after that until I graduated HS. I kept it strictly to myself. We’d often sit together at some Sunday evening church youth program. Once the speaker was a paid import on the dangers and regrets from petting (I kid you not). She whispered to me that this was her fault because her parents had found and paid the speaker after they had read a letter another guy had sent her about their fun and games. We both softly laughted.</p>
<p>I ran into her my Junior year in college when I transferred back to UT Austin (1970). We talked a little and she said that she rarely returned home. Ultimately, at my 10th year HS reunion I found out that she had become an MD and had her practice way out of state.</p>
<p>“Mean Dads” can scare the pants off someone but it isn’t always the guy.</p>