Because I Was Just So Mature and Rational Back in the College Day

.

This is one of my rare all words, few pictures posts. I THINK it might be worth the read, you'll just have to give it a try and see - - -

To say that I love college football is a gross understatement. I'm unreasonably, irrationally crazy about it.

Most fall Saturdays I start watching it at noon, flipping between AT LEAST four games all afternoon and evening until about midnight or so.

Crazy.

Hubby frequently BEGS me to change the channel, which request is met by a glare OVER the top of my glasses. "It's Saturday, and WE watch college football on Saturday," say I.

Tonight I'm getting a "jump" on the weekend football by watching Ole Miss battle with the Gamecocks of USC - - - THIS USC is the University of South Carolina.

Which has taken my mind back to my college years and this little tale which will demonstrate just how WISE and DISCERNING I was back in the day when it came to choosing who I would consider dating.

Once upon a college time - - - early in my freshman year - - - a friend of mine came to me and asked me to consider going on a double date. My half of this double date was going to be blind. Oh, my friend brought me an annual from the previous year when my date had still been a student at our school. So, I got to see an 1 X 1 (that's inches girls) black and white photo of this potential date before I made my decision.

Not much help, that.

My friend assured me that HE would get a date and THEY would be right there with me all the time. He also assured me that this guy was really great and I'd like him.

"How do you know he wants to go with me?" I queried?

"Because he was on campus earlier this week and SAW you and asked me to get him a date with you."

Do I BELIEVE this? Maybe a little - - - 18 year old girls LOVE to be flattered - - - they are just mature in that way.

I'd NEVER even considered a blind date before - - - - but somehow I was persuaded. I imagine being ALONE in South Carolina, 1,000 miles away from all my high school friends - - - did I mention I was ALONE in South Carolina, and bored and lonely on the weekends when all my new acquaintances went an hour or two HOME for the weekend and left me on a nearly deserted campus MIGHT have had something to do with it.

The night of the date finally arrived.

My friend had given me an accurate description of Mr. Blind. He was nice looking, a gentleman, fun, and attentive. We had a lot of fun on the date.

After the date, he returned to USC (University of South Carolina) where he was a premed student and I figured that was the end of that and I'd never hear from him again.

Aux contraire.

In a few days or a week or so (I don't remember - - - a LOT of water has rushed under the old proverbial life bridge in the past 37 years, you can't really expect me to remember a little detail like THAT can you?) I was summoned to a call on the hall phone in the dorm - - - that's right HALL phone. No cells, no phones in rooms - - - we SHARED the same phone in the hall, one phone per floor.

Anyway, back to my call. There he was. My kind blind date. He DIDN'T just go away and stay away. He was phoning to invite me to come to USC (remember - - - South Carolina not California) for the weekend and ATTEND A GAMECOCK FOOTBALL GAME.

I won't worry you with all the details he had worked out for me - - - - I'll just skip right to the "punch" line of this story which is: I said NO!!!! Me - - - the girl who ADORES all things college football - - - that girl - - - - SHE SAID NO!!!

What was I thinkin'!?! Well you might ask, and since becoming an ADULT I've asked myself that same question a million times. WHAT WERE YOU THINKIN', Keetha Louise!?!

Are you ready for this???? Are you sitting on the edge of your seat wondering WHY in the WORLD I said NO?????

You will be awed by the vast wisdom and depth of insight that I displayed in this decision making process:

I HATED WHAT HE HAD WORN on our date.

Did you HEAR that? I HATED what he had worn. HATED. And THAT ruined the whole thing and caused me to spurn him AND his football game.

Now - - - - are you ready to see WHAT he wore that was so horrible I couldn't ever be seen in his company as his date again?????

Well, bear with me here a bit. I can't FIND actual photos of the offending article of clothing since it has probably NEVER been in style AGAIN since the fall of 1972 and even then I think it was ONLY a style in North and South Carolina - - - one can ONLY hope.


It was a pair of fringed instead of hemmed khaki pants.

This pair isn't quite right - - - but it's as close as I could find. This pair HAS a hem which has become frayed with wear. The hem of HIS pants had been CUT off and then fringed by raveling out some threads.


And if THAT wasn't horrible enough - - - the pant legs were at LEAST an inch and a half ABOVE his bare ankles which were attached to bare feet that were stuck into penny loafers.

Girls - - - this ABOMINABLE style was all "in" for guys in the south that year.

I had never seen it before going south to school, and hoped to never see it again.

My own self-esteem was NOT strong enough to get past being SEEN in public AGAIN with THAT.

And so - - - I said NO!!!

See - - - I told you - - - I was just so mature and rational back in the college day.

"What happened to him?" you might ask.

He became a great and wise family doctor. He married the girl of his dreams, who loved him for who he was and not for what he wore, and together they raised a lovely family.

I, on the other hand, found fisherhubby, who as you have all seen, dresses just like a fashion plate EVERY DAY (especially when fishing.) And WE have had great fun together for more than 34 years and raised a lovely, if ROWDY and CRAZY, family which we wouldn't trade for all the USC (South Carolina) football games in the universe.

First photo from anaffordablewardrobe.blogspot.com
Second photo from mymanybags.blogspot.com

.