Hello and Welcome Friends,

Let me tell you about our first date in this love story. My best friend, Kooch Michael Sawrie (we called him Mickey) gave me the call that I could not even allow myself to hope for...Trudy Benoit was no longer dating on a steady basis. She just might be interested in dating me; "Are you interested?" he casually asked. (As an aside, you gotta love the names...which have not been changed to protect anybody, innocent or otherwise) As you can imagine a bazillion thoughts went through my mind...the first time I saw her...our first meeting...the mysterious appearance in my Sunday School class...the glint I was sure I was seeing in her eyes when we talked...the infatuation, yea, more than infatuation I felt...and my heart skipped a beat (maybe even stopped beating!). I also instantly wondered how he knew that she was interested in dating me! But the only reply was a blurted out: "Am I interested? Am I interesed? You know I've been wanting to date Trudy!"

Mickey then kinda sheepishly began to explain...my mother was planning a "surprise" birthday party for me and she had brought Mickey in on the scheme. He had recently found out that Trudy was not dating steadily and he apparently had spoken to her about me. "Here's the thing" he said, "You have to call her and ask her and so I'm afraid the 'surprise' element of your birthday party has to go." Now, I was impressed that my mom had hatched a plan and brought others in on the plan and I had no clue. But, I was more impressed that finally I would have an opening to call Trudy and ask her out for a date! Naturally, I was okay with being brought up to speed on the event, which was to take place on my 20th birthday, January 3, 1971.

Wasting no time, I dialed the number long memorized: five, six, zero, eight, four. Trudy answered the phone and I told her why I was calling. Indeed she was expecting my call and she accepted...she would be my date to my "surprise" birthday party! I was sooooo excited. At the appointed time...and my memory is a bit fuzzy, I only know that my birthday was on Sunday in 1971, and I think I remember the party being after the evening church services...I drove out to the dairy farm located out the Chambers road across from LSU-A. Trudy, so beautiful, I felt like I was in a dream, was ready and I opened the door to my ride, a white 1964 Chevy. and carefully extended a helping hand as she settled into the passenger side. Well the party was definitely fun and I was button-popping proud to enter the festivities with Trudy gracefully holding my right arm. I must admit though, I was pretty anxious for the party to conclude so I could be alone with her for awhile as we drove to her house and the inevitable goodnight kiss on her front porch that would be sweeter than the icing on a thousand birthday cakes.

I suppose it might be the greatest understatement ever expressed, to say that the evening went well, the kiss or two were out of this world, and that we eagerly spoke of dating again and again. I'm not sure how I got home that night...I guess I drove safely...I guess I used the car...I'm not sure I needed a car...I suppose that I was soaring so high that I could have just been magically transported except that the next morning the car was in the driveway at my house, so...

Oh, there was one other memorable gift from my parents in addition to providing the occasion for our first date...they also gave me the help I needed to get my 1967 Mustang repaired. I had been broadsided a few weeks earlier and the car was at a holding yard until I could raise the money to pay the insurance deductible to get my car fixed. So, I think from then on, our dates were in the Mustang you see pictured with Trudy in the picture at the beginning of this entry.

We had the greatest dates anyone could ever have. We would have to overcome some challenges...like the fact that only a week or so after our first date, she would be a resident student at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Next time, the courtship of Trudy Benoit and Robert Daniel.

Blessings,
Robert