I found out that popular girl in the hall was Robin Snyder, sister of one of my classmates, Holly, who I would get to know by being in plays in my Junior and Senior years. I continued to see Robin in the halls and had a chorus class with her when I was a Junior. I recalled that she was once Mark Ward’s brother Keith’s first girlfriend who had listened to my rock band play one of our first gigs at the Ward’s house. She hung around with jocks and cheerleaders and seemed to always be happy. She was very short and petite with mid-length super shiny thick straight black hair parted in the middle, bright green eyes, rosy cheeks, and braces. Robin was one of those girls who wore very short miniskirts and dresses. I chatted with her a little bit when I was in The Crucible as her sister had a role in the play. Robin, at 15 years old, would hang around during rehearsal to ride home with Holly. After one of the productions, I’ll never forget, Robin came up to me and gave me a hug and told me how good I was. There was something magical about it. It felt comfortable, genuine, and fantastic. There had been a lot of girls I had hugged up to that point in my life, but that embrace was special! I saw Robin a few days later in the hallway when she invited me to Holly’s surprise birthday party, which I was more than happy to accept. I arrived at her house after school and along with many other friends, surprised her sister as she walked home from the bus. While the party was going on I never left Robin’s side. I found out she loved music. She played the guitar for me and sang songs by Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. What a beautiful voice! She told me about her time in England as a governess, her pets, and that she taught autistic kids at Trenton State College on Saturdays. She said that she and Joel had broken up. Through all that, Robin was modest and built up my ego along the way. Here I found a cute, caring, musical girl. Long dark hair with green eyes. Literally a girl of my dreams. What’s not to love? So I saw her every chance I could in the hallways. The homecoming basketball Pep Rally and bonfire was coming up and I wondered whether or not she’d come with me. The day of the big event, I walked her around as I always had, and even escorted her to the bus, but I just couldn’t muster the courage to ask her. Robin was so popular and so perfect. Finally when I got home, I dialed her house 466-0567. Here is a transcript:
Mom Snyder: Hello, Snyders.
Me: Um. Hello. Could I speak to Robin? Is she there?
Mom Snyder: Yes she is, may I ask who’s calling?
Me: This Marc. Marc Orton
(Pause)
Mom Snyder: I’ll see if she’s available. Please hold on.
(Muffled phone, I hear Holly in the background talking to her mother but I can’t make it out. Voices are raised. It appears there’s a problem. My thoughts race. Is Joel back in the picture? Are her parents weird? Did I make Robin mad by not asking her at school? Has another guy asked her to go?)
Holly: Hi Marc, this is Holly. Hold on Marc, I’ll get her. (more muffled talking – I was preparing for the worst)
Robin: Hello?
Me: Hi Robin. How are you doing?
Robin: Good.
Me: Listen. Are you going to the parade and the bonfire tonight?
Robin: Yeah. Bill Louden is going to drive his cool yellow hearse in the parade, so me, Tina and Sharon Morewood thought it would be fun to ride in the back.
Me: Cool. I think the parade is supposed to start at the Grammar school. Do you want to meet up there?
Robin: Um. (pause) Sure. Okay.
Me: Great. I’ll find you at the Grammar school around six.
Robin: Alright. That’ll be good. I’ll be by Bill’s hearse.
Me: Great. See you then.
I was on cloud nine. I picked her up in Mom’s 1966 light blue Chevy Biscayne, and together on the bench seats we drove with the parade up Main Street, left on Delaware Avenue all the way to the high school. After the bonfire and Pep Rally, I brought Robin back to my house and it was my turn to play music for her on my piano to show her I could play music and sing too. She called her dad to pick her up, and as she walked out the front door I attempted an awkward kiss. All that practice, and when it really counted with the perfect girl, I blew it. So embarrassing! But we chuckled about it and I saw her pretty figure running to her Dad’s car in the night.
From that moment in the fall of 1970 for the next thirteen years, through high school, summers, college, and various jobs, we spent time with one another each and every day. And as of this writing, 2015, through all the work and family responsibilities, we have made a point of at least talking to one another every day since that Pep Rally.
marcorton8853 
I will never forget that day…or night. You were with me all day in school on the Friday afternoon…walked me all the way to the bus…but never asked me to go to the Pep Rally and Bonfire at the basketball game that night. I was confused and disappointed. Holly totally saved your butt when you FINALLY called to ask me if I wanted to go with you (a mere half-hour before it was to begin! Nothing like keeping me on pins and needles!) explaining to Mom that “you were nothing like your brother Kent” and that you ” we’re a really nice guy.” My mom only let me date you because of her great faith in Holly’s judgement. I wanted to ride with Bill Loudon (Bill owned an old hearse. He out carpet squares all over the back and he could fit a bunch of us back there…yeah…where the coffins used to sit. Hey, it may have been a bit weird at first, but there was safety in numbers and we had so much fun crammed in back there- way before mandatory seat belt laws!) but you wanted to drive. Somehow, you found me standing there on the corner of Main and Welling, near the grammer school, and we caravaned along the parade route in your mom’s Chevy Biscayne. It was cool that you could drive. I wanted to go to the coffeehouse after the game with friends AND you, but you had other plans. We went to your house and you played piano for me. So lovely. Your voice and playing were beautiful. It was a quiet, romantic night (I don’t think I saw your room that clean for years after that-lol-but you made that good first impression.) we both almost fell out the front door when you tried to grab a kiss before I left…again, you waited until the last second. But we both laughed at the awkwardness and that was the night that we officially became a couple. Such wonderful memories. We are so lucky to share all these experiences together. We grew up together in many ways. Growing and learning and becoming. We had the Magic that feeling in love brings, but the added benefit of shared experience has made our story that much richer.
LikeLiked by 1 person