My sweetie

My first post could be everything anyone would want, or not want, to know about me. Instead, I'm going to write about my sweetie. When anyone asks how my husband, Dave, and I met, I tell them that we met in the back seat of his mom's van. That's true but it's not the whole truth.
In 1969, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system was required by a federal court ruling to desegregate. A racial mix of 60% white students/40% black students was required at each school in the system. Parents weren't happy about having their kids ride buses to distant parts of town and kids weren't happy leaving their neighborhood schools and friends. It didn't take middle and high school students long to figure out how to get a day off. Simply have a black guy and a white guy trade a few punches. The riot police were called and everyone at that school got a free pass. It had to be done after third period, though, or the school day wouldn't be "official". On a cold, rainy February morning in 1971, it was our school's turn for a day off. As usual, two guys started sparring, the police came, and school was called off. Buses were loaded and parents came to pick up the local kids. My brother, Russ, was a grade ahead of me. We always walked to and from school together. On this day, he was offered a ride home by his friend Dave. Being the good brother that he was, he asked if I could ride along. Dave's mom drove a Ford van. I think it was green and white. I didn't really pay Dave much attention. He was just another of Russ' oddball friends. I don't think he paid me any attention either. That's how it happened. I really did meet him in the back seat of his mother's van!
Fast forward four years. We moved from the same middle school to the same high school. Russ and I had the same circle of friends and Dave was one of them. I thought he was cute and would have gone out with him, if he would ever ask me! I learned later that he was afraid that I would say no. On Friday nights, we would go out as a group to football games or movies. Russ, Dave, and our friend Bill each drove Mustangs and, of course, each took his own car. The group was going to see a movie at the Capri Theater. Bill and Sharon were in his car, Russ and his girlfriend were in his car, and I ended up riding with Dave. Bill bought two tickets, Russ bought two tickets, Dave bought two tickets. I guess the ticket lady thought we were together. When he said "I guess I bought your ticket", I offered to pay for it. He said I didn't need to. All through the movie, I waited for him to do something.........he didn't! That was our first date. I don't think he ever really asked me to go out with him, he just assumed after that that I would. And I did!
On my 18th birthday, I really expected an engagement ring. I didn't get it. In his very special, low key way, he waited until the end of January. On the second anniversary of our first date, he steered me into a jewelery store in the mall. We walked over to the engagement rings. "Pick out the one you want", he said. I picked out one that I thought he could afford. He wrote a check and paid for it on the spot! When we had been married about 15 years, he pulled out that old check and showed it to me. It bounced!