I was eleven and he was twelve when we first met. We attended the same school and sang in the church choir. He was cute and cool, smart and popular and I had a big crush.
Flash forward one year to Church Camp – Camp Burton on Vashon Island. All the Everett kids got to cruise to Vashon on a big boat. At the end of the week they picked us up and cruised us back.
Late one night, all the campers were marching back up the steep path from the beach after confessing our sins and testifying to our faith in God around a big bonfire. That’s one of the things we did at Church camp. It was getting dark and only a few people had flashlights.
The tall, cute boy appeared beside me on the narrow path and asked, "Why are you wearing those Silly Pink Shoes?"
He was always saying sort of irritating things like that. Things that made me question myself. Like why was I wearing those shoes?
The night before in the Green Cathedral (an outdoor, woodsy meeting place) he had leaned over and whispered loudly something about my bowels moving and why was my stomach rumbling so loud? My stomach was rumbling.
I didn’t know why and I wondered too. But, I thought it was another strange way to start a conversation and maybe my nice pink ballet flats were an odd choice for summer camp adventures. They were comfortable and pretty. Most importantly, I really liked them.
Back on the path, he said:
Come on over here I want to show you something and he took my hand and led me to the side of the mess hall away from everyone, out of the light shinning on the building entrance to where it was really dark. He stopped and gently pulled me toward him and gave me a nice, tender kiss right on my lips.
Well, I was shocked and happy because I really liked him. He was so cool (though irritating) and sometimes funny. Still, I was surprised that he would want to kiss me of all the girls at camp and it was really nice and I was terrifically excited but I didn’t know what to do.
I backed up. He was a whole year older and so tall and smart and cute, did I say that? And I was so young and goofy looking and still wearing t shirts. I mean, like T shirts. I didn’t know what to do and I just looked at him and everything was blinking and spinning and was he smiling?
I tried to see his eyes and I couldn’t believe my feelings and what had just happened. Maybe I laughed and put my hand to my mouth and gave an embarrassed giggle. I don’t know. It was blurry, my heart was racing.
I guess I was in shock and I just remember turning and wildly running as fast as I could, tripping in my silly pink shoes, up the hill to the cabins in the woods thinking...wow...what just happened and why did I run and he probably thinks I’m a real geek now for not saying anything and running away.
All the girls were in the cabin getting ready for bed and looked at me questioningly? My face was flushed, my hair was mussed but I didn’t say anything.
Through the years I’ve probably told this story a million times. I had a little taste of what it was like if someone I cared about and admired felt the same way about me.
It was a most powerful, wonderful, confusing, electric, kinda crazy, sweet, unforgettable life changing, lovely first kiss memory…and then he flirted with Darlene on the boat and ignored me all the long way home.
He was so mean.
I wore those silly pink shoes out and in my mind they’ve come to stand for a number of things. First of all, they were kind of lucky. Secondly, I liked them and they made me feel good. Third, I learned that I could have my own style.
Here’s the thing: when you put on your Silly Pink Shoes you never know what’s going to happen. It could be something good.
That cute, funny boy and I will be celebrating our 52nd wedding anniversary in December.
Let’s step back in time to Summer, 1955 and take a walk in our "Silly Pink Shoes."*
* Music notes: I recorded both parts but always imagined a young silly pink shoes girl and cutie boy singing this song. 👦🏼 🎶 👧🏼
Until next time!
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