TheBanyanTree: Riding in Trucks with Boys

[LaRose Karr]

Riding in Trucks with Boys

When I was a teenager and early in my early twenties in Arkansas, I used to
ride in trucks with boys. There was one boy named Don who was a slow ole
country boy. I always liked Don.  Talked to him a bit in the one class we
had together.

I used to go riding around with him just as friends.

Well, as high school friends do, we all scattered.  Don had to get married
early.  Back in those days folks did "have" to get married.

Anyway, I never gave Don a lot of thought through the years.  At our tenth
high school reunion he was very blunt, bringing up some embarrasments of
mine during our high school years.  I remember he laughed and later I cried.

At our twenty year reunion I decided to avoid him and I did.  We had two
nights of reunion festivities and he was only there for the first.  So I
successfully avoided him.

Yesterday was the day I was to go to the reception to meet Jerry B. Jenkins
(co-author of the Left Behind book series).

Saturday night my friend David from Arkansas called to tell me Don and his
brother had been skiing with their families in Colorado when Frank's wife
became very ill.  She was lifted by air from the mountains to a Denver
hospital.  Since I was going to be in Denver on Sunday I asked him to get
the name of the hospital.

Here's the scenario: These guys did not know I was coming.  I find the
waiting room and immediately see Don.  I walk up to him and ask, "Who am I?"
He just looks dumb founded.  "Who am I?"  Don has no clue!  When I said
"LaRose" he jumped up and gave me a hug.  (It has been 8 years since I last
saw him and 18 years since our last disastrous conversation.)

We spent the next hour and a half talking non-stop.  It was fun!!  I've
promised we'll visit him the next time we are home in Arkansas and he can
get to know my husband! Don is the owner of water well drilling company. (My
husband used to drill water wells in Arkansas and oil wells in Colorado so
Don wants to ask him geological formation and drilling questions.)

But the sweetest thing a woman can hear came out of this slow ole country
boy's mouth.  He said, "I wish I had dated you, I don't know why I didn't."
And then, he confessed a fear.  He said at our 20th reunion he feared he
would not recognize me.  And no, no I could not confess that I feared he
would.

Every woman needs to hear some wealthy ex-classmate lamenting about how he
wished he had dated her.  I didn't have a reply.  I showed him pictures of
my husband and kids.  He bragged on what a nice family they were and how my
husband was a good looking man.

And since they were changing motels, I got to once again ride in Don's
truck.

I had forgotten what riding with boys in trucks is all about...

Except this time we confessed insecurities as high school students.  And I
took great pride in telling Don I was going that afternoon to a reception to
meet a NY Times best selling author.  "I've had a blessed life," I said.
And Don replied, "Yes, you have had a blessed life."  Don has a wife and
thirty year old son.  I think he has a very good life too and I won't be
scared of what he says ever again.