Pete Grimes, Part Two

When we left off  yesterday, it was at the end of my infamous date with Pete Grimes.  The story was too long, so I had to break it into two posts.  So, without further ado, let me continue with the tale...

Date night was February 22, 1980.  (Don't worry, I didn't have that date marked in my brain, I looked it up in Wikipedia!)  I did, indeed, get a kiss good night, and I'm sure it was the best ever.  And, from that moment I was even more smitten than before.  We would talk on the phone  (again, I have no idea what the two of us would discuss)  and chit chat a bit at school.  I was walking on air, let me tell you.  There had never been any discussion of "exclusive" dating, but I was SURE he liked me as much as I liked him.

At Terre Haute South Vigo High School, we had separate proms for juniors and seniors.  So, it was perfectly acceptable for girls to invite boys of a different year.  Since PG was a senior, I asked him to accompany me to my prom.  Imagine my JOY when he said yes.  Yay hooray, I was going to prom with the most glorious flannel-wearing boy!  I bought my white Gunny Sax dress, prepared my baby's breath, and was psyched!!

Prior to the prom, there was this little event called, "The Revue" held at my school.  For lack of a better word, it was a talent show.  I was in a band at the time, and we were slated to perform.  We had a few songs in our repertoire, and would decide nightly which one we were doing.  Since our band wasn't scheduled to perform until the second half of the Revue, I wandered the halls to get a drink.  As I was walking down the hall, who did I see?  Yes, Pete Grimes himself.  Friends, he wasn't alone.  He had a girl on his arm.  He had the cutest most buxom girl on his arm.  (I found out later that she went to another school in town, West)  He introduced me to her, and it was that point I realized this guy wasn't madly in love with me or my flat chest.  He was not my boyfriend.  He was her boyfriend.

Oh, the pain!  Oh, the hurt!  I felt the pain cutting through me like a knife.  (yeah, I was a teenager, that pain was certainly exaggerated!)  I was sure I wouldn't survive.  And, then it came time to sing.  I was wearing my TERRYCLOTH outfit that Julie Ames had made me, complete with flower in my hair and white high heels, and had to go SING knowing Pete Grimes was sitting out there with that really cute girl.  So, I did what any 16 year old girl would have done.  I walked up to the microphone, and said, "I would like to dedicate this song to a friend of mine in the audience, and I think he knows who he is."  We then performed, "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt.

For about three minutes, I felt in total control of the world, and the pain went away.  But, being that emotional pubescent female, it came back full force, and with anger.  So, the next week at school, in an attempt to retain my pride, I told Pete Grimes to "go to H#$@."  (I'm sure he had no idea why I was upset, why I was damning him to hell!)  So much for marrying him and having his babies.  So much for washing those flannel shirts.  So much for PROM.    I did end up going with a friend of mine, and we had a fun time.  But, it wasn't what I had dreamed up in my world of Pete Grimes.

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I moved to St. Louis after the school year, and took with me my broken heart.  But funnily enough, after a year or so, I reconnected with ol' Pete Grimes, and we became friends.  I think I had grown up just a tad bit in that time, and could laugh at that rather silly situation.  But, I did get him to talk about that moment of my "dedication," and he admitted to me that when I said what I did, he wished he could crawl out of the auditorium.  (Success??!!!)

So, here I am thirty years later, and it makes me laugh when I share this story.  Perfect proof that time does heal all wounds.  (or most of them anyway...) 

Nowadays, when I hear that song, I can't help but think of the flannel-wearing boy and the girl with the crush.  They're all grown up now with families and teenagers of their own. ( But boy, when I hear that song, I'm wearing the terrycloth all over again!!!)

Pete Grimes, wherever you are, here's to ya!