Thud!

I was watching a news type show on TV one night, I don't recall which one, and I don't remember the particulars of the story, but it was something about an accident somewhere in the south caused by a drunk driver. I want to say it was somewhere in the Carolinas, but it might have been Tennessee or Georgia or one of the others.

Anyway, this young couple were on their first date and got hit by a drunk driver. The girl ended up in the hospital for a time in pretty bad shape. Now, I'm not making light of any of this, I realize it was a bad situation that just as easily could have turned tragic, but they are interviewing this kid, and I'm sitting there shaking my head, because right in front of me was someone so close to me 40 years ago that I had to smile.

He was saying stuff like all he could think of was the old Tim McGraw song, "Don't Take the Girl". and how he sat there every night wishing it was him instead of her and he was going to stay by her side for the rest of her life if that's what it took. He loved her that much!

Okay, a sad story and he is to be commended for his devotion and compassion, but in the back of my mind I'm saying, "It was your first date! What do you know about her? What are you going to do when she gets on her feet and decides to move on?" He's sitting there, talking like he's planning his whole future, and he hasn't the slightest idea if she feels that way or not.

Nobody falls quicker and farther than a young southern boy. I know, I was one. They walk around with their hearts on their sleeve waiting for some young girl to smile at them, and as soon as she does, Thud!! He's head over heels.

When I was a freshman I carried a particular girl's books to class every day right after lunch. Just her books mind you, some other guy was walking her to class, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking she will see what I'm doing and that's all it will take, she'll be mine forever. Okay, so I exaggerate a little bit, but not much!

There's a couple I fell for like that. Hook, line and sinker. I don't know that she has ever seen this blog, but if she does and she remembers it too, "Sorry. Hope I didn't embarrass you or anything like that."

I'm not exactly apologizing for it. I couldn't have controlled it even if I wanted to. I don't know if it was the age, the time, the hormones or what, but I'd have had more luck trying to stop the tides. I got better, eventually. I know every guy didn't act that way, but most did. Some of them were able to think things through a little more clearly and save themselves any embarrassment, but not me.

I didn't have "Don't Take the Girl", but I did have.....

Oh, I'm beginning to think, that man has never found,
The words that could make you want me.
That has the right amount of letters, just the right sound,
That could make you hear, make you see, that you are driving me out of my mind.

*sigh*

I wonder if the people who write songs like that know they're writing an ode for lovesick teenage boys? :)