The Date and the Drive thru - An 80's Romance

heryl thinks to herself. Yippee another day blown at work. I'm supposed to be a teenager. Being bored all day at school with the other kids. Maybe even skipping school, sleeping in then having fun all night...

Robert who also works at the grocery store comes walking toward her. "...If you can call that walking..." Hey Cheryl. I noticed we're both off on the same night. There's this cool restaurant me and my friends go to. It's kinda fancy but not too much. You wanna go with me? I'll take you there." Cheryl thinks "...Hmmm, not gorgeous but I guess not too goofy looking to be seen with in public. Besides I have got to get out..."
"Sure. Why not." "Cool. It's a date. I'll pick you up."
Date night. Robert arrives and Cheryl is pretty much ready."...Make up on, unicorn sweatshirt on. Not gonna go all out for this one but not gonna look like a bum either... ...Man does he always gotta wear that goofy hat? Oh well it keeps his hair in place I guess..." Her mom from the chair reading a romance book as usual.
"Cheryl don't forget..."
"Mom this is Robert. Gotta go. Love ya."

homas stands in front of the bathroom mirror with his blow dryer fluffing his thick long hair. Iron Maiden is cranked up on his stereo. His dad yells from the living room.

"Turn that noise down. I trying to watch TV." "If you're gonna go then hurry or you can stay home and watch
TV like me."
"Yeah." Chimes in Thomas friend Robert Stalker. "Come on dude. You've played with your hair enough. It's fine." Robert adds a dorky laugh and pokes his elbow toward Thomas dad a few times as if to say 'Get it?" Jerry barely looks up and thinks "...Dip stick..."
Thomas decides his hair finally has the right amount of fluff. Not too little, not too much, cowlick in the back finally tamed. He has his 501s on but before he gets a shirt he snaps on spiked leather wristband. It belongs to Stalker but he has convinced Robert "It looks better on me. Besides I look like a metal head. You don't" Once they run into some friends Thomas knows Robert will forget all about it opting instead on his stupid jokes that make no sense.
Still shirtless Thomas starts down the hall to the living room and hears a knock at the door. This time of night it's probably Pacheco, another of their friends.

erry says..."Stalker get the door." Smiling, he complies.
It isn't Pacheco. It is Robert. Stalker stands grinning at him. He then spies the short blonde girl hidden behind Robert. One wouldn't think it possible but Stalkers smile gets even bigger as his face expresses every dirty thought he ever had.
Robert pushes himself through, then two things happen at the same time. Thomas, thinking it's Pacheco, jumps from the hall into the living room thinking he is about to show off the cool chrome spikes and leather and his perfectly fluffed hair to his best friend and competitor for cool, and the short blonde steps from behind Robert. Thomas lands on his feet with a stunned look on his face. He retreats to the hall but not before two more things happen at the same time.
As he lands on his feet His and Cheryl's eyes lock. He thinks "...Oh man it's that girl from school I see sometimes in the hall. No wait the girl from school is taller and not near this cute..."
Cheryl doesn't catch that entire thought from his stare but she does perceive "...Oh man! Cuuute!" and although Thomas doesn't catch Cheryl's entire thought of "...What kinda goofy crap was that? No shirt, nice muscles, and cute." He does perceive "...Cuuute!"

homas returns to the living room, fully dressed now, and introductions are made. Though this pit stop has yielded a nice surprise, Cheryl can't help but wonder why they stopped here in the first place. She was supposed to be on a date after all. Then it hits her. " ...This dork is showing me off to his friends..."
Thomas, wondering if his face is still red, can't quit staring at the cute blonde. "...Hmmm, Cheryl..." he thinks. "...Stop it Thomas this is Roberts friend..." He doesn't believe in disrespect but does a poor job getting it under control. He thinks to himself "...Oh well they will leave now that Robert has shown off this beauty..." as Cheryl thinks "...Ok he'll say goodbye and I'll get to eat..." They are both shocked by the self imagined Romeo's next faux pas.

" Hey we're going to Gardski's. Y'all wanna go with us?" Though not over his embarrassment or the face of this beautiful girl Thomas still makes an attempt at politeness. " That's ok. You two are on a date. Stalker and I are goin crusin. Maybe well catch you later." Not through showing off, Robert insist. "Ah come on you like Gardski's." Thomas would like to see more of this girl but for her sake he wanted to be polite. He already felt bad for her. Robert is his friend but still a jerk. He had just paraded this sweet girl to feed his ego. Why did she agree to go out with this moron in the first place? Again Robert insist. "Nah man it's cool."

That sealed it. "All right lets go." He couldn't help but think of the ways Robert could make this night worse for Cheryl if they were left alone together. Even though it wasn't his place he made another attempt to help salvage what was left of this night for Cheryl. He was compelled by her beauty and demeanor to be nice to her. " Here we'll take my car." At least on the ride Cheryl and Robert could sit alone. "No way I got my aunt's Bonneville." Stalker, clueless as usual, "I got shotgun!" Thomas tries to intervene, "They're on a date man", as Robert remains silent leaving it up to Cheryl to say no. When she can't convince Stalker, Romeo Robert struck again. Struck out. " Ok Cheryl can sit in the middle." Good job. Briefly Cheryl and Stalker argue still without Robert's help. Stalker motions toward Thomas for support.

Again two things happen simultaneously. Cheryl and Thomas reach for the right rear door handle. Thomas joking, "As long as I get a window seat I'm happy." and Cheryl disgusted and glaring at Robert, "I don't know about you but I'm sitting in back." Thomas smiled at Cheryl, opened the door, and waited for Cheryl to get in. She scooted over a little so he slid in beside her. "Yes!" Thomas exclaims mentally. This was strange but he was happy. It was a cold winter night with snow on the ground and he could feel her warmth next to him. She didn't immediately move to the other side. Thomas was happier still.

p to this point he had tried to be polite but as much as he could be a gentleman, probably more so, he was a joker. He couldn't resist verbalizing the thought that next entered his head; humor always entered his head. With a big grin he says, "Hey we just traded dates!" Robert didn't find it funny at all. Stalker instantly laughed. He was a joker too but clueless. Then he exclaimed, "Hey that's not funny man.", suddenly feeling his budding manhood had just been questioned.

They stopped by Cheryl's and Robert went in with her so she could check in. While the other two waited in the car two girls pulled into the parking lot. When the girls walked by the car they noticed the boys and asked them if they wanted to come up for a beer. Thinking maybe Robert had gotten his act together they decided "...Why not..." The girls were pretty. Under other circumstances Thomas would have made the best of it but right or wrong there was a girl he couldn't get out of his mind. One of the girls, Una, had immediately singled out Thomas. It didn't take long though for her to see his mind, and heart, were somewhere else. They both somehow knew if they ever saw each other again it would only be in passing.
Stalker didn't notice any of this at first. He was too busy making a fool of himself for the other girl. They stayed only a few moments as the other two showed up and were ready to go. It was clear Stalker didn't want too but then the girls scared him when they said their boyfriends were on the way. Una looked at Thomas and with a mischievous smile said. "We're breaking up."

When they got to the car Stalker started in on Thomas. "What's wrong with you? That girl made it clear she wanted you and you blew it."
"That's cool. I'm not worried." He wasn't sure how but he knew something much better was in store for him.

It was unclear if Robert gave up on the date, he was angry and throwing a tantrum, or he just didn't get it. Whichever really didn't matter. He decided to head for the park and do donuts and slide his aunt's car around in the snow. A normal night out for the high school boys yes, a date with a beautiful high school girl no. It was clear Cheryl was not impressed. Thomas was not happy either and he told Robert "Man your throwing her all over the place and she's getting upset. Be cool dude." Robert didn't care anymore.

he cars careening was throwing Cheryl into Thomas. The look on Thomas face showed he didn't mind. He couldn't help it. When He looked at Cheryl's face he could tell she didn't like being thrown around the car but he also noticed her expression turned to a smile each time she was thrown against him. Soon they were smiling at each other. When she slid against the left door Thomas scooted next to her and reached over and locked the door so. Then he helped her with the seatbelt. She thanked him and grinned up at him and he couldn't help but grin back. He loved that smile, that face. When he realized that he was still sitting against her he scooted over wondering if Robert had noticed. He managed to make his self scoot over. Not quite all the way though. Cheryl thanked him and they waited to see when the ride would end. After a while Cheryl said she was getting hungry. When there was no answer Thomas didn't hide the disgust in his voice when he said "I thought we were going to eat. Cheryl says she is hungry." Stalker said he was hungry too. Robert sounding whiny said "Not yet we're having fun." Thomas countered angrily "Not everyone." Still whiny and getting mad Robert tired to argue. Everyone loudly exclaimed "No!" He didn't try to hide his anger and said "Fine we'll go eat."

e made it clear the date was over with his new choice of restaurants. Thomas protested but Robert said "This is where I want to eat." He sounded like a pouty child. Cheryl said "It's fine I'm too hungry to wait and I not in the mood to go in a restaurant and eat now anyway." She said it loud enough for Robert to hear and confiding tone that showed she was talking to Thomas now. It was clear she was no longer talking to Robert. Thomas smiled. He really liked this girl.

The crackly voice came over the speaker. "Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order?" Robert placed his order with feigned gusto. When Stalker tried to place his order Robert interrupted him . Trying to pretend he was still on his date and with an arrogant grin he asked Cheryl what she wanted. She rolled down the window and speaking past gave her order. Thomas laughed. Yes he really liked her. When it was time to pay Cheryl reached into her pocket and got out her money. "I'll pay for my own." She tried to give the money to Robert who actually reached for it. Thomas had had enough. Before Robert could take the money Thomas quickly grabbed it. He handed it back to Cheryl who tried to protest but his next action stopped her. He looked into her beautiful green eyes with lovers smile "I'll pay for it. Remember? You're on a date." The look of surprise on her face warmly melted into a smile that matched his and and whether they knew it or not they were in love. Yes she really liked this boy.

he extended gaze did not go unnoticed. After Thomas handed over the money and change was made the car squealed away from the window. Sliding through the parking lot like a maniac the jilted Romeo headed out for more donuts. This time Cheryl removed the seatbelt and as they managed to to eat their burgers in the swaying vehicle the two new friends enjoyed the ride. Thomas slid to the middle of the seat and Cheryl leaned against him to stay upright and giggled. Robert glared in the rear view as the couple took advantage of every every jostle he caused to lean closer against each other. Dejectedly he slowed the car and headed back. Even though the car stopped swaying the two in back stayed together.

When their destination eventually became clear Thomas heart sank. The car stopped in front of his house and he stared at Cheryl as he grudgingly got out. He waited for her to get out and as he opened the front passenger door for her smiling he said "Goodbye. It was nice meeting you. I hope I see you again soon. I had fun." Quietly for his ears only she smiled back and said. "Me too. It was nice meeting you also. Yes we'll see each other again. Goodbye." Fireworks went off and he yelled for joy inside himself. Rolling her eyes Cheryl got in the car and Thomas knowingly said "Sorry." He hated to think what the ride back would be like for her but knew she could handle it. The car pulled away and with a very happy teenage boys bouncy step he followed Stalker into the house. Of course Stalker was laughing like a loon all the way and when he saw Thomas dad he laughed harder and said "You won't believe what happened!"

heryl got home that night not knowing what to think. That was the strangest date she had ever heard of. Her emotions were mixed. On one hand she was furious with Robert. On the other she was happy with the turn of events. She hoped Thomas would call.
Two whole days went by and she was started to worry. Maybe he won't feel right about it and won't bother. As she sat there wondering the phone rang. Excited, she started for the phone. "...Calm down Cheryl. It could be anyone..." "Hello?" His heart leapt. "Hi. Cheryl?" Her heart leapt. "I hoped you would call. I knew you would but I was beginning to wonder."
"Actually I could hardly wait but even though he was a jerk I was trying to be respectful. Some date, huh? Sorry you were treated like that. I have to admit though, I enjoyed it."
"Yes it started off bad but it did turn into a great date after all."


The two saw each other again soon. Stalker was living with Thomas and his dad at the time. He up with Cheryl and Thomas one night shortly after their first encounter. They all went to another friends house and it wasn't long before the two conspired to leave him there for a while. "We have to check in with her mom. We'll be back later." They went back to Thomas dad's home. He wasn't there. Cheryl managed to start a pillow fight. She got in a good shot and Thomas fell back and landed on his bed. Cheryl fell, or dove, on him and the pillow fight turned into a first kiss that went on and on.

here have been many bumps in the road, many ups and downs but he two were hooked. They now have three beautiful children and have been married for twenty years. Years he wouldn't trade for anything.

Who needs romance books when real life is so much sweeter.

The end?

Lets hope not!