Junior year. 1954. After three years as One Date Gordon, with no prospects in sight, my buddies cadged me into asking the new girl – the one clueless about my dating history – to a dance. She demurred... had another date... which was broken... so it was on.

Problem. The band cancelled the week of the dance (We had live music at our dances). The Principal hired our six piece combo to play which meant I would be able to dance only a few times with her. Since it was too late for her to get another date, she went with me and sat along the wall with the other girls without dates... or so I thought until later.

When we stopped at King's after, I asked if she had had a good time (I knew she didn't, but my Mom, a traditionalist, had schooled me to always ask a date if she had a good time.) Surprisingly, she said, "Yes.", that it had been a great night.

What I did not know was that the chaperones that night were the coaches, two good looking single guys many girls had crushes on and they – learning her date, Gordon, The Jerk, was playing in the band – danced with her several times, to the envy of other girls which helped her, being new, make more freinds faster.

So ended the travails of One Date Gordon. We've been married fifty nine years.