Hello My Friends,Right after Trudy and I had our first date, she was off to Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches, Louisiana...about 60 miles from my house. By the Spring semester of 1971, Trudy had taken just about everything that LSU-A offered in those days, for a Math Education major. Logically, the best place for her to complete her education was at NSU. Frankly, the decision was in motion well before that fateful first date on January 3, and the arrangements had been set. So, what's a couple of love-struck kiddos to do?
Well, Trudy decided to come home nearly every weekend and on those weekends that she didn't come home, Robert would drive up to Natchitoches...problem solved! For weeks, that plan was working to perfection. Pictured above was our date to the Baptist Student Union's Valentines Banquet. Trudy was, as always, smashing! We had a great time at the banquet, went down to Chaplin Lake (blush) for a little snuggle time, and then I whisked her back to her dorm (all "girls" for you nostalgic types) in time for curfew. I stayed overnight in the boys dorm in the room of a buddy so I could see Trudy the next day. We ate in the Iberville Cafeteria and continued to perfect our walking embrace as we explored the entire campus. All was well with the world.
However, a crisis loomed over my unsuspecting head. One seemingly typical Friday afternoon, I was anticipating for our usual weekend together, the "routine" that we had adopted for when she was home. I would drive out to her house on Friday afternoon, and we would hang out at her house. Saturday, we would plan to do something together during the day, go out for a Saturday night date, see each other at church on Sunday morning, and then she would catch her carpool back to Natchitoches Sunday afternoon. Only this weekend would be different.
Not suspecting anything amiss, I headed on out to Trudy's house that Friday evening. We chatted and caught up on the weeks news as usual, but there was obviously something awkward bothering Trudy. Finally she just blurted out that she would not be seeing me the rest of the weekend! "Huh?" Well, it seems that she had agreed to go on a weekend excursion with some friends! Now, no doubt, I was taking all this great time with Trudy for granted, but whoa...this hit me like a ton of bricks. She could tell I was stunned and she tried to assure me it was just a weekend with some friends and...well, you know...everything she said to calm my fears only made things sound all the worse. I staggered to my car and drove home...fearing that maybe I had misread her, maybe I was being too possessive, or simply just too presumptuous. But, she had said: "I'll be back by Sunday afternoon, and you can call me then."
Sunday, after church and after lunch at home, I called Trudy's house. Katy answered, no doubt anticipating that I would be calling, she quickly said that Trudy's return was taking longer than she had thought, "But, she really wants to talk to you!" Katy said with strong conviction..."Please call her back in an hour." An hour later, I called back and she wasn't home yet...Katy again..."Trudy really wants to talk to you. Please keep trying." I didn't know what to make of all that was happening, but Katy was so convincing that I was determined to keep calling...and even felt hopeful that everything was going to be fine.
I called Trudy's house again. Finally, Trudy answered and at the first inkling that it was me, she said: "I love YOU!" Whew! No words were sweeter to my ears! My heart melted and I said: "I love YOU, too!" She hastened to tell me that her heart belonged to me. She then told me that because of the delay in getting back, she was going to have to catch a ride back to Natchitoches with a friend that was already waiting on her...and that she wanted to see me, but she just couldn't see any way...her voice trailed off in such a way as to give me an opening to finish her sentence. I got it! I knew what to say...Oh, thank you Lord, I knew what to say!! "I am coming to Natchitoches tonight" I said. Trudy squealed with joy, "I was hoping you would say that!" We figured that she would get back to her dorm and I would arrive about 20 minutes later and we would simply embrace and kiss away this whole uneasy weekend! And that was exactly what happened.
I was so happy to see her and I was so happy to see that she was happy to see me! We spent the next couple of hours prior to curfew, assuring each other that we KNEW for sure that we were indeed, a "Love Story" and that there was no one else for either of us. Only a short time later...on her birthday, April 24, 1971, I presenter her with a "Promise" ring. It was our Engagement ring in that it's tiny diamond was the biggest diamond I could afford! I told her I wanted to spend my life with her and asked her if she would marry me. She said yes, and accepted my ring. From that time forward, we began to make plans for our marriage and soon set the date to be November 6. 1971...just ten months and three days after our first date.
In this case, the crisis served to cement our hearts together. The misery I felt not being with her was matched by the misery Trudy felt not being with me. All doubts erased, Robert and Trudy were now certain...we were living a true-to-life, "Love Story."
Next time, a wedding for the seasons.
Blessings,
Robert
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