Ah, Young Love

I was listening to a bunch of teen girls talking about boys (who's hot and who's not) so I felt compelled to share a story. My daughter was totally amazed that it ever took place. I guess she thinks that I've always been an old, married fuddy-duddy.

I was midway through 7th grade when I started receiving gifts anonymously in my locker. It started with fake flowers. I open my locker one morning and there were faded, tired, seen-better-days fake roses. Always the Pollyanna, my first thought was "oh, how sweet!" but that was verrrry quickly followed by the thought, "what the heck?!" I have never been big on PDAs, and even now rarely even hold hands with my husband in public. We love each other, yo. We just don't need to make the world sick by showing them how much.

Anyhoo, there was no note with the flowers, just a ribbon tied around them. An anonymous admirer. Who the heck? I spent many years (truly, I still wonder) contemplating the possibilities. I also tossed them when I got home because I had no feelings for anonymous and the last thing I wanted was to be ragged by my family for something that was totally out of my control.

One day it was a box of chocolates. One of those tiny heart-shaped ones that holds 4 pieces of candy. If I recall correctly, one piece was missing. No note, no hints, no heads' up.

I had theories. There was that new kid in school and rumor had it that he liked me. He was in my grade, not bad looking, but for some reason also not thought highly of by my peers. Either way, it didn't matter. I was a late bloomer and had no interest in boys in 7th grade. I spent too much time with my horse to notice the opposite gender.

My other theory was a boy in my sister's grade. He was 3 years older than I was, and rumor had it, also, that he thought I was cute. Both my sister and my cousin were in his grade and they heard the gossip. He was very tall (even for his age, not just mine) dark, and quite handsome. I know how incredibly romantic this sounds. An upper class man, the classic good looks, the fact that he liked me... It's like my own Twilight story. Except it wasn't. Both Edward and UpperClassmanGuy both had secrets, but I'd prefer a vampire to a druggie. Call me weird like that. UpperClassmanGuy came to school sober about 3 days a month. Either he was high, drunk, or both. He's the reason the school now has random drug testing and K9 locker raids. He also spent his senior year in juvvie. It was a wasted life in more ways than one. I was not amused that he found me attractive. And I did not eat the chocolates. I tossed those as well.

Valentine's Day was coming up and one of the clubs had sold carnations for the event. Each color meant something different, and you could purchase one and have it delivered to your sweetheart on V-Day. Since I'd been receiving more and more stuff in my locker, I was sure that I'd be getting a carnation. Publicly. In front of the whole class. I.Would.Be.Mortified.

But I would be ready. You could pay a quarter to find out who gave you a flower. I'd swallow the embarrassment and know once and for all who to direct my cold shoulder to.

Sure enough, they called my name. The class twittered, most were shocked. (The girl that doesn't even LIKE boys? Being a girl, I did revel in the part where some of the popular girls got nada while I did.) I took my flower, reached in my pocket for my tell-all payment, and was about to ask who sent it - but then I was interrupted. "I'm sorry, that was the wrong name." And they took my flower back and asked me to return to my seat. Boy, was my face red. Some boy was going to pay seriously, because I had strong suspicions that it really was mine and they messed up my name.

I spent the rest of the day avoiding the eyes of most people, and was ever so grateful when the end of the day came. I was at my locker loading up the backpack for the day when someone approached me with a flower. They apologized profusely, explained that they had this flower left and realized that it really was mine, and handed back the same pink "I really like you" color that I had that morning. I figured they owed me a name even without a quarter at this point, so I asked who gave it.

She didn't know. She didn't have those papers with her. I'd have to talk to the So-and-So Club that did the fundraiser to find that out.

That was the last anonymous gift I ever got. I never did know who they were from. And in retrospect, I kinda feel for the poor sap that tried so hard to get my attention.