Return To Forever (2 page)

Phil and others on his nerd friend roster were excelling academically. Joe just couldn’t keep up and occasionally he and Larry would skip school and head to the small bowling alley at the public golf and country club. The place was usually empty and they could spend a leisurely day working on their averages over pizza and coke. Larry was a co-op student so there was no pressure on him to get good grades in the tough college-prep curriculum. Joe, on the other hand, knew a day of reckoning was on the horizon. Something had to change.

CHAPTER 3

J
oe had a late study hall, after all of his classes, and it was almost pointless to crack the books that late in the day. He flirted with the girls seated near him and teased the study hall teacher who had a good sense of humor and really didn’t give a shit as long as no fights broke out. The only other viable option was the library.

At the newly named Lansdale High, they designed the school with the library right in the middle with glass panels serving as a visible wall. Joe had several gaps in his schedule that would allow him to head to the library to study.

The library was staffed with mostly students who would help with locating and checking out books. Joe paid little attention to them and would sit alone or with Phil cramming for a Chemistry or Algebra 2 test in the hour available between classes. Progress was minimal but at least he was moving forward in his studies.

After a couple of weeks of regularly hitting the library he noticed a girl from French and English class was working the checkout desk. He couldn’t remember her name but her smile and good nature were infectious and he looked forward to saying hi when they saw each other. She became his best audience when he cut up in French class where his assigned name was Jacque.

One day in the library, Phil leaned over and whispered to Joe that he had an admirer and motioned to Mary Lou. “She told someone that she kinda likes you. You should ask her out.” Joe was stunned by the news.

“No shit? How did you find out?”

“She said it to Pam in Future Teachers.” Phil confessed. “She knew Pam and I were friends and guessed it would get back to you.”

Joe stewed on this for over a week, trying to get up the courage to ask her for a date. Finally the perfect opportunity presented itself. Phil was able, through his Dad, to obtain four tickets to the U of M football game the following Saturday. He was going to ask a girl he had his eye on and suggested a double date…in his Dad’s VW no less.

Monday morning Joe was in the library as usual but his focus was not on books or studying. He was watching Mary Lou bounce around the shelves helping students and putting away returned books. The head librarian was a shrew and watched her flock’s every move. Joe knew he would have one shot and grabbed a book and sprinted to the front desk where Mary was now stationed. “Hi, remember me from French class…Jacques?” he said timidly.

“Of course”, she replied with a huge smile. “Did you want to check out that book?”

The moment of truth had arrived. “No, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me to the U of M game this Saturday. We would go with Phil Sherman and his date.”

In a nanosecond she answered. “Yes, that sounds like fun.” This was something she had hoped would happen before the Christmas break and she could not hide her excitement from Joe who almost fell over in shock.

“OK…great!” he answered. “If you could write down your address and phone number I’ll let you know what time we’ll pick you up.” She said she would give him this information when she saw him in French class later in the day.

—

During the first few weeks of class the students of the first graduating class of Lansdale High were asked to select many things that would become the ongoing traditions of the school. Nominations were made for team name and mascot; school colors; alma mater; fight song etc. Another important task was designing the class ring for the Class of ’64. Once the final design was approved, each student was measured and placed his order. Joe selected a simple black onyx and gold design and was eager to see it on his finger later that winter.

As September was winding down Joe’s circle of friends expanded to include a group of co-workers at Food Giant. A few attended Lansdale and some were from other nearby high schools. They became a band of brothers and transformed the store into their own personal playground. They teased the customers and the young cashiers and turned lifting beer and wine into an art form. Larry, the store manager, had the focus of a gulag commandant and getting something past him was incredibly difficult…but not impossible if they worked as a team. If Johnny was working the late shift, he would simply leave the back receiving door in the produce department unlocked. Joe and the others would leave the beer by the door and the first one to punch out would drive is car around to the back and slide the goods into his trunk. A well-oiled evening would thus begin.

By now Joe had pretty much taken over the use of his Mom’s ’57 Chevy. He was paying for all the gas and pitching in on the cost of adding a teenage boy to the insurance policy. He also was starting to drive to school which put him among the student aristocracy. Johnny, Larry and Joe would all caravan to school in the morning, sometimes offering rides to the cute girls waiting for the bus and they were never turned down.

At night, if they weren’t working, the three would pile into one of their cars and cruise Telegraph Road with beer cans wedged between their legs, looking for a car full of girls or a car to drag race. Joe was slow to develop a taste for beer and threw many a half-full Pabst out the window with the other guy’s emptys. Sometimes the clunk of his half full can would be heard by the others who would tease him mercilessly for being a pussy.

Hanging with Phil was a totally different experience. They would team up to work on school projects, one of which was an audio depiction of the key events of World War II in Europe. Phil had a classic ability to mimic dialects and Joe got off on developing the script. They also created a fictional character and began co-writing a spy novel in the Ian Fleming tradition.

Phil had a German Shepard named Murphy who was the smartest dog Joe had ever seen. He was so smart that he recognized words when spoken and when the family tried spelling them he picked up on that as well. Joe enjoyed that family very much and also developed a friendship with Phil’s younger brother, Chip, who shared Joe’s interest in the guitar. Joe had tried taking lessons at a very young age but could not discipline himself to practice and his Dad saw that as an excuse to end the costly lessons. Still the attraction to the instrument remained.

CHAPTER 4

T
he “Landsdale Lions”, in uniforms of black and gold, launched into their first season of varsity football with no seniors and systematically lost every game until the final showdown against their arch rival Bentley. They played the senior team to a draw which was the high-water mark of 1963 and a basis to build future championships. Johnny was the second or third string quarterback but missed too many practices due to work to showcase his incredible arm.

Pep rallies during game week were held in the gym and Joe marveled that the prettiest and best developed girls always ended up as cheerleaders. They glided through the school in their short little uniforms and the erections they induced were like a military salute. Thank God for dark pants, Joe thought.

The rest of the week leading up to the “big date” with Mary Lou flashed by like a blur. The U of M game started at 1 PM and would, of course, be a sellout with every inch of the 100,000 seat stadium packed with fans of the maize and blue. That would be a good thing as the temperature would be in the low 30’s but thankfully no snow was forecast.

Mary Lou gave Joe a note with her phone number and address which was surprisingly close to the school and the Food Giant. After talking to Phil it was decided that Phil would pick up his date then swing by for Joe and finally Mary Lou, who gave Joe the bad news that her dad wanted to meet him before they left for the game. Oh well, Joe thought, if this works out he would hopefully be seeing a lot of her family.

Phil was the consummate planner and when he picked Joe up on Saturday morning he had prepared a thermos of hot chocolate and packed a couple of heavy quilted blankets into the back of the VW. His date was a natural platinum blonde beauty named Linda who attended his A/P Math class. As it would ultimately turn out, this would be their first and only date but expectations were high.

The VW pulled up in front of the small brick ranch and Joe jumped out to pick up his date. The house had a detached garage in the back and a Rambler sedan was parked in the driveway. Joe stood on the porch, gathering his courage, then pushed the doorbell.

Mary Lou opened the door with a huge smile and invited him in. The whole family was seated in the small living room and Joe quickly sized them up. Mr. Donaldson was a giant…easily 6 foot 4 and skinny as a rail. Mrs. Donaldson was a tiny little woman and looked like a dwarf next to her husband. The little sister was sitting on the floor, totally disinterested in the events that were unfolding.

“Dad, this is Joe from school.” Mary Lou introduced her date. Her father stood up, towering over Joe and extended his hand.

“Nice to meet you Joe. So are you driving to the game?” No bullshit time wasted here. He wanted to know to whom he was entrusting the safety of his daughter and seeing the VW at the curb would be a hell of lot more reassuring than Joe’s ’57 Chevy.

“No sir,” Joe stammered. “We are doubling with my friend Phil and his date Linda. That’s his dad’s Volkswagen out front.”

“Well alright then. Try and get her home at a reasonable hour,” dad answered. And that was it. Mom just smiled and said hello and out they went. Joe was surprised at the lack of questions but expected more of an inquisition the next time he picked her up.

Joe and Mary Lou settled into the small back seat and it was impossible to not make ample body contact which suited them both fine. The drive to Ann Arbor would take a while and give the couple time to get to know one another. “Do you think your folks liked me?” Joe asked, not having a clue.

“I’m sure they did,” Mary Lou answered. “My dad is not very talkative so don’t read anything into his abruptness. I haven’t really dated much, just the occasional school dance like Sadie Hawkins. This is a big sign of trust for him.” Joe just smiled and carefully put his arm around Mary not sure if she would pull away…she didn’t.

The stadium was huge and the seating nothing more than long benches in circles around the field. Their seats were so far up that the players were specs moving about in some curious symmetry. As high as they were seated, the wind was biting and they clung to each other for warmth beyond the hot chocolate. Mary Lou didn‘t really understand the game but was enjoying herself just being with Joe and he was feeling the same way.

The game ended with a home team victory and the two couples walked to a nearby restaurant for a post-game burger. Joe picked up the tab as he had paid nothing for the tickets and felt guilty. He also wanted to impress Mary Lou with his generosity. Things were going well, he thought.

As the sun descended, the temperature dropped as well and the walk to Phil’s car took forever. Joe and Mary Lou jumped into the back seat of the little bug as Phil cranked the heater all the way up. Unfortunately, creature comforts were not paramount to the design of this vehicle and it took forever to get the frost out of the air. Thank God for the blankets Phil brought along.

Joe and Mary Lou wrapped themselves in the warmth of the quilt comforter and each other until their mouths met in sweet ecstasy. They wished the ride home would have taken forever as they explored each other’s body through the thick garments they were wearing. Joe was well aware of Mary Lou’s strict Catholic upbringing and eased off the throttle when she let him know he was getting too aggressive. Phil and Linda made small talk, letting the backseat lovers focus on each other without interruption.

Mary Lou’s house was the first stop and Joe walked here to the door, his long black trench coat hiding the erection that had blossomed on the ride home. As they reached the porch, the light came on and Joe could see her dad peeking through the curtains. No passionate good night kiss was in the works but the pump had been primed pretty well in the back of that VW.

Phil dropped Joe off next and the two friends shared a smile that pretty much summed up the day. Well done my brother!

CHAPTER 5

T
he following week Joe picked up right where he left off with Mary Lou. The two classes they had together were now points of embarkation for Joe to walk her to her next class then race to his, arriving late most of the time. After work Joe would cruise past her house with his cut-out roaring and she would peak from her bedroom window and wave.

At home Mary Lou talked non-stop about Joe, going on about him having a job at Food Giant and how great he made her feel. Her mom was neutral on the subject but dad sensed a potential problem in the works, particularly when Joe called to ask her out on a second date.

At school the two were inseparable. Joe would stay late to watch Mary rehearse with the school choir and madrigal group and his heart almost leapt from his chest with pride. How could this angel be his? He would drive her home from school when their schedules allowed and her mom would allow him in for a soft drink and chat before dad got home.