A romantic first date for young love

The vulnerability and excitement of a first date for young adult love. My life story up to the age of 18 is told in the book The Wilted Rose. My teenage relationship with Alex only lasted one year. Melbourne, Victoria, was too cold for me, just as my puppy love for Alex had grown cold. In 1980, I returned to Brisbane, Queensland. Grace moved into a two bedroom flat with my best friend from high school. I started a full-time administration job at a bank in Brisbane CBD and bought a secondhand car. I went to a disastrous Christmas party with Brian, 21, as my blind date, a friend of a work colleague. It was set to be a romantic boat party, floating up and down the Brisbane River. Brian ignored me all evening, dancing and drinking with a female work colleague, while I stood awkwardly among the partygoers, knowing only my friend who set up the blind date and kept apologising profusely. Even though Brian shared the last dance with me before driving me home, I decided he obviously wasn't interested in me. Unimpressed by his rude behaviour, I didn't want to go out with him again. But Brian called me on the house telephone the next day. He apologised for his selfish behaviour at the party and invited me out on a proper date to a fancy city restaurant on Queen Street, Brisbane. I nervously accepted, giving him a second chance to prove himself a gentleman. The date was old-fashioned and picture-perfect, like something out of a romantic movie. We were dressed in formal attire. He picked me up in a fancy car and drove me to a five-star restaurant, where we ate seafood and drank champagne, chatting as we looked out over the city's river lights from our intimate table for two. This poem reflects their first romantic date as young adults. Beverley Joy. The first date The clock was ticking, I was waiting to hear your footsteps at my door So romantic, so debonair, I basked in your adoring flair. As you entered into my world, I nervously tripped on my words Awkward glances, friendly banter. I said too much, I went on and on revealing my heart, opening my soul It left me feeling vulnerable, 'Will I regret it tomorrow?' I came out of my shell feeling happy and whole But is that the me that he wants to see? Throughout the date, we reminisced over common interests and music We shared our stories of adventures and dreams, past, present, and future. 'Am I over the top? Was I too much? Will he reconsider or prefer someone else?' I’ve lived my life as a captive bird; now the cage is flung open, I’ll fly upward It feels so strange, so alien, that I might fly back in and hide again. No one ‘knows’ me, I don’t ‘know’ myself, but I like what I feel, it’s exciting stuff. Beverley Joy of Simply Story Poetry 2012. All rights reserved. Read or listen to my poems on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Pinterest, ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠and at ⁠⁠simplystorypoetry.com⁠⁠ Thank you for listening. Beverley Joy.